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Interview: Contextual

Discovery / ExplorationqualitativeBeginner

TL;DR

Interviews conducted while the user interacts with their real environment.

Detailed description

Contextual Interviews are a qualitative methodology that combines direct observation with structured interview in the user's real usage environment. This technique allows capturing both natural behaviors and the motivations and thoughts that drive them, providing deep context about how and why users perform specific tasks. Research demonstrates its effectiveness for discovering latent needs and pain points that don't emerge in traditional interviews (Interaction Design Foundation). It is especially valuable for understanding complex workflows and identifying innovation opportunities in existing products.

Main objective

Understand users' why, their motivations, unmet needs, and how the environment influences their interactions.

Use cases

WebMobile appsDesktop applicationsIn-person servicesLive interactions (banks, clinics, retail)

When to use it

Early stages (discovery/exploration), before developing or redesigning a product.

Effort level

High

Recommended number of users

5–10 per user segment

Advantages

  • ✓Real usage context
  • ✓Spontaneous behaviors
  • ✓Unspoken insights
  • ✓Holistic workflow understanding

Disadvantages

  • ✗Very time-intensive
  • ✗Requires privileged access
  • ✗Can be intrusive
  • ✗Observer bias

When to use

  • •Complex multi-step processes
  • •Specialized work environments
  • •When interviews aren't enough

Metrics

  • 📊Friction points identified
  • 📊Unreported behaviors
  • 📊Observation time
  • 📊Unique contextual insights

Practical example

Observe store employees while they use the current inventory system to identify bottlenecks.