CSCI 4163/6610 WINTER 2015

Q1: Observations allow you to: a) Learn about real world behaviours b) Learn about opinions and perspectives c) Both A & B d) Neither A nor B

Q2: Observations are a good choice… A. When you are trying to understand an ongoing behaviour or process B. When there is physical evidence, products, or outcomes that can be readily seen C. When you want direct information D. All of the above

Q3: Disadvantages of observation include… A) Can only be used in natural settings B) The observer’s presence may create an artificial situation C) Both A & B D) Neither A nor B

Q4: If unobtrusive, observations allow you to… A) see things in their natural context B) see things that may escape conscious awareness, things that are not seen by others C) discover things that may have been taken for granted D) All of the above

Q5: To preserve ecological validity, you must make sure the _____ is/are representative of usual behaviours A. Task B. Setting C. Tools D. All of the above

Big disadvantage of pure (unobtrusive) observation…  Can be hard to understand why the behaviours/activities are happeny….

Contextual inquiry  Interviewees are interviewed in their context, when doing their tasks, with as little interference from the interviewer as possible.  Allows probing of “why?”  Can be real-time or record interesting actions for later discussion

“Typical” 4 phased approach  Traditional interview  Get an overview, establish trust, start recording  Switch to a master-apprentice relationship  Tell them what you want to observe  Make sure to establish when ok to interrupt  Observe, ask questions  Take notes  Balance need to understand with impact of interruptions  Summarization  Go over observations and your understanding with participant  Make sure that you go it right

Other ways of providing context  If natural observation not possible, can ask them to demonstrate specific tasks of interest  Can provide task scenarios and ask them to perform  “Think aloud” protocols

Other ways of getting observational data  Logging  Screen recording (check out Camtasia)  Trace data  Read McGrath handout for a great discussion of ways to get observational data

Recent readings 1. Why did they do the research/study? a. What was the motivation? b. What were the research questions? 2. What was their approach? 3. Critique their study (Recruitment, running the study, analysis) a. what was good? b. What was bad?) c. Do you think that their findings are valid? 4. What would you do differently if you wanted to replicate/extend this research?

Homework  Friday’s tutorials: interview groups  Be a participant  Be an observer  Day of: submit quick feedback sheets for all that you took part in/observed  The next tutorial: submit a critique for ONE group  Advertising Diary exercise for Tues  Assigned reading w/ questions for Tues  Read McGrath’s Methodology Matters (submit questions) for Tues Feb 3rd