27 Tips and Tricks for Conducting Successful User Research in the Field

Summary: Leave your office and go where the users are. Learn about common pitfalls and how to avoid them from our experience.

User research in the field is an effective way to learn about users and their context. It typically takes place where users live, play, or work. The following lessons learned from our own studies can help you avoid common problems. Whether you are doing qualitative usability testing or user interviews with participants who are employees of a corporation or you are conducting direct observation in someone’s home, here are some universal tips and tricks that can help you in that process.

Before the Study

Study Observers

During the Study

After the Study

Conclusion

When preparing for field-research projects, collaborate with stakeholders to make a research plan , ensure you take the equipment and supplies you need, review these tips, and then relax and have a great field study.

Learn more about ethnographic research in our course Ethnographic UX Research: Diary Studies and Contextual Inquiry.