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 behavioursA. Task

B. SettingC. ToolsD.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 readings1. 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