A Field Study is a tool used to gather information about the users. It is usually done very early in the design or even the idea generation phase of a project.

Through Field Studies you learn about people’s workflows, the surrounding tasks they perform and the artifacts or different tools they use to achieve their goals. For example do they get their news online, through the daily papers, magazines, or TV etc. You find out a lot about what’s important to people when they are in their own environment and gather ideas for additional products and features.

Usability Insights consultant would help design the sessions and the interview questions which are more open ended than the Practical Evaluation scenarios.

Process outline:

• Determine what you are interested in.
• Find, recruit and schedule users.
• Develop a script of questions, things to talk about, items to notice in the environment. Find out how they do things and what they use in order to do them.
• Use mobile video equipment if desired and available.
• Go out to observe, listen and question.