- In this section, we'll discuss
another design research tool,
observational note taking.
Observational note taking involves
the researcher watching and recording human behavior.
The process of recording or taking notes
is usually done through descriptive writing,
though it may also include sketching and diagramming.
The key to observational note taking
is for the researcher to remain invisible,
that is, unnoticed by the group being observed.
If the researcher remains unnoticed,
then it's much more likely that the group being observed
will behave in a normal way.
So we're taking notes of human behavior,
what is human behavior?
Simply put, it's everything you can see.
How people interact with others, their conversations,
the way they sit, stand, behave, talk, dress and look,
all the qualities that help define
what people do, think and feel.
Observational note taking can be particularly beneficial
during the beginning stages of a research process.
Let's say for example that you're part of a team
trying to develop a better wayfinding system for a museum.
The museum is located in a major metropolitan area
and host a number of visitors
from varying international backgrounds.
And it also has a number of flexible spaces
and temporary exhibits.
So one of the first things you need to do
is become more familiar
with how the existing wayfinding system works.
Where does it break down,
and how could you possibly improve upon it?
Observational note taking is a great tool for this.
Over the course of multiple visits,
you take observational notes of visitors in the museum,
and this is what you find out.
There's confusion upon entering the museum,
where to begin, where the exhibitions are,
and some people even have trouble finding the restroom.
Throughout the exhibit, docents are often
asked for directions when visitors become lost,
visitors head for the exit door
before stopping at the gift shop,
and visitors wait for the elevator
instead of using the hard-to-find stairs.
So what can you conclude?
The entrance is the first major decision-making point,
and visitors struggle navigating
throughout the entire experience.
Additional instructions can also help visitors
find important functions like the restroom,
stairs and gift shop.
And it's that easy.
Now you have a few important points to begin acting on,
but, you needed to observe them first
before jumping to any conclusions.
Observational note taking can discover
unknown problems and opportunities.
Let's use our museum example to think about this further.
Through observational note taking, you noticed that
when people are reading the exhibit information,
they tend to not read anything below 4 feet.
And that's not because that information
below 4 feet is boring, it's because a person
in average height would need to bend down pretty low
in order to read anything in this area,
and extending that kind of effort
is asking a lot from your average museum visitor.
So as we're watching for big problematic areas,
we can also see small details,
tiny insights that help us to better understand
how to communicate in a particular environment.
As I said earlier, one of the trickiest parts
of getting good observational notes
is to remain unnoticed by those you're observing.
It's important to find a location to observe
where you can blend in with the population
without calling too much attention to yourself.
It also helps to dress appropriately.
For instance, if you're observing
people playing in the park,
wearing a suit and tie could make you look
a little bit out of place.
You can also practice ways to be discreet
in how you record your notes.
Carrying a large clipboard
and writing notes rapidly as you stare at someone
might draw more attention to yourself than you'd like.
Instead, try using a small notepad
and a system of abbreviations or shorthand notes
to make your actions less obvious to those around you.
The notes you take are also
an important part of this process.
Good observational notes are overly descriptive
in what they capture.
The more you record, the more insights you'll gain
when you review your notes later.
Here's an example from our scenario.
Subject A, female, aged 25-30,
wearing comfortable pants and flat shoes.
She's holding the hand of a toddler
who seems to be very excited about the museum,
keeps asking questions about everything, why this or that.
She's trying to keep him calm as she quickly locates
the coat room to take off his winter coat.
A few minutes later, she quietly tries to reprimand him
for something he might have said
and threatens to skip the museum entirely
and go home if he doesn't behave.
The toddler is immediately calm and promises to be good.
The lady quickly dashes to find a map
from the reference desk, barely looks through it,
before asking the attendant to point her
in the direction of the dinosaur show.
He politely references her map,
pointing to a spot where they are currently standing,
and where she needs to go.
He turns her in the direction
of a couple of stairs and points her that way.
That paints a clear picture, right?
We can assume multiple points by these descriptive notes.
Here are some suggestions to keep in mind
to help you apply successfully observational note taking.
The first thing you need to do is have a plan.
It's important that you know what and whom you're observing.
Do not set out looking for a specific problem,
but rather have a few general questions,
such as, where do people get lost,
how do people get from point A to B,
how does the existing wayfinding system work, who uses it,
and what are the different destinations people need to find.
Pay attention to the objects people use,
where they look and who they talk to.
By doing this, you'll help to keep your bias in check,
and collect more authentic information about your audience.