Contextual inquiry

Contextual inquiry (also known as context or field research) is an observational practice informed by ethnography or anthropology.

It involves understanding human activity through participatory observation in a setting where the activity takes place.

Such inquiries are used in empathic market sensing, product development and design to capture succinctly specific elements of human activities, with a focus on factual, direct, non-mediated experiences within a context and on the dynamic interaction and mental immersion of the observational team.

Research techniques include interviews, video ethnography and self-documentation by users and the results can be observations, insights and applications.