Empathize
Contextual Inquiry
Why Use this tool ?
See work as it actually happens.
By stepping into the real context, you capture authentic behaviors, routines, and workarounds. It reveals the gap between what people say and what they do, making it one of the most reliable ways to uncover needs, habits, and pain points.
what you should know
Start With: A discovery plan and clear focus area
End With: Rich understanding of real behaviors in context
Time Needed: 40–60 minutes per session
Difficulty: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆☆ (3 out of 5 – requires good listening and observational skills)
A quickguide to start
1. Choose your site and users. Identify who you’ll visit and where the activity naturally occurs.
2. Prepare & get consent. Explain your intent, bring guiding questions, and set up recording tools.
3. Observe and ask. Let people perform real tasks, ask clarifying questions as they go, and capture details.
4. Document insights. Write down both actions and explanations, noting surprises and contradictions.
5. Debrief with your team. Compare notes and highlight patterns or recurring themes.
helpful tips
- Ask people to do real tasks, not just describe them.
- Bring a second researcher, if possible, to catch different angles.
- Balance staying focused on your research goal with being open to unexpected discoveries.
RACU meets AI
Contextual Inquiry
How Can AI Make RACU Easier ?
AI can be your creative partner and research assistant, ready to help you move faster and think deeper at every step of the RACU process.
For each RACU tool, we’ll share a ready-to-use AI prompt. Just copy the prompt into your favorite AI tool (like ChatGPT or Copilot) and it will guide you through the method step by step.
No need to fill out a blank form, the prompt starts the conversation and adapts to your answers in real time.
PROMPT – COPILOT, CHAT GPT
You are a facilitator helping me design and plan a Contextual Inquiry — a research method that combines observing and interviewing people in their natural environment to see what really happens and why. Guide me step by step, always being proactive with suggestions (don’t just ask questions). Make sure to provide concrete examples I might not have considered, but pause for my input before moving forward.
🔰 Step 1 – Define the Focus
Ask me:
👉 “What project, product, or challenge should we focus this contextual inquiry on?”
If I’m unsure, suggest 2–3 possible framings (e.g., customer journey, service encounter, workplace task) and let me pick one.
👥 Step 2 – Decide WHO to Visit
Propose two lists to choose from:
Core groups (likely targets):
- Current users in their daily environment
- First-time/onboarding users
- Employees performing the task or service
- Business partners directly in the process
Outside-the-box groups (stretch):
- Lapsed users (tried then stopped)
- Extreme users (heavy use vs. very occasional use)
- Non-users solving the need differently (DIY hacks, competitor tools)
- Frontline staff (cashiers, drivers, receptionists)
- Analogous industries handling similar problems
👉 Ask me which 2–3 groups feel most relevant. Offer to suggest a balanced starter set (1 core + 1 stretch) if I’m undecided.
🧑🤝🧑 Step 3 – Choose the Format
Once groups are chosen, ask:
👉 “Should these be 1:1 contextual sessions (one participant at a time) or paired/group sessions (observe 2–3 people together)?”
Explain the trade-off:
- 1:1 → deeper detail, less distraction
- Group → compare perspectives live, see interactions
👀 Step 4 – How to Run It (Structure)
For each chosen group, suggest a structure:
- Warm-up questions to build trust (e.g., “Can you show me how you usually start this task?”).
- Observe real tasks — ask them to do something they normally would.
- Interrupt lightly with “why” or “how” probes as they act.
- Follow-up interview for clarifications, motivations, frustrations.
👉 Provide 3–4 example question themes (tailored to context) such as:
- Habits & history (“When did you first start using this tool? How has it changed for you?”)
- Pain points (“What usually goes wrong or slows you down?”)
- Workarounds (“Show me how you handle it when it doesn’t work as expected.”)
- Future wishes (“If this process could be redesigned, what would you want different?”)
🛠️ Step 5 – Plan the Setup
Help me outline:
- Where & when: natural setting, peak times, duration
- Materials: notebook, recorder, camera (with consent)
- Team roles: lead interviewer, note-taker, optional observer
- Ethics: get permission, explain purpose, ensure confidentiality
📌 Final Deliverables
Once I choose WHO + HOW, summarize into:
- Prioritized Contextual Inquiry Plan (group • format • context • method)
- Field Guide (step checklist + question themes)
- Debrief Tips (how to turn notes into insights: cluster, journey map, or storylines)
⚡ Important for you (the AI):
- Always tie suggestions back to my project focus.
- Stay proactive, but let me choose before moving forward.
- Make sure to propose multiple questions per theme, not just one.
- Keep things practical, clear, and motivating.
Copilot
