Susan M. Dray, Ph.D., Dray & Associates, Inc.
David A. Siegel, Ph.D., Dray & Associates, Inc.
You will learn how to plan for and carry out studies of users in the field. Rather than teaching a single way to do field research, we provide you with the tools to think critically about the many planning and methodological choices you will have to make. You will also have the chance to practice two types of observations (Naturalistic Observation and Contextual Inquiry) and will see video examples from actual fieldwork projects in a variety of settings and countries.
This is a significantly updated version of a highly rated course based on tutorials presented at past CHI conferences and other venues.
This hands-on session is aimed at practitioners doing, planning, and leading field research, including developers, designers, and managers who are responsible for user experience or user requirements identification. This is an introductory to intermediate level tutorial. It will be useful for beginners in fieldwork, as well as those with some experience who want to broaden their knowledge of approaches.
Lecture, group discussion, video demonstration, and small group hands-on exercises.
Through their consulting firm, Dray & Associates, Inc., Susan and David have helped many clients plan and design products that meet user needs, using field research and other UCD approaches. They are well-known consultants, speakers, trainers, and authors on this and other UCD topics. Susan has been active in CHI since the Gaithersburg Conference, and is a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics interactions magazine. David is currently on the Editorial Board of User Experience magazine, and Susan is the Director of Publications for the Usability Professionals Association. See http://www.dray.com for more information.