Shadowing or Stalking
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The document discusses the differences between stalking and shadowing, with shadowing being a research technique where a researcher closely follows a subject with their permission to observe their natural behaviors and environment. It provides an overview of observation as a research method, describing it as observing real people in real world contexts to gain a holistic understanding of systems and behaviors. Various types of observation, data collection, subjects, locations, legal and logistical considerations are examined.
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Shadowing or Stalking
- 1. Shadowing or Stalking the ins and outs of observing real people in real situations The Research Thing Dr Chandra Harrison 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 1
- 2. Stalking vs. Shadowing Stalking is unwanted or obsessive attention which involves an individual closely following another person over an extended period of time – without their permission. 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 2 Shadowing is a research technique which involves a researcher closely following a person of interest over an extended period of time to observe their behaviour in context.
- 3. What is observation? • Observing real people in real situations • Watching what people actually do rather than what they say they do • Gaining a holistic view on how a complex system works • Understanding the complex reasons behind decisions • Rich, dense and comprehensive, Richer than lab research • Detailed, first hand and multidimensional picture • Has varying levels of researcher involvement • Can provide either qualitative or quantitative data 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 3 Exploring Discovery Rediscovery Playing Behaviour On-the-move Listening Experience Personal Shared Managing Playlists Collection Acquiring Physical Digital Sharing Technology Engagement Mood and Emotion User Tasks
- 4. Many of science’s most important breakthroughs, from the discovery of microorganisms to the theory of evolution, have come about through observation Seeing is not the same as observing - there is science behind proper observation Casual observers sit back and watch what unfolds Scientific observers come up with hypotheses that they can test 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 4 Science or Design?
- 5. What is it good for • Understanding and clarifying context • Identifying process steps, resources and touch points • Overcoming lack of compliance of diary studies • Answering the where, why, with who, how often questions instead of just the what • Uncovering reality of what people really do – not what they say they do • Discovering patterns of behaviour • Identifying opportunities for design • Providing access to the trivial or mundane and the difficult to articulate • Seeing the world from someone else’s point of view 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 5
- 6. Types of observation 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 6 Researcher Involvement Researcher Query Natural (covert) No interference None, or maybe Post Controlled (overt) Set a task and observe None, Concurrent, or Post Participatory Actively join in Concurrent Indirect Only after the fact None
- 7. Types of data • Qualitative – to inform design – What – Where – How – Why – When – With whom • Quantitative – to answer specific questions – Frequency – Duration – Sequence – Percentage of time of activities – And the what, where, when, why… 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 7
- 8. What to measure • Contextual factors – Physical – Social – Environmental – Technical – Organisational • Artefacts used • Body language • Moods of the person • Interactions with other people • Task flow • Pleasure and pain points 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 8
- 9. Who to observe • Gaining access can be problematic – People are often happy to chat, not so happy to have you tag along all day • Screen carefully – Make sure they aren’t odd • Have a clear agreement • Have a conversation beforehand • The relationship will change over time • Manage the Hawthorne effect • Manage researcher bias as you become sympathetic to the participants 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 9
- 10. Where to observe 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 10 Watching people without any permission Watching people with permission of the company Watching a specific person with their permission
- 11. Legalities • Getting permission is always good start • Schools and hospitals are more difficult • You can photograph private property from public property • You can photograph children in public spaces • Photography may be prohibited or restricted on private property by the property owner • You should have CRB and insurance 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 11
- 12. Logistics • Build rapport and set the scene • Tools of the trade • Length of sessions • Payment • Safety Protocols • Tag alongs 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 12
- 13. Take Home Messages • Never go in cold – know who you are following • Plan what data you want to gather and how you will analyse it • Write down as much as you can, take photos if you can • Allow time to consolidate notes after each session • Have someone to discuss the data with • Practice note taking on the move • Don’t try to do too much in one day 25/03/2013 @DrKiwiGirl 13
Editor's Notes
- Different types of observation can yield different types of data, but also come with different types of problems. Using a shadowing case study Chandra will explore the trials and tribulations, the legalities, the types of data and the joys of watching people in their natural environment.
- Students and the uninitiated often think that shadowing can be ickyBut its about the contract you have with the person you are following and the rapport you build
- Music on the move – inform design activities
- Music on the MoveAgreed where and what - variety of locations and activitiesObserved for most of thisHad a interview afterwards
- Sampling – airport – a specific carriage on a specific train on a specific dayTypes of head phonesHolding onto devices or in their pocketNoise bleed – DB counterRemoving for announcementsSupplementing other data setsMulti taskingWe wanted qualitative data to inform future design activitiesBut quantitative data about the percentages of time spent on different activities could help prioritiseQuant can be more useful in safety critical environmentsQuant requires more rigorous study designthat the principals spent on different kinds of tasks
- Ten people chosen from 20 who participated in workshops
- None – less Hawthorne effect, less control of the situationwith the organisation – less likely to get kicked outwith the individual – if they are meeting with others there is an implied contract
- Tools of the tradeRapportNotebook and pen - Hard covered, spiral bound, sparesCamera, to capture specificsMicrophones on participantsVideo cameraPaymentDepends on type of studyindividuals need proper recompenseAlways in an envelopeCan be awkward handing over cash in publicMOTM £50 for this sessionLength of sessions MOTM Session was four hours Few hours, several days - Orton, Marcella and Baxter (2000:207) report that they used a ‘shadowing methodology’ to observe and log the information seeking behaviour of two Members of the UK Parliament over a period of 4 weeks.Don’t do too muhcThe recording of this amount of data on a daily basis, and the processing of it in the evenings in order to preserve its quality and contemporaneous nature is challenging for any researcher. Couple this with the physically demanding process of running about all day and the mentally and emotionally demanding task of immersion and it is easy to see why shadowing can be an exhausting and overwhelming experience both in the data gathering and data analysis stages.
- • Never go in cold. It is important to spend time getting to know both the organisational environment and, to a lesser extent, the individuals you will be shadowing. If you don’t know the names of your subject’s boss, work colleagues secretary and husband, not to mention the major product lines and suppliers, your notes will not be very meaningful at the start of your shadowing. • Use a small, hard-back notebook to keep a research account. This will allow you to write anywhere. Tape recorders are not practical for shadowing. Take plenty notebooks and spare pens! • Write down as much as you can. This is especially important at the start of a project when you can still see the organisation as an outsider. Settings, the meaning of acronyms, how meetings make you feel, relationships and your first impressions of people (and how these change) are all data. • Try to find an independent colleague or mentor that you can discuss your research with if necessary. This provides vital moral support and allows you to keep your research perspective. • Get into the habit of making a daily tape dump of your research notes. This makes it easier to decipher what you have been writing at speed and helps keep your accounts rich and detailed. It also helps to preserve your own thoughts and impressions, which will change very quickly as you lose your beginner perspective over time. • Plan your data management. Decide how you are going to record, manage and analyse your data before going into the field. • Practice taking notes on the move, it takes experience to learn what to note down and what to filter out