Seven experiences with contextual field research

Abstract

Contextual field research is a growing area of interest in human-computer interaction. At the CHI '88 conference, Karen Holtzblatt, Sandy Jones, and myself hosted a Special Interest Group on "Field Research Techniques for Building Usable Products." This overview of seven different experiences with contextual field research techniques grew out of the network we established at the conference.These contributions show a wide range of experience with contextual field research, including its use in academic research and the design of diverse computer products. We hope that this snapshot of contextual field work in mid-1988 may excite your curiosity about what may be possible from this perspective, currently out of the mainstream of human-computer interaction research. The bibliography at the end of this article includes sources for more information on contextual methods, as well as references from the individual contributions.