A practical guide to running better contextual inquiries

Empathy is a key part of design thinking. And when it comes to really stepping into the user’s shoes, there’s no substitute for watching someone in their natural environment. And this is what contextual inquiry is all about!

But for those new to the term, caution ahead: It’s not to be confused with another very important research method: user interviews. In this article, we’ll run through the differences. We’ll then give you tips on how to conduct your own contextual inquiry like a pro.

What is a contextual inquiry?

A contextual inquiry is user research done out in the wild — watching and talking to people while they use a product or service in their normal setting. Instead of sitting across a table with a list of questions, you’re right there with them, seeing how things really happen.

It’s part conversation, part observation. You’re asking questions as they go, but you’re also catching the bits the user does unconsciously — the extra clicks, the way they hesitate before a step.

That’s where this approach really shines: it shows the gap between what people think they do and what’s really happening. Often, it’s these things that are the most revealing.

Why run a contextual inquiry?

Ask someone how they use a product and you’ll usually get a tidy, logical answer. But watch them in the real world? It’s a different story.

It’s especially useful when you need to get past what people are doing and dig into why. Why skip that step? Why reach for a sticky note instead of using the built-in tool? Why avoid that one screen like the plague?

The answers to those questions are the kind that shape better products — designs rooted in how people actually work, not in the neat version they describe afterwards.

When should I run a contextual inquiry?

Some products are simple. Others are layered, multi-step, and packed with invisible dependencies. Contextual inquiry is particularly powerful when you’re researching the second type.

It works best when you’re trying to untangle complicated workflows or understand how highly experienced users get the job done. These are often the people who’ve developed their own shortcuts or habits over time — the kind that won’t show up in a questionnaire.

Take a medical appointment system as an example. You might spend a morning following a receptionist at a busy clinic. One minute they’re booking someone in, the next they’re shuffling paper forms or fielding a question from across the room. You notice them switching between three screens, jotting a phone number on a sticky note, or bending the rules to help a patient. Those off-script moments are gold — things no survey or formal interview would ever surface.

When should I not run a contextual inquiry?

Contextual inquiry is best when you want to see real behaviour in a real setting. But if the environment doesn’t matter much — say, the product is used the same way no matter where someone is — then it might not be worth the time and effort involved.

If it’s early on in the design process and you’re just trying to understand broad user needs, a standard user interview might be better. Or if you’ve already got a prototype and want to test how well it works, a usability test will give you clearer answers, faster.

It’s also not ideal if your users are hard to access or if observing them would disrupt their work. For example, you’re unlikely to be invited into a busy operating theatre or a top-secret security office with a notebook and a list of questions.

Like all research methods, it’s about picking the right tool for the job. Contextual inquiry is rich, detailed, and often eye-opening — but only when the context really counts.

The disadvantages of contextual inquiry

• Contextual inquiry can be time-intensive and expensive: The researcher has to visit the user, wherever they may be. They also need to run the interview, which takes time.
• Qualitative research deals with one person at a time, meaning you’ll probably need to combine it with other forms of data collection to get a statistically significant result. Drawing all your conclusions from one or two subjects could yield untrustworthy results.

Contextual inquiry vs. user interview: What’s the difference?

Two important research methods with similar-sounding names. Here’s where they differ.

Contextual inquiry

A contextual inquiry involves observing people in their natural context and asking them questions so you can learn more about what they’re doing and why. So say, for example, you want to create a streamlined university dining hall. You’d spend a day on-site, observing students and kitchen staff in action to learn more about how they use their environment.

User interview

A user interview is something a designer or UX researcher does before they create the product. It involves talking to the user (or someone who represents a group of users) about what they need from the product and how they anticipate using it. It’s a key part of user-centered design.

Distinguishing contextual inquiry from direct observation

It’s easy to confuse contextual inquiry with direct observation — after all, both involve watching people in their usual environment. But there’s one key difference: conversation.

In a contextual inquiry, the researcher asks questions, in the moment, to understand why things happen. This ongoing dialogue helps uncover motivations and preferences that wouldn’t be visible from the outside.

Direct observation, on the other hand, is more passive. It’s about watching without interfering, which can be useful in settings where interruptions aren’t appropriate — like while someone is on a customer support call.

If you’re trying to understand how something works and why it works that way, contextual inquiry will usually give you the richer picture.

The four principles of contextual inquiry

Contextual inquiry is built on four guiding principles. Knowing these is important if you ever want to run your own.

1. Context

You only get the full picture if you see the product in its natural habitat. The user carries on with whatever they’d normally be doing, and you’re there alongside them, watching, asking the odd question when it makes sense. These days, it’s just as likely to happen over a video call as in person, but the principle’s the same: stay close to their real environment.

2. Partnership

Approach this as a mutual collaboration, which means full transparency. Once you’ve got that shared understanding, it’s easier for the conversation to flow — and when people feel comfortable with you, they tend to drop the “polished” version of events and show you what really goes on.

3. Mutual interpretation

Talk as you go. If you spot something interesting, say so, and check if you’ve got the right end of the stick. They might back you up, add a detail you’d never have guessed, or correct you entirely. It’s during those quick check-ins that little truths surface that end up being the most valuable part of the whole session.

4. Focus

While you’re there, be present. Put your phone away and cut out anything that might pull you out of the moment. Keep your questions sharp and relevant, and don’t wander off into side topics (bring a list of prompts if you’re prone to digression). The clearer your focus, the easier it is to hand something concrete back to the design team when it’s all over.

How to structure a contextual interview

A contextual inquiry has three stages. Here’s what each of these entails.

1. The introduction

This is the part where you break the ice. After a quick round of introductions, the researcher walks the participant through what’s going to happen.

• Explain the goal
• Clear up any concerns
• Answer any other questions.

It’s also the moment to cover the practical stuff — how you’ll use recordings,  what happens to the data afterwards, and how privacy is protected — so the participant knows exactly where they stand.

2. The inquiry

This is when the interview begins. The researcher will carry it out as explained in the introduction, asking lots of questions along the way. If you’re recording, hit record.

3. The wrap-up

After the interview has finished, the researcher will run through their observations and conclusions, giving the user the opportunity to expand upon points or clear up any misinterpretations. They’ll then gather their data and present their findings back to the wider team.

Contextual inquiry best practice, tips, and tricks

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your interview session.

1. Record

Trying to take notes while running a session is a multitasking nightmare. The moment you look down to scribble something, you risk missing whatever happens next. That’s why it’s a good idea to record the session — video if you can — so you’ve got the whole thing to go back to.

That said, you can’t just hit record and hope for the best. Ask first. Be upfront about what you’re recording, and check if they’re happy for the whole session to be captured — maybe they’d like some, or all of it private. Let them know who’ll see or hear it, how they can get a copy if they want one, and what happens to it once you’re done.

The more transparent you are, the easier it is to build trust. And that makes for a better conversation all round.

2. Take notes

Take notes whether you record the session or not. It’s likely you’ll have ideas as you watch the user in action, so you need to get these down to refer back to later. Alongside general observations, be sure to jot down any useful quotes or comments.

3. Make sketches

You could also add sketches to your notes to annotate things that are and aren’t working, or as a conceptual model for the way things could look. This helps you make better suggestions for improvement later on. You can easily scribble wireframes down with pen and paper, then quickly mock them up later via a diagramming tool.

Top Tip: Keep your sketches broad. Go too detailed, and you’ll cramp your imagination or be overly prescriptive when sharing your findings with the design team. You don’t want to jump on your conclusions before the interview data has been thoroughly analyzed.

4. Take photos

Photos are still worthwhile, even if you’re recording a video. They’re quick, clear, and a speedy way to record what’s happening. Use them to hone in on specific parts of the process, then combine photos with notes to give you and the rest of the team a strong sense of place, focus, and what you observed.

The more you can zoom in on the details, the easier it’ll be for people not in attendance to understand the problem.

5. Prepare your questions ahead of time

You get better answers when you ask the right questions — so put some thought into this before you go into the interview. Your core questions should be designed to encourage the user to share information that will help you improve the service or product.

Having pre-prepared questions also ensures consistency: If you play it by ear, the chances of you asking interviewees slightly different questions is very high. This doesn’t mean you can’t ask additional ad-hoc questions when you’re in the interview — and your follow-up questions will vary per person because each interview will yield slightly different results — but it does mean your core questions are uniform.

Top tip: Run your questions past others on the team to make sure you haven’t missed anything important and that they all make sense.

6. Split the inquiry up into stages if necessary

You don’t have to do observation and inquiry in one go. Often, doing observation first without asking questions can help you understand the problem at hand a little better — which in turn can help guide you when it’s time to write the questions.

By observing first, you can make sure your questions for the inquiry phase cover everything that needs to be researched.

Common traps to watch out for

Like any research method, contextual inquiry has its limitations — and a few easy-to-miss pitfalls.

Risk number one? Participants start performing for the researcher. Instead of working naturally, they explain everything in polished soundbites or do tasks “by the book” — not the way they’d actually do them when nobody’s watching. That’s why it’s so important to build trust, allow silence, and gently remind people there’s no need to impress.

Another risk? Bias creeping in from the researcher. If you go into the session with a clear idea of what the problem should be, you might accidentally steer the conversation or interpret everything through that lens. You might even (without meaning to) encourage the participant to confirm your assumptions.

Finally, there’s the chance that the session turns into a list of complaints. If people are frustrated with a tool, they might use the time to vent. That can be valuable — but only up to a point. The goal is to understand how and why they work the way they do, not just what’s wrong with the current system.

Keep your mind open, your prompts neutral, and your attention on what the user actually does — not just what they say.

Bring your research to life with diagramming tools

Contextual interviews can give you a front-row seat to how people really use your product. Few research methods get you closer to the truth — the small frustrations, the clever workarounds, the things users never think to mention. But it’s not the quickest or cheapest approach, so if you’re going to do it, make it count.

Go in with a plan. Capture as much as you can — notes, sketches, video — so nothing gets lost. Then, turn what you’ve gathered into something the rest of your team can digest quickly. For straight text and images, Google Docs is simple and shareable. For wireframes, flows, or anything visual, a tool like Cacoo keeps things collaborative.

Once the session’s over, mock up your sketches in Cacoo, and share the link. Because it’s live and interactive, the whole team can jump in — add comments, suggest tweaks — whether they’re down the hall or on the other side of the world. Ready to take it for a spin?

This post was originally published on August 11, 2021, and updated most recently on September 9, 2025.