Glossary
Contextual inquiry
What is Contextual Inquiry?
Contextual inquiry is a field research method where a researcher observes and interviews users in their actual work environment while they perform real tasks, combining observation with in-the-moment questioning.
How it works
Developed by Beyer and Holtzblatt (1998), contextual inquiry follows a master-apprentice model: the researcher watches the user work and asks questions to understand the user's thought process, workarounds, and environment. The key advantage over lab-based methods is ecological validity: researchers see real tools, interruptions, physical environment constraints, and social dynamics that users might not mention in an interview. Sessions typically last 2-3 hours and are analyzed using work models (flow, sequence, artifact, cultural, and physical models).
Applied example
Imagine observing medication rounds and seeing a nurse use a workaround because a scanner is awkward to reach. That physical constraint gives the researcher a concrete question to investigate. During safety-critical work, observation and questions must be timed so they do not interrupt the task. A later interview can help explain what happened.
Why it matters
Watching work where it happens can reveal tools, interruptions, and workarounds that a separate interview might miss. The observation and the person’s explanation are useful together; neither provides a complete account by itself.