Observe How the Task Is Really Done

Use this when you need to see how a task is really done, rather than hear how it’s usually described. Worked in “Watch Users Work to Find What Causes Their Complaints.”

Follow these steps in order:

1. Pick a real task and a real shift, at the time of day the work actually happens.
2. Get consent from the person you’ll watch and from whoever runs the site.
3. Watch before you ask anything.
4. Record what you see in the table below as it happens.
5. Stay silent while the person works, and don’t help, even when they struggle.
6. Ask your questions afterward, pointing at what you saw.

The User Observation Guide’s recording sheet.

The last-but-one row usually matters most. A spreadsheet or a sticky note on the monitor is a feature the user had to build because the product didn’t.