On Jan 21, 2009, at 2:55 PM, Julez wrote:
Does anyone out there have the experience of actually performing a
given job
(for at least a day or three, perhaps longer) as a means of really
researching context, tasks etc.? Specifically, I am thinking of an
enterprise context, where the user doesn't have choice in tools,
workflow
and there are some highly developed skills (ie more than the basic web
skills of an e-commerce user). Also, I am contrasting this approach
to
on-site observation, empathic modeling and user role playing.
It's an excellent technique to have in the toolbox.
However, there are a few things that nobody's mentioned yet:
1) It's not exclusive with observation or role playing. All of those
techniques are useful for different reasons and could be useful on the
same project. For example, you could train and work as a CSR for a few
days, then observe other CSRs to see what their workstyles and
challenges are (and how they were were different from yours), then
role play through new design solutions given what you experienced and
observed.
2) Your experience of learning and doing will probably only match that
of someone coming new into a position. However, in many jobs,
experience introduces subtleties and nuances that new folks can't see.
As I hinted above, you'll still want to observe more seasoned people
to get access to those parts of the context.
3) There are many jobs where you can't do this. For example, in the
financial services industry, you have to pass certifications before
you can answer the phones in certain contexts. Here, observation is
your only option.
4) When you're doing, it's hard to take detailed notes about your
experiences. You rely on your memory to retain much of what you
experienced. Again, observation is going to give you real advantage.
So, I'd recommend you pair this activity with observation of others.
By doing them together, I think you'll gain much greater insight than
doing them separately. I think there's a lot of synergy.
Hope that helps,
Jared
Jared M. Spool
User Interface Engineering
510 Turnpike St., Suite 102, North Andover, MA 01845
e: [email protected] p: +1 978 327 5561
http://uie.com Blog: http://uie.com/brainsparks Twitter: jmspool
UIE Web App Summit, 4/19-4/22: http://webappsummit.com
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