Observation methods

Publisher Summary The term observation refers to an examination of a phenomenon that results in a description suitable for the purposes of a research or evaluation study. Observations can be direct or indirect. Direct observations rely on the senses of the observer, who might watch or listen to how children use the product evaluated. Indirect observations are those where records of use are created through technology, such as logs of user interactions, logs of eye gaze, and so forth. Observation is invaluable when it comes to evaluating products for children. Observing children who test a prototype or product can provide new insights to designers and can provide solid evidence to support design recommendations or other conclusions based on evaluation. This chapter discusses approaches to observation that are applicable for evaluating products with children.