Fly on the Wall in User Research

Fly on the wall research is an observational technique where researchers collect data by seeing and listening without interfering. This method helps gain rich insights about people, environments, interactions, and objects within a space. The key in fly on the wall research is for the researcher to remain completely unnoticed to avoid influencing participant behaviour or biasing the results.

Quick details:

Fly On the Wall

Structure:

Structured, Semi-structured

Preparation:

Topics, Structure, Recording tools

Deliverables:

Recordings, Notes

Fly on the wall

More about Fly on the Wall Research

Fly on the wall research has its limitations. Since the researcher remains a silent observer, they cannot probe or follow up with participants, which may limit the depth of understanding. Frameworks like AEIOU and structured note-taking methods are essential for analyzing observational data in this method. Choosing the right documentation tools depends on the environment—for instance, hand-written notes tend to be less intrusive than using a smartphone. To validate findings, repeating fly on the wall observations or combining them with other research methods is advisable.

Advantages of Fly on the Wall

1. Low Cost

Fly on the wall method is a low-cost, low-effort way to gather rich qualitative data.

2. Minimal Researcher Bias

Since the researcher only observes without verbal probing or intervening, their biases do not influence participant behaviour, preserving authenticity.

3. Flexible Design

The method allows participants to behave naturally and choose how they engage, resulting in a flexible research design.

4. Flexible Logistics

Observations can be conducted anywhere, as the method is participant-specific rather than location-bound.

5. People-Centred

The primary aim is to gain insights about people and their behaviours through careful, unobtrusive observation.

Challenges of Fly on the Wall Research

1. Limited and Subjective Data

Because data relies heavily on participants’ natural behaviour, it can be subjective and difficult to generalize to a broader audience.

2. Non-Adaptive

Researchers cannot intervene or ask follow-up questions, so any doubts or insights remain unexplored during observation.

3. Limited Sensitivity and Empathy

The method restricts the researcher’s ability to connect deeply with participants, reducing empathy and understanding of underlying motivations.

4. Multiple Observations Needed

To ensure accuracy and reliability, repeating fly on the wall observations or combining with other methods is often necessary to validate findings.

Think Design's recommendation

Think Design recommends using the fly on the wall method when the goal is to observe people and their environment together without influencing the situation. This method is well-suited for capturing natural group interactions, such as how people engage with each other in a market or a restaurant setting. However, fly on the wall is not appropriate for researching individual users where the environmental context is not important. In such cases, other methods should be chosen to focus on the individual experience rather than the broader social and environmental dynamics.

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