Shadowing

The shadowing technique in UX research is a method where the researcher observes a participant in real-life situations over a set period without interfering. This approach, often used in UX research and design thinking, allows researchers to capture authentic user behaviour and interactions in their natural environment. By practicing user shadowing, designers gain valuable insights that help create more intuitive and user-centred experiences, making it a powerful method in the UX research.

Quick details:

Shadowing

Structure:

Semi-structured, Unstructured

Preparation:

Subject/ Topic, Participant recruitment

Deliverables:

Observations, Recordings, Notes

Shadowing

More about Shadowing

While shadowing in UX research can sometimes be frustrating – since researchers may need to probe further based on initial observations; it is effective in validating the participant’s journey and uncovering real user behaviours. The duration of shadowing exercises can vary widely, from as short as 30 minutes to several weeks or months, depending on the goals of the design researcher.

As a behavioural observation tool, shadowing in UX design offers rich qualitative data, but researchers should avoid making assumptions from single or isolated observations. It’s important to remember that findings from user shadowing are not always representative of the entire population, so results should be interpreted with caution within the broader context of research.

This approach is an essential part of shadowing UX research and design thinking, helping teams.

Types of Shadowing

Generally, there are three main types of shadowing used in UX research and design thinking: natural (no-interference), controlled, and participatory. In natural shadowing, the design researcher observes the participant without any interference for a set period, allowing authentic user behaviour to emerge. Controlled shadowing involves the researcher designing specific tasks and observing how participants carry them out, providing targeted insights into user journeys. Participatory shadowing goes a step further, with the researcher actively engaging in the activity to gain a firsthand perspective and deeper empathy.

Each of these shadowing techniques serves distinct purposes and comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Natural shadowing offers flexibility and often reveals critical user behaviours but can introduce complexity due to variations in how different users perform the same task. Controlled shadowing allows for focused observation but may limit user flexibility and natural behaviour. Participatory shadowing fosters empathy and understanding but risks influencing the participant’s natural actions and introducing researcher bias.

Method

Purpose

Advantages

Disadvantages

Natural (no-interference)

To observe the natural way of performing a specific activity.

  • Lends the users more flexibility.
  • Chances of identifying criticalities are higher.

Different research subjects can perform the same activity differently which can add complexity when consolidating different journeys into one.

Controlled

Get Insight into a specific journey.

It is an observational probing technique for the researcher as they can control the steps to follow when performing an activity.

The users have lesser flexibility in performing the activity. Those users who do not perform the activity in the manner designed by the researcher may not contribute significantly to research if the outlined steps feel clumsy.

Participatory

Gain a firsthand perspective

  • Gives the researcher a chance to see things from the users perspective.
  • Can lead to developing greater empathy as well as a great rapport between the researcher and participant.
  • May affect the natural journey of the participant.
    Can lead to research subject and researcher bias.

Advantages of Shadowing

1. Real-time Data Collection

Shadowing is an effective method for collecting real-time data, allowing researchers to observe user behaviour as it naturally unfolds.

2. Rich Behavioral Insights

By directly observing or experiencing user actions, shadowing in UX research uncovers deep, meaningful insights that might otherwise remain hidden.

3. User-Centered Focus

The shadowing technique emphasizes understanding the user’s experience over the product or service itself, aligning with user-centred design principles.

4. Greater Empathy

Shadowing fosters empathy in researchers by providing a firsthand view of users’ challenges and needs, enhancing the overall design thinking process.

Disadvantages of Shadowing

1. Time-Consuming

Since shadowing often involves observing individual participants through their tasks or routines, it can be time-intensive per user.

2. Complex Data Analysis

Because users may perform the same actions differently, organizing and analyzing shadowing data can be more complex compared to other research methods.

Think Design's recommendation

Shadowing is the right method to use when you want to observe an individual and document observations in “as it was happening” format. This method is devoid of probing and you would use this when you don’t want to come in the way of the participant and his natural behaviour.

Shadowing leads to collection of information which further should be investigated and synthesized. Do not use this method when your objective is validation.

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