A contextual interview combines the conversational depth of a user interview with the grounding power of on-location observation. Rather than asking users to recall their experience in a neutral room, the researcher visits them where the relevant work actually takes place, at their desk, in their home, on the shop floor. The physical context acts as a constant prompt, surfacing details and artefacts that abstract recall could never produce.
Contextual Interview
Interviewing people where real work actually happens
A
Designers Academy
28 January 2025 · 4 min read
ResearchMethods
In brief
A contextual interview is a semi-structured conversation conducted on-location, observing participants as they demonstrate tasks in their real working or living environment, thereby surfacing details and artefacts that abstract recall cannot produce.
