Keep the lesson for the next incident
Capture the field lesson
Keep the task setting, sequence, interruption, artifact, participant explanation, and changed decision together. Include a case where the apparent workaround was caused by policy or timing. This prevents a later team from blaming the user for an environmental constraint.
Improve observation notes
Add fields for context, tool switching, waiting, handoff ownership, and observer inference. Train observers to record actions before interpretations. Show how the new fields would have preserved the specific detail that mattered in this visit.
Set a hidden-constraint signal
Watch for repeated phrases such as I usually do this elsewhere, unexplained manual steps, or maps that omit handoffs. Assign an owner to sample findings and revisit the observation plan when the signal appears.
What to carry forward
The learning record should link the observed constraint to the changed note practice and recurrence signal. State which product understanding changed and what remains open. Keep contextual learning tied to the settings in which it was observed.
Technical background: GOV.UK user research guidance.
Keep the decision with the work.
Use a Work Item in Aglet to record the problem, the evidence you have, and the next decision. Add an owner and priority, then keep updates in the discussion so the next person can follow the reasoning.
Create an account See the product workflow