Aglet

Triage Contextual Observation Findings

Observation changes the question from what people say they do to what happens while the work is underway. Triage the setting, task, and evidence boundary before interpreting a workaround as a product need. Preserve environmental constraints that an interview would usually omit.

Establish what is happening

  1. Name the observed task

    Record who performs the task, what triggers it, what a successful outcome means, and which artifacts or systems are involved. Mark whether the session shows ordinary work, an exception, or a demonstration arranged for research.

  2. Trace the sequence

    Write actions, pauses, handoffs, interruptions, and recovery steps in order. Note tools, physical setting, notifications, and dependencies. Separate what was seen from what the observer inferred about motivation or difficulty. Record the source of each note for later review.

  3. Bound the friction

    Identify the exact step where effort, delay, or uncertainty accumulates. Compare the observed path with the participant's stated process and record differences. State which moments need another observation before becoming a product requirement.

What to carry forward

The triage output is a current-state observation record with task, context, sequence, friction point, and open question. Stop when evidence and interpretation are separate. Keep a workaround provisional when it occurred only in an unusual setting or exception.

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