Observation Experience

The observation session I conducted produced a number of interesting insights, but only after I took the time to talk over my experience with my teammates. When I was actually sitting in the room, furiously taking notes on my subjects and their interactions with the space, I had no clue the depth of insight I would draw from the session. I was very focused on capturing everything I observed, which benefited me in the long run, but made it difficult to draw any conclusions during the session. That was challenging for me, since I had to put faith in a process that I had never really tried before, and hope that the results would be favorable for myself, my teammates, and the continued progress of our project. Another challenge I faced was in my struggle to stay quiet instead of jumping into the conversation I was observing. Though I did not know my subjects very well, they were in the process of unwinding and decompressing after a long day, something I naturally wanted to participate in. I felt that an optimal observation had minimal interruption from the observer. The subjects’ behaviors were so natural, seemingly unaffected by my presence, and I knew that I needed to take advantage of that by staying as still and quiet as possible. Despite these challenges, I felt confident in the insights derived from the process, and I know they’ve helped clarify my group’s direction for the next step of the project.