Field observations: a short guide
This document is a short guide to help you make field observations in 8 easy steps. On
the last page, you will find a checklist for preparing and conducting field observations
Field observations are a method for observing people in real-life locations and
situations, such as workplaces or homes. Field observations help you to assume
people’s roles and understand their behaviour, habits, needs and social relations in that
environment. Field observations can give you unique information, because you do not
need to rely on people’s verbal reports, but you can see what is really happening. Field
observations are more suited to the planning phase of a project, when you want to
acquaint yourself to your target group and their context. They can also be useful later in
your project for observing how your project is functioning on the ground.
Instructions: The steps
1. Do your homework
Figure out what you are trying to learn and develop a clear image of the research
objectives. This will help you develop your observation plan and select what and whom
to observe.
2. Plan for your field observations
Observations relate to how people interact with energy-using technologies. Depending
on your focus, you may have a broad scope (i.e., energy use at home on a typical
evening or office workers’ use of energy) or a more narrow scope (how people use
thermostats, how they use their computers).
This might influence your choice of how much to focus your observation plan. You
might go for
a) guided monitoring of observations (i.e., using a pre-decided guide on what to
monitor)
b) free observation (i.e., monitoring everything you observe)
The first option helps you to focus your observations and, e.g., compare observations
made in different contexts or at different times. But you might miss some relevant
information. Free observation of the entire context can help you notice things that you
did not expect to find.
Whichever your focus, you need to decide what information you want to learn. Here are
some examples of basic questions to ask:
- What equipment do they have and how do they use it?
- Who uses the equipment, how often and for how long? Who else influences the
situation? This can help you identify your target groups.
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What particular activities is energy use related to (watching television, using the
computer)? What activities are connected to each other? This can help you identify
the actions that you should be targeting.
What broader routines or aims is energy use a part of? For example, how do
lighting and various appliances connect to an evening at home? How is computer
use connected to the officer worker’s work? This can help you see the immediate
context in which they are using energy, and what constraints and opportunities it
provides for energy saving.
What are consistently repeated actions in all settings, what variations exist between
users? This can help you to discover what different options there are for users and
conversely, what options are never used (even if you see them as existing)
How do the users’ feel in these situations (relaxed, stressed)? This can give you an
idea of barriers to energy saving and of the best way to try to remove these
barriers.
Try to plan with an open mind and empathy for the users. Do not focus on ‘misuse’ and
‘waste’ but try to understand the context in which such actions arise.
3. Select sites
The sites should be places (and times) that are relevant for your problem. They should
also be available and you should be able to observe without too much disturbance and
without making the users feel self-conscious.
If there is some ‘natural’ reason for you to be present, this always helps. Also, spending
a longer period of time at the site and getting to know the people there helps them to
relax and behave normally.
4. Gain access to the sites
In some cases, it is not difficult to find sites for making observations. For example, in an
organization, you can ask the manager for permission to spend a few days walking
around, observing the premises and talking to people.
It may be more difficult to gain access to people’s homes. If people themselves feel
they are having problems with certain energy-using technologies, they may be more
open and understand the need for observations better. But you need to explain that
you will first need to make observations without immediately offering advice.
There are different forms of observation that are used in research contexts. For a small
energy saving project, the following are most suitable:
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Participant observation, which means you participate in the activity as a full
member, or as close to one as possible. In a practical energy project, you
could do this by getting a desk at the office building you are observing, or by
helping out in a home renovation. However, your participation may start
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getting in the way of your observations, so you need to reserve time and
space for observing and reflecting.
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Unobtrusive observation, which means you are explicitly on site as an
observant, and don’t participate in the action. However, for practical project
purposes, it is usually most helpful if you ask questions and interact with
people, rather than just observing silently.
5. Prepare for the field trip
Remember to dress appropriately so that you ‘blend in’ as well as possible. When
setting out to do your field observations, make sure you have at hand:
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A short presentation of your project – e.g. a leaftlet or a short spoken
introduction so you can remind them what it is about.
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Recording equipment: notepaper and pens or tape recorder (you need to
ask permission to record), camera (you need to have permission to take
photos or make videos).
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Business card or contact information: how they can get in touch with you
later if they have questions or further comments.
It is best if you can make your observations together with a colleague and compare
notes after the field trip
6. Make field observations
Keep in mind the questions you want to answer. Keep an open mind and try to get a
good idea or scheme of the actions that are taking place. If there are many people
participating, make notes of what each one does and how they interact.
Make notes of what is happening and who is doing what. Make notes of the duration of
the action, the context and the broader routines in which it occurs. Try to find out
whether the actions occurring are ‘normal’ or exceptional.
Keep an open mind, even if you feel people are doing things wrong. Try to understand
why they are acting in a particular way. What knowledge or experience are they
drawing on? What factors in their environment enable or encourage them to act in this
way? What broader routine or purpose is this action part of?
After getting a general impression of what is going on, ask questions. Be polite but
don’t be too shy to ask: “How often do you…”; “Is this part of your usual workday?”; “Is
this they way you usually do it?”; “I noticed that you … May I ask why you do it in this
order?”; “Have you considered using…?”
Write as many notes as you can. Take breaks to review and organise your notes.
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7. Conclude the field trip
Make sure you have addressed all the questions you want answered. Ask the people
you have worked with if they have anything they would like to add.
Remember to thank the people you have worked with for their time. Tell them how to
get in touch with you if they have any questions and leave them your contact
information. Tell them what your next steps will be and how you will use the information
they have given you.
After your field trip, write up your notes as soon as you can. Remember to clearly label
all material related to each observation trip.
8. Analyse your findings
Make a summary of the findings from your interviews as soon as you can. You can, for
example, use tables with heading like “Actions entailing significant energy use and their
context”, “Variation in actions that are relevant for energy use”, “Constraints on action
placed by the environment”, “Reasons for using a particular piece of equipment in
different ways”.
Here are some ways to process your raw observations into useful guides for designing
your project:
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Write or draw descriptions of action sequences that are relevant for you.
They could be stories like “Purchasing light bulbs” or “Adjusting the
thermostat”, “Using the printer” or “Renovating the home”. Who is doing
what, what constraints are there on the action, what broader routine is it a
part of? You can use this to identify what options exist for different patterns
of use – what should be different in the sequence and its environment?
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Construct images of different types of energy users: what they are like, what
their environments are, how they use energy and for which purposes. They
could, for example, be labelled “Elderly couple” or “Family with kids”. They
can help you design your project so that it fits your target group’s needs and
addresses the problems the encounter.
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Checklist for field observations
Remember to prepare the following:
 Permission to observe in the location that you have selected (and separate
permission for photographing, etc.)
 A plan of what and how you are going to observe, which people you should talk to
 An open mind – try to recognise and avoid preconceptions
 Pen and notepad with sufficient paper for taking notes during the entire field trip
 Camera, video camera or audio recorder
 Your card or contact information so the people you have talked to can get in touch
with you if they have questions or further information
Remember to do the following:
 Arrive in time and well prepared
 Introduce yourself and explain why you are there
 Explain briefly how information collected will be used and toward what goal
 Make sure you do not disturb the people you are observing
 Complement your observations with questions and short interviews where necessary
 Ensure that the information will be used anonymously and kept safe
 Look and listen closely and make notes.
 Write up your notes right after each field trip
 Make sure that all materials collected are labelled properly
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