A Mixed-Method Approach for In-Depth Contextual User Research

Successful design requires an in-depth understanding of user behavior. The paper will describe how we applied a mixed-method research approach, which combines a traditional contextual inquiry with a modified diary study, in three different studies. The proposed methodology permits the inclusion of more participants in a larger geographical area, maximizing research resources, and the collection of longitudinal data. A summary of lessons learned from the new hybrid method will be presented.