![]() ![]() Benefits to Passive ObservationĪllows the flow of events to be observed naturallyĮnables the recording of timing and how long it takes to complete certain actionsĭelays answers, clarifications, opinions, and insights until sometime after the session In this instance, using a Passive Observation allows you to gain more accurate insights, without reducing the efficiency in which products can be delivered. The line workers before the employee are adding parts to the widget, when the widget reaches the observee they fulfill their role/function and pass the widget down the line for the next steps.Ĭonducting an Active Observation would interrupt or delay the participant, thus reducing efficiency and directly impacting the amount of product being produced, while also not providing a true representation of the process (because of the interruption). Since there is no interruption of the normal process, Passive Observation is really useful for those types of jobs where timing is key, and interruptions are wholly impactful.įor example, let’s imagine someone working on an assembly line. You are not allowed to interrupt users to ask questions or gain additional details, but instead should take notes and ask any follow-up questions after the session - often via email or in a separate discussion. Passive Observation (Recognized by the BABOK)ĭuring a Passive Observation session, you are often required to be silent, passively observing someone doing their work. Many observees get nervous and may perform the tasks differently than they typically do, providing misleading information Users are not as efficient and productive due to workflow interruptions and interferences This provides you clarity on if and why they skip certain steps, spot if there’s room for efficiency changes or adjustments, and identify zero-value tasks that are being completed because “that is how it has always been done.” (Side note: this phrase is the bane of every BA’s existence, but points out the huge potential for value creation.) Benefits to Active Observationįacilitates quick answers, clarifications, opinions, and insightsĮnables the quick understanding and reasoning behind certain steps and processes Sometimes the goal of Active Observation is to know how users are doing their work in comparison of how they could or should be doing it. These conversational details can really help to understand the challenges being experienced and help you understand the processes involved and the tools being used, so you can make recommendations for more efficient, user-friendly, and ‘business friendly’ solutions. You then are able to ask questions and gain clarity about what the user is doing and why. You observe someone conducting (or walking through) their normal processes, talking about some of the features of certain software that they’re using, and showing the steps they take to perform their tasks. Pre-scheduled observations often follow one of three formats.Īctive Observation (Recognized by the BABOK)ĭuring an Active Observation session, you actively observe someone doing their work. While informal and non-scheduled Observations happen periodically, the most beneficial uses of this method are often those scheduled ahead of time. The Observation technique allows you to ‘walk in someone else’s shoes’ and it is from these direct learnings you can better identify the root cause or underlying problem. ![]() These are just a few example scenarios that could easily be observed, might grab your attention, and encourage you to ask questions to determine if these are issues that could be solved. ![]() You may see a system throwing errors and warnings that users are absent-mindedly clicking through, without any thought or attention. You may see a Senior Manager become frustrated because they aren’t able to get the critical data out of the system for their important client meeting. ![]() You may hear a Sales Support person grumble about how inefficient or ineffective their process is. ![]()
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