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Direct Observation
A Day In The Life
A researcher shadows a person through their natural environment over a typical day, unobtrusively observing their real activities and routines without structured prompts or scripts, to document their habits and context.
When This Method Fits
Typical duration
Hours
Typical cost
Low – Medium
Fidelity level
Talk Only
Stage
Discovery
Hypothesis type
Exploratory
Goal type
Find product-market fit, Deepen product-market fit, Maximize societal impact
Randomization
N/A
Study design
Individual case report
Minimum units needed
3
1Best Fit When
Best when you need to see what someone actually does in their day, unfiltered by what they'd say in an interview.