- Demonstrate how to observe and convert observation data to insights


[SLIDE 1]

Observation is the action of closely monitoring the behavior and activities of users and potential customers in their own environment. Many of us are so very accustomed to just seeing, or simply talking to (or at) other people, that we do not necessarily know how to observe. Because we are so used to our own environment, we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture. It can be difficult to consciously stop and simply observe, yet observation is essential for gathering facts and developing the most interesting insights. Observing people is really where we begin to hone our empathy skill. 


[SLIDE 2]

The other technique, insight, is a bit more challenging to define. First, let's start with what an insight is NOT. The term is quite often misused. It is important to understand that insights and observations are not the same thing. Observations focus on the raw data that you have consciously recorded from all the things you have heard and seen, without any interpretation. An insight comes later: it is an interesting, non-obvious piece of information derived from an interview or observation data that drives opportunities. 

An insight is not just reporting what you heard in the conversations. An insight is not an idea. An insight is a statement that identifies a customer need and explains why. In other words, an insight is an interpretation of an observation or a sudden realization that provides us with a new understanding of a human behavior or attitude. If an observation is the what, then an insight is the why. Probably one of the best ways to remember what an insight is, is the following: "Why is a good insight like a refrigerator?" The answer -- "Because the moment you look into it, a light comes on."


[SLIDE 3]

In the last lesson, we discussed pattern recognition, a process in which people identify links or connections, or "connect the dots," in order to identify and then build on opportunities between apparently unrelated events. 

Recognizing patterns generates insights that enable us to see everyday things in a new light. These insights can often take us by surprise. Think back to the video you watched at the beginning of this section. The two Swedish students, Haupt and Alstin, observed and gathered information from a whole range of adult cyclists which helped them develop an insight about bicycle helmets: namely, on the surface, people attributed their reluctance to wear bicycle helmets to lack of safety, but the real reason lay in the aesthetics. It was this insight that led the students on a quest for a bicycle helmet that would be safe, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing -- the invisible bicycle helmet. 

Insights often generate ideas for new products or services that we didn't even know we needed. For example, how many of us have thought aloud, "Do you know what I really need? An invisible bicycle helmet!" Yet, some of the greatest innovations of today have fulfilled a need that we had no idea we had, such as the Internet or the iPhone. In fact, even the most boring tasks can trigger the most illuminating of insights. 

Take the relatively mundane task of mopping the floor, for instance. In an effort to find a new home cleaning product, consumer products company Procter & Gamble went to observe people cleaning floors. Although it may not sound like the most exciting assignment, the observation generated important new insights. What the researchers found is that people don't like slopping water around with a mop; nor does water really help get rid of the dirt. 

From this new insight came the Swiffer brand – a range of waterless cleaning products that make surface cleaning easier and more convenient. The researchers had succeeded in looking beyond the obvious (the information that confirms our existing knowledge) to make an unexpected pattern between the drudgery of mopping and our desire for a product that makes our lives easier. Instead of simply observing what they saw, and had seen many times over the years -- the act of mopping -- they had approached something very obvious from a different angle and had asked why and continued to ask until they came up with a meaningful product that answered the question. In other words, they had spotted the gap between where we are now, and where we want to be. 


[SLIDE 4]

Developing keen observation skills takes practice. The more we practice, the higher the likelihood of our developing new, meaningful insights that can lead to innovative solutions. There are nine dimensions of observation that can guide what we observe to help us focus on the things that are not necessarily visible or obvious at first glance.  


[SLIDE 5]

Another technique used in design thinking is the AEIOU framework: an acronym for Activities, Environments, Interactions, Objects, and Users. This is a framework commonly used to categorize observations during fieldwork. The AEIOU framework is similar to the nine dimensions of observation but has a smaller number of categories which are a little easier to remember during field research. 

There are also small adjustments you can make to your own lifestyle to increase your powers of observation. For example, you could deliberately change your own personal routine. Do you always take the same route to class? Or go to the same grocery stores? If so, then try do take a different route or go to a different store and see if you can make any observations based on these changes. Imagine you are seeing things for the first time and see if you can discover anything new. Furthermore, the act of observation doesn't have to be a solitary activity. Bringing along someone else to help spot something you didn't notice before, or offer a different point of view, can be invaluable in identifying new insights. 

Here's a direct challenge. Once a day, stop and observe the ordinary. Look at those everyday things that you normally take for granted, as if seeing them for the first time. Why are manhole covers round, for instance? Not only will this exercise improve your observation skills, but it will make you a better design thinker; for good design thinkers observe, but great design thinkers observe the ordinary.