Fly on the wall Add/remove

Purpose:

The purpose of this method is to gain insights about people or systems through observations. The method can provide you with insights to people, workflow, environment, interactions etc. within a given situation or system as you follow a user. You will obtain valuable information based on observations by writing down everything the user does rather than having told the process from the user. When following the user it is important to only be as noticeable as a fly on the wall hence the name of the method. 

Step by step Facilitating tips Materials needed Goes well with

Tips to include participants who are not able to:

Focus

If participants have a hard time focusing for a long session of Fly on the wall, plan to follow the user multiple times, but for shorter periods of time or make sure that the sequence that participants are following does not take too long.

Bring a helper or another group member if it is too challenging to observe and note down at the same time.

Hear

If participants are not able to hear, bring a sign language translator if possible to translate what is being said or team up with a group member who can do the listening - both should take notes.

Otherwise, perform the method only observing.

Think

If participants have thinking limitations, reflecting upon potential problems during the sequence could be helped by talk to the observation object about what went well and what went less well after the sequence of Fly on the wall has ended.

Hold

If participants are unable to hold, they can use an audio recorder to take notes during the observation time. Additionally, it's possible to team up and bring a group member who is able to write down notes.
Afterwards you should could discuss your observations compared to your colleague's notes.

Move

If participants are unable to move, bring a helper to push the wheelchair during the observation sequence, if the observation object moves around a lot. Use an audio recorder to take notes during the observation time. Additionally, it's possible to team up and bring a group member who is able to write down notes.
Afterwards you should could discuss your observations compared to your colleague's notes.

Emote

For the observation it is crucial that participants try to sympathize with the observation objects to identify their challenges. If this is difficult, talk about the objects' profiles in advance in larger groups and eg. make personas of them to awake sympathy.

Overview

Input

A user to follow

Output

Identification of problems + overview of how the system works/how people interact

Complexity

Moderate

Time

N/A

Participants

1

Activity

  • Be observant 
  • Note down every step 
  • Be a ‘fly on the wall’ 
  • Identify problems along the way 

Step by step:

  1. 1 or max 2 researchers should follow a user in the situation/system you are analysing. 

  2. Observe and note down every move/interaction the user does.

  3. Do not ask any questions while observing.

  4. Do not help the user if anything occurs, write down the breakdowns you see throughout your observations.

  5. Act as a fly on the wall or think of yourself as a ghost – that is how little you should interact with the user while observing.

When doing this method you should consider:

It can be quite awkward to be followed/follow a user why it could be a good idea to speak or even meet with the user you are following beforehand. Else it can seem a little stalker-like for the user. The user might feel awkward having someone following them, which in some cases can lead to them making more mistakes than usually basically because they feel under pressure. If you have met/spoken with the user beforehand and have created a good relation to the user, the user will relax more and not feel judged when being followed.

As it can be difficult to be ‘the fly on the wall’ it could be a good idea that only 1 person follows the user. The more researchers that follow the user the more difficult it will be to be ‘the fly on the wall’.

When following a user around it can be easier to take notes on a piece of paper rather than walking around with your computer.

Take photos of given situations if possible, but make sure that the users have agreed that is okay beforehand.

Write down both what the user is doing but also what is being said.

Materials needed:

Pens, paper, camera