3.6 Field Visit Bringing researcher ino dizect contact with people, place, and things they ane studying Wearrrpon ‘The field visit isthe mactdiect mane of building empathy with people Spending tine with people engaged in eal wend activates helps ‘nmovation searchers nessun relevant belavior Sasthand. Unlike surveys or focus groups, where researchers” question: dictate the conversation afield visit emphasizes servation and inquiry about what is being observed. Researchers ack participants otal about specific actities and thng: they use. Conversations are guided by simple opex- ended questions such as “Can you tell me about what you're doing?” and “Can yo tell me more?” The inehod is away to gst acquainted with vers inanusbiased fashion and flequenily provides glimpses of ponchos or surprising behaviors and inight about uamset needs Hows wore: STEP 1: Plan Sell protocol, A field protocols a detailed planof where the team will sit, who they tll observe and interactwith, haw lng they willbe thre, what they plan to explore (general themes and/or specific questions), and how the ‘earawill fonction for example, who wil take notes, who wll guide the conversation with the people, and who will take photo:/video or recoxd sabia. STEP 2: Anvensble resources. ut together a Field Visit it which may contain thing: like notebooks, camares,sketelbooks, audio zcondens, bags, or containers for atfacts takenback fiom the field. Prepae any pro forma documents Like emnicsios or dizelomuze agreements STEPS: Go inte the field. ‘Upon ausiving at the site, establish lations and begin to build fustith the people there. Before going int the research, have people sign any necessary paperwork, make them comfortable, explain the process, and Jet them ack question: about it It s essential fo have conversation: ot emma interview, ae to let the subjects lead the diseussion as amch as possible Remember to ask, “Can you show me?,”toepeat back what ‘you ave hearing, and confirma that your observations aze valid. Abways be zespectful of peoples’ time, ad when appropiate, provide compencation, STEP 4: Capture observations. ‘Thuoughout a Field Visit, some members of te eam shld be dedicated Aocumenter, taking note, sketching, taking photos, and audio or video seconding to caphue coneszation, collecting astifact (bray: with penmission), and, as amchas possble, keeping ths data ganized for Inter analyse STEPS: Debrief with teams ‘As soon as possible after the visit, compare notes, decide what was Jeamed, what was important, what additional search's needed, and how itshould be donepoe physical artifacts or a child engaged in anactivityby Jinzelherelf, with others, or with hisfer pens Phetos ard notes wens tale for Sather disenscion The field vit Inter helped to define the design principles forthe five design concepts they identified, some of which tangeted hide-and-seek behavior ad lights things ‘to evoke a seme of oper-endedness, novelty brilliance, and mystery, SUANELE 820/807 Learning ehrough Plas (2009) ‘The “Leaning theough Play” project in parteship witha chdzen’s museum offered a design team an opportunity to design an exhibit ‘round the theme of leaning and play wethn a1 SOD square foot fexlubit pace ‘Toianmere thenvelres in the aveae of leaning, doin, and playing inthe confext of chldsen the team did Field Fists atthe caldre’'s smiseum and other mmseun frequently visited by parents and their chilixen Providing a mux of different museums gave the tam an ‘opportunity to explore diferent envionment, people, ard Dehavioss instead of focusing on one location They drafted research, plans to pinpoint the area(s) of the visit thatwould be mest valuable to them and question: to ask when they were speaking with nmseum staff andlor vasitors. The 2esearch plan provided high-level guidance ‘and strctue, Dut the team took a tne exploratory approsch ang WHENTOUSE ‘many pictures of things that were interesting, whether twas