Worksheet for Observing Your Customers

INSTRUCTIONS

One of the best ways to learn about your customers is by direct observation. Getting out into the field with your
customers provides an opportunity to see how they really use your product or service, giving you valuable
insights into their current and future needs. Use this worksheet to help you prepare for customer observation
visits.

CUSTOMER [Name of customer or group]

What is the goal [Why are you conducting this observation? How do you intend to use the data
of this you collect?]
observation?

Where will you [Which locations are suitable? Where do your customers normally use your
observe your product or service?]
customers?

When will you [Are there any times of day/week/month that are more appropriate than others
observe your for observing your customers as they use your product/service?]
customers?

Who will [Who will be observing? A diverse team from a range of disciplines can help
observe? ensure different aspects of customer behavior/product use are noted.]

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What will your [Are there any specific tasks you will ask your customers to perform? What
customers be normal customer routines should you observe?]
doing?

What questions [Along with silent observation, use selective open-ended questions to collect
will you ask? additional details. For example, “Why are you doing that?” “What problems do
you encounter using [product]?” “What’s your most memorable experience
using [product]?”

How will you [Will you take free-form notes or use a structured template? Consider
capture the data? video/audio recordings or photographs to capture body language, facial
expressions, tone of voice, etc.]

How will you [Who will complete the data analysis? What stakeholders will be interested in
analyze and the results? In what form will you present the results of your observation/s?]
present the data?

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© 2016 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business School Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.