ABSTRACT
Observation is methodical collection of information in the confusion and tumult of the operational environment. The observation methods (also called field studies) that are provided in Chapters 6 through 9 can be used to guide an observer through the operational environment as it is encountered in daily life. There are occasions, though, when it is preferable to take the user and product out of the hubbub of daily life and observe them in a controlled environment. These occasions are best handled through the use of controlled studies. Controlled studies are often referred to as laboratory studies, even though there is no need for them to be conducted in a laboratory.
