ABSTRACT
Observation lies at the heart of any attempt to generate qualitative data, either as a stand-alone activity or as a complement to other methods. Stand-alone observation is more rigorous and generally benefits from being treated in a systematic way. While there are fewer design choices for observational methods than for interviews, there are a significant number of choices that make a difference to the data generated and how it can be used. The aim of observation can be to try to capture everything happening in a setting, the experience of being in the setting, or specific aspects of the setting. Observations can work well as a method to generate qualitative or quantitative data, although they need to be set up slightly differently for each application. The production of high-quality quantitative data from observations really requires a standardized system of recording observations with clear and systematic guidelines.
