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Dictionary by pitch.dog
Product discovery & research · Working

Contextual inquiry

Also called: field study

ELI5

Watch people do the real task and ask why.

Used in conversation

“Contextual inquiry revealed three undocumented handoffs.”

Definition

Observation and questioning of people while they perform work in its natural context.

Here “Contextual inquiry” means: Observation and questioning of people while they perform work in its natural context.

Pitch context

You will see “Contextual inquiry” in product strategy decks, roadmaps, experiments and architecture reviews when the discussion reaches product discovery & research.

Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret product discovery & research without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.

When the words have to travel

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Sources & evidence · 2

Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.