Method

Our method is deliberately plain. We watch people use an application console, write down what happens, and return a briefing. The steps below are the same spine for a full audit and a shorter session review; only depth and duration change.

The four stages

1. Intake. We confirm the console boundary, the tasks that matter, privacy rules, and who may be observed. You leave this stage with a one-page observation plan.
2. Observation. Sittings follow real work. We note pauses, backtracks, workarounds, and questions asked aloud. We do not grade operators; we grade the console’s clarity under load.
3. Synthesis. Paths are compared. Patterns that appear once are labelled as outliers. Patterns that repeat across roles become candidates for the priority list.
4. Briefing. You receive a written document and a walkthrough. Recommendations stay tied to observed moments, not to fashion in interface design.

Materials we produce

Path sketches (often paper-first, then digitised), timing notes for agreed tasks, anonymised quotes from sittings when operators consent, and a priority list with “do now / do next / watch” bands.

Materials we do not produce

Interactive prototypes, A/B test plans as a product line, or dashboards that claim to replace observation. If those appear useful after a briefing, we will say so — and point you toward the craftspeople who build them.

Ethics of watching

Operators are told when observation begins and may pause a sitting. Customer data visible on screen is treated as confidential. Recordings happen only with written approval from your organisation and the people on camera.

Ready to start?

Browse engagements or request a briefing with the console you have in mind.