Observing and Shadowing 'As-Is' Processes

What is Observation and Job Shadowing?

At its core, observation is exactly what it sounds like: watching a user perform their work to understand their tasks, processes, and challenges. It's often called "job shadowing." This technique is invaluable for mapping current state processes, especially when they are complex or not well-documented.

Let's begin with a quick video that introduces the concept.

As the video explains, while some researchers practice pure, silent observation, a BA's goal is to understand the process deeply. This often means we engage with the user to ask "why?" We can think of observation existing on a spectrum:

• Passive Observation: You are a silent observer, like a "fly on the wall." You take notes but do not interrupt the workflow. Questions are saved for the very end. This is useful for not influencing the user's natural behavior.
• Active Observation: You interact with the user during the process, asking clarifying questions as they arise. You might even ask them to "think aloud" and explain their steps. This is excellent for understanding the reasoning behind their actions in real-time.

A common and effective approach for a BA is a hybrid: start by observing passively to understand the general flow, and then ask the user to walk through it again, this time asking questions.

When is Observation the Right Tool?

Observation isn't necessary for every situation, but it's incredibly powerful in specific contexts.

To summarize, you should strongly consider using observation when:

• You need to understand a complex, existing process that isn't well documented.
• Stakeholders are struggling to articulate their requirements or "just do it" without thinking.
• The goal is a process improvement initiative, and you need to find bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
• You need to validate the information you gathered in interviews or from documentation.

A Structured Approach: The Three Phases of Observation

Effective observation is not just about showing up and watching; it's a planned activity with three distinct phases. The following video provides an excellent walkthrough of this entire process using a practical case study.

Let's break down the key activities in each phase, combining insights from the video and other resources.

Phase 1: Before the Observation (Preparation)

This is the planning stage. Good preparation is what separates aimless watching from focused analysis.

• Define Your Purpose: What do you need to learn? As the video mentions, Rahul's goal was to "document the current state process" to evaluate an RPA solution.
• Identify Participants & Get Buy-In: Work with managers to identify the right users to observe. The article "Shadowing and the Art of Task & Usability Analysis" suggests observing users with different experience levels (e.g., a new hire vs. a veteran).
• Schedule Strategically: Is the process different during peak hours versus quiet periods? As noted in "Using the Observation Technique," observing at different times can reveal different pressures and challenges.
• Communicate Clearly: This is critical. Explain the purpose of the observation to the user. Reassure them that you are there to understand and improve the process, not to evaluate their personal performance. This helps reduce anxiety and the "Hawthorne Effect"—the phenomenon where people behave differently because they know they are being watched.

Phase 2: During the Observation (Execution)

This is where you gather the raw data.

• Be Professional and Empathetic: Start with introductions, put the user at ease, and reiterate the purpose.
• Observe and Take Notes: This is more than just writing down steps. You need to be a detective. A fantastic resource for this is the "What to Look For" checklist in the article below.

Based on that checklist, here are some key things to capture:

• The Steps: The sequence of tasks the user performs.
• The Data: What information do they use? What do they enter? Where do they get it from?
• The Tools: What software, spreadsheets, websites, or even physical binders do they use?
• The Timing: How long does each step or task take? This is vital for identifying bottlenecks.
• The Workarounds: This is gold! Note any "unofficial" steps, sticky notes with passwords, or personal spreadsheets they use because the system doesn't support their needs. These point directly to unmet requirements.
• The Pain Points: Notice sighs, eye-rolls, or frustrated comments. Ask about them (gently!). "I noticed that screen seemed to take a while to load. Is that typical?"

Phase 3: After the Observation (Follow-up)

The observation isn't complete until you've processed and validated your findings.

• Compile and Organize: Immediately after the session, clean up your notes. Put everything into a logical structure.
• Document the "As-Is" Process: Create a visual representation of what you saw. This could be a simple flowchart or a list of steps. The goal is to create a clear model of the current state.
• Validate, Validate, Validate: Send your documented process flow back to the user you observed. Ask them: "Did I capture this correctly? Did I miss anything?" This step is non-negotiable. It ensures your understanding is accurate and builds trust with the stakeholder.

Test your understanding!

You are a BA at an AdTech company, tasked with improving the campaign setup process for advertisers. You decide to shadow a Campaign Manager who uses your company's Demand-Side Platform (DSP).

Drawing on the "What to Look For" checklist from the Shadowing and the Art of Task & Usability Analysis article, what is one specific thing you would look for in each of the following three areas during your observation?

1. Process (Workflow/Tasks):
2. Interface (Page Layout):
3. User Behavior (Workarounds):

Show answer

Here are some examples of what you might look for:

1. Process (Workflow/Tasks): You would observe how long it takes to set up a single campaign from start to finish. You might specifically time the sub-task of uploading creative assets or defining audience targeting rules, as these are often time-consuming. You'd also note if they have to jump between different screens to complete what seems like a single task.

2. Interface (Page Layout): You'd look at the main campaign setup screen. Is it cluttered with fields that this user never touches? Do they have to scroll endlessly to find the "Budget" field? Are important fields clearly labeled as "*Required"?

3. User Behavior (Workarounds): You might notice the Campaign Manager has a separate Excel spreadsheet open. When you ask, they explain, "Oh, the platform's bulk-upload tool for audience segments is buggy, so I keep a list of segment IDs in this spreadsheet and copy-paste them one by one." This is a classic workaround that signals a major pain point and an opportunity for improvement.

Conclusion

You now have a powerful, hands-on technique for understanding the reality of business processes. While interviews tell you what people think they do, and documentation tells you what they should do, observation shows you what they actually do. This is often where the most valuable insights for process improvement and new system requirements are found.

Key Takeaways:

• Observation (or job shadowing) is a primary elicitation technique for understanding the "as-is" process directly.
• It is most effective for complex, poorly documented, or highly repetitive tasks.
• A structured approach involving three phases—Before (Prepare), During (Execute), and After (Validate)—is essential for success.
• During observation, look beyond the basic steps for timing, tools, data, pain points, and especially workarounds.
• Always validate your documented findings with the person you observed to ensure accuracy.

Preview of the Next Lesson:
So far in this module, we've covered several powerful ways to gather information and elicit requirements: interviews, workshops, document analysis, and now observation. With all this activity, how do you ensure your stakeholders know what's going on, what you've learned, and what to expect next? In our next lesson, we will address this by learning how to develop a stakeholder communication plan for a project.