UR
Shadowing
A practical in-context method for understanding how work unfolds across time, tasks, interruptions, and decisions.
How to use shadowing to see real workflows from start to finish and understand how people actually manage their day.
Quick take
If you want to see how work actually happens from start to finish, shadow users as they go about their day.
Related Services
What it is
Shadowing is a qualitative UX serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service method where you follow a user over a period of time to observe how they carry out real tasks in their natural glossaryEnvironmentA specific setup where software runs, such as development, staging, or production.Open glossary term.
It is a form of in-glossaryContextThe surrounding conditions that shape behaviour and decisions.Open glossary term serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service focused on continuity. Instead of observing a single task, you see how work unfolds across multiple activities, interruptions, and decisions.
Unlike interviews or short glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term, shadowing captures the glossaryDelightMoments that exceed user expectations.Open glossary term of glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term over time, including how people switch between tasks and respond to real-world pressures.
The goal is to understand the full picture of how work happens, not just isolated moments.
Shadowing is most useful when the shape of the work matters just as much as the individual tasks within it.
When to use it
Use this method when you need to understand glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term as they naturally unfold.
It is most useful when:
It is less useful when:
Shadowing is often used alongside contextual inquiry and field studies to deepen understanding.
Key takeaway
Use shadowing when continuity matters and you need to understand how work flows across a day, not just within a single task.
How to run it
Set up properly.
Before you start, be clear on what roles or users you need to observe, how long you will shadow them, and what activities or glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term are relevant.
Make sure expectations are clear so users feel comfortable being observed over time.
Run the method.
Shadowing is primarily observational and continuous.
Follow the user through their normal activities. Observe how tasks start, evolve, and end. Pay attention to interruptions and glossaryContextThe surrounding conditions that shape behaviour and decisions.Open glossary term switching. Take detailed notes on glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term, glossaryEnvironmentA specific setup where software runs, such as development, staging, or production.Open glossary term, and interactions. Ask questions at appropriate moments without disrupting flow.
You are there to understand the day as it happens, not to control it.
Capture and make sense of it.
The value comes from seeing glossaryPatternA reusable solution to a common design problem.Open glossary term across time and activities.
Look across glossarySessionA session is a single period of user interaction with a product, from entry to exit within a defined timeframe.Open glossary term to identify how tasks connect and overlap, repeated glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term and routines, interruptions and their impact, and workarounds and inefficiencies.
Map glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term to show how glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term actually function in practice.
What to look for
Focus on:
Where it goes wrong
Most issues come from:
If you only capture snapshots, you lose the value of continuity.
What you get from it
Done properly, this method gives you:
Key takeaway
It helps you design for how people really work, not how you expect them to.
Get in touch
If this sounds like something you need, we can help you understand how work really happens across a full day or glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term.
No guesswork. No assumptions. Just clear glossaryInsightAn insight is a meaningful understanding that explains why something is happening and what it means.Open glossary term you can act on.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this method.
What is shadowing in UX research?
Shadowing is a method where a researcher follows a user over time to observe how they carry out real tasks in their natural glossaryEnvironmentA specific setup where software runs, such as development, staging, or production.Open glossary term.
When should you use shadowing?
Use it when you need to understand glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term, interruptions, and how tasks connect across a day or glossaryProcessA process is a defined sequence of steps used to achieve a specific outcome.Open glossary term.
How long should you shadow a user?
It can range from a few hours to a full day or longer, depending on the complexity of the work.
What is the difference between shadowing and contextual inquiry?
Shadowing focuses on continuous glossaryObservationObservation is a research method where user behaviour is watched and analysed without interference.Open glossary term over time, while guideContextual InquiryObserving and questioning users in their real environment to understand how work is actually done.Open guide combines observation with more structured questioning during tasks.
Is shadowing intrusive?
It can be if not handled carefully. Setting expectations and minimising disruption is key.