TABLE OF CONTENTS This chapter focuses on looking at generic research methods relevant to human computer interaction research, and used in user centered information systems design and development. It should be pointed out that this is intended to be essentially an introduction to the types of methods that can be particularly useful in relation to mobile HCI research and not an in-depth look at all the techniques available. The references and further reading lists at the end of the chapter direct you to texts where you will be able to find out more information on quantitative and qualitative methods. It should also be mentioned that there can be overlaps between the tools and techniques used in each of the research methods approaches that will be discussed in this chapter.
There are basically two types of settings you can use to conduct your mobile HCI research study: in the laboratory or in a field setting. The latter may not actually take place in a field, but your study could take place in the actual environment in which people are using the mobile technology. Let us take, as an example, an employee of a gas company as he goes about his calls using a PDA device to log the problems and the work carried out at each house visited. To begin with, let's look at the laboratory setting.
This has been the traditional approach to HCI methods research. In this case, you would get people coming into the lab...
