In the last 12 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest brands in the world, helping them do one thing and one thing only: Make better decisions by developing a deeper understanding of their clients and their context.
From 6 to 40 interviews in each territory, these tremendously big brands invest millions of dollars each year to have 1:1 conversations with client segments with different behaviors. They need to understand their clients’ relationships with their business, their underlying behaviors, their mental models, and how they make decisions compared to competitors.
The most mindful and mature UX teams do an extra effort that’s called Local Research. That is basically going physically to their customers homes, businesses and locations where the real action is taking place.
This is a massive commitment for global companies. They have to grasp the behavioral nuances of international markets to adapt their services—without losing operational scale.
This is the one thing that makes the UX experiences to be so fluid, user-centered and locally relevant. When you wonder why Whatsapp, Coca-Cola, Waze or American Express have such amazing UX, this is why. Is not AI optimization in the workflow, is literally taking the time to have a profound connection to their customers in their local environment.
Imagine the dedication it takes: One of our clients, a major TV service provider, traveled from the UK to Mexico City for a whole week just to sit down with 6 users. They needed to see exactly how these people use their devices, try new features, and, fundamentally, how they actually watch TV in their living rooms.
But it begs the question: When do we actually need to go to the field?
The litmus test is simple: Is there something valuable to learn about the physical context and how the people we are researching relate to it? If the answer is no, research is much more comfortable online.
But when the answer is yes, the ROI is massive. A few years ago, we researched how people interact with returnable bottle programs. The physical context was incredibly rich: how people relate to their bottles, where they stash them in cramped pantries, the logistics of returning them, and how different brands share space in their homes. That was an amazing excuse for contextual interviews. I can guarantee you the insights—and the resulting business decisions—would not have been the same over a Zoom call.
If you are heading into the field, here are the three realities you have to prepare for:
- Logistics, logistics, logistics… Imagine a team of 10 people traveling 14 hours for an interview, only to find out the user canceled, a prototype won’t load, or your translator bailed. The field is chaos.
- Double-check everything: Look out for local football matches, traffic patterns, regional holidays, or even protests that could disrupt your schedule.
- Communicate early: A simple confirmation text to participants and suppliers the day before can make or break the experience for your team and stakeholders.
- Entering spaces respectfully The golden rule: Don’t be a rude.
Entering a new cultural context is jarring. You will hear, see, smell, and sense things you aren’t familiar with. As researchers, our role isn’t to judge; it’s to understand. Arriving with an open mind and embracing the environment is the only way to build real rapport.
You might have to drink a coffee that isn’t your usual barista caramel crapuccino. You need to be deeply grateful to people, especially when they are opening up their homes or businesses to you. I once had a powerful business owner in Tepito who wouldn’t let me start the interview until we shared a coffee and a piece of sweet bread to learn a little about each other. Depending on the cultural context, those small human moments are the only way to earn trust before you start asking questions.
- Processing and analyzing data You’ve done all the hard work. It would be a tragedy to come back from the field without answering the core research questions or gathering powerful insights.
The field is overwhelming, so your discipline has to be rock solid. Building your note grid around your research objectives keeps you anchored during daily debriefs. Before you ever step foot in the field, clarify your process:
- Assign roles: Who is taking notes, and what artifacts are required?
- Define the notes: Are you taking jottings, a personal diary, descriptive notes, or methodological notes?
- Set a rhythm: Decide exactly when the team is debriefing, sharing observations, and starting the coding process.
Field research isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t glamorous. But if you want to understand what your users actually do—not just what they say they do—there is no substitute for being there.
How do you prepare your teams for the unpredictability of the field? Let me know below. 👇
Do you need help to start doing global research in local contexts? Check https://localresearch.usaria.mx/