5. OBSERVATION TECHNIQUES
A very good explanation of what observation is and how can be used is by Dr. B. R. Abedkar College and is the following: “Observation is a way of gathering data by watching behaviour, events, or noting physical characteristics in their natural settings. Observations can be overt (everyone knows they are being observed) or covert (no one knows they are being observed and the observer is concealed). The benefit of covert Observation is that people are more likely to behave naturally if they do not know they are being observed. However, you will typically need to conduct overt Observations because of ethical problems related to concealing your Observation. Observation can also be either direct or indirect. Direct Observation is when you watch interactions, processes, or behaviours as they occur. For example, observing a educator teaching a lesson from a curriculum to determine whether they are delivering it with fidelity. Indirect Observation is when you watch the results of interactions, processes, or behaviours. For example, observing the amount of time a worker needs to complete a task, so you can understand how much time they need to finish future tasks. Advantages of observation in the workplace Through observation, a researcher can examine subjects in their natural environment without influencing their behaviour. Observational data typically comprises of in-depth details about specific groups or circumstances. Compared to survey work, which tends to create less specific information to produce a big number of individuals, this type of data can fill up and provide a deeper, richer knowledge . Disadvantages Open to prejudice and inference from the observer. Potentially subject to the "Hawthorne Effect," which states that people frequently perform better when they are aware that they are being watched, though indirect observation may lessen this issue. Ethical considerations Although observation is typically seen as the least intrusive data collection technique, it is also capable of violating a person's privacy. So, in order for one to keep observing in an ethical way, he/she should try to follow the following rules of the American Anthropological Association: Do No Harm Be Open and Honest Regarding Your Work Obtain Informed Consent and Necessary Permissions Weigh Competing Ethical Obligations Due Collaborators and Affected Parties Make Your Results Accessible Protect and Preserve Your Records Maintain Respectful and Ethical Professional Relationships How to conduct an Observation Establish the focal point: Choose a few areas of concentration for your data collecting after considering the assessment issues you hope to address through observation. For instance, you might be interested in how effectively people do their job. Create a system for data gathering: The three main methods for gathering observational data are as follows. The most standardized method of gathering observational data is through recording sheets and checklists, which also include pre-set questions and answers. Typically, these forms are intended to gather information that can be easily defined in advance. Observational guides include room for recording open-ended narrative data and a list of the interactions, activities, or behaviours that need to be watched. Field notes are the least structured technique to gather observational data because they don't have predetermined questions or answers. Field notes are narrative pieces of open-ended data that can be written or spoken into a tape recorder. Observation on a personal level
It is very important for a manager to carefully observe his workers and how they do their job, so he can make them have better results, avoid conflicts, improve their interpersonal skills and in blue-collar jobs avoid accidents. In the previous parts of this sub-module the steps to be followed by a supervisor in order to get quality data from his observations were explained. But its equally important for everyone at work and in their personal life to have heightened observational senses so that they can understand the changes around them and adjust their attitudes accordingly. Some of them are :