Transcript Observation Skills Matter

Observation Skills Matter
“You have seen but not observed”
► Who
said this quote?
► What do you think is the difference between
seeing and observing?
► Much emphasis placed computer research,
etc., but not always practical, cannot do the
observing for us.
► Observing is instinctive.
Process of observation
► Ask
yourself the following questions as you
approach an observational problem:
 What is the issue?
 What are you observing – document, person,
place, thing
 If the subject is familiar, how can you look at it
in a new way?
 If the subject is new, can you find something
familiar in it?
 Will broadening the search aid in the solution?
What is the issue?
► Careful
observation of something that
doesn’t resolve the problem at hand is a
waste of time.
► Before you can start focusing, have a clear
view of what you are trying to accomplish.
New Look at the familiar
► Realize
that everything in the world is
unique in some way. Uniformity can dull
our senses, but each individual product has
unique characteristics
► Looking for qualities that separate the
familiar from the unfamiliar is a skill worth
developing. When reading a familiar scene,
you can spot details that will break the case.
Find Familiar in the New
► When
confronted with something totally
new, try associate it with existing
knowledge… can you think of some
examples?
Observing Documents, People,
Places, & Things
► General
principles for observing the real world rest
on creativity… “Make the familiar strange and the
strange familiar”
► Asking yourselves seemingly unusual questions will
generate new insights.
► Need to adapt by perceiving the world through
many eyes to survive intellectually.
► You will broaden your search capabilities and
acquire a knack for seeing things where / how
they are not supposed to be.
Observing People
► Always
do a mental inventory first – how
does the person’s behavior appear?
► Take note of dress, style, tattoos, etc… can
tell you a great deal about their attitudes
concerning themselves and others, but…
► Be careful not to steroetype, though don’t
be afraid to characterize through
observation – basis of profiling
Observing a Place
► Determine
the underlying motivation behind
what you see
 For example, if a person’s yard and home
appear chaotic, think about why that could be.
► Look
for signs of what is going on (or what
went on)
Observing Things
► Try
to understand the thinking behind the
creation of the object – this thinking takes
into account other things the item may be
used for
 For example, think about a pencil, what are its
uses?
► Most
important thing to do is break out of
preconceived notions
Observing Documents
► Just
can’t scan for details, need to organize
info to look for patterns. Organize by:
 By Time – create chronologies
 By Continuum – magnitude scale
 By Alphabet – basic organization provides cross
reference for other types
 By Topic – can help recognize common incidents
 By Location – look for spatial relationships
Summary
► Try
to see a scene through varied
perspectives
► Develop as many correlations as possible
► Have a goal when you are observing.