Routine walkthrough template and interview questions
Understand how an activity actually fits into people's everyday routines.
The short version
- A routine walkthrough shows how an activity actually fits into everyday life: what triggers it, the steps, the tools, the friction and the shortcuts.
- Set the context first (Q1 and Q2), then have people show the routine (Q3 to Q7), then explore friction (Q8 to Q10) and variation (Q11 to Q13).
- Read each interview as a sequence from trigger to completion and variation, and compare what people say they normally do with what they actually demonstrate.
- Run it as a 20 to 30 minute session with people who regularly do the activity, in their normal environment wherever possible.
About this research
People often struggle to accurately explain their routines, because many everyday behaviors happen automatically.
A routine walkthrough study asks participants to show or reconstruct how an activity actually happens: what triggers it, what they do first, which tools or products they use, where interruptions occur, what shortcuts they've developed, and how the routine changes depending on context.
Rather than asking, "How do you usually do this?", the study reconstructs the routine step by step. This follows contextual-inquiry principles: observe people within the environment where behavior naturally occurs, and combine observation with questions.
Study at a glance
| Study type | Contextual or behavioral research |
|---|---|
| Method | Guided walkthrough, observation and interview |
| Average session time | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Core questions | 13 |
| Best suited for | Product, Consumer Insights, Innovation, UX, Research and Strategy teams |
When to run this study
Run this research when you need to understand how a product, service, task or activity fits into everyday life, especially when behavior is repetitive, habitual or difficult for participants to explain from memory.
Who to interview
Recruit people who regularly perform the activity being studied.
What you’ll learn
- What triggers the routine
- How the routine begins and ends
- Actual sequence of behaviors
- Products, tools, people and environments involved
- Shortcuts and workarounds
- Friction and interruptions
- Which steps matter most
- How routines vary by context
- Unmet needs within the routine
Ready-to-use interview guide
13 questions, in the order to ask them. The numbers are the ones the table below refers to.
Establish context
Tell me about the last time you did [activity]. What was happening?
What usually tells you it's time to do this?
Walk through the routine
Show me how you normally start.
What happens next?
Continue observing the sequence rather than asking the participant to summarize the entire routine.
I noticed you [observed behavior]. Tell me what you're doing there.
Probe if needed: Is that something you normally do?
What products, tools, information or other things do you normally use along the way?
Are there any parts you do almost automatically without thinking much about them?
Explore friction and adaptation
Which part of this routine usually requires the most effort or attention?
What tends to interrupt it or make it go differently?
Have you developed any shortcuts or your own way of making this easier?
Probe if yes: How did you start doing it that way?
Explore variation
Are there situations where you do this differently?
Probe if yes: Walk me through what changes.
Which parts of the routine are important for you to do in a particular way?
If one part of this routine could become easier, which part would make the biggest difference?
Copy all 13 questions as plain text.
What this study can derive
| Research output | What it can tell you | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Routine journey map | Actual sequence from trigger through completion | Q1–Q5 |
| Routine ecosystem | Products, tools, people and environmental elements involved | Q5–Q7 |
| Automatic and habitual behaviors | Behaviors participants may rarely articulate spontaneously | Q3–Q7 |
| Friction and interruption map | Where effort, difficulty and disruption occur | Q8–Q9 |
| Workarounds and adaptations | How people compensate for limitations in the current experience | Q9–Q10 |
| Routine variations | How behavior changes across situations | Q11–Q12 |
| Opportunity areas | Parts of the routine where improvement could create meaningful value | Q8–Q13 |
How to analyze the interviews
Analyze the sequence:
- Trigger
- Preparation
- Sequence
- Tools
- Friction
- Workaround
- Completion
- Variation
Pay particular attention to the differences between what people say they normally do and what they actually demonstrate.
Researcher’s notes
- Avoid: Don't automatically classify every unusual behavior as a pain point. First understand why it exists.
- Avoid: Don't interrupt every action. Probe at meaningful moments.
- Do: Observe before asking why.
- Do: Small behaviors can be more revealing than stated complaints. Look for things such as moving something, checking something twice or keeping an object nearby.
Related
Questions people ask about routine walkthroughs
What is a routine walkthrough?
A routine walkthrough is a study in which participants show or reconstruct how an everyday activity actually happens, step by step. It covers what triggers the activity, the tools and products used, where interruptions occur and which shortcuts people have developed. It shows behaviors that people find hard to explain from memory.
How many questions does a routine walkthrough need?
This template uses 13 core questions in a 20 to 30 minute session. Two set the context and five walk through the routine. Three explore friction and shortcuts, and three explore how the routine varies.
Why ask people to show the routine rather than describe it?
Many everyday behaviors happen automatically, so people often struggle to explain them accurately. Watching the routine unfold shows what people actually do, which can differ from what they say they normally do. Small behaviors, such as checking something twice, can be more revealing than stated complaints.
What is a common mistake in a routine walkthrough?
Treating every unusual behavior as a pain point. First understand why the behavior exists. It also helps not to interrupt every action, and to probe only at meaningful moments.