One of the key focal points of user-centered design is the context in which the designs will be used. For technology products and services, contexts of use include a potentially broad array of factors—physical and social environments, human abilities and disabilities, cultural issues and similar.
Contexts describe the actual circumstances of use. While not all of the aspects mentioned above apply in each case, it is important to consider what is and isn’t relevant. For example, almost all products and services operate within a legal context that requires them to be operable by people with disabilities. Other legal contexts govern the use of personal data – the GDPR in Europe, for instance—the ages for which certain content may be shown, along with strict laws in some locations around gambling and betting.
Environmental and physical contexts may not be particularly relevant to most websites, but this can change dramatically for systems used outside the typical home or office. Examples include external Automated Teller Machines (“cash machines” or “cash dispensers”), computing systems used in farming—some of which must be steam cleaned—and systems used for stock control in unheated warehouses or, more challenging still, cold stores.
Cash dispensers are a common example of an unusual context of use. They have to cater for a wide range of users—short, tall and in wheelchairs—as well as variations in lighting and weather.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 3.0
Desktop computers are not always an appropriate solution. Here a warehouse worker scans stock using a portable reader and tablet.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 3.0
User research and observation is essential to determine context of use. The goal of these processes, which include contextual interviews, user visits, etc., is to answer key questions such as the ones suggested by the leading UX consultancy Experience Dynamics:
Where do your users engage with your product or service? (physically, environmentally, device-specific)
What is happening to the user when they are using it? (social or emotional influences)
What is physically or socially preventing users from completing their tasks? (e.g., another party or person has to act first)
When does usage happen and what triggers it? (timing and coordination)
What expectations do users bring to the task? (mental model)
Why do users want to do this before that? (workflow, motivation, flow)
What makes sense to users and why does that differ from how you think about it? (content, labeling, problem-solving)
In user-centered and user experience design, one of our main concerns is usability. The international standard on the ergonomics of human-system interaction (see Learn More About Contexts of Use) defines usability as
“…the extent to which a system, product or service can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.”
Notice that the very definition of usability depends on the context of use. This isn’t hard to understand outside of software systems. However, contexts are usually overlooked because contexts of use are outside of the normal considerations in most software development methods.
The standard goes on to describe the components:
“The context of use comprises a combination of users, goals, tasks, resources, and the technical, physical and social, cultural and organizational environments in which a system, product or service is used.”
This is a much broader definition of contexts than is used in practice, but it is complete. Less formal definitions tend to group users, goals, tasks and resources separately from the environments as described above. However, the benefit of grouping all of these elements together becomes obvious when considering how the standard describes achieving usability in design and development. The steps are:
1. Understand and specify the context of use.
2. Specify the user requirements, including usability considerations.
3. Produce design solutions making use of the above.
4. Evaluate the design solutions.
When referring to a complete system, the context of use would include all users along with their respective goals, tasks and the required resources as well as the environmental contexts across all of those factors. These include
Technical environment: Equipment and applications, including hardware, furniture; information (data the users have access to) relevant to the tasks; support services, either human- or system-based (such as assistive technology).
Physical environment: Where the system will be used and what the environmental factors would be (consider the warehouse, farm or cold storage examples earlier).
Social, cultural and organizational environment: Other people involved (such as stakeholders) and the relationships between them, the organizational structure, language, legislation, cultural norms and values, work practices, group working and privacy.
The context of mobile use is very different from that of desktops. It will require a different approach, such as context awareness, mobile-first or task-oriented design. In this video, Frank Spillers, the founder of Experience Dynamics, shares practical tips on how to understand the context of use in mobile User Experience (UX) design.
Researchers Savio and Braiterman introduced the “overlapping spheres of context” to a mobile user’s context that included:
Personal goals (such as identity, status, and social interaction).
Attention levels (complete or partial, intermittent or continuous).
Tasks (for example, make calls, send a video, or get directions).
Device constraints (including, among other things, software, sensors, battery and network).
Secondary activities (such as walking, eating, etc.).
Environment (sound, light, space, etc.).
Culture (economics, religion, law, etc.).
Mobile users’ context of use is much more complex than that of desktop users. Savio and Braiterman introduced the “overlapping spheres of context” to illustrate this complexity. As a designer, you must consider users’ personal goals, attention levels, tasks, device constraints, secondary activities (such as walking, eating, etc.), environment (sound, light, space, etc.) and culture (economics, religion, law, etc.).
© Nadav Savio and Jared Braiterman, Fair-Use
Mobile experiences that factor in the context of use will be more likely to be successful than designs that are made for a generic audience with a one-size-fits-all approach.
Find here a research study into contexts of use and user experience.
Detailed article on the role of contexts of use in usability (PDF).
Ergonomics of human-system interaction (book, ISO 9241-11).
Take our course: Mobile UX Design: The Beginner's Guide.
See Nadav Savio and Jared Braiterman’s original paper about the context of mobile interaction at Academia: Design sketch: The context of mobile interaction.
Nick Babich offers comprehensive and practical recommendations for designing mobile experiences in a Guide To Mobile App Design at UX Heuristics.
To learn about the differences between context of use and ease of use, read the How to explain Ease of Use vs Context of Use to your boss article by Frank Spillers.
“Context of use” in UX (user experience) design describes the circumstances under which users interact with a product—who the users are, what tasks they aim to accomplish, and the environment in which they use it. Designers study context of use to uncover needs, pain points, and expectations that shape how users experience a product.
This concept helps designers make better design decisions because a feature that works in an office might fail in a noisy subway or outdoors in bright sunlight. For example, banking apps often simplify navigation for on-the-go use, while professional software offers advanced features for focused work sessions.
Take our course User Research – Methods and Best Practices to find out how to lift the lid on contextual inquiries to observe real-life scenarios, so your designs feel intuitive, relevant, and effortless for the people using them.
The main elements that define a context of use in UX (user experience) design are users, tasks, tools, and environment. These factors describe who interacts with a product, what they need to accomplish, the device or system they use to do it, and the physical or social setting in which they operate.
Designers study these elements to understand how real-world conditions shape user experience. For example, an app which doctors use in a hospital must support quick, accurate decisions, often under stress, while a travel app must adapt to patchy connectivity and different time zones.
Discover how ethnographic research helps designers discover accurate insights about users so they can ensure designs match user needs and work seamlessly in the situations they’ll actually face.
Context of use focuses on the real-world circumstances in which users interact with a product—who they are, what tasks they perform, the tools they use, and the environment around them. Meanwhile, user personas represent fictional archetypes based on research and summarize user goals, behaviors, and motivations. Scenarios, on the other hand, tell a narrative about how a persona might use the product in a specific situation.
The key difference is that one would expect to see more detail in a report of contexts than one would in a persona.
Explore how personas form a vital part of design—enjoy our Master Class User Stories Don't Help Users: Introducing Persona Stories with William Hudson, Consultant Editor and Author.
To research the context of use for a product or service, focus on observing and understanding how real users interact with it in their natural environments. Start with field studies or contextual inquiries, where you watch users perform tasks in real settings. Combine this with user interviews to uncover motivations, frustrations, and expectations.
It's helpful to supplement observations with diary studies, where users log their interactions over time, and surveys to gather broader insights. Capture details about users, tasks, tools, and environments—like lighting, noise levels, or connectivity—that affect the experience.
Tip: bring prototypes into these sessions; when you see users struggle or succeed in real situations, it reveals design opportunities you won’t find in a lab.
To understand a context of use for a user, ask questions that uncover who they are, what they do, where they do it, and what challenges they face, as well as the “why.” Start with user-focused questions like: Who uses this product? What are their goals, routines, and pain points?
Move to task questions: What tasks do you perform with this product? Which ones are easy or frustrating? Then explore environmental factors: Where do you usually use it—at work, on the go, or at home? Do you notice distractions, noise, or time pressures?
Next, ask about tools and constraints: What devices do you use? What prevents you from completing tasks smoothly? These open-ended questions reveal insights that guide design choices.
For the “why” aspects, dig into the problem context with these kinds of questions:
What problem were you trying to solve when you first sought out this type of solution?
What would happen if you couldn't use this product - what would you do instead?
What does success look like for you when using this product?
Also, for the “why,” ask questions to establish the motivational context:
What prompted you to use this today?
How does this fit into your broader goals or workflow?
What would make this experience feel worthwhile to you?
Get a greater grasp of how to secure helpful insights from users in semi-structured interviews.
Design for flexibility and resilience to ensure your product works well in unexpected contexts. Start by testing beyond ideal conditions—simulate poor lighting, weak internet, noise, or multitasking. Observe how users adapt, and note where the product struggles.
Use edge-case testing and stress scenarios to uncover failures before launch. For example, test navigation apps with no signal in tunnels or rural areas. Build in fallback options (like offline modes or simplified views) to support users when conditions change.
Finally, gather real-world feedback after release. Monitor support requests, usability issues, and unexpected uses to iterate quickly. Products that thrive in messy, real-world conditions create stronger trust and loyalty.
By designing with user scenarios in mind, we can better understand the situations many users might find themselves in.
The difference between physical and digital contexts of use lies in the factors that shape how users interact with a product.
A physical context includes real-world conditions, such as lighting, noise, weather, or whether the user is standing, sitting, or moving. These factors affect how users hold devices, focus attention, or complete tasks.
A digital context covers the on-screen environment: the device type, software, interface design, connectivity, and even competing apps or notifications.
For example, someone might shop online (digital context) while on a crowded bus with patchy Wi-Fi (physical context); both influence the experience.
Designers must study and test in both physical and digital contexts to ensure that products remain usable and intuitive no matter where or how they’re used.
Explore important aspects of how to anticipate how the people who use digital products encounter and use them, through a solid grasp of their user behavior.
Cultural context shapes how users perceive, interpret, and interact with products. Elements such as language, symbols, colors, and reading directions vary widely across cultures and can change how users experience a design.
For instance, red tends to signal danger in Western countries but prosperity in China. Similarly, interface patterns that feel common in one culture—like swiping left to delete—might confuse users elsewhere.
To design for diverse audiences, conduct cross-cultural research, test prototypes in different regions, and don’t assume that one cultural norm fits all. Respecting cultural context not only prevents misunderstandings but builds trust and inclusivity into your UX design solutions too.
Explore how to design with culture in mind in this video with Alan Dix: Author of the bestselling book “Human-Computer Interaction” and Director of the Computational Foundry at Swansea University.
Copyright holder: Tommi Vainikainen _ Appearance time: 2:56 - 3:03 Copyright license and terms: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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When designers ignore context of use, they risk creating products that feel clumsy, frustrating, or even unusable in real life. Common mistakes include over-designing for ideal conditions, assuming users always have strong internet, full attention, or a quiet workspace. This leads to failures when people use the product, for example, on noisy trains, with poor Wi-Fi, or while multitasking.
Another mistake is misaligned features—building tools users can’t access or don’t need in their actual environments. For example, a small-screen app with tiny buttons might look sleek in a lab but fail outdoors in bright sunlight.
Avoid these pitfalls by testing in real settings, gathering user feedback, and considering messy, unpredictable conditions from the start—life “happens” to users, and it can be unpredictable.
Understand how usability testing yields essential insights and helps direct better design decisions.
To design for users with very different contexts of use, focus on flexibility and adaptability. Start by mapping the key differences, such as devices, environments, and constraints, and then identify common needs across all contexts.
Build responsive, modular designs that adjust seamlessly. For example, banking apps adapt layouts for mobile on-the-go use while offering richer dashboards on desktops. Provide customization options like adjustable font sizes or offline modes, so users can tailor the experience to their situation and really make it “their own.”
Test your product in contrasting real-world settings, such as quiet offices, noisy streets, and low-connectivity zones, to ensure it stays usable everywhere. Designing for variety not only broadens accessibility but makes your product more resilient as well.
Discover how to investigate user needs so you can determine better steps forward with designing for the people who will use what you create.
Franz, B., & Kauer‑Franz, M. (2024). Usability and User Experience Design: The Comprehensive Guide to Data‑Driven UX Design. Rheinwerk Computing.
Franz and Kauer‑Franz (2024) present a comprehensive, data‑driven roadmap for UX design, blending psychological insights, proven design principles, and practical methods. The book covers the entire UX lifecycle—from context of use analysis and requirements gathering to prototyping, testing, and review. It emphasizes grounding digital product design in real‑world user environments and includes case studies spanning B2C, B2B, and medical applications. With 673 pages of guidance, examples, and full‑color illustrations, it equips UX designers and developers with actionable tools for integrating context research into every design decision—ensuring products are both usable and aligned with users’ needs and situations.
Spillers, F. (2024, July 3). What is context of use in UX design? Experience Dynamics Blog. https://frankspillers.com/what-is-context-of-use-in-ux-design/
Spillers (2024) defines context of use as the sum of users, tasks, and environments (UTE) in which products and services are experienced. He argues that understanding context is essential to designing solutions that fit seamlessly into users’ lives and avoid harmful misalignments. Drawing on examples—from accessibility failures in adaptive fashion to overlooked environmental constraints—Spillers shows how designs lacking contextual awareness often backfire. He provides seven guiding questions for field research, helping UX practitioners uncover barriers, triggers, and expectations in real-world settings. The article serves as a practical, motivating framework for embedding deep context research into UX projects.
Nikolov, N. (2023, February 25). Analysis phase of HCD: Understanding and specifying the context of use. UX Blog. https://www.nikolaynikolov.ch/blog/hcd-analysis-phase
Nikolov (2023) provides a deep dive into the analysis phase of human‑centered design (HCD), framing it as the foundation for creating user‑centered products and services. The article systematically explains how to understand and specify the context of use, detailing the roles of users (primary, secondary, indirect), tasks, environments, and resources. Nikolov outlines practical research activities—contextual inquiry, interviews, focus groups, task analysis, personas, and journey maps—showing how each feeds into a coherent context description. For UX practitioners, this comprehensive guide is both conceptual and hands‑on, offering a step‑by‑step roadmap for embedding real‑world context into every stage of design.
Usability Body of Knowledge. (2009, August). Context of use analysis. Usability Body of Knowledge. https://www.usabilitybok.org/context-of-use-analysis
This Usability Body of Knowledge entry (2009) outlines context of use analysis as a foundational UX method for gathering detailed information about users, tasks, tools, environments, and constraints. It explains how this information—collected through interviews, workshops, surveys, or field studies—feeds directly into requirements, conceptual design, and usability test planning. The page provides a clear “how‑to,” describing stakeholder meetings, use of a checklist, and consensus‑building steps. It also covers variations for simple versus complex systems. For UX designers and researchers, it’s a practical, standards‑aligned reference for embedding real‑world context into every stage of the design process.
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Here's the entire UX literature on Contexts of Use by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:
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