Field notes and observation Field notes and observation Field notes and observation are methods of collecting data simply by watching what people do. Field notes are the comments written to record what was observed.
Observation is a special outing to watch people in various settings to note their behaviors.
Every agency collects this kind of observational data. In order to meet the scope of work, most agencies keep track of phone calls made, condoms handed out, hours worked, and workshops held. Additionally, the duration of phone calls, whether people took lubricated or non-lube condoms, and how well a workshop was received can also be noted. For most agencies the problem isn't conducting the observation, it's making the time and structure to write down what they notice in formal field notes. Field notes traditionally include recording numbers of client encounters, articles handed out, and basic demographics of clients, as well as general observation of the setting of clients, history of clients, and any new or unusual activities noted.