# Observe

- [How hard can it be to navigate to flat number 7?](/observe/break-free-from-your-experience-to-understand-your-service-users.md): Breaking free from the chains of your own experience to truly understand the experience of your service users.
- [How to conduct desk research](/observe/how-to-conduct-desk-research.md): The less painful way to do your initial research to understand your service users and their current experiences and options.
- [Ex 2. Set a date for desk research](/observe/ex-2-plan-your-research.md): An essential step in social change is setting aside the time to do desk research. When starting a new social venture, with so many tasks to do, placing blockers in your diary can help get tasks done.
- [Why spy on your competitors?](/observe/why-spy-on-your-competitors.md): We're in the social change journey together yet there are other organisations that might be conducting similar projects. What can you learn from them? How can they become your partners in change?
- [Ex 3. List your competitors](/observe/ex-3-list-your-competitors.md): Task: research what organisations and projects already exist and work on similar social change.
- [In the field](/observe/in-the-field.md): Get out in the field and observe the experience your perspective service users have using alternative services & products. Learn how you can build a better social change experience.
- [Ex 4. Update your table of understanding](/observe/ex-4-update-your-table-of-understanding.md): Exercise: Revisit your table of understanding to update your assumptions based on your new insights from your social change research
- [Extra: Lean data](/observe/extra-lean-data.md): Go further by collecting valuable data on the experience your users have using your social change service. How can you do this in less intrusive ways?
- [Extra: From distant fields](/observe/extra-from-distant-fields.md): What can be learnt from outside your field of social change that will drastically improve the experience for your service users?