The following are pros of using contextual inquiries:

• It is very effective in helping designers develop a good understanding of a user's full spectrum of needs, pain-points, and desires regarding the actual use of the product. Participants are asked to provide an honest assessment of the product and the brand, their thoughts on competitive products and so on.
• It is very effective in detecting nuances and inconsistencies in patterns of use. The participant can demonstrate how the circumstances of a specific task might change how the user might prefer to perform it. Products that reflect such nuances provide a better experience and communicate to prospective users that the company cares about their specific needs.
• It is very effective in helping designers understand the flow of use, and what is important and less important to the user.
• Even participants who are critical about the product or the company, appreciate the fact that they are being asked to participate in an effort to improve the situation, and that they get to voice their opinion.
• CIs provide a unique opportunity to identify factors that might have a considerable impact on the design. These factor include the following:
  • Exceptions and variability: The more variable the interaction, the more difficult it may be to improve the experience through design alone, and business process changes might be needed.
  • Workarounds: Often, there is a gap between how participants describe the task they want to perform, and how they plan to perform it--to the way the task is manifested in the product. As a result, users tend to come up with their workarounds to close the gaps. Such workarounds are often valuable because point to a missing feature or capability which can be addressed in the new design.