Definitions for "Observational study"
A study in which the investigator does not manipulate any of the variables but simply observes their relationship as they occur naturally.
Any study of therapy, prevention or harm in which the exposure is not assigned to the individual subject by the investigator(s). A synonym is "non-experimental"; examples are case-control and cohort studies.
an empiric investigation of the effects caused by a treatment, policy , or intervention in which it is not possible to assign subjects at random to treatment or control, as would be done in a controlled experiment
Keywords:  feb, est
Feb 8, 11:55 AM EST
watching people's behavior to find patterns and design-relevant activities. For instance, observing people working in an office environment to determine their work processes and computer usage patterns.