What is a Case Study

Case Studies are examples of HCI practice based on real-world experiences that will be instructive and of interest to other members of the community.
Potential types of Case Studies include, but are not limited to the following:

• Illustrative Case Studies describing interesting problems in a specific domain, especially domains with which the audience may not otherwise be familiar
• Exploratory Case Studies constituting pilot studies preceding and informing larger-scale investigations
• Critical Instance Case Studies that explore particular cases of interest with little concern for generalization
• Cumulative Case Studies summarizing work that may have been completed at different times but that does form a coherent whole
• Narrative Case Studies describing the development of unfolding trends within a domain
• Method Case Studies describing the application of a specific method or tool and the lessons learned around it
• Design Case Studies describing the design of a specific interface instance and the rationale and experience around it

Case Study topics overlap with papers and CHI notes, but different criteria apply to the review process. A Case Study reports a specific instance or event and reflects on how the techniques used, or the lessons learned, may be generalized. Case studies focus on the success of the approach in a particular context, showing the idiosyncrasies of that context, and leaving it to the listener to determine the degree to which the approach could be applicable to his or her environment. Of course, a compelling case study is potentially relevant to a wide range of contexts and situations, but the author is not necessarily expected to establish the applicability outside the original situation.