innovation insight Peter H. Jones, Ph.D. Dayton, Toronto redesignresearch .com designdialogues. net A Bag of Tricks: What is the Right Mix of Methods?
Jan 02, 2016
innovation insight
Peter H. Jones, Ph.D.
Dayton, Toronto
redesignresearch.com
designdialogues.net
A Bag of Tricks: What is the Right Mix of Methods?
From User Research Design
User-Centered Design as process
UCD often presented as a set of methodsUCD often presented as a set of methods
Research to Design is not plug-and-playResearch to Design is not plug-and-play
Real design work is not a structured process Real design work is not a structured process
User Research and using mixed methods
Good research is also not pre-fab
Different methods are needed to tease out answers
We end up with nice, clean deliverables
But what gets left on the table?
User-Centered Design as a User-Centered Design as a processprocess
User understanding
Work context studies
Contextual inquiry
User needs analysis
Pre-Product User Understanding
Concept proto testing
Field concept studies
Contextual Design
Early Product (Concept)
Requirements validation
Usability evaluation
Post-release testing
Product Definition
Consider User Research …No standard UX research approach
Nor should there be …
Driven by objectives & the questions
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 PositivistInterpretive
Inductive
Experimental
Behavioral measures
Contextual Design
Usability testing
Ethnography
Hermeneutic Surveys
Web Analytics
Lead User Research
Deductive
A Mix of Methods
There are times to use one,& times to use several together.
Working from a few foundations:- Usability Evaluation - Field Research- Expert Reviews
Usability
SurveyContextual Inquiry
Ethnographic Field Research-Observing & interviewing users in context, and combining data collection methods such as:
- Unobtrusive observation (shadowing)- Participant observation (informed ethnographer)- Open & Semi-structured interview- Contextual interview of work episodes- Cognitive walkthrough of information tasks Elicitation methods: Freelisting, Card sorts, Checklists
- Other methods employed to fit field situation(e.g. Diaries, peripheral participant interviews)
How do we turn field observations:
Into working models:
Journals(Publishing)
LiteratureResources
(PubMed, Journals)
Principal Investigator
- Managing research projects for lab- Developing new grants for continuing research programs
- Conducting individual research and leading specific experiments- Preparing and instructing medical school courses and seminars
- Planning and preparing article manuscripts for publication- Mentoring and collaborating with PhD candidates
- Teaching & preparing med school classes
Researcher
- Sets up and runs experiments- Contributes details and references to manuscripts
- Pursues independent thesis research in lab- Develops research ideas,
conducts independent research
RNA CenterInformation Flow Model
RNA Journal
CWRU MedicalSchool
Reviews lit & new studies.Shares articles w/ PI
Reviews & shares exp resultsWorks with PI on interpreting data
Searchesrelated to issue
Checks otherauthors & terms
Identifies emerging issues.Presents issues as discovered.
Discusses data & guides next steps
Phone callsEmail
Phone, Email,Papers, Responses
Finds areas of common interest;Through articles, conferences, etc.
Review of exps, papers, grants
F2F Conversation
Faculty, Teaching
Article submission,Article review
Editing ofjournal
Doctoral, Post-doc, RA
Center Director
- Establishes overall research agenda- Develops research funding, leads grant writing
- Reviews & contributes to experimental work- Writes & contributes to research articles
- Edits & leads RNA Journal- Editorial reviewer for top journals
- Study section reviewer for NIH & NSF
GrantingAgencies(NIH, NSF)
Research Collaborators
- Conducts related independent research- Provides complementary skills, projects- Provides access to equipment or tools- Contributes details and references to
manuscripts
Grant proposals
Grant review,Study section
RNA Molecular BiologyScientific Community
Competing proposals
PotentialCollabs
Articles, Review
RNA Center & Staff
Articles, Review
Information task flow model, by role (Jones, from Contextual Design diagram)
Into deliverable models
Artifacts Analysis
Identification & analysis of (physical) cognitive artifacts adapted for performing tasks of interest. Cognitive memory & task aids useful for design.
Elsevier Health Sciences: Nursing Information Needs Field Study
PersonasElsevier Health Sciences: Procedures Consult User Research
Patterns in a case lifecycle
Initialresearch onlocal & staterules
3 motionsfiled
Research toanalyzeresponse
Oppositionresponsereviewed
Initial review andidentifying issues
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Courthearings
Research for responsesto opposing motions
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CourtrequestedMemos ofLaw
Internalmemoto partner
Appeal brief
Developingarguments inMemorandum
Comprehensiveargument developed for
Appellate BriefResearch for 3
motions, 6 courtdocuments filed
Courtdecidesin favor -Appeal filed
Motions todismiss
Other issuesremaining
May 02
June 03
Also win Appeal, butother issues remain
LexisNexis: Small Law User Needs Analysis – 2004
To Deliverables,
ReportsPresentationsCommunications
Where do we actually design?
- Wireframes >> Prototypes - Personas >> Shared user models- Scenarios Workflows >> Interaction models- Analytical Models >> Navigation & Integration
After a series of iterations with product, developers, visual design …
Research to Design is the “fuzzy back-end”
- Less process than it appears- Negotiation among multiple
POVs- Transforms data to
interpretations to models to pictures to
decisions- A collaborative decision
making process