MA methodology

Interaction design methodology

-------------------------------------------------------------- During the MA project, you should roughly follow the established stages of research:

1. Problem definition and background research

• Methods: design space mapping, brainstorming, comparative analysis, literature survey  etc.

2. Context Inquiry and Analysis

• Process of observing, collecting and analyzing data about an activity in a location and people performing it
• Methods: direct and participatory observation, video ethnography, interviews, questionnaires, photography, cultural probes, task analysis, use of the space analysis, transcription and analysis of the interviews, qualitative data analysis etc.
• Reference: User Centered Design Workshop  http://blogs.iad.zhdk.ch/ucd/

3. Concept creation and presentation

• Ideation of interaction ideas and representing interactive experience
• Methods: sketching, bodystorming, brainstorming, participatory user methods, mock-ups, extreme characters, mockups, video scenarios, cartoons etc

4. Prototype Development

• Methods: task defining, problem solving, trial and error etc.

5. Evaluation

• testing your ideas through an iterative process
• Methods: user testing with prototypes (in or out of the real context of use), acting out an experience, participatory methods, etc.

6. Iterated prototype

• The final version of your prototype which can lead to further testing or definition of final requirements
• Methods: technical improvement, scenarios with working prototype etc.

• Exercise 3. Research Methodology

Develop a schedule for your project and identify methods that would best suit your research questions. Consider following questions when shaping your methodology:

User centered design

- At what time of interaction design process should one bring in the user? - How to gain empathy with users? - What are the roles of participants in observation, evaluation, etc.? - At what stage of the overall process one should use specific methods? - How does participatory and experience design methods affect the products or services?

Collaborative practices

- What kinds of collaboration are involved in your design processes? - What disciplines are needed, and how do they negotiate coordination and control of the process? Depends on the project - How do you manage the project? Assign the roles and tasks?

Creative practices

- sketching, post its.. - participatory design - involving the user or others involved in the project (users, clients, researchers..) - inventing new methods: cultural probes, extreme characters, transfer scenarios

Levels of idea development

- Strategic design (concept) vs. working prototypes (developed product) - How developed does the idea need to be? - What kinds of prototyping do you use? - Who do we use prototypes to communicate with, how? Users, clients etc - What different levels are appropriate for fidelity in prototypes? - What makes a prototype effective?

Presentation of an interactive concept

- How to chose the appropriate representation of your idea? - What do clients expect? - How far do you need to follow clients directions? - How extreme you can go?

Deliverable 3:

Proposal of research methodology  with specific design questions linked to different research phases.