Design Research Methods

Design research methods are themselves “products” that need to be designed for different audiences, purposes and contexts – it really does all depend on what you want to do

(Eric Dishman: “Designing for the new old” in Brenda Laurel’s “Design

Research: Methods and Perspectives)

The paradox of design research

• Both empirical and imaginative:– Must go beyond what is visible…– Yet grounded in the context of use…

• From insight to performance:– Ethnographic field methods – “Informance”: performance, design improvisation for

new kind of products or completely unknown users…(Bonnie Johnson in Design Research)

Observation techniques

• Originally from anthropology…

• Different forms of participant observation

• Contextual: immersing in the flow of everyday life

• Guided: shadowing, following people and activities

• Engaging in an activity to observe when engagement is not possible

• Different for design (time, resources, objectives)

• Needs to have focus/ structure to collect useful information for a design (e.g. observing social interactions, use of objects, behaviours, use of space - these can be headings, representing research questions)

Documenting observations

Photographs, video recording

Still image diaries

Notes on an observation sheet (1 per person or group)

Mapping, sketches, of places and people– Illustrating particular points of interest

– Time-based recordings: observing change or processes taking place over time

How does observation inform design?

What you make it out is crucial:– Looking for patterns or exceptions

– Observation >interpretation > inspiration

– Communicating observations to a team

Abstracting observations

Susani, M. (2002). Mapping communication. Flow. Amsterdam, Doors of Perception. 2004: Conference report.

Word of mouth

Intimate Daisy

The fish

Butterfly

Communicating observations

Telling stories…

…documentaries

…photo strips/ diaries

subjective

personal

details of everyday

context-specific

VIDEO: In the land of the deaf – Nicolas Philibert, France, 1992

Two situations: deaf kids learning sign language and deaf adults learning sign language

How are these two stories told? In what ways are they different?

What does the filmmaker try to illustrate?

What kind of observations can we make out of this?

VIDEO: Lift – Marc Isaacs, United Kindom, 2001

The filmmaker spends a few weeks in the lift of a London apartment block

In what way is the observation study different from the previous film?

What is the film maker trying to achieve and how?

What kind of detailed observations can we make out of this?

Observation <……………..> Intervention

Being There?

When do you need to be a hidden shadow and when do you need to engage with people?

Mapping observations - previous experience?

• Different ways of representing space, movement and changes in time

• Time-based sampling to get a sense of change• Use of maps as a creative process

Practice it

Choose a site of production (one already visited, or which you know) and plan a research visit:

1) What would be some interesting questions/points to investigate?

2) Which kind of observation would be appropriate?

3) Plan a script to capture specific activities (e.g. time-based filming, interview in situation, still photo diary)

4) Think of different questions you would like to ask people - try them out with others

Observation + time-based mapping

45 mins - choose a production process (workshop in Design or coffee making)

Identify a role: ‘fly on the wall’ or active participant

Time based maps: one for 10 minutes of activity, two for 5 minutes and two for a minute of activity

Identify ‘characters’ based on their role in the process and typical (or unusual) behaviours