The design brief of this module is designing a walking stick with our mentor. In the user research stage, I used design tools that I learned in a lecture on Design in Empathy. The design tools we used include communication, experience, observation and workshop. Moreover, creating a persona contributes to building a vivid user image. In this journal, I will reflect on my research process as well as my experiences.
The first time we met her was in our product design studio. We have been introduced to our mentor in a 2-hour meeting. She came with a parcel of walking sticks and told the story of her personal experiences of using walking sticks and her physical health problems. Also, she described the pros and cons of each cane. Each cane has a different appearance and function as well as the story behind them. I used the technique of note-talking while she was speaking. Honestly, I missed some key information, so I had to ask my classmate to share the note with me.
The second time we met her was at her home. To conduct further research, my group and I decided to go to her place which is Crail. Firstly, we sent her an email with some basic questions and asked her about available time to meet. Before going to her house, we had to choose activities that we want to work on with her and specific questions to ask her. We brought some color samples, which can help us understand colors and combinations she likes. We also brought a few handles of different shapes and sizes, which she could experience to tell us which ones fit best and where we could improve. However, we did not prepare the questionnaire because this might make the interviewee feel uncomfortable and the interviewee might not give real answers.
We arrived at the village she lives in, and then walk around the place. It is a small village close to the seashore and peaceful. We were walking along the seashore and experiencing her living environment. We met her at the appointed time and we started our informal user research. We chatted about life and our experience in moving to Dundee. Then we took out color samples and handles we prepared and asked for permission to record the conversation. we discussed the design of different canes and her favorite one. Besides, she described her usage scenarios and feelings. We found that she did not use the cane at home. After the workshop, she showed us around the house and introduced some favorite ornaments. She showed some of her grandchildren’s drawings and clothes. We saw the lovely greenhouse and her cat in the small garden. Meanwhile, I took a lot of pictures while touring her home and interviewing her.
I felt satisfied with this research trip because engaging with our mentor enabled me to put myself in the user’s shoes. Going to the users’ place of living is a genuine user research process, and I can have empathy with users. I like taking photos because it is an efficient way to record the whole process. Also, Drawing is a good method to illustrate the function of the cane but I felt quite hard to sketch a person in a short amount of time.
The visit lasted almost 3 hours and I gained a lot of information, but the visit was conducted without a frame. This can result in not getting valid information in a short interview or workshop. Also, I found that it was not easy to take notes on-site as we were talking and making. Key points were not recorded in my notebook. Lastly, an informal interview allows the interviewee to feel relaxed, while it is possible to miss the important questions.
I think the reason that we don’t structure the activity is that we don’t want the interviewee to feel pressured. I searched through an article on an unstructured interview and found some useful instructions. Listing the general topics or questions and a basic script in an interview guide. Giving people an overview of plans (Wilson, 2014). I think it is a useful method for me to plan and develop the interview. Although this is an unstructured interview, I should list my question and plan.
In conclusion, I have learnt how to conduct user research through empathic techniques. Interviews, observation, experience and workshops are useful tools in the research phase, and then I can use persona, drawing, photograph and note-taking to present my research process. It is important to classify which questions can be asked by email and which activities should be conducted face-to-face.
When I am working on user research in the future, I will list the questions and print the materials before the interview. This can ensure that the interview stays on topic and covers all the questions. Secondly, I will use different kinds of co-design workshops and clarify the purpose of the workshops. Thirdly, dividing the work can make the whole process more efficient when we work as a group. Overall, empathy in design is an efficient user-centred design method which can help designers to gain insight into users.
Bibliography
Wilson, C. (2014) Interview techniques for UX practitioners: A user-centered design method. Waltham, MA: Morgan Kaufmann.
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