Theme 5: Design research // comments

1. http://denise-theoryandmethod.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-design-research-22.html?showComment=1444830950501#c1831015979951260880
2. http://u1ifqcuc.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-design-research-after.html?showComment=1444831350175#c2902868728676627864
3. http://paullinderoth.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-design-research-after.html?showComment=1444831827039
4. http://securepathofscience.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-design-research-reflection.html?showComment=1444832143485#c1908683703028157188
5. http://oscarlimback.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-after.html?showComment=1444832493363
6. http://tamfmtol.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-post-design-research.html?showComment=1444832813332#c6522226981169583324
7. http://duckyduckyducky.blogspot.se/2015/10/post-seminar-5.html?showComment=1444833175163#c1469246651537833952
8. http://mashasthoughts123.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme-5-reflection.html?showComment=1444833563675#c568910472296744202
9. http://meglia.blogspot.se/2015/10/post-theme-5.html?showComment=1444833966778#c4240117862830819280
10. http://theorymethodmediatech.blogspot.se/2015/10/theme5-design-research-after.html?showComment=1444834404856#c4074182847335682443

Theme 5: Design research // reflection

I prepared myself for the theme by reading all the material on the weekend before the pre-theme deadline. By doing so I had time to reflect and try to make sense of the thoughts that arose. In this week’s lectures we focused on design research.

In the first lecture, the professor presented his approach to design research with six different steps:

1. How to come up with an idea;
2. How to solve a problem;
3. How to filter ideas;
4. How to validate an idea;
5. How to evaluate an idea;
6. How to communicate your idea.

The first step is about the problem solving. To solve a problem, you should know how to define and how to solve a problem. To underline this process, Haibo Li mentioned “the case of the hungry bear”. The outcome of this example was that you should not know how to fight a bear but be a quick runner than the person you are with. The second step is about how to solve a problem. According to Haibo Li’s theory, defining the problem takes about 90 % and solving the problem takes about 10 % of the time. Regarding the first part, Professor Li mentioned different tools to filter ideas: real world channel model, tunnel vision and high dimensional space. All in all, I understand that you should have a business mind to filter ideas. The fourth part is about the validation of ideas. To validate is to get some kind of proof of concept and even potentially get some customers and then to raise some money if at all. To evaluate ideas, Professor Li suggested to create a prototype. Regarding the sixth step, Professor Li mentioned the elevator pitch.

In the second lecture, we discussed the meaning of a prototype or why you should use a prototype during your design research.  We came up with the following points during a brain storming: Proof of concept; to evaluate; to find answers; to solve problems; to test theory. The professor in this lecture highlighted the aspect “to gain knowledge” as an important reason to use prototypes.

Since we did not have a seminar this week, you could not really discuss my findings or approaches from the “pre” blog post. With the lectures I was able to check my approaches and find some differences/mistakes, but I missed the verbal interaction with class mates in the seminar. The interactions always helped to get a different perspective on the papers and exchange opinions.

Theme 5: Design research

As a preparation of this week’s theme, we are supposed to read the following paper: “Turn Your Mobile Into the Ball: Rendering Live Football Game Using Vibration”.

How can media technologies be evaluated?

According to the mentioned paper, vibration could be used as means of rendering live dynamic information for mobile phones. With help of the aspects effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction, media technology can be evaluated by different tests within these aspects. User satisfaction was tested in this paper by letting the participants answer a questionnaire. Satisfaction refers to the comfort and acceptability of the system to its users and other people affected by its use. The questionnaire focused on Interests, Accept, Comfort, FInterests, Willingness, Trainability and GUI.

What role will prototypes play in research?

Prototypes play an important role in research. Due to “trial and error” while creating a prototypes, the final product can be as good as possible. A prototype which is a model and not a finished product could by tests lead to new research areas and new ways to find solutions.

Why could it be necessary to develop a proof of concept prototype?

It could be necessary to develop a proof of concept prototype because it will show the idea’s feasibility. This proof of concept is even one step before creating a prototype. It is to see if it is even possible to continue with the concept, even though the technical part is working. Furthermore, it would be possible to do more research before developing a prototype.

What are characteristics and limitations of prototypes?

A characteristic of a prototype might be that they are much easier to investigate and to understand the concept of a product. Regarding this aspect, a limitation might be that a prototype is not finished and could not show the exact functions of the final product.

How can design research be communicated/presented?

In my opinion, design research can be communicated or presented through prototypes, animations or sketches. Only with a description of the design it might be harder to imagine the final product and to work with it.

Furthermore, we were asked to read Finding design qualities in a tangible programming space by Fernaeus and Tholander, and Differentiated Driving Range by Lundström. What is the 'empirical data' in these two papers?

Can practical design work in itself be considered a 'knowledge contribution'?

Design work in itself can be considered a knowledge contribution since it shows the limitation of the prototype or the design in itself.

Are there any differences in design intentions within a research project, compared to design in general?
In my opinion, there are differences in design intentions within a research project compared to design in general. Design in intention within a research project is meant to create something new, e.g. different variations of a prototype. Design in general focuses more on aesthetic purpose.

Is research in tech domains such as these ever replicable? How may we account for aspects such as time/historical setting, skills of the designers, available tools, etc?
In my opinion, research in tech domains is not always replicable. Often the used technique is almost outdated when the research is published.

Are there any important differences with design driven research compared to other research practices?
There are differences with design driven research compared to other research practices. Other research practices probably focus more on the why something happens and what it does. Design driven research focuses more on how a product looks.