CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY

1. CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY METHOD DEFENITION: This inquiry research technique combines observation with interview-style question and response. Participants get to explain their actions as they work through the activity. As part of the ethnographic method is structured through one-on-one interaction with the researcher analyses what they are doing for discussion. This method of research obtains information about the context of use, where participants are asked a standard set of questions then the same is done again in their environment. The four principles to remember when focusing on this method are: focus, context, partnership and interpretation. The results gathered can be used to define requirement, improve a process and learn what is important to users. WHO? Karen Holtzblatt Karen is the inventor of Contextual Inquiry—the industry standard for gathering field data to understand how technology impacts the way people work.She pioneered transformative ideas and design approaches throughout her career-she was also a member of the CHI academy. WHERE? She was the visionary behind InContext’s unique customer-centered design approach, Contextual Design. It was co-founded in 1992 in order to use contextual design techniques to work with product teams to deliver market data and design solutions. CASE STUDY A case study which proves the effectiveness of this methodology was “The Cool Project” done by InContext. This was used to explore users’ experience of ‘cool’ projects and the rapidly changing role of technology in people’s lives. They went into the field and spent time with people as they used their ‘cool’ using the industrial leading process, Contextual Design. They interviewed 90 customers between the ages across multiple locations and asked them to introduce their cool stuff and watched the way they spoke about and interacted with this product. This process led to the discovery of joy as the heart of a cool experience and they discovered what leads to joy, embodiment in the Wheel of Joy and the Triangle of Design. THOUGHTS OF THIS METHODOLOGY: In terms of analysing this method, the objects are clear and concise and the structure allows for great analysis of the responses from the participant. As this method is observing a users conducting in tasks in his or her own environment, it gives us a change to see what really happens in context, provides data about their personality and critical information of persona and scenario development. However, the analysis relies on the capabilities of the observer and also, because someone else is actually within the participants own comfort place thus changes the overall environment, so they will not actually be acting how they would be if they were alone. Melissa Dall Product Design.

2. GENERATIVE DESIGN METHOD DEFENITION: This is a design method in which the design, things such as the output- models, sounds, images and animation is generated by a set of rules. “Generative design methods are aimed at creating new design process that produce spatially novel yet efficient buildable designs through exploitation of current manufacturing capabilities”. We use this method to gain an understanding of a unique situation and empathy with other individuals using an approach and collection of tools that provide a way of seeing the world around us to design responsibly. FOR WHOM? Our cultural probe was to be design for and given to a chosen individual in the class participating in semester 1. The probe was designed around their particular interests in order for me to gain a larger and better insight into their lives and gain knowledge about them as an individual. WHEN? This methodology was used during my second module at university. It was critically examined to make sure that we had achieved the deliverables, and to make sure that we understood the method fully. WHAT DATA? I rigorously analyzed the results through the way in which I collected the information, from the use of cultural probes, which is the interaction of individual on basic things. These cultural probes allowed me to areas of individuals extensively in order for me to collect effective data to analyse a particular individual about their personal interests, and themselves on whole ground basis. In my probe I included a sketchpad of the things she had done during semester 1 reading week. I found out that the participant loved to travel and had been many places outside THOUGHTS OF THIS METHODOLOGY: The objective of this methodology was to establish the influences of particular individuals with the use of not only activities, but also looking into the environment where the research is being carried on this participant. This method has managed to squeeze itself into the demanding life of design. This method proved extremely useful for me as I managed to collectively gather important information from the participant and I was able to put myself into her position in order to experience her life from a particular perspective and how she reacted to these events in her life. As a generative design method, this was very effective when focusing on probing identity, as I was able to indulge in the information I had gathered about the participant enabling deeper answers for the probe. Melissa Dall Product Design.

3. DIRECTED STORYTELLING METHOD DEFENITION: Directed storytelling is the gathering of rich, effective data from experiences which have been previously lived from participants, using guides and prompts in conversation to understand them better. This requires researchers to understand people and document their experiences from the personal stories in which the share with the researcher. The method of Design Ethnography, directed storytelling is a quick method of collecting fascinating stories from participants when “other factors prevent direct observation or longer form of inquiry. WHO? “What’s on the menu” is a website for people whom suffer from allergies. The main ambition of the webpage is to provide personalised experiences by finding out where particular people can eat and what they are able to eat. This website helps make a dining out experience for allergenic individuals better. The team consists of three people, Bryan Cheung, Juliana Diaz and Lauren Von Dehsen. WHERE? In the area focusing on all people who struggle to find a place to eat due to their allergies. I can easily say how difficult of a task this can be because my sister suffers from a lot of allergies and we rarely go out for a meal together because there is not a place where she knows that it is safe for them to eat. CASE STUDY: ‘What’s on the menu’ used directed storytelling in the research of their webpage in order for them to better understand the user group they were targeting. The participants recounted different instances which allowed the team to establish what needs were currently unmet. The questions that were asked were left opened ended and broad so they never influenced the answers of the participants. They wanted the largest range of interview subjects as possible so they made sure that the interviews were conducted in a variety of different location, where they were very much interested in the understanding of individuals with allergies. THOUGHTS OF THIS METHODOLOGY: I feel that directed storytelling is a fantastic method of gathering rich data in a particular subject area. It gives you concise, accurate analysis of the subject matter as you are being told stories by someone who has experienced these things first hand, just like the case study where the researchers gained the data from the stories in which they had received from people who actually suffered from allergies Melissa Dall Product Design.