Theme 5: Design Research - Pre-reflection

1. How can media technologies be evaluated?

Media technologies is best evaluated by use of the users. Since they are developed for the user it is crucial that they meet the user’s needs. This means that usability is an important matter that needs close attention. Usability includes effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction as Haibo Li et. al. describe in their article. These key factors must be met for the media technology to succeed. To investigate how a new technology performs within these terms a common and well functioning way is to use interactive mockups that give the testers an idea of how the final product will work, how it will perform and how you interact with it.

2. What role will prototypes play in research?

Prototypes hold a very important role in research since they, as briefly described above, give the users an idea of what the product is to be. By presenting the basics of a new technology, the users will get insight and easier be constructive with what needs to be further developed and what needs to go. Prototypes can also be useful as you look back on your process and all the steps you took to reach the final goal.

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

The proof of concept, POC, prototype is constructed with the purpose to demonstrate and verify the concept and what it will become. This is to better present and understand how it will play in before launch which then tells you whether or not the technology is ready for the market. This prevents or at least decreases the risk for releasing a product too early.

4. What are characteristics and limitations of prototypes?

A prototype is a simplistic version of the final product. It is mainly used to give users an idea of what the final thing will be and simulate a function, or all, before it is all done. It enables for more discussion about what alterations should be done to constantly strive for best possible outcome. A limitation could be that the prototypes fails to replicate the final product, giving the users the wrong idea instead of enhancing it. This could both create confusion of what is really intended to develop as well as slow down the design process.

5. How can design research be communicated/presented?

The design research itself is used to show and investigate how the product is to be developed. It can be communicated through prototyping since this is an effective way of showing yor process and thoughts behind the project.

What is the 'empirical data' in these two papers?

In the article Finding Design Qualities in a Tangible Programming Space by Ylva Fernaeus and Jakob Tholander, it is investigated on how design qualities can affect and be coordinated as a tangible programming space for children. The empirical data retrieved constituted of observations done during the children’s interaction with their predeveloped tangible programming space that allowed the children to collaboratively create a dynamic playful environment.

The article Differentiated Driving Range: Exploring a Solution to the Problems with the “Guess-O-Meter” in Electric Cars has a standpoint that tries to

They began with conducting a state of the art analysis through searching the web for information of how different user interfaces were designed in different car models and also how these designs were discussed and reviewed on blog posts and videos. To elaborate these notions of views, they did an analysis of the discourse on online forums. Finally, an iterative design exploration was included to gain further insight in the problems. Through sketches and prototypes they were able to test and analyze interaction and draw conclusions.

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

In theory, one could work with a practical design process without any outer evaluation. Despite this lacking logic, not having any input during the design process but your own, it could be done. If that work would then be used and as a base for further development, with other and more participants and/or subjects aiding the process, it would be considered knowledge contribution.

- Are there any differences in design intentions within a research project, compared to design in general?

Depending on your research question the intention will most likely be different. In a research project your goal is to answer a specific research question for further research or design alternatives. Imagine Apple, they have a research team looking for out of the box ideas for future implementation into their product line. That process requires a research project with a design goal in mind. Meanwhile, they also develop new products that have already been researched, hence not requiring that step, but merely just requires being developed and launched. Thereby, the design intentions differ.

- 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?

Without any doubt I’d say. Since tech, so far, never stops evolving and developing as well as that our interactions and engagement habits vary from day to day, any study that would be conducted once again would most likely give differents outputs. Even more so the longer time passes between the two studies.

- Are there any important differences with design driven research compared to other research practices?

The firstmost thought is that there is a significant difference between design driven research versus any other research practice. The reason being, similar to the question before, how our habits and routines constantly change. Interaction behaviours might come and go but are rarely very extant during each cycle. Furthermore, a design driven research is almost exclusively of qualitative manner. This is due to the research being of emotional values and within humanistic fields where opinions matters.