T MediaLAB - Design - Methods - Toolkit

Design Methods
— toolkit
The MediaLAB Amsterdam method card

collection presents a very wide range of
design and research methods that can be used
to get the necessary insights. The methods
are divided into categories relating to the type
of insights that can be gained with them.
The methods can be about defining goals,
knowing context, knowing the user, framing
insights, ideation, prototyping or testing.
Duration— Each
method card has an 4 hours
estimated time of
completion. The 1 day
estimated time helps

2 days
to chose a method
according to the
1 week
available time.
Effort— Each card also

takes the time for
preparation, processing
and analysis into
account: more effort
probably means that
more team members
low high
should be involved.
Define goals
and intentions
Define vision, scenarios,

scopes and constraints.
Why are you doing it?

What are you looking for?
Who are you designing for?
Know the
context
Explore the background of

the project, the situation,
the location, the time, the social
and technical context.
What are the main factors?

Know the
user
Get to know users, explore

their goals, needs and feelings.
Who are the users?

Explore their features, values,
standards, emotions.
What are the touchpoints
of your user?
Frame your
insights
A way to draw conclusions,

to make lessons learned explicit.
Try to narrow down

the information. Can you extract
the most valuable and important
element from your insights?
Ideation
and concepts
Generate ideas, explore

possibilities.
Generate concepts, explore ideas
in a very broad sense.
How can you visualize, sketch

and conceptualize the
requirements arising from your
research insights?
Create
and test
Ways to get from concepts to

production, prototyping and
testing.
Are your ideas valid? Can you

create working prototypes from
your concepts? How can you test
your prototypes with users?
Ac ti vit y map
2 HOURS
EF F ORT D U R AT I O N
Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

intentions context user insights and concepts and test
Ac ti v it y ma p
An activity map is a map that shows a RESOURCES
company’s strategic position in relation

— Michael E Porter.
to company activities. A number of
What is strategy?
higher-order strategic themes are Harvard business Review
implemented through linked activities. November-December
1996
1. Is each activity contributing positively
— based on Design
to the overall strategy?
Methods 1, R. Curedale
2. Are there ways of making the activities
and the relationships between activities
support the strategy better? BENEFIT
Broadens mindset; helps

develop a unique
competitive position.
Ac tors map
2 HOURS
E F F ORT D U R AT I O N

Ac tors ma p
The Actors map represents the system of RESOURCES
stakeholders and their relationships. It is

— (2007) Nicola Morelli,
a view of the service and its context.
New represantion
Stakeholders are organized by their tecnhiques for designing
function. in a systemic perspective,
paper presented at Design
Understanding relationships is an Inquires, Stockholm
important aspect of service design.

— based on Design
BENEFIT
Makes implicit knowledge

explicit; structures
complex reality; flexible
for use in different
contexts.
CHALLENGE
Not a user-centred method.

B ackcasting
2 HOURS

B ackcasti ng
Backcasting is a method for planning the RESOURCES
actions necessary to reach desired future

— Quist, J., & Vergragt,
goals. This method is often applied in a
P. 2006. Past and future
workshop format with stakeholders of backcasting: The shift to
participating. stakeholder participation
and a proposal for a
The future scenarios are developed for methodological framework.
Futures Volume 38, Issue 9,
periods of between 1 and 20 years in the
November 2006,
future. The participants first identify their 1027-1045
goals and then work backwards to
identify the necessary actions to reach — based on Design
these goals. Methods 1, R. Curedale
A typical backcasting question is “How
CHALLENGE
would you define success for yourself in
2015?” Needs a good moderator
and good preparation.
B anne d
2 HOURS

B an ne d
Banned is a method involving creating RESOURCES
future scenarios based on imagining a

— “Scenarios”, IDEO
world if a product, service system or
Method Cards
experience did not exist and how people
might adapt. — Carroll, John M.
Making use:
1. Decide the question to investigate. scenario-based design of
human-computer
2. Decide time and scope for the scenario
interactions. The MIT
process. press, 2000.
3. Identify stakeholders and scenarios.
4. Create storyboards. — based on Design
5. Analyze the scenarios through
discussion.
BENEFIT
6. Summarize insights.
Exposes problems and
opportunities and
uncovers new design
directions and possibilities
not dependent on existing
products, services and
systems.
Boundar y shif ting
2 DAYS

Boundar y
s hif ti ng
Boundary shifting involves identifying RESOURCES
features or ideas outside the boundary of

— Walker, David J., Barry
the system related to the defined
KJ Dagger, and Robin
problem and applying them to the Roy. Creative techniques
problem being addressed. in product and
engineering design.
1. Define the problem. Woodhead Publishing,
1991.
2. Research into an outside system that
may have related ideas or problems to the — based on Design
defined problem. Methods 1, R. Curedale
3. Identify ideas or solutions outside the
problem system. BENEFIT
4. Apply the outside idea or solution to
Identifies features or ideas
the problem being addressed. outside the boundary of
the system related to the
defined problem.
Method 101
2 HOURS
101

B rai nstormi ng 101
method 1 01
This is a brainstorming method focused RESOURCES
on creating a large number of ideas.

— Clark, Charles H.
"Brainstorming: The
1. Define the problem. Dynamic Way to Create
2. Select a moderator. Successful Ideas." (1958)
3. The moderator asks the team to
generate 101 solutions to the design — based on Design
problem within a defined time. Allow 30
to 60 minutes.
4. Analyze results and prioritize.
BENEFIT
Leverages the diverse

experiences of a team; a
large number of ideas
helps to overcome people's
inhibitions with regard to
innovating.
Method 635
2 HOURS
635

B rai nstormi ng 635
method 635
Method 635 is a structured form of RESOURCES
brainstorming.
— Rohrbach, Bernd.
"Creative by rules, method
1. Your team should sit around the table. 635, a new technique for
2. Each team member is given a sheet of solving problems."
paper with the design objective. Absatzwirtschaft 12
3. Each team member is given three (1969): 73-75.
minutes to generate ideas.

— based on Design
4. Participants pass the sheet to their left. Methods 1, R. Curedale
5. Each participant must come up with
three new ideas.
6. Repeat until ideas are exhausted. No BENEFIT
discussion at any stage.
Generates a lot of ideas
7. Analyze ideas as a group. quickly. Participants can
build on each others ideas.
The Aoki Method
4 HOURS
AOKI

B rai nstormi ng AOKI
method Aoki
The Aoki or MBS method is a structured RESOURCES
brainstorming method that stresses input

from all team members.
"Brainstorming: The
Dynamic Way to Create
1. Warm-up: Participants generate ideas Successful Ideas." (1958)
for 15 minutes.
2. Participants present their ideas verbally — based on Design
to the larger group.
3. The larger group continues to generate BENEFIT
ideas during the individual presentations.
Creates a hierarchy of
4. For one hour the individual team ideas.
members further explain their ideas to
TIP
the group. 5. Idea maps are created by
Try to visualize as much
the moderator.
as possible instead of
writing.
B rainwriting
2 HOURS

B rai nwriti ng
Brainwriting is an alternative to RESOURCES
brainstorming; ideas are generated by

asking people to write down their ideas
"Brainstorming: The
rather than presenting them verbally. Dynamic Way to Create
Successful Ideas." (1958)
1. Define the problem.
2. Each participants should brainstorm 3 — based on Design
solutions in two minutes in written form.
3. Then have them pass the sheet of
paper to their left. CHALLENGE
4. Have the participants build upon the Inhibition and lack of

existing suggestions by writing their own critical thinking.
ideas underneath the original solutions.
BENEFIT
Allow 3 minutes.
5. The process should be repeated as Good when participants
many times as there are people around are shy or from cultures
the table. allowing an additional minute where group interaction is
more guarded.
each time.
The KJ Method
2 HOURS
KJ

B rai nstormi ng KJ
method K J
The KJ method is a form of RESOURCES
brainstorming. The KJ method places

— Ohiwa, Hajime,
emphasis on the most important ideas.
Naohiko Takeda,
Kazuhisa Kawai, and
1. The moderator frames the design Akichika Shiomi. "KJ
challenge. editor: a card-handling
2. Team members generate ideas on tool for creative work
support."
post-it notes.
Knowledge-Based Systems
3. Cards are shuffled and then handed out 10, no. 1 (1997): 43-50.
again to the participants.
4. Each participants should not get any of — based on Design
their own cards back.
5. Each note is read out in order to make
BENEFIT
no more than 10 groups of cards.
Generates many ideas and
6. Put cards on a whiteboard and discuss
highlights the connections
insights. between ideas which is the
starting point for a design
solution.
SC A MPE R
4 HOURS
SCAMPER

B rai nstormi ng SCAMPER
SC A MPE R
SCAMPER is a brainstorming technique RESOURCES
and creativity method that uses seven

— Eberle, Bob. Scamper:
words as prompts: Substitute, Combine,
Creative games and
Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, activities for imagination
Eliminate, Reverse. development. Prufrock
Press, 2008.
1. Select a product or service.
— based on Design
2. Select a diverse design team.
3. Ask questions about the product you
identified, using the SCAMPER
mnemonic to guide you.
4. Create as many ideas as you can. BENEFIT
5. Analyze.
Generates innovative
6. Prioritize. solutions. Leverages the
7. Select the best ideas to further diverse experiences of a
brainstorming. team.
Se nsorial
2 HOURS
SENSORIAL

B rai nstormi ng SENSORIAL
Se nsoria l
This is a brainstorming method focusing RESOURCES
on the visual sense which is only a

— based on Design
component of the design experience.
1. The moderator frames the design

challenge.
2. Team members generate ideas on
CHALLENGE
post-it notes.
Some of the ideas that you
3. The team works through 20-minute
generate using this tool
brainstorming sessions for each sense: may be impractical.
vision, smell, touch, hearing, and taste.
4. Ask team members to generate 6 to 10 BENEFIT
ideas each within each category.
Uses ideas of an initial
5. Organize post-it notes into groups brainstorming session and
through discussion with five concepts in builds on these ideas in a
each group, one idea from each sense second session. Iteration is
important.
group, or five different senses in each
group.
Trigge r
2 HOURS
TRIGGER

B rai nstormi ng TRIGGER
Trigge r
Iteration is important at any stage of the RESOURCES
process. This method builds on the

results of a previous brainstorming
"Brainstorming: The
session and uses them in a second Dynamic Way to Create
session. Successful Ideas." (1958)
1. Ideas from a first brainstorming session — based on Design

are presented to the group.
2. The group creates a hierarchy by voting
for the best ideas.
3. Either one or three ideas are selected
as the basis for the next brainstorming BENEFIT
session.
Uses ideas generated by an
4. Analyze results and prioritize. initial brainstorming
5. Develop actionable ideas. session and builds on
these ideas in a second
session. Iteration is
important.
Close d card sor ting
1 DAY

Close d c ard
sor ti ng
This is a method for understanding the RESOURCES
relationships between a number of

— J. Nielsen (May 1995).
pieces of data. Participants are asked to
Card Sorting to Discover
arrange individual, unsorted items into the Users' Model of the
groups. A ‘closed sort’ involves the cards Information Space
beings sorted into groups, in which the
group headings may be defined by the — based on Design
researcher.
BENEFIT
1. Recruit 15 to 20 participants who are
Provides insights for
representative of your user group. interface design.
2. Provide a deck of cards using words
and images relevant to your concept. TIP
3. Ask your participants to arrange the Ask participants to fill out

cards in ways that make sense to them. a second card if they feel it
4. The user sorts labelled cards into belongs in two groups.
Use post cards or post-it
groups. Discuss why.
notes.
Co - discove r y
1 DAY

Co - discove r y
Two participants perform an activity and RESOURCES
help each other as they would naturally.

— Nielsen, Jakob.
They are encouraged to explain what
Usability engineering.
they are thinking about while working on Access Online via Elsevier,
the tasks. 1994
1. Select participants who are — based on Design

representative of end users.
2. Pair them in groups of two. BENEFIT
3. Provide the users with the system to be
The technique makes it
tested and the scenario of tasks to more natural for test users
perform. to verbalize their thoughts
4. The test users perform tasks while during the test.
being observed.
TIP
5. Encourage users to explain what they
are thinking about. It is preferable to pair
users who know each
6. Videorecord the session.
other.
Cognitive map
1 DAY

Cogniti ve ma p
A cognitive map is a mental map of an
environment. Cognitive maps are a RESOURCES
method by which people remember and

— Eden, Colin. "On the
recall a physical or virtual environment
nature of cognitive maps."
and spatial knowledge. Journal of management
studies 29, no. 3 (1992):
1. Ask a subject to create a map showing 261-265.
how they navigate in a real or virtual
— based on Design
space. Methods 1, R. Curedale
2. Select participants.
3. Ask the participant to describe how BENEFIT
they get to a location and how they Reveals how people

return, referencing the obstacles. navigate in a real or
virtual space. Uncovers
4. Maps can be created by a group of
how people make
people to incorporate different decisions and perceive
viewpoints. spaces.
Collage
1 DAY

Coll age
A collage involves glueing images or RESOURCES
words onto paper. Research participants

— Taylor, Brandon.
are given a large supply of images and
Urban Walls: A
words. Images and words should be Generation of Collage in
abstract, so as not to influence the Europe & America:
participants too much, but may include Burhan Dogançay with
objects, people and interactions. François Dufrêne,
Raymond Hains, Robert
Rauschenberg, Mimmo
1. Define the theme. Rotella, Jacques Villeglé,
2. Print words and images onto sticker Wolf Vostell. Hudson
sheets. Hills, 2008.
4. Distribute scissors.
— based on Design
5. Groups create collages. Methods 1, R. Curedale
6. Participants tell own stories through
the collages. BENEFIT
7. Collect the stories. Enhances discourse,
8. Analyze the stories. illustrates theses, and
good for anchoring
scientific observations in
human experience.
Competitor analysis
1 DAY

Com petitor
ana l ysis
Competitor analysis is a strategic design RESOURCES
tool that can identify opportunities and

— Fleisher, Craig S., and
threats. Comparing competitors using
Babette E. Bensoussan.
one framework is an essential tool of Business and competitive
corporate strategy. analysis: effective
application of new and
1. A competitor analysis includes five classic methods. FT Press,
2007.
factors:
a. Your competitors. — based on Design
b. Competitor product offerings. Methods 1, R. Curedale
c. Competitor weaknesses and strengths.
d. Competitor strategies. BENEFIT
e. The market trends.
Allows awareness and
adoption of best practices;
2. Track competitors’ performance over identifies opportunities
time to understand trends. and threats.
Concept sketch
1 DAY

Conce pt sketch
A concept sketch is a fast freehand RESOURCES
drawing.
— Olofsson, Erik, and
Klara Sjölén. Design
1. Select a design problem to explore sketching:[including an
2. The moderator briefs the design team extensive collection of
3. Individual designers generate 10 inspiring sketches by 24
sketches in 30 minutes students at the Umeå
Institute of Design].
4. Each designer presents their ideas to
KEEOS Design Books,
the group 2007.
5. The groups votes on which ideas they
think have the most promise: 2 votes per — based on Design
person
6. Select the three ideas that get the
most votes TIP
7. The design team explores those ideas
Don't place more
by each generating 10 sketches of emphasis on the sketch
developments of the existing ideas over than on the final idea.
30 minutes
8. The team votes
Customer experience
1 DAY

Custome r
expe rie nce ma p
Customer experience is a method of RESOURCES
documenting and visualizing the

— Cruickshank, Peter.
experiences that customers have as they
"Customer journey
use a product or service and their mapping." Smart Cities
responses to their experiences. Guide (2011)
1. Identify your team. — based on Design

2. Identify customer experience.
3. Define the experience as a timeline
with stages such as anticipation, entry,
engagement, exit, and reflection.
4. Use post-it notes to add positive and BENEFIT
negative experiences to the relevant
Identifies the customer
parts of the timeline. experience to be analyzed.
5. Order the experiences from positive to Identifies the context and
negative. 6. The most negative parts are personas. Reduces the
design opportunities. number of dissatisfied
customers.
Day in the life
1 DAY
01

Day in the life 01
A study in which the designer observes RESOURCES
the participant in the location and

— Czarniawska-Joerges,
context of their usual activities,
Barbara. Shadowing: and
observing and recording events to other techniques for doing
understand the activities from the fieldwork in modern
participant’s point of view. societies. Copenhagen
Business School Press DK,
2007.
1. Define the activities to study.
2. Recruit participants. — based on Design
3. Observe subjects in context. Methods 1, R. Curedale
4. Capture data.
BENEFIT
5. Create storyboards with text and
Provides insights with
timeline. little cost and time.
6. Analyze data.
CHALLENGE
Something that seems

insignificant may become
significant later
Design charette
1 DAY

D esign charette
A design charette is a collaborative RESOURCES
design workshop usually held over one

— Day, Christopher, and
day or several days. Charettes are a fast
Rosie Parnell. Consensus
way of generating ideas while involving design: socially inclusive
diverse stakeholders in your decision process. Routledge, 2003
process.
— based on Design
Charettes have many different structures
and often involve multiple sessions. The
group divides into smaller groups. The
smaller groups present to the larger BENEFIT
group. Promotes trust; easy and
inexpensive. Increases the
probability of
implementation.
D ot voting
2 HOURS

D ot voting
This method is a collective way of RESOURCES
prioritizing and converging on a design

— Diceman, J.
solution that uses group wisdom.
"Dotmocracy handbook,
version 2.2." (2010).
1. Select a team of between 4 and 20
cross-disciplinary participants. — based on Design
2. Present and explain ideas. Methods 1, R. Curedale
3. Ask the team to vote on their 2 or 3

BENEFIT
favourite ideas and total the votes.
4. Rearrange ideas from most voted to Leverages the strengths of
diverse team member
less voted.
viewpoints and
5. Discuss the ideas that received the experiences.
most votes and see whether there is a
CHALLENGE
general level of comfort with taking one
or more of those ideas to the next step. Lack of critical thinking,
and subjective
assessments.
Eise nhowe r map
4 HOURS

Eise n howe r ma p
The Eisenhower map is a simple tool that
helps you manage your time effectively. RESOURCES
Eisenhower is quoted as having said

— based on Design
“What is important is seldom urgent and
what is urgent is seldom important.”
BENEFIT
1. Moderator draws grid on whiteboard of
Promotes communication
flipchart. and discussion within the
2. At the end of each project meeting, the organization, to gain
team brainstorms the tasks that need to competitive advantage.
be completed and places each task on
the map. CHALLENGE
3. Map individual tasks. Can be subjective.

4. Interpret the map.
5. Create strategy.
Emotional journey
2 DAYS

E m otiona l
journey
An emotional journey map is a map that RESOURCES
visually illustrates people’s emotional

— Hetal Joshi. “Customer
experience throughout an interaction
Journey Mapping: The
with an organization or brand. Road To Success,”
Cognizant CRM Insights
1. Define the activity of your map. For (2009).
example it could be a ride on the subway.
— based on Design
2. Collect internal insights.
3. Research customer perceptions.
4. Map journey.
5. Break the journey down into stages. BENEFIT
6. Capture each persona’s unique Gives a visually
experience. compelling story of
7. Plot the emotional journey. customer experience.
8. Analyze the least pleasant emotional Provides a focus for
discussion.
stages of the journey.
E mpathy map
1 DAY

E m pathy ma p
Empathy map is a tool that helps a design
team to empathize with the people they RESOURCES
are designing for. You can create an

— Gray, Dave, Sunni
empathy map for a group of customers or
Brown, and James
a persona. Macanufo. Gamestorming:
A playbook for innovators,
1. Draw a circle to represent your target rulebreakers, and
changemakers. O'reilly,
persona.
2010.
2. Divide the circle into sections that
represent aspects of that person’s — based on Design
sensory experience. Methods 1, R. Curedale
3. Ask your team to describe their BENEFIT
experience from the persona’s point of
Helps to get a good
view. insight in their consumers
4. What are the persona’s needs and and their context.
desires?
Fie ld stud y
A WEEK

Fie l d stud y
A field study is a study carried out in the RESOURCES
context of people rather than in a design

— Jarvie, I. C. "On
studio or a laboratory. A field study
theories of fieldwork and
involves observing or interviewing the scientific character of
people in their natural environment. social anthropology."
Philosophy of Science
1. Define goals. (1967): 223-242.
2. Develop plan.
— based on Design
2. Create study material such as question Methods 1, R. Curedale
guides, release forms.
3. Perform observations and interviews. BENEFIT
4. Analyze data. Focuses on details and
5. Develop insights. experience and provides
evidence.
CHALLENGE
Information may become

obsolete.
Fishbone diagram
2 HOURS

Fis h bone
diagra m
Fishbone diagrams are diagrams that RESOURCES
show the causes of a specific event.

— Ishikawa, Kaoru, and
Kaoru Ishikawa. Guide to
1. Prepare the six arms of the diagram on quality control. Vol. 2.
a whiteboard. Tokyo: Asian Productivity
2. Define the problem clearly as a short Organization, 1982.
statement in the head of the diagram.
— based on Design
3. Describe the causes of each bone and
write them down at the end of each
branch. Use the 4 M’s as categories:
BENEFIT
Machine, Man, Methods, Materials.
Use this in the predesign
4. Minor causes are listed around the
phase to understand the
major causes. 5. Interpret the diagram root causes of a problem
once it’s finished. to serve as the basis for
design. Makes deeper
issues visible.
Focus group
1 DAY

Focus group
Focus groups are group discussions, RESOURCES
usually with 6 to 12 participants, led by a

— Frankfort-Nachmias,
moderator. Focus groups are used during
Chava, and David
the design of products, services, and Nachmias. Study Guide for
experiences, to get feedback from Research Methods in the
people. Social Sciences.
Macmillan, 2007
1. Select a good moderator.

— based on Design
2. Prepare a screening questionnaire. Methods 1, R. Curedale
3. Decide incentives for participants.
4. Select facility. CHALLENGE
5. Recruit participants. Needs a good moderator

6. Participants sit around a table. and good preparation.
7. The first question should encourage BENEFIT
talking and participation. Helps to identify the
8. The moderator manages responses and expectations, needs and
asks important questions. desires of customers; gains
9. Analyze results while still fresh. several different
perspectives about a
10. Summarize key points.
design problem.
G antt char t
2 HOURS

G antt cha r t
A Gantt chart is a bar chart that shows the RESOURCES
tasks of a project together with the start

— Gantt, Henry
time and the time from start to
Laurence. A graphical
completion of each task. daily balance in
manufacture. 1903.
1. Identify the tasks.
2. Identify the milestones in the project. — based on Design
3. Identify the time required for each task.
4. Identify the order and dependencies of
BENEFIT
each task.
Ensures that tasks are
5. Identify the tasks that can be completed on time.
undertaken in parallel. Tracks a design project.
6. Draw a horizontal time axis along the
CHALLENGE
top or bottom of the page.
Keep updating the Gantt
7. Draw a list of tasks. chart regularly to make it
8. Draw a diamond for tasks that are short work.
in duration and a horizontal bar for longer
activities.
Heuristic evaluation
1 DAY

H e uristic
eva l uation
Also known as expert evaluation. It is RESOURCES
used to identify user problems. Experts

— Nielsen, Jakob, and
judge whether a user interface follows a
Rolf Molich. "Heuristic
list of established usability heuristics. evaluation of user
interfaces." In Proceedings
1. Establish a panel of experts. of the SIGCHI conference
2. Establish an agreed set of evaluative on Human factors in
computing systems, pp.
criteria.
249-256. ACM, 1990.
3. Each expert inspects the interface
alone. — based on Design
4. Individual results are aggregated. Methods 1, R. Curedale
5. A report is prepared which identifies a
prioritized list of problems with the BENEFIT
interface.
This method can be used
early in the design process
and is inexpensive and
fast.
Infographic
4 HOURS

Infogra phic
An infographic is a graphic that displays RESOURCES
information. The aim of an infographic is

— Emerson, John.
to present complex information and
"Visualizing information
clearly communicate the significance of for advocacy: an
the data. It can also be used to raise new introduction to
questions. information design."
(2008)
1. Start collecting your information.

— based on Design
2. Chose visual models according to the Methods 1, R. Curedale
type of information you need to display.
TIP
Focus on clarity. The

simpler the better.
1 - on -1 inte r v iew
2 DAYS

1 - on -1
inte r v iew
A one-on-one interview is an interview RESOURCES
between a researcher and a participant in

— Rubin, Herbert J., and
a face-to-face situation.
Irene S. Rubin.
Qualitative interviewing:
1. Select questions and subjects carefully. The art of hearing data.
2. Create interview guide. Sage Publications, 2012.
3. Conduct a pre-interview to refine the
— based on Design
guide.
4. Talk, watch, listen and observe.
5. Document with video, audio and notes. BENEFIT
Facilitates quick and early

discovery; best for
personal information;
works well in combination
with other methods.
TIP
Be neutral; be prepared.
Structured interview
2 DAYS

Stru c ture d
inte r v iew
In a structured interview the researcher RESOURCES
prepares a list of questions, script, or

— Rubin, Herbert J., and
interview guide to follow during an
Irene S. Rubin.
interview. Qualitative interviewing:
The art of hearing data.
1. The researcher should follow the script Sage Publications, 2012.
exactly.
— based on Design
2. The interviewer is required to show
consistency in behaviour across all
interviews.
BENEFIT
Easy to use when having

several interviews because
the gathered information
can be analyzed easily.
TIP
Write down everything

you want to say, and
follow the script exactly.
Lite rature review
2 DAY

Lite rature
rev iew
A literature review is a detailed review of RESOURCES
books, articles, dissertations, conference

— Hart, Chris. Doing a
proceedings and other written sources
literature review:
relevant to a particular area. Releasing the social
science research
1. Define your area of interest. imagination. Sage, 1998.
2. Plan your search.
— based on Design
3. Identify key authors.
4. Define the scope.
5. Define the style of review.
6. Identify sources and search tools. BENEFIT
7. Search the literature.
Identifies gaps in previous
8. Manage your references. research and areas of
9. Critically analyze the information. existing research to
10. Synthesize the information. prevent duplication of
effort.
11. Write the review.
Lotus blossom
2 HOURS

Lotus b l ossom
The lotus blossom is a creativity RESOURCES
technique that consists of a framework

—Michalko, Michael.
for idea generation that starts by
"Thinkpak. Berkeley."
generating eight concept themes based CA: Ten Speed Press, pg 2
on a central theme. Each concept then (1994): 384.
serves as the basis for eight further
theme explorations or variations. — based on Design
1. Draw up a lotus blossom diagram made BENEFIT
up of a square in the centre of the Shifts you from reacting to

diagram and eight circles surrounding the a static snapshot of the
problem and broadens
square.
your perspective toward
2. Write the problem in the centre box of the problem and the
the diagram. relationships and
3. Write eight related ideas around the connections between its
centre. components.
4. Each idea then becomes the central
idea of a new theme or blossom.
Market segmentation
1 DAY

M arket
se gme nt ation
A market segment is a group of people RESOURCES
with characteristics in common. A market

— Goldstein, Doug, and
segment is distinct from other segments,
C. Blogger. "What is
it exhibits common needs; it responds Customer Segmentation?."
similarly to a market stimulus. MindofMarketing. net,
May (2007).
1. Based on what people do.
— based on Design
2. Based on who people are.
3. Based on how people think or feel.
4. A combination of those factors. BENEFIT
Exhibits common needs;

will help optimize your
return on investment.
CHALLENGE
Everyone is different;
market segmentation
assumes uniformity.
Mind map
4 HOURS

M i nd ma p
A mind map is a diagram used to RESOURCES
represent a number of ideas or things.

—Willis, Cheryl L., and
Understanding connections is the
Susan L. Miertschin.
starting point for design. Mind maps are a "Mind maps as active
method of analyzing information and learning tools." Journal of
relationships. Computing Sciences in
Colleges 21, no. 4 (2006):
266-272.
1. Start in the centre with a key word or
idea. Put boxes around this node. — based on Design
2. Use images, symbols or words for Methods 1, R. Curedale
nodes.
3. Select keywords.
4. Associated nodes should be connected
BENEFIT
by lines.
Identifies relationships;
5. Use thicker lines to show the strength
problem-solving and
of associations. brainstorming;
6. Use radial arrangements of nodes. summarizing information.
Mobile diar y stud y
1 DAY

Mobil e diar y
stud y
A mobile diary study is a method that RESOURCES
uses a portable device to capture a

— Coover, R. "Using
person’s experiences in context when
digital media tools in
and where they happen, such as their cross-cultural research,
workplace or home. Participants can analysis and
create their entries from their location on representation." Visual
mobile phones or tablets. Studies 19, no. 1 (2004):
6-25.
1. Define the intent. — based on Design

2. Define the audience. Methods 1, R. Curedale
3. Define the context. BENEFIT
4. Define the technology.
Collection of data occurs
5. Automated text messages are sent to in real time. This is a
participants to prompt an entry. convenient method for
6. Analyze data. recording diary entries.
Mood board
4 HOURS

Mood board
A mood board is a collage of images and
words, and may include samples of RESOURCES
colours and fabrics. It is used to convey

— McKelvey, Kathryn,
the emotional communication of an
and Janine Munslow.
intended design. Fashion forecasting. John
Wiley & Sons, 2009.
A mood board helps to convey complex
— based on Design
emotional ideas at an early stage in a
design project. It provides a focus for
team discussion and alignment. BENEFIT
It is fast and inexpensive.
CHALLENGE
It is subjective.
Nine dimensions
1 DAY

Ni ne
di me nsions
One of a number of ethnographic RESOURCES
frameworks that have been developed to

— Spradley, James P.
give structure to observations and to
"Participant observation."
ensure that the researcher doesn’t miss (1980): xi-195.
important data.
— based on Design
Space: layout of physical setting Methods 1, R. Curedale
Actors: details of the people involved

Activities: the various activities of the BENEFIT
actors
Gives structure to
Objects: physical elements research; provides some
Acts: specific individual actions certainty in the uncertain
Events: particular occasions environment of fieldwork.
Time: the sequence of events
TIP
Goals: what the actors are attempting to
Sketch a map of your
accomplish observation environment.
Feelings: emotions in given contexts Be discreet.
Pe rsona
1 DAY

Pe rsona
A persona is an archetypal character that
represents a group of users who share RESOURCES
common goals, attitudes, and behaviours

— Pruitt, John, and
when interacting with a particular
Tamara Adlin. The persona
product or service. lifecycle: keeping people in
mind throughout product
1. Personas need to be created using data design. Morgan Kaufmann,
2010.
from real users.
2. Collect data through observation, — based on Design
interviews, ethnography. Methods 1, R. Curedale
3. Segment the users or customers.
4. Create the personas. Avoid BENEFIT
stereotypes.
Helps in gaining buy-in
5. Each persona should be different; each from stake holders. Helps
should have life goals which are personal create empathy for users
aspirations. and reduces self-reference.
6. Personas are given a name and a
photograph.
Post-mortem
2 HOURS

Post- mor te m
This is a method for the team to evaluate
- after the project is completed - how RESOURCES
successful the team was in meeting the

— Dingsøyr, Torgeir, and
initial project goals.
Geir Kjetil Hanssen.
"Extending agile methods:
1. The moderator asks each team member postmortem reviews as
and / or stakeholder to assign a extended feedback." In
Advances in Learning
percentage to how much they were able
Software Organizations,
to meet the initial project goals. pp. 4-12. Springer Berlin
2. Moderator asks: “What could have we Heidelberg, 2003.
done to achieve 100% for this goal?”
3. Record the session and review it before — based on Design
the next project.
Proble m tre e
4 HOURS

Prob l e m tre e
A problem tree is a tool for clarifying the RESOURCES
problems addressed by a design project.

— Hovland, Ingie.
It shows a structured hierarchy of
"Successful
problems with higher-level problems Communication."
branching into related groups of London: ODI (2005).
sub-problems.
— based on Design
1. Brainstorm a list of design problems.
2. Create a written list of problems. BENEFIT
3. Create a list of higher- and lower-level Identifies a core problem
problems by sorting the original list. and its root causes; builds
4. Create a problem tree. a shared sense of
understanding, purpose
and action.
CHALLENGE
It may be difficult to
understand all the effects
and causes of a problem
early in a project.
Pugh’s matrix
4 HOURS

Pugh’s matrix
A Pugh’s matrix is a design evaluation RESOURCES
method that uses criteria in an evaluation

— Pugh, Stuart, and Don
matrix to compare alternative design
Clausing. Creating
directions. Innovtive Products Using
Total Design: The Living
1. Develop the evaluation criteria. Legacy of Stuart Pugh.
2. Identify the design criteria to be Addison-Wesley Longman
Publishing Co., Inc.,
compared.
1996.
3. Generate scores.
4. Calculate the total scores. — based on Design
5. Iterate, refine, and optimize design. Methods 1, R. Curedale
6. Document the results.
BENEFIT
Overcomes shortcomings
in design; makes
subjective observations
more objective.
Role playing
4 HOURS

Rol e p l ay i ng
Role playing is a research method in RESOURCES
which the researcher physically acts out

— Greenberg, Jerald, and
the interaction or experience of the user
Don E. Eskew. "The role
of a product, service or experience. Role of role playing in
playing can be used to predict or explore organizational research."
future interactions with concept Journal of management
products or services. 19, no. 2 (1993): 221-241.
— based on Design
1. Identify the situation. Methods 1, R. Curedale
2. Create storyboards.
3. Assign roles.
BENEFIT
4. Isolate moments in which the users
Helps a designer to gain
interact with the product or service. empathy and insight into
5. Use your own intuitive responses to the experience of a user.
iterate and refine the design. It is useful for unfamiliar
6. Discuss insights. situations.
Sur vey
2 HOURS

Sur vey
A survey is a research tool made up of a RESOURCES
number of questions. Questionnaires may

— Gillham, Bill.
be designed for statistical analysis. This
Developing a
is a primary research method. questionnaire.
Continuum, 2000.
1. Define the questions to research.
2. Select the participants. — based on Design
3. Prepare the questions.
4. Use closed questions, with multiple
choice answers, or open questions. BENEFIT
5. Pre-test the questionnaire. May be designed for

statistical analysis. Easy to
6. Questions should flow logically.
analyze and quick to
complete.
TIP
Avoid complex and

leading questions; adjust
the style of the questions
to the target audience.
Stake holde rs map
2 HOURS

St ake hol de rs
ma p
A stakeholders map is used to document RESOURCES
key stakeholders and their relationships.

— Mitchell, Ronald K.,
The map serves as reference for the
Bradley R. Agle, and
design team. Donna J. Wood. "Toward
a theory of stakeholder
1. Develop a categorized list of the identification and salience:
members of the stakeholder community. Defining the principle of
who and what really
2. Assign priorities.
counts." Academy of
3. Can initially be documented on a management review 22,
whiteboard with post-it-notes and no. 4 (1997): 853-886.
consolidated as a diagram through
— based on Design
several iterations.
BENEFIT
Stakeholder mapping
helps researchers to
identify negative
stakeholders and their
associated risks.
Stor y board
4 HOURS

Stor y boa rds
A storyboard is a narrative tool derived RESOURCES
from cinema. A storyboard is a form of

— Cristiano, Giuseppe.
prototyping which communicates each
Storyboard design course:
steps of an activity, experience, or principles, practice, and
interaction. techniques. London, UK:
Barron’s Educational
1. Decide what story you want to Series, 2007.
describe.
— based on Design
2. Choose a story and a message: what do Methods 1, R. Curedale
you want the storyboard to express?
3. Create your characters. BENEFIT
4. Think about the whole story rather than A form of prototyping.
one panel at time. Conveys an experience
5. Create the drafts and refine them and allows proposed
activities to be discussed
through an iterative process.
and refined. Can be used
6. Illustrations can be sketches or to help designers identify
photographs. opportunities or
7. Keep texts short and informative. problems.
Swimlane
4 HOURS

Swim l a nes
A swimlane is a visual element used in RESOURCES
process flow diagrams; it visually

— Hollins, Gillian, and
distinguishes responsibilities for
Bill Hollins. Total Design:
sub-processes in a business process. managing the design
Swim lanes may be arranged either process in the service
horizontally or vertically. sector. Pitman, 1991.
— based on Design
1. Define the service or experience to
focus on.
2. A blueprint can be created in a http://en.wikipedia.org/wik
brainstorming session. i/Swim_lane
3. Define activities under each header.
BENEFIT
4. Link the contact or customer
touchpoints. Shows parallel streams for
user, business, and
technical process flows.
More tangible than
intuition and makes the
process more efficient.
S WOT analysis
2 HOURS

S WOT ana l ysis
A SWOT analysis is a structured planning RESOURCES
method used to evaluate the strengths,

— Hill, Terry, and Roy
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
Westbrook. "SWOT
involved in a project. analysis: it's time for a
product recall." Long
Strengths: characteristics of a project range planning 30, no. 1
that give it an advantage over others. (1997): 46-52.
Weaknesses: characteristics that place

http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
the business or project at a disadvantage ki/SWOT_analysis
relative to others.
Opportunities: elements that the project BENEFIT
could exploit to its advantage. Good for understanding
Threats: elements in the environment your strengths and
that could cause trouble for the business weaknesses, and for
identifying both the
or project.
opportunities open to you
and the threats you face.
Think out loud
2 DAYS

Thi n k out loud
Think out loud protocols involves
participants verbalizing their thoughts RESOURCES
while performing a set of tasks. Users are

Lewis, Clayton. Using the"
asked to talk about whatever they are
thinking-aloud" method in
looking at, thinking, doing, and feeling. cognitive interface design.
IBM TJ Watson Research
1. Identify users. Center, 1982.
2. Choose representative tasks.
— based on Design
3. Create a prototype. Methods 1, R. Curedale
4. Select participants.
5. Take notes of everything users say,
without attempting to interpret their BENEFIT
actions and words. Great when combining

with other methods like
testing and interviewing.
Enables observers to see
first-hand the process of
task completion.
Through othe r eyes
1 DAY

Th rough
othe r eyes
At several moments during a design RESOURCES
project it is useful to invite an outside

— based on Design
group to review the state of the design
and to tell your design team if they think
that your design direction is real and
good.
1. Define your design problem clearly.

2. Select a group of outside people who
are representative of the end users of a
product or service.
3. Prepare a presentation that clearly
communicates the favoured concept.
4. Prepare a question guide to help your
design team obtain useful feedback.
5 Review the design with the outside
group.
Ve nn diagram
4 HOURS

Ve n n diagram
A Venn diagram or set diagram is a
diagram that shows all possible logical RESOURCES
relations between a finite collection of

— Grimaldi, Ralph P.
sets.
Discrete and Combinatorial
Mathematics, 5/e. Pearson
Useful for simplifying and communicating Education India, 2006.
data related to user populations and
— based on Design
design features.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik
i/Venn_diagram
BENEFIT
Helps to get good insight

into consumers and their
context.
W izard of Oz
2 DAYS

W iza rd of Oz
Wizard of Oz is a research method in
which participants interact with a RESOURCES
computer interface that subjects believe

— Höysniemi, Johanna,
to be responding to their input, but which
Perttu Hämäläinen, and
is being operated by an unseen person. Laura Turkki. "Wizard of
Oz prototyping of computer
1. The wizard sits in a place invisible to the vision based action games
for children." Proceedings
research participant.
of the 2004 conference on
2. The wizard observes the user’s actions, Interaction design and
and initiates the system’s responses. children: building a
3. The wizard watches live video from a community. ACM, 2004.
camera focused on the participants.
— based on Design
BENEFIT
Is good for the testing of

preliminary interface
prototypes, and can
identify problems with an
interface concept.
Writte n sce nario
4 HOURS

Writte n
sce na rio
Scenarios are stories that describe a RESOURCES
possible future event. Scenarios are used

— Schoemaker, Paul JH.
by organizations to understand the
"Scenario planning: a tool
different ways that future events might for strategic thinking."
unfold. Sloan management review
36 (1995): 25-25.
1. Decide on the key question to be
— based on Design
analyzed.
2. Determine stakeholders, goals, and the
scope of the scenario.
3. Map basic trends and driving forces.
4. Consider key uncertainties. BENEFIT
5. Determine a starting point for the Helps the designer to

scenario. understand the
interactions of an intended
6. Produce 7 - 9 mini-scenarios and then
user with a product service
reduce the number to 3 or experience. Can also be
7. In simple language, describe the used for evaluating an
interactions. intended design.
W W W W WH
4 HOURS

W W W W WH
“Who, What, Where, When, Why, and
How?” is a method for obtaining a RESOURCES
thorough understanding of a problem.

— based on Design
Journalists will argue that your story isn’t
complete until you have answered all six
questions.
BENEFIT
1. Who is involved? The method is for

obtaining a thorough
2. What occurred?
understanding of a
3. When did it happen? problem. It helps to create
4. Where did it happen? a story that communicates
5. Why did it occur? clearly the nature of an
activity or event.
6. How did it happen?
CHALLENGE
The answers may be

subjective.
W ireframes
4 HOURS

W i reframes
Wireframes are simplified outlines of the
RESOURCES
elements of a web page. They are useful
for communicating the functionality of a — Brown, Dan M. (2011).
website in order to get feedback on its Communicating Design:
Developing Web Site
design. The wireframe depicts the page
Documentation for Design
layout, interface and navigation, and how and Planning.
these elements interact in use.
BENEFIT
Wireframes can be drawn by hand, using
Useful for getting feedback
tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or on a design. Speeds up the
wireframe software. List all the elements iteration process. Helps to
that you want in your website, using identify needed changes
simple boxes or outlines. Review the early on in development.
Low cost.
design and adjust as necessary. Make a
wireframe for each page in your website.
CHALLENGE
Wireframes do not
explain interactive detail
involving movement.
Pape r Protot y ping
2 HOURS

Pa pe r
Protot y ping
Paper prototyping is a quick and cheap RESOURCES
way of gaining insight without the need

— Benyon, David. (2010)
for costly investment. Simulates the Designing Interactive
function but not the aesthetics of a Systems
proposed design.
CHALLENGE
It is more focused on the broad They are designed to be

produced quickly, and
underlying design ideas – such as
thrown away as quickly.
content, form and structure, the ‘tone’ of
the design, key functionality BENEFIT
requirements, and navigational structure. At an early stage of design,

involving people in the
review of the general
scope and organization of
functionality.
Nav igation map
2 HOURS

Nav igation
ma ps
Navigation maps focus on how people RESOURCES
move through a website or application

— Benyon, David. (2010)
and how they experience it. Designing Interactive
Each page in the website, or location in Systems
the application, is represented by a box
BENEFIT
or heading, and every page that can be
accessed from that page should flow The maps can be used
with scenarios to ‘walk
from it.
through’ particular
activities, and are a very
Each page in the website, or location in good way of spotting poor
the application, is represented by a box or aspects of design.
heading, and every page that can be
TIP
accessed from that page should flow
Include all possible paths
from it.
(i.e. backwards and
forwards from a page);
this will highlight sections
where people might get
stranded.
E/R mode l
4 HOURS

E/R mode l
The Entity-relationship model - also RESOURCES
known as the ERD (Entity Relationship — Lauesen, Soren. (2005)

Diagram) - is an abstract representation User Interface Design: A
of structured data, used to describe all of Software Engineering
Perspective.
the data that will be used in the computer
system. CHALLENGE
A basic understanding of
E/R models are used to illustrate the databases is required for
connections (relationship) between the design of a
meaningful model. The
objects (entities) in a database. For
time and size of the model
example, in a hotel, the relationship depends of the complexity
between hotel rooms, guests, stay, etc. of the system.
The time and size of the model depends BENEFIT
of the complexity of the system. They are a good tool to

determine which data you
will need and how it will be
used, as well as a starting
point in building a
database.
Clickable Protot ype
2 DAYS

Clickab l e
Protot y p e
A Clickable Prototype is a prototype that RESOURCES
looks like and may work like the finished

— Rudd, Jim; Ken Stern
product. It simulates the aesthetic of a and Scott Isensee. "Low
proposed design. vs. high-fidelity
prototyping debate."
1. Create final design. interactions 3, no 1
(1996):76-85.
2. Build prototype.
3. Test your product — based on Design
4. Evaluate the results Methods 1, R. Curedale
CHALLENGE
Time-consuming and
laborious.
BENEFIT
Can provide a realistic

impression of the end
product.

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Design Methods

The MediaLAB Amsterdam method card

estimated time helps

Effort— Each card also

Define vision, scenarios,

Why are you doing it?

Explore the background of

What are the main factors?

Get to know users, explore

Who are the users?

A way to draw conclusions,

Try to narrow down

Generate ideas, explore

How can you visualize, sketch

Ways to get from concepts to

Are your ideas valid? Can you

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

company’s strategic position in relation

Broadens mindset; helps

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

stakeholders and their relationships. It is

important aspect of service design.

Makes implicit knowledge

Not a user-centred method.

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

actions necessary to reach desired future

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

future scenarios based on imagining a

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

features or ideas outside the boundary of

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

on creating a large number of ideas.

Leverages the diverse

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

minutes to generate ideas.

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

brainstorming method that stresses input

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

brainstorming; ideas are generated by

4. Have the participants build upon the Inhibition and lack of

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

brainstorming. The KJ method places

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

and creativity method that uses seven

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

on the visual sense which is only a

1. The moderator frames the design

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

process. This method builds on the

1. Ideas from a first brainstorming session — based on Design

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

relationships between a number of

3. Ask your participants to arrange the Ask participants to fill out

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

help each other as they would naturally.

1. Select participants who are — based on Design

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

method by which people remember and

they get to a location and how they Reveals how people

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create

words onto paper. Research participants

Define Know Know Frame Ideation Create