Programs | One Year Immersive | Quarter 1 | IDSE 101

Research & Sensemaking

IDSE 101
Research & Sensemaking

Course Overview

A designer's work is best done with a resonant understanding of the world - the people in it, the systems at play, and the contexts in which our work will live. In this course, you will learn how to responsibly and effectively explore the complexities of the human world, describe it, and develop a point of view around what you've learned.

Outcomes and Competencies

The following outcome statements articulate the competencies, abilities, and skills a student will have as a result of completing this class. Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

  • Articulate the purpose of design research, including framing, methods and implementation plans.

  • Apply methods of qualitative design research, including contextual inquiry, participatory design and cultural probes, in the context of a large-scale interaction design problem.

  • Apply methods of design synthesis, including affinity diagramming, data mapping, and workflow modeling in the context of a large-scale interaction design problem.

  • Understand data from quantitative to qualitative and the basics for using quantitative data for generative research. 

  • Articulate the principles of qualitative design research, how they differ from and complement other research methods.

  • Articulate the role and value of design research and synthesis when trying to solve wicked problems.

  • Produce compelling narratives and viewpoints for a non-design audience that cultivate empathy, tame chaos, and illuminate opportunities for productive action.

Course Schedule

Class 1

In Class

Introduction to Design Research

  • Introduction to course and goals 

  • What is Design research? Why do we do it?

  • Introduce research problem space and focus statements

Activities

  •  Partner and create research focus statements

Out of Class

Activities

  • Continue defining research focus

Reading

  • Portigal - Chapter 1

  • Geertz Preface - Chapter 1

  • Holtzblatt & Beyer, 1-2

Class 2

In Class

Introduction to Research Planning & Methodologies

  • Discuss Readings

  • Research planning, recruiting and screening 

  • Research method selection

Activities

  • Critique focus statements

  • Identify potential research participants

Out of Class

Activities

  • Create first draft of research plan. Include contact list and discussion question for SME. Include contact list and discussion questions for SME. 

  • Finish service research

Reading/Video

Class 3

In Class

Preparing for Research - ⏰ Research focus due

Present/Critique

  • Present & critique initial research plan (as much as you have)

Discussion

  • Readings

  • Research planning & recruitment:

    • Intercepts vs. recruiting

    • Research teams, equipment, consent and tactics

    • Data capture  & debriefs 

Activities

  • Build research project plan and share with another team for feedback

Out of Class

Activities

  • Finalize research plan (Due next Monday)

  • Start recruiting for research participants

Reading

  • [Excerpt] The Little Book of Design Research Ethics - Section 2-3 “The Guidelines” and “Closing Thoughts”

Class 4

In Class

Conducting Research

Discussion

  • Readings

  • Good interviewing, consent, rapport-building, privacy

  • Overview of the next 6 weeks (Mural)

Activities

  • Create consent form, discussion guide, activity script, recruitment comms

  • Recruitment working session

  • Setup Google Drive for data gathering

Out of Class

Activities

  • Continue recruiting for research participants

Reading

  • AC4D: Cultural Probes

Class 5

In Class

Interview Moderation

⏰ Assignment 1 Due: Research Plan

Discussion

  • Understand and recover from recruiting setbacks

  • Discussion guide - ask questions, get feedback

Activities

  • Role-play interviewing to prepare for considerate, ethical, and effective interviewing

  • Discussion guide trade: Switch discussion guides with another group for feedback

Out of Class

Activities

  • Conduct interviews

  • Begin transcription

  • Each group to bring at least one interview video recording to critique next class

Reading/Video

Class 6

In Class

Discussion

  • Discuss reading

Activities

  • In-class working session

  • 1:1 time with instructor

Out of Class

Activities

  • Continue conducting interviews 

  • Continue transcription 

  • Build Fieldwork Presentation 

  • Continue affinity diagramming

Reading/Video

Class 7

In Class

Introduction to Synthesis

Discussions

  • Readings/ videos

  • Form an initial understanding of sensemaking

  • Affinity Diagrams

  • Creating space for synthesis

Activities

  • Interviewing critique session

  • Begin affinity diagramming

Out of Class

Activities

  • Continue conducting interviews

  • Continue transcription

  • Continue affinity diagramming

Reading/Video

Class 8

In Class

Introduction to Work & Concept Models

Discussions

  • Readings

  • In-progress synthesis

  • Sensemaking with work & concept models

Activities

  • Create work  models for your topic

  • Open work time

Out of Class

Activities

  • Continue conducting interviews 

  • Continue transcription 

  • Continue affinity diagramming

Reading/Video

Class 9

In Class

⏰ Assignment 2 Due: Fieldwork Presentation

⏰ All interviews are complete before class

Discussions

  • Fieldwork presentations

  • Readings/videos

  • Discussion on research & sensemaking process - orienting to where students are and where they’re headed next

  • Insights & problem statements

Activities

  • Breakout groups to go from themes to insights in pairs

Out of Class

Activities

  • Finish transcription

  • Continue affinity diagramming

  • Move toward insights

Reading/Video

Class 10

In Class

Building an end-to-end Research and Synthesis Presentation

Discussions

  • Continue discussion on research & sensemaking process - orienting to where students are and where they’re headed next

  • Finding & telling stories about your topic

Activities

  • Walkthrough and critique an example student presentation

  • “Walk the wall” digitally to critique themes/insights

  • Developing criteria for a strong insight statement

Out of Class

Activities

  • Continue diagramming - insights

  • Build a preliminary synthesis presentation

Class 11

In Class

Using Quantitative Data for Generative Research

⏰ Affinity diagrams complete before class 

Activities

  • Guest Lecture: Quant researcher

  • In-class working session

Out of Class

Activities

  • Finalize preliminary synthesis presentation

  • Refine insight statements

Reading/Video

Class 12

In Class

Insights to Implications

Discussion

  • Readings/videos

  • Design implications & principles

  • Bridging current and future state through problem statements

Activities

  • Group-by-group synthesis check in with instructor

  • Gain experience with how to translate insights into compelling, action-provoking story

Out of Class

Activities

  • Develop implications

  • Develop problem statement

  • Outline final design research & synthesis presentation

Reading/Video

  • Rumelt (excerpt)

  • Porter (excerpt)

  • Christensen (excerpt)

Class 13

In Class

Design Research vs. Strategy

⏰ Assignment 3 Due: Preliminary Design Synthesis Presentation

Discussion

  • Readings

  • Relationship between design research and business strategy

  • Integrating secondary research with design research effectively

Activities

  • Critique implications and problem statements

  • In-Class Working Session

Out of Class

Activities

  • Build final design research & synthesis presentation

Reading/Video

  • “Presentation and Facilitation” - Kolko

Class 14

In Class

Draft Final Design Research & Synthesis Presentation 

Activities

  • Feedback session with guest (Preliminary Synthesis Presentation)

  • In-Class Working Session

Out of Class

Activities

  • Iterate final presentation

Class 15

In Class

Activities

  • Presentation Feedback Session

  • In-Class Working Session

Out of Class

Activities

  • Finalize presentation

  • Practice

Class 16

In Class

⏰ Final Assignment Due: Final Design Research & Synthesis Presentation

Out of Class

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