1.2 - Learning Objectives (Granular)
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Deconstructing a Brief
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Today, we're going to focus on how to deconstruct a brief effectively. Can anyone tell me what that means?
Does it mean breaking down the information to understand the problems better?
Exactly! One method we can use is the Five Whys technique. This helps us dig down to the root cause of an issue. Why donβt we try that? Why might users be frustrated with a mobile app, for example?
Maybe they can't find the features they need?
Great, let's keep digging. Why can't they find them?
Perhaps the layout is confusing!
Good point! So we could map this out as a fishbone diagram. Let's categorize those issues under People, Processes, Technology, and Environment. Who can give me an example for each category?
For People, it could be that the users are not properly trained.
Exactly! Remember, this is key for framing the challenges we face. In summary, using techniques like the Five Whys and fishbone diagrams can provide clarity that leads to actionable solutions.
Research Methods Selection
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Now let's shift gears and talk about research methods. Why is it important to choose the right research method?
I think it affects how much we understand our users, right?
Exactly! We need to evaluate primary methods like surveys, interviews, and observations. Can someone explain one of these methods?
Surveys! They can gather a lot of data quickly.
Great! But what about their limitations?
They might not dive deep into nuanced responses.
Correct! Remember, depth versus breadth is key in research. We can create a two-page plan to compare these methods. What factors should we consider?
Cost and time, along with potential insights!
Excellent points! In summary, carefully selecting and justifying our research methods can significantly impact our project outcomes.
Benchmarking Digital Products
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Next, weβll focus on product benchmarking. Why do we benchmark products?
To see how they perform compared to each other?
Exactly! We can create a comparative matrix. What criteria do you think we should consider in our evaluation?
Ease of use and performance!
And visual clarity and accessibility! Let's draft a matrix for three products. What advantages do we gain from this exercise?
It helps us identify strengths and weaknesses.
Absolutely! In summary, benchmarking not only reveals competitor insights but also allows us to improve our own designs.
Synthesizing Qualitative Data
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Now, letβs delve into synthesizing qualitative data. Why is it important to gather user feedback?
To understand their experiences and gather insights.
Correct! We can use affinity clustering to group comments. How might this help us?
We can spot common themes!
Exactly! By organizing feedback into clusters, we can turn those into thematic statements. How do we summarize those?
With key insights in one or two sentences!
Well said! In summary, synthesizing qualitative data through methods like affinity clustering helps us see the bigger picture more clearly.
Composing a Dynamic Specification
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Lastly, let's discuss composing a research-driven specification. What elements do you think are essential for a specification?
User personas and their needs?
Yes! User stories are also crucial. How are these different from regular requirements?
Theyβre more about understanding user interactions!
Exactly! We must also tie our requirements to evidence from our research. Why is that important?
It ensures our design is based on actual user feedback!
Great points! In summary, a well-crafted design specification bridges user needs with design outcomes.
Introduction & Overview
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Quick Overview
Standard
Students will explore granular learning objectives that detail their expected competencies by the end of the unit, which include skills in deconstructing briefs, selecting research methods, conducting product benchmarking, synthesizing qualitative data, and composing comprehensive design specifications. These objectives align with their progression from understanding various aspects of design to producing detailed specifications.
Detailed
Learning Objectives (Granular)
This section delineates specific learning objectives that students are expected to achieve by the lesson's conclusion in 'Unit 1: Inquiring and Analysing'. These objectives are designed to systematically build students' capabilities in design and analysis, enabling them to transition from ambiguity to clarity in their projects. The objectives are as follows:
- Deconstruct a Brief with Depth: Students will utilize tools like the Five Whys and fishbone diagrams to articulate at least five root causes of a problem. They will categorize these causes under four dimensions: People, Processes, Technology, and Environment.
- Select and Justify Research Methods: They will craft a two-page research plan that critically evaluates three primary (surveys, interviews, observations) and three secondary (journal articles, market reports, competitor reviews) research methods, each ranked by expected insight, cost, and time.
- Conduct Product Benchmarking: Students will create a comparative matrix for four digital products, analyzing them based on ease of use, visual clarity, performance, and accessibility with detailed criteria for each dimension.
- Synthesize Qualitative Data: By applying affinity clustering strategies, they will group at least thirty user comments into thematic clusters and draft summary statements capturing the essence of each theme.
- Compose a Research-driven Specification: Students will develop a dynamic document that incorporates user personas, user stories, prioritized requirements, test scenarios, and a traceability matrix linking requirements to specific data points.
Overall, these learning objectives are tailored to bridge the gap between creativity and actionable design, empowering students to ground their work in rigorous analysis and qualitative insights.
Audio Book
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Deconstruct a Brief with Depth
Chapter 1 of 5
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Chapter Content
Use the Five Whys and fishbone diagrams to articulate at least 5 root causes and categorize them under People, Processes, Technology, and Environment.
Detailed Explanation
This objective is about breaking down a design brief to understand its underlying issues. Students will utilize the 'Five Whys' technique to dig deeper into problems by asking 'why' multiple times until they reach the root cause. For example, if a design is late, they might find that the team missed deadlines due to poor communication. They will document these causes in a fishbone diagram, which visually organizes them by categories such as People (who is involved), Processes (the steps taken), Technology (tools used), and Environment (external factors).
Examples & Analogies
Imagine if youβre planning a birthday party. If guests are late, you might ask why. 'Why are they late?' 'Because they are stuck in traffic.' 'Why are they stuck in traffic?' 'Because there's construction on the road.' Each time you ask 'why,' you get closer to the real reasonβmuch like peeling layers of an onion.
Select and Justify Research Methods
Chapter 2 of 5
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Chapter Content
Craft a 2-page plan evaluating 3 primary (survey, interview, observation) and 3 secondary (journal articles, market reports, competitor reviews) methodsβeach ranked by expected insight, cost, and time.
Detailed Explanation
In this task, students will compare various research methods to determine the best approaches for gathering data. They will evaluate three primary methods like surveys, which gather quantitative data; interviews, which provide qualitative insights; and observations, which give context to user behavior. Additionally, they will assess secondary methods such as academic articles and competitor reviews. This evaluation will include considering the expected insights each method can provide and ranking them based on their cost and the time required to conduct the research.
Examples & Analogies
Think of it like shopping for ingredients to bake a cake. You might decide to purchase fresh fruits from a local market for quality (primary research), but you could also check recipes online or read baking books for guidance (secondary research). Each shopping method has different costs and time commitments, just like the research methods students will evaluate.
Conduct Product Benchmarking
Chapter 3 of 5
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Chapter Content
Create a comparative matrix for 4 digital products, scoring them on ease of use, visual clarity, performance, and accessibility (with detailed criteria under each dimension).
Detailed Explanation
This goal involves comparing four digital products to see how they stack up against one another. Students will create a matrix, which is a table that outlines criteria relevant to product performance such as ease of use (how simple it is to navigate), visual clarity (how clear the design is), performance (how fast the product works), and accessibility (how easy it is for every user to access the product). Each product will receive scores on these criteria, helping students to analyze which product excels in which areas.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine rating four different phones based on how easy they are to use, how clear their screens are, how fast they operate, and how accessible they are for people with disabilities. By creating a comparison chart, you can easily identify which phone is best for your needs, similar to how students will evaluate their products.
Synthesize Qualitative Data
Chapter 4 of 5
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Chapter Content
Apply affinity clustering to group at least 30 user comments into themes, then draft thematic statements that summarize each clusterβs key insight in 1β2 sentences.
Detailed Explanation
Students will learn how to organize qualitative feedback from users into manageable themes using a method called affinity clustering. By reading through at least 30 user comments, they will group similar comments together based on their content, identifying common patterns or sentiments. After clustering, students will then write brief statements that capture the essence of each theme, summarizing the key insights gained from the comments.
Examples & Analogies
Think of this like sorting your laundry. When you do laundry, you gather clothes and group them by colors or types (like whites, colors, and delicates). Once sorted, you can see which colors need washing together and which donβt. In the same way, students will group user comments into themes to highlight major insights.
Compose a Research-driven Specification
Chapter 5 of 5
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Chapter Content
Develop a dynamic document containing personas, user stories, prioritized requirements, test scenarios, and traceability matrices linking requirements back to specific data points.
Detailed Explanation
This objective focuses on creating a comprehensive specification document that will guide the design process based on rigorous research. Students will create personas to represent their target users, write user stories that capture user needs and experiences, and outline prioritized requirements for their project. They will also define test scenarios to ensure that the design meets the specified needs and create a traceability matrix that clearly links these requirements back to the original research data to ensure the design is grounded in user insights.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine building a house. You need a blueprint that includes details about the materials, the layout, and how each part connects. Similarly, students will build a detailed specification document that serves as the 'blueprint' for their design project, ensuring everything aligns with user research just like a reliable house blueprint aligns with the architecture and building codes.
Key Concepts
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Deconstructing a Brief: Breaking down a brief into its component parts helps identify core issues.
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Five Whys: A technique to uncover root causes by continually asking 'Why?'
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Fishbone Diagram: A visual representation of potential causes for a problem grouped into categories.
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Affinity Clustering: A method to categorize qualitative data into meaningful themes.
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Dynamic Specification: A specification that evolves to incorporate stakeholder needs and evidence.
Examples & Applications
An example of a brief might be 'GreenCampus seeks a mobile platform to streamline student event sign-ups, currently causing delays and lost data.'
Using the Five Whys on a late event situation: 1. Why are students late? Because notifications are missed. 2. Why missed? Because emails are buried in inboxes.
Memory Aids
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Rhymes
Five Whys can lead to roots, uncovering issues in our shoots.
Stories
In a bustling tech hub, a team found their app slow. They started asking 'Why?'βthe emails were buried. By the fifth 'Why', they discovered a lack of optimization in their code. This led them to create a streamlined user experience, boosting engagement.
Memory Tools
To remember the benefits of benchmarking: C-A-P-E (Comparison, Analysis, Performance Improvement, Experimentation).
Acronyms
FISH (Five-Investigative-Questions-Hidden) helps us remember the Five Whys tool.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Brief
A comprehensive document outlining a projectβs goals, target audience, and deliverables.
- Five Whys
A problem-solving technique that aims to identify the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking 'Why?'
- Fishbone Diagram
A visual tool used to systematically explore potential causes of a problem, categorized by factors such as People, Processes, Technology, and Environment.
- Affinity Clustering
A method of analyzing qualitative data by grouping similar pieces of feedback into themes.
- Specification
A detailed description of the requirements and features of a design project, often including user personas, use cases, and test scenarios.
Reference links
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