Methods in the Making: A Perspective on the State of Human Research in Design
| Autor: | Bruce Hanington |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2003 |
| Předmět: |
Research design
Digital artifact Knowledge management Computer science business.industry Process (engineering) Management science Product testing Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design User Research law.invention Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) Industrial design law CLARITY Field research business |
| Zdroj: | Design Issues. 19:9-18 |
| ISSN: | 1531-4790 0747-9360 |
| DOI: | 10.1162/074793603322545019 |
| Popis: | Introduction This article was developed from experiences in human-centered design, both within field research and as a design researcher and educator. Several of the observations, insights, and examples offered here have been inspired, or at least clarified, by a current project being conducted by the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University for the United States Postal Service (USPS). The USPS project entails the transformation of complex informational documents into accessible language and visualizations in a new set of documents for use by postal employees, the public, and business customers. My role in this project has been to advise the research and design team on user research and product testing, given a mandate of user-centered design. This project is noteworthy from several perspectives relevant to this article, and design research in general. First, there is the unique aspect of application focused on the design of an informational document. Although certainly arguable as an interface, there is a perceived difference between this product and more traditional interfaces housed in three-dimensional and digital artifacts. Related to this is the recognized paucity of user-centered design and testing within communication (graphic) design,, particularly in comparison to the more established history of industrial design. Fundamental to my own background in human factors and industrial design has been the realization that although one can identify these differences, they become relatively mute in the process of research and design. That is, the issues that emerge, with respect to both content and methodology, are relatively similar in practice, and in fact should be mutually informing across disciplines and products. The information shared here, culled from the USPS project and others, should serve to reinforce the need and demand for usercentered approaches in design, and offer some clarity in the methods that can best serve this cause. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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