Overview
In this assessment, you will use several design research tools to understand a particular target user group within a given context. This will require you to examine secondary research, conduct a small sample of your own primary design research and present your understanding of the identified target user group in a report.
At minimum, in this report you will complete:
• a mind map
• an in-depth interview
• an empathy map
• a persona
The task
Step
1: Read the design brief and consider the goal of your research
Step 2: Conduct secondary research to identify the issues and various user groups and to add to the synthesised data provided.
Step 3: Create a mind map to visualise your findings and provide a screenshot of this in your report.
Step 4: Decide who you want to interview following the interview guide. You will need to justify your decision.
Step 5: Write your set of interview questions. Do not rush this process, as you need to carefully consider the data you are hoping to collect and then write your set of interview questions. You will need to write at least three questions. Refer to the interview guide to help you with this. It is good practice to provide these to the interviewee prior to the interview.
Step 6: Conduct your interview. Remember to record this as you are required to provide a transcript of it within the appendix of your report.
Step 7: Conduct a brief thematic analysis of the data. Having completed the interview, you must now synthesise the data collected, identify the key interview findings (themes) and write a summary. Support your thematic analysis with illustrative quotes from your interview transcript. The transcript itself belongs in the appendix, not the report body.
Step 8: Create an empathy map and persona based on the qualitative data from your interview. If you were synthesising your research for a project in industry, you would complete an empathy map and persona for all potential users. However, for the purposes of this assessment, you are required to focus on who you have identified is the most important target user. This is the user you will have interviewed.
• Empathy map:
Organise your insights onto an empathy map. Include a screenshot of your empathy map and some brief contextualising commentary in your report. You must at least introduce the tool you’re using and summarise the key takeaways in your report. You can use the empathy map tool on page 2.1.3 Introduction to empathy mapping in the course.
• Persona:
Create a persona to identify your user’s needs, experiences, behaviours and goals thereby creating a realistic representation of the key user group. Include a screenshot of your persona in your report. You can use the persona tool on page 2.1.4 Personas and their purpose in the course.
Step 9: Write a paragraph (max 250 words) outlining your understanding of design thinking and considering the value of applying it within the industry relevant to the design challenge.
Step 10: Create your appendix. The appendix should contain all supporting evidence relevant to your primary research and the audience for which the report is intended. Use the appendix wisely, and do not neglect it! At minimum, this section should contain your interview transcript.
Recommended structure
Your report should include the following sections:
• Cover page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents
o Introduction
o Secondary research
▪ Overview
o Primary research
▪ Mind map – planning tool
▪ Identified target user group
▪ Interview questions
▪ Identified findings
▪ Empathy map
▪ Persona
o Conclusion
o Reference list
o Appendix
▪ Interview transcript
▪ Other supporting material