In this post I will share my planned research methodologies for my Action Research Project enquiry into improving students use and experience of our open-access studio space.
Interviews
Who?
I plan to interview selected students and staff.
The students I interview will be selected from the current second year group — the reason for this is that a) these students have already had a year to learn about their own working practices and preferences as university students, and b) these students have experience of the period of time when our studio was offered on more of an open access basis.
For the staff interviews, I will interview three members of staff. The first of these being our studio technician, who has spent more time in the studio during unprogrammed periods than any other member of staff. The second will be our course’s disability support advisor, with whom I will discuss the typical issues raised by students around successfully accessing and working in our studio space and others like it. The third will be with another course leader who has a long history of successfully fostering an open, collaborative, welcoming studio culture — what are his secrets? (Conveniently, his studio is almost identical in size and position in the building as ours, so he is working with the same basic infrastructure).
How?
I have extensive experience of conducting research interviews thanks to a previous professional role in a tech and research studio, where I led a number of in-depth research projects.
Nonetheless, I still wanted to brush up on my interviewing process with some preparatory reading.
I decided to undertake Catalyst’s ‘Learn User Research’ course for a short refresher on user research interviews, and found lesson 2 on writing research questions particularly helpful. It was a good reminder that:
“[Your interview questions] define a scope for your research and act as its guiding star. They have a domino effect on everything you do.”
Catalyst Resources (no date) Lesson #2: Write research questions first (Learn User Research email course). Available at: https://us13.campaign-archive.com/?e=f9c28316f3&u=7a1126c2aa848808d6bca55e6&id=f934cb5271&utm_source=CAST&utm_campaign=b3332381a7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_06_11_02_17&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_909cdfb25f-b3332381a7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D (Accessed: 2 October 2024).
I found this helpful as a reminder of how much thought I should put into writing my research questions, and that I should return to them frequently to consider whether they do what I need them to, before I actually deliver them.
I also appreciated the insights gained from Feldman in ‘The role of conversation in collaborative action research’, particularly with regards the interview conversations that I plan to have with my colleagues — the fact that these interviews can and should be thought of as collaborations, as myself and my colleagues attempt to problem solve and iterate through discussion. Feldman states that:
“…oral inquiry processes are not just ‘teacher talk;’ that for these exchanges to be research, they ‘follow specific theoretically grounded procedures and … require careful preparation and collection of data, and rely on careful documentation. As a result, they are self-conscious, and can be selfcritical, attempts by teachers to improve and understand their practice.” (P127)
Feldman, A. (1999) ‘The role of conversation in collaborative action research’, Educational Action Research, 7(1), pp. 125–147. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09650799900200076.
While conducting interviews (particularly with students), I am mindful of the potential these conversations may have to raise challenging issues. In discussing studio space, we naturally stray into talking about other places which students’ work, like accommodation and the home, and students’ history of work-spaces and their comfort undertaking their practice in various settings. Being aware that in some cases this might raise past trauma is vital — being mindful of this I must be ready to support and signpost as needed.
“Trauma refers to the sustained effects of harmful events or experiences widely recognized to include extraordinary events such as disasters, violence and accidents, as well as less ‘extraordinary’ processes of lives and relationships, including abuse, neglect, betrayal and relational dynamics (SAMSHA 2014). The effects of exposure to such events are varied and personal but commonly include alterations to perceptions of safety, self and worldview” (P2)
“…it is likely that many research participants will have experienced trauma in their lives and that while this may not be the focus of the research, sensitivity and awareness are required” (P1)
Isobel, S. (2021) ‘Trauma‐informed qualitative research: Some methodological and practical considerations’, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 30(S1), pp. 1456–1469. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12914.
Workshop
Who?
I plan to conduct a one-off workshop with my BA UXD first year students during one of their afternoon mandatory studio sessions, during which we as tutors typically set fairly expansive, free-form activities, as well as allowing them to pursue their own study interests. Participation in my workshop will be optional, but students will be informed of it ahead of time, and offered information and a consent form to participate.
How
The workshop will consist of a brief presentation, followed by one main activity, which is asking the students to create and annotate a drawing of their dream workspace (i.e. if they could have everything exactly as they please, what would it be like?). While this activity is taking place, free form conversation will take place about the students ideas.
As well as providing me with research material for my project, this will also serve pedagogically to introduce these students to the notion of speculative design and research, and of the power of drawing as a qualitative research tool.
Of course, many of their ideas will most likely be wildly speculative and perhaps impossible to realise, but through the (hopefully enjoyable process) of visualising these fantasy settings, we will again hope to see emerging themes.
During an earlier PG Cert unit I enjoyed reading Salamon’s reflections on the use of drawing as a research tool, which partially inspired my own workshop concept:
“The project informally piloted a co-curricular space where drawing extends beyond traditional expectations and is used as a research tool”
Salamon, M. (2018) ‘Drawing laboratory: Research workshops and outcomes‘, Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, Vol 3, Issue 2
I also have a long history of using drawing as a tool for research and reflection, and truly believe in its power to unlock insights beyond those which other research methods can.
As Pauwels (2019) notes,
More importantly, the visual stimuli may also trigger the interviewees to speak about their deeper feelings or past experiences and reveal their positionality toward the subject under study. Visual materials with the right “projective” potential (open-ended, not too specific or detailed, yet relating broadly to the issue at hand) in combination with a competent interviewer and engaged interviewees may generate unique forms of verbal feedback or data that need to be carefully analyzed as multilayered expressions
Pauwels, L. (2019) Visual Elicitation in Interviews. SAGE Publications Ltd. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526421036846496.
I am a big fan of the use of drawing exercises as a mode of research, study and reflection. Hurdley (2019) states that:
“…drawing is largely viewed as an activity for children, artistic geniuses, or creative professionals”
But as he goes on to clarify, this need not be the case, and:
“…even the simplest drawing is a political, cultural product.”
Crucially, I want participation in my research to also feel valuable and engaging for the students who are involved, and as Hurdley says, drawing is a good way to foster greater engagement:
Spending time on a drawing can engage participants, so they are more invested and interested in a research project. Making drawing a group activity, either by working on individual images or collaboratively, can also encourage reflective conversations.
Hurdley, R. (2019) Drawing as a Research Method. SAGE Publications Ltd. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526421036838861.
Survey
Who?
I plan to conduct a survey which will be sent to all current BA UXD students, years 1, 2 and 3, to gain some more quantitative data around students use of our studio and general reflections on their working practices.
How?
As a UX lecturer, I am very well aware of the potential pros and cons of survey based research, and regularly see students mis-using the format to ask qualitative questions. I have been careful to plan my survey questions such that they do not fall into these traps.
As O’Leary rightly notes:
“While surveys can offer much to the production of knowledge, their reputation for being a relatively simple, straightforward and inexpensive approach is not really deserved — they can be a thorny and exasperating process, particularly if you want to do it right” (P239)
O’Leary, Z. (2021) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. Fourth edition. Los Angeles London New Delhi Singapore Washington DC Melbourne: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Converse and Presser (1986) additionally state that when writing a survey:
“A designer must cut and try, see how it looks and sounds, see how people react to it, and then cut again, and try again. Handcrafting a questionnaire involves successive trials” (p48)
M.Converse, J. and Presser, S. (1986) Survey Questions. SAGE Publications, Inc. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412986045.
Sadly given the scope and timeframe of this project, I do not have the ability to conduct this type of iterative survey writing and development approach, but I appreciate the craft of it, and in future, larger scale projects which involve surveys, certainly would aim to work in this way!
I will use Microsoft forms to create my survey. My favourite tool is typeform, which I have used in the past — it creates a beautiful and enjoyable experience for the person filling in the survey and offers great tools for viewing the data gathered, but sadly the free plan does not offer enough responses for my requirements. My preferred free tool is Google forms, but given the need to follow stringent data protection guidelines as stipulated in my ethics form, using Microsoft Forms connected to my UAL account offers the best tie in with OneDrive and other UAL encrypted services. I have not used Microsoft Forms before, but trust that it will be similarly user-friendly.
My view is that the data I gather in this survey will serve as quantitative evidence to reinforce my qualitative findings, and in partnerhsip with my other forms of research, is valid. It also ensures I get viewpoints from the entire BA UX cohort, not just first and second years.
Observations/Immersion
Who?
I plan to conduct two observations, each of around 2 hours. The first will be within our own studio space, during one of our first years’ afternoon sessions, to see how they use the space. The second will be on another course, whose aforementioned course leader I plan to interview about the success of his studio culture.
How?
I am a particular fan of observation and immersion as research methodologies, and am interested in the subtle differences between the two. As Thomas notes while discussing immersion:
“Accompanying your user through an experience can help provide insight into struggles and delights that might not naturally come up in an interview setting.” (p99)
Thomas, S.E. (2020) The Practical Guide to Experience Design: A Guidebook for Passionate, Curious, and Intentional People Who Enjoy Designing for Humans. Artificial Publishing.
It is worth considering the difference between observation and immersion, as in the example given above, it is suggested that the researcher may want to proactively discuss things with the research subject while they undertake the given experience, whereas an obervation would serve only to observe, not to interact.
As IDEO suggest in their ‘Field Guide to Human Centered Design’ it may be best to make a judgement call based on what seems right as the research progresses:
“Once you’re in-context, there are lots of ways to observe the people you’re designing for. Spend a day shadowing them, have them walk you through how they make decisions, play fly on the wall and observe them as they cook, socialize, visit the doctor—whatever is relevant to your challenge”
The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design by IDEO.org (2015). San Francisco, Calif.: IDEO.org / Design Kit.
Indeed, this is my plan. Students will be informed of my presence with a sign and information on the door. If the studio is very busy, I will simply play ‘fly on the wall’ and note-take around students use of the space. If the studio is quieter, I may initiate informal conversations with students to discuss their use of the space.
While this approach is assumed to predominantly gather qualitative data, there is the possibility of also gathering quantitiative data:
Besides obvious qualitative research, such as observing body language, gestures, flow, usage of space or artifacts, interactions, and the like, researchers can also do some quantitative research, such as counting (a) how many customers within the hour pass by a shop, (b) how many of these come into the shop, and (c) how many of these start interacting with employees. (P43)
Stinkdorn, M. et al. (2018) This is Service Design Doing Methods: A Companion to This Is Service Design Doing. 1st edition. Sebastopol, CA: O′Reilly.
Either approach should lead to rich insights about how the studio space actually functions day to day, though it is worth acknowledging that the students present in an optional timetabled session will be those who have chosen to be there, not those who I am particularly interested in — those who choose to work elsewhere. Nonetheless I believe that there are still insights to be gained from this process, in partnership with all the other research described above.
In the next post I will share my Ethical Action Plan and accompanying insights from my tutor.