Discovery user research workshop
This project involved the collaboration of 60 children aged 6/7 years old. The aim of the project was to teach young product designers the importance of user focused design.
After a briefing the students met the children at school where they could observe the children in their own environment.
Secondary research was carried out to gain a broader context of the observations identified
A workshop day was then planned and organised with an aim to understand the abilities and preferences of children at this age. The workshop tested attention span, engagement, fine and gross motor skills. Assumptions were dispelled and a clear set of criteria about the user was understood and helped lay the foundations for strong product design outcomes.
The images below are from the discovery workshop
The event was recorded and presented for collaborative review. From the shared findings students were able to build user architypes and their own statement of requirements for their project proposal, responding to the initial brief and their own insights. The students developed their ideas and returned to the school with prototypes to be tested and evaluated with the children.
The children rated each project and gave feedback, the user group voted to decide which was the best project. Evaluation methods were tailored to the children's abilities and the process was recorded for further analysis to gain a broader insight to the reactions and responses
This was a highly successful project which gathered clear design insights and qualitative data. Designers became highly motivated and designed outcomes rich in experience, and focused on engagement.
The relationship built with this school secured the project to repeat over 4 academic cycles and facilitated further user integration with students and pupils in their year 3 Final Major Projects
Engagement of the user group was key to obtaining user insights. Children were treated to new technology learning opportunities and goodie bags from the workshop were given to the children. This 'two way street' exchanged helped secure full engagement with the children for the evaluation tests carried out later in the project.
