Theme 5: Design research

How can media technologies be evaluated?

Media technologies can be evaluated in several different ways. Since much of the technology consists applications, websites, games, programs and more, it is important to evaluate the user-experience and the interface of these products. One example is to do a mockup similar to the mobile phone, like Shafiq ur Réhman, Jiong Sun, Li Liu, and Haibo Li did in their research(1). You can evaluate media technologies through the computer, mobile phones, and combining these to with other factors such as arduino-programming. There are also different methods you can use to evaluate media technologies such as an interactive mockup of an developing website, or an interactive application which is still in the developing stage. You can also use methods like eye-tracking while developing the most user-friendly website so the users feel satisfied while looking at a web page. In the text, the authors talk about that usability is examined with respect to effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Which are three important aspects to generate the most successful product.  

What role will prototypes play in research?

Prototypes do therefore play a big role in research to evaluate for example a website, application, a technical device or in this case, a feature to your mobile phone, so that the three aspects of usability are accomplished. In this study, they used a mobile phone with a vibrating system that is connected through a PCB board. The mobile phone vibrates every time a player kicks a football in a football game. This is so the viewers may feel more involved and interacted in the game. A prototype can therefore be a first stage development of a device or digital tools. A prototype can also reject or change a project in an early stage, if it do not fulfill the right needs.   

Why could it be necessary to develop a proof of concept prototype?

In an early stage of a study it would be necessary to develop a POC though it is a demonstration of a product, service or idea. As the name refers, you will notice if the concept (product, service, idea) is sufficiently proof to develop it further to a more realistic usable product.  

What are characteristics and limitations of prototypes?

The characteristics of prototypes is that it is developed in an early stage so errors or unpleasant usability can be detected and fixed before the completed product. This leads to a limitation that the definite product may have errors that are not detected during the development. I think that problems such as usability and design can easy be detected in an early stage, but when it comes to the systematic part (e.g bugs), I think errors can occur to the finished design. And this will also lead to a extended time limit. An advantage is that the prototype can be changed during the development via feedback so it fulfills the users needs and to find the most solid solution/product. A disadvantage is that prototypes have a limited interaction, so the finished product may occur different than the prototype and it may disappoint the costumers.

How can design research be communicated/presented?

Prototyping is a good way to present a design. It can also be presented in other forms such as paper mockups or instruction films. But in this way, a limitation is that the users can not interact with the product.

How does a collaborative setting differ from a single user setting as regards methodology used and the results obtained?

During a collaborative setting, people that work together can share their knowledge and discuss from different aspects than an individual can. As Moll, J. and Sallnäs, E-L describes, people like working in groups due to the task is performed faster, it is fun to collaborate with other people and it is easier to solve tasks. People also thought that they would never manage to solve a certain task alone, but only if they tended to work together. A downside, by working in a collaborative setting is, as Sällnäs etc writes, the individual can not perform a task fully because they have to share it with others. So the work being performed has a lower quality individually if they're working in groups. (2)

How can qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study complement each other?

You will get a better and consist evaluation, by combining these two models. There are advantages and disadvantages with both methods, but combining these two will complement each other. For example, an advantage with quantitative methods is that you can reach out to many in a short period of time, with example web-surveys. Why not combine the quantitative method by including qualitative data too. In a web-survey you can for example have “free-text” answers where the respondents with their own words, reflect upon a subject. An advantage with qualitative methods is that you spend more time med constructing a study which allows as much concrete information as possible to complete you study. Though qualitative methods do not have any special guidelines can the study be examined step by step. By combining e.g a pre-questionnaire with the qualitative method, allows those who perform the study to aim it in a certain way, and thus, obtain as much qualitative data as possible.

How can using both subjective and objective methods give a better understanding of a phenomenon?

Using both subjective(qualitative) and objective(quantitative) methods may complement each other to give a better understanding of a phenomenon. While objective methods are independent of a person's thoughts, feelings and knowledge one can examine how phenomenon occurs by observation and investigation. Due to objective methods are fairly simplistic, all investigating factors may not be concluded. But to get better understanding of a phenomenon, observation is not good enough. One also need to interpret and perceive the observation-data to prove that a phenomenon exists or not. One can not entirely get to understand a phenomenon just by investing or observing it, one may also through own values, thoughts and experiences determine a phenomenon.

(1) Réhman, S., Sun, J., Liu, L., & Li, H. (2008). Turn Your Mobile Into the Ball: Rendering Live Football Game Using Vibration. IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, 10(6), 1022-1033

(2) Moll, J. and Sallnäs, E-L. (2013). "A haptic tool for group work about geometrical concepts engaging blind and sighted pupils." ACM Transaction on Accessible Computing. 4(4), 1-37.