The presentation for a 2009 Workshop run at EPIC 2009
Description:
Analysis and synthesis are critical to the application of observational research techniques in a design context, yet are often underrepresented in literature and discussion. What discussion there is often centers on execution of individual methods and practices and the benefits they provide. These in-depth explorations of individual methods are invaluable to us as practitioners, but mastery of any individual method does not lead to mastery of the analytical / synthetic process.
In this workshop, we will investigate the core purpose(s) individual methods serve, how they relate to each other and to the process as a whole. We will seek to establish and evaluate a strawman organizational model describing the analysis / synthesis lifecycle and the value of those activities through discussion of individual methods employed by our cross-disciplinary participants.
Goals and Benefits:
The use of such a organizational model of analysis and synthesis would be:
* -to introduce practitioners to new methods from a variety of academic backgrounds,
* -to illustrate the analytical value that these methods may provide,
* -to enable thoughtful selection of methods appropriate for the problem at hand (based on project goal, time available, data gathered, and other real world constraints),
* -to provide perspective on how individual methods relate to each other, and
* -to better articulate expected outcomes and defend time devoted to analysis and synthesis activities
The future of UX design support tools - talk Paris March 2024
Analysis & Synthesis For Design | An Elephant Surrounded By Blind Men
1. Analysis & Synthesis for Design
An Elephant Surrounded By Blind Men
John Payne"
September 1, 2009
2. p2
The Six Blind Men of Indostan - John Godfrey Saxe
It was six men of Indostan to learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant (though all of them were blind),
That each by observation might satisfy his mind
The First approached the Elephant, and happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant Is very like a wall!”
The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp? Ho me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a spear!”
The Third approached the animal, and happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant is very like a snake!”
3. p3
The Six Blind Men of Indostan - John Godfrey Saxe
The Fourth reached out an eager hand, and felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant is very like a tree!”
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most; deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant is very like a fan!”
The Sixth no sooner had begun about the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail that fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant is very like a rope!”
And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!
4. p4
Analysis & Synthesis for Design… Why?
Analysis and synthesis are critical to the
application of observational research
techniques in a design context, yet are
underrepresented in literature and
discussion. What discussion there is
often centers on execution of individual
methods and practices and the benefits
they provide.
These in-depth explorations of
individual methods are invaluable to
us as practitioners, but mastery of any
individual method does not lead to
mastery of the analytical / synthetic
process.
5. p5
Workshop format
In this workshop, we will investigate the
core purpose(s) individual methods
serve, how they relate to each other and
to the process as a whole.
We will seek to establish and evaluate
a strawman organizational model
describing the analysis / synthesis
lifecycle and the value of those activities
through discussion of individual methods
employed by our cross-disciplinary
participants.
Workshop participants will
- engage in discussion and critique of a
strawman analysis and synthesis
lifecycle,
- contribute methods they have brought to
bear for different analytical purposes, and
- describe the value those methods have
generated.
6. p6
Workshop goals
Through active discussion and
critique we will
- Better describe the component
activities of Analysis & Synthesis, across
methods
- Prepare to define the business value of
Analysis & Synthesis activities to clients
and stakeholders
- Lay groundwork for structure to teach
researchers, designers and other
stakeholders how to thoughtfully select
methods and execute analysis that
covers the “whole elephant.”
7. p7
About me
Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design from
Bauhaus-style product design program with
methodology focus.
Began career as Environmental Designer and
Design Engineer (Facility, Retail and Exhibit)
Master’s Degree in Design from Human-
Centered Design Planning program with
methodology focus.
Transitioned to career in Experience Design for
Internet (Web, Mobile, Emerging Platform)
Co-managed group of Researchers and
Designers within Technology Consulting firm
Co-founded Interaction Design firm where I am
responsible for the Experience Strategy and
Design practices.
Developed and taught courses to graduate,
undergraduate and corporate audiences
What I am
Student
Designer
Planner
Researcher
Strategist
Manager
Consultant
Entrepreneur
Teacher
9. p9
What we do
Moment is an interaction design
firm focused exclusively on
providing user experience strategy
and design consulting for the Web,
the mobile and emerging platform
experiences.
Research & Strategy
– Observational research
– Participatory design
– Usability testing
– User requirements development
& product strategy
Design
– Business analysis
– Information architecture
– Visual design
– Presentation-layer prototyping
– Design specifications
About Moment
10. p10
Research, Analysis & Synthesis at Moment
Research Methods
- In-context interview &
observation
- Self-documentation
studies (photo, video,
journal, SMS, blog)
- Participatory design
research (paper and post-it
prototyping, card sorting,
etc.)
- Usability testing
(interactive prototype, live
site, etc.)
Synthesis Methods
- Sketches
- Experience Models
- Wireframes
- Prototypes
- Personas / User Models
- User Scenarios
- User Journeys
- Service Blueprints
- Storyboarding
- Prototyping
Analysis Methods
- Task analysis
- Heuristic analysis
- Competitive analysis
- Usability analysis
- Customer experience
analysis
- Trend analysis
- User needs/ motivations/
values analysis
17. p17
Deconstructing Analysis Techniques - Steve Baty
Deconstruction: breaking observations down
into component pieces. This is the classical
definition of analysis.
Manipulation: re-sorting, rearranging and
otherwise moving your research data, without
fundamentally changing it. This is used both as
a preparatory technique - i.e. as a precursor to
some other activity - or as a means of
exploring the data as an analytic tool in its own
right.
Transformation: Processing the data to arrive
at some new representation of the
observations. Unlike manipulation,
transformation has the effect of changing the
data.
Summarization: collating similar observations
together and treating them collectively. This is
a standard technique in many quantitative
analysis methods.
Aggregation: closely related to
summarization, this technique draws together
data from multiple sources. Such collections
typically represent a “higher-level” view made
up from the underlying individual data sets.
Aggregate data is used frequently in
quantitative analysis.
Generalization: taking specific data from our
observations and creating general statements
or rules.
Abstraction: the process of stripping out the
particulars - information that relates to a
specific example - so that more general
characteristics come to the fore.
Synthesis: The process of drawing together
concepts, ideas, objects and other qualitative
data in new configurations, or to create
something entirely new.
18. p18
Interaction Design Synthesis - Jon Kolko
A Working Theory of Design Synthesis:
Design synthesis is an abductive sensemaking
process of manipulating, organizing, pruning
and filtering data in an effort to produce
information and knowledge.
The Three Chasms
36. p36
“In some cases we’ll use
a part of a questionnaire
or a tool to help us get
what we want, because
using the entire thing is
too time consuming.”
“I repurposed the prospect
letter for my non-HNW
clients to introduce them to
the program and transition
them to a Junior team
member.”
“My CSA does all the
‘understanding’ phase with
prospects, I just come in for
the close.”
FAs are wary of showing
a “standardized process”
or a “branded initiative” to
their clients because it
may negatively impact
their perceived expertise.
“There are data integration
issues between the tools
causing the need for double
entry of some data”
Curation
44. p44
Analysis & Synthesis for Design
An Elephant Surrounded By Blind Men
John Payne"
jpayne@momentdesign.com
45. p45
References
Kolko, Jon. 2007. Information Architecture and
Design Strategy:The Importance of Synthesis
during the Process of Design. IDSA 2007
Educational Conference Proceedings. http://
www.jonkolko.com/
writingInfoArchDesignStrategy.php (accessed
August 1, 2009).
Dubberly, Hugh et al. 2008. The Analysis-
Synthesis Bridge Model. Interactions XV.2 -
March / April, 2008 http://www.dubberly.com/
articles/interactions-the-analysis-synthesis-
bridge-model.html (accessed August 1, 2009).
Kolko, Jon. 2009. Design Synthesis. http://
designmind.frogdesign.com/videos/misc/
design-synthesis.html (accessed August 1,
2009).
Baty, Steve. 2009. Deconstructing Analysis
Techniques, parts 1 – 3. Johnny Holland.
http://johnnyholland.org/magazine/2009/02/
deconstructing-analysis-techniques (accessed
August 1, 2009).