Co-Design Methods
The subsequent sections describe the various co-design methods employed in this phase, as well as the objectives behind their usage and the final result.
Co-Design Method - Day in the life
Description
Day in life is a method in which the designer observes the participation in the location and context of their usual activities, observing and recording events to understand the activities from their point of view [1].
Objective
The primary objective of employing this method was to take note of times in which she experienced the most stress and feelings of being overwhelmed and times in the day at which the baby demanded an increasing amount of attention. In doing so, the optimal time that she desired her baby to be engaged in independent play could be determined.
Process
While observing the participant in her primary location for activities(i.e. her home) was not pursued due to privacy reasons and it being too intrusive, a meeting was held with the participant in which she described her day-to-day life as a working mother with a baby. During this process, adjustments had to be made as the mother cited the baby's sporadic sleep schedule, hence the result was a more generalized version of her day.
Result
Co-Design Method - Future Map
Description
The Future Map is designed to create a deeper understanding of the participant. By asking a series of questions("What do I value?", "What are my qualities?", "What is challenging me?", "What goals do I have?"), that can be answered either verbally or physically and mapped out, a greater understanding can be obtained on the motivations, desired and qualities of the participant in question [2].
Objective
The primary objective of employing this method was two-fold: Firstly, a deeper understanding of the mother's worldview and character was sought, with a special focus on aspects of her character that aligned with the product and could be incorporated into the design. Secondly, the mother's vision was desired as well. This would better help align the vision of the product, ensure that it is a long-term product that can benefit the mother for an extended period, and, most importantly, ensure that the proposed solution is not just a solution for the baby's needs, but also a solution for the mother's needs as well.
Process
The co-design session started with the group asking the participant each question, allowing for elaboration and ample time for ideas. Before writing points, each identified point was reflected and/or summarized to the participant to ensure that the information was correctly captured. Finally, scenarios were brainstormed with the participant by first asking about typical scenarios she experienced and then asking for elaboration on certain scenarios.
Result
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Co-Design Method - Photo Diary
Description
The Photo Diary is a method in which the participant collects and shares different pictures of moments in their life. This includes pictures of specific times of the day, environments, places, tools and people [3].
Objective
The primary objective of employing this method was to understand several key aspects: namely, the environment and settings that the mother frequented, pictures of existing toys that the baby found engaging(albeit not for long), and pictures of existing items that the baby found intriguing. This information would be crucial as certain aspects would be incorporated into the ideation sessions and taken into account when deciding on the direction of the product.
Process
The participant was asked to keep a visual diary of places she visited, as well as toys and items that continuously engaged the baby over the span of a week. These were subsequently shared with the group, organized accordingly and used as a baseline for the subsequent ideation process.
Result
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Co-Design Method - Meaning Map
Description
The Meaning Map is a co-design method that consists of drawing two relevant axes onto a canvas, mapping sets of photos, sticky notes, ideas, insights and observations gathered alongside the participant. [4].
Objective
The primary objective of employing this method was to have a conversation about the mappings made and see if the participant made any observations or reflections on the locations of the mapping, which was done by understanding why some parts of the map were crowded, and why some parts remained empty, and, most importantly Furthermore, it was desired to see how the participant gives meaning and value to certain items, and her thought process and reasoning behind prioritizing certain items above others to see what elements should be utilized to personalize the playground.
Process
A meeting was held with the participant in which sticky notes containing observations, notes and insights, as well as images of engaging items previously shared were meticulously collected. Next, an two axes were set: the vertical axis containing the labels Highly Engaging and Less Engaging, while the horizontal axis containing the labels High Parental Effort and Low Parental Effort. Subseuqently, alongside the participant, all the sticky notes and images were arranges onto the canvas in line with the axes. The primary benefit of this process was getting a deeper understanding of the activities and elements that the participant values, and gave a clearer direction to the type of toys that have the greatest impact.
Result
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Co-Design Method - Storyboards
Description
A storyboard is a visual tool that communicates a story through images displayed in a sequence of panels that chronologically map the story’s main events [5]. In the use case for the product, the storyboard consists of depictions of frequently repeated activities or habitual tasks that the mother completes during the day, depicted in visual form.
Objective
The primary objective of employing this method was to get a visual understanding of the most common situations for the mother to determine how the proposed product could fit into her day-to-day activities and tasks, and determine the optimal time of the day in which the product would be most beneficial. Furthermore, using this tool can provide a more holistic overview of certain difficulties that the mother faces, which should be taken into account when designing the product.
Process
A meeting was organized with the participant, and previous input from the day-in-the-life and future map was also gathered. Then, scenarios of key situations in which the product would be most beneficial were discussed with the participants and selected. For each scenario chosen, the previous input was used as a template for the scenario, and the participant would make corrections to any previous input made. This refined input was then translated into visual sketches and presented to the participant, who approved of their correctness and suggested changes as she saw fit.
Results
Visual Storyboard of the baby playing with the proposed product
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Visual Storyboard of the baby playing with the proposed product in a picnic
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Visual Storyboard of the baby playing with the proposed product in an ideal scenario
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Co-Design Method - Collage Cards
Description
This co-design method involved providing collages of several types of toys to the participant to discover emotions, feelings or wishes that the mother possesses over prospective toys in the proposed product. Collages are abstract by nature and allow the participant to express themselves through images and words that relate to how they envision current or future experiences with the product [6]
Objective
The primary objective of employing this method was to understand what design elements that the mother desired to see in the toys of the proposed product. It is important to note that the range of products in the collage was very diverse and not all developmentally appropriate for her specific child; rather, the focus was instead on honing in the preferences of the mother with regards to shapes, textures, colours, sizes and materials she desired, and subsequently incorporating these preferences in the final product.
Process
The participant was provided with a large collage split into 2 main sections: Toy colours & materials, and types of toys. For each section, captions were provided, and the participant was tasked with selecting toys, colours, materials and shapes that not only she believed were strongly engaging for the baby, but also toy design elements that she desired to see in the playground.
Result
References
[1] “Design Method Toolkit Day in the life,” toolkits.dss.cloud. https://toolkits.dss.cloud/design/method-card/day-in-the-life/
[2] Lecture Co Design Jelle Van Dijk on 8/3/24 - slide 26
[3] Lecture Co-Design by Francesca Toso on 5/3/24 - slide 5
[4] Lecture Co Design Jelle Van Dijk 8/3/24 - slide 39
[5] R. Krause, “Storyboards Help Visualize UX Ideas,” Nielsen Norman Group, Jul. 15, 2018. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/storyboards-visualize-ideas/
[6] C. Naranjo-Bock, “Creativity-based Research: the Process of Co-Designing with Users,” UX Magazine, Apr. 24, 2012. https://uxmag.com/articles/creativity-based-research-the-process-of-co-designing-with-users