Studio 8 | Identifying research activities and methods;

Reading Halloran, J., Hornecker, E., Fitzpatrick, G., Weal, M., Millard, D., Michaelides, D., Cruickshank, D. and De Roure, D. (2006) Unfolding understandings: Co-designing UbiComp in situ, over time. In Proceedings of Designing Interactive Systems, DIS 2006. ACM, 109-118.

These are some of the research activities and techniques used by researches at Chawton House:

Usability Evaluation – the advantages of a usability evaluation are that research can be conducted in a controlled environment in order to try and keep the testing consistent. Usability testing showcases possible real life end-users navigating through predefined tasks, voicing their opinions, giving the researchers feedback and acting on the instructors guidelines. The evaluation is often recorded and watched again to analyse a users actions, both on screen from in-game behavior and his actual body behavior and observations visually.

Laboratory/workshop Observation - experienced and recorded by researches but tour actually given by curator, so technically a combination of usability evaluation and Expert evaluation. An expert evaluation acts as a good initial stage before holding the usability testing. An expert evaluation can often draw templates of what experiences and tasks the usability testers should undergo to explore the possibility of usability problems. These expert evaluators also can use their knowledge of similar existing systems(if possible when designing pervasive systems) to enhance the UCD aspects of design. They after all are well practiced and experienced end users, who know what issues may prove to be problematic, and who can provide ideas of possible solutions.

Beta Testing – the school field trip acts as an early beta testing stage for Chawton House, giving the researchers an opportunity to observe a certain type of end user (children) evaluating and testing the system. Also observations are then obtainable via interviews held with the curators after the field trip.

Discussion – brainstorming in more technical terms, acting as a stage for usability requirements and developmental suggestions to be voiced. This gives the end user to create requirements ranging in scope and relative necessity.

Questionnaire – alike discussions in many ways, but a more individual approach. In a questionnaire the person giving the information will hopefully have not have had their views affected by others as they would have in a discussion. Questionnaires are also a good way to let people give feedback in their own time, allowing them to make more educated input.