I’m extremely happy to announce the publication of my first article to the interaction design magazine Johnny Holland. The article, titled “Deconstructing Analysis Techniques” looks at the major techniques we use in design research to move from observation to design insights and solutions. Here’s the introduction:
Analysis is that oft-glossed over, but extremely important step in the research process that sits between observation (data gathering) and our design insights or recommendations. In many respects, analysis is crucial to realizing the value of our research since good analysis can salvage something from bad research, but the converse is not so true. This is where the literature tends to fall a little silent, jumping over the analysis techniques straight to a discussion of how best to document and communicate the findings from analysis. This article seeks to begin to redress that imbalance by breaking down the analysis black box into its major sub-techniques.
Please take a read and let me know what you think.
Enjoyable and a few thoughts as I was reading the article:
* Identifying patterns in the data
* Engineering the right questions in the research goals to help find patterns
* The use of XLS and physical space (like walls and big tables) to represent large data sets
* How the clusters of data in that physical space can help to visualize and prioritize the data
* Inputs into the data that can help filter it to find answers
Great and thanks for the “hat tip” Doc.
Steve, I really enjoyed your article in Johnny Holland. It’d be great to hear more, and in depth, about each of the analysis activities. Are you planning to go further?
Dan, I’ve got an article on patterns coming out shortly in UXMatters. It’s a beginning only, and presents another piece in the broader analysis puzzle.
Adrian, I’m glad you liked the article. My aim is to keep building on the ideas introduced here and get into a fair degree of depth on each; and on how they get used together in our day-to-day work. But first I thought it would be good to just introduce each and have an agreed vocabulary in place.