Preparing a design brief

What is the best input to a creative initiative?

"Write a clear brief, focus on the brief, learn to articulate the proposition quickly and clearly." Jim Prior, 2020 (Global CEO of Superunion, WPP)

A design brief is a short statement that provides information on AS-IS situations:

Stakeholders, people who use, peoples' needs, goals, describes activities, explains issues found and errors found, provides clear statements of any problems found and identifies possible causes, provides evidence justifying benefits, details potential opportunities.

On Surveys and Questionnaires as research methods - UCD access to the Qualtrics tool

Designing surveys and questionnaires is hard but we have good tools... The UCD College of Business has a site licence for the online research survey package, Qualtrics. The licence is for both staff and students (use your @ucdconnect.ie email address as username to register).  Qualtrics is a leading online resource which enables users to engage in many kinds of online data collection and analysis.

Why do we recommend Qualtrics over other tools? Because it offers fantastic in-app advice and tips on good questionnaire construction.

• We have unlimited users access for ALL staff and students across the College of Business for own projects and assignments.

More information at

https://iltg.ucd.ie/kb/qualtrics-surveys/

What is design thinking?

What is design thinking? For me design thinking is two simple things. Design thinking is an attitude to the world and it is a way of organising design action in the world. 

First, design thinking is simply an attitude to the world. I think of it as a way of seeing the world, an openness to seeing things differently from time to time. This mode of design thinking needs us to be awake to the ways we encounter the world, things, and interactions because most of the time most of these happenings are kind of invisible, subliminal.

The second way of thinking about design thinking is that it is simply a way of organising design action in the world. This is the public version of design thinking that we see in the IDEO videos or presented as design sprints. And design action in this sense is the process of finding challenges, problems, envisaging and idea generation, solution proposal and creation, testing and feedback, and again and again.

This post by Kristen Seversky also offers a short but thoughtful take on design thinking in the realm of software development. Kirsten describes herself as a "product-owning, design-thinking, code-writing, people person striving to make tech more meaningful and inclusive." In Design thinking and my journey from software developer to product owner she reflects that:

``Design thinking isn’t a set of laws; it’s a shift in focus that re-centers humans at the core of our work. We’re a bunch of humans building solutions that humans will use. Maintaining exposure to their realities is our only means of actually solving problems instead of indirectly creating new ones. It’s an ethical agenda.''

The view from here...

(https://iwa.ie/information/dvd-section)

The Irish Wheelchair Association produced the 'View From Here' video as a learning resource for starting discussions about disability awareness.

 

Take special care to notice the power gap that our wheelchair user experiences simply by being lower than everyone else. A similar problem experienced by both small and tall people to different degrees. Not so much the power of deliberate exclusion but rather the power of omission. The spatial zones delineated by where and at what height our gaze is directed.

NDA training module - introduction to...

From http://nda.ie/resources/eLearning

``
The National Disability Authority has produced this short online training module to help staff to deal with customers with disabilities. The module is aimed at public sector staff in Ireland.
Anybody can do the training module. All you’ll need is a computer with web access, sound output and on average it takes one hour to complete. The module works best with the Internet Explorer browser. It does not work with the latest versions of Chrome or Firefox.
You can also watch this video introduction to the module, and proposals as to how to make it work within your organisation.
''

   

Murderball - wheelchair rugby

From Wikipedia:
"Wheelchair rugby is a team sport for athletes with a disability. It is practised in over twenty-five countries around the world and is a summer Paralympic sport. Wikipedia"

Notes on research project and poster options after UCD Teaching at a Distance Policy

The research project will still focus on disability needs/goals for the design thinking exercise.
UPDATED 2/4/2020

1. One or two groups may have already gathered field data, and may proceed as before.

For those who have not yet started fieldwork  the previous scope/instructions are no longer valid so we have to change. There will no longer be a requirement for group work.

2. It will now be an individual research exercise.
We will limit the investigation to visual impairment interacting with UCD's digital services only. No need for outside activities or to involve other people in the research exercise.

Your research project will study a limited number of defined actions/goals using UCD's digital services rather than physical on-campus activities. These objectives will be attained with the access/disability features on your own smart device (phone, tablet, PC or other).

Additional information:

For further notes on how to plan and produce your research project see the following page:
https://ucddt2.blogspot.com/2020/03/design-brief-poster-and-individual.html

Late Late Show Wheelchair Challenge (2017)

"Co-Founder of Mobility Mojo Stephen Cluskey challenged Kathryn Thomas and Kevin Kilbane to experience life in a wheelchair in Dublin City Centre. Stephen discusses how this came about and Kathryn and Kevin then join him to detail their experience."

Kevin Kilbane attempting to find a wheelchair accessible taxi (image source: RTÉ (2017))

From RTÉ's Late Late Show Wheelchair Challenge episode



Additional sources:
http://stephencluskey.com/

Big Life Fix

Q: Did you see this new series on RTE?

RTÉ series, Big Life Fix

"
Ireland's leading inventors create ingenious solutions to everyday problems for extraordinary people.
A brand new RTÉ series, Big Life Fix, challenges a group of leading designers, engineers, computer programmers and technology experts to create inventions that will transform people's lives. Filmed over the course of a full year, the group uses cutting edge science and technology to build practical solutions for those who need their help.
Based at TOG, a facility for makers in the Blackpitts area of Dublin city, the team harnesses the power of science to create tailor-made inventions for individuals and families. Between them, they can build everything from space satellites to life-saving medical devices and military hardware.
Made with the support of Science Foundation Ireland, this series marries real problems and human drama with science, proving that with a little bit of ingenuity – nothing is impossible.
"

Introduction to the Design Kit Travel Pack

The Design Kit's home...
https://www.designkit.org/methods

Introducing Design Kit:Travel Pack from IDEO.org on Vimeo.

Exercise: Research protocols for wheelchair driver + buddy

Research protocols for initial familiarisation driving a wheelchair and personally assessing the environment (physical, social, affective).

Roles:

• 1x wheelchair driver - the driver role is required to follow the Narration research method by recording their descriptions (e.g. using smartphone audio recording function).
• 1x wheelchair buddy- the buddy role is required to follow the Still-Photo Survey research method (e.g. using smartphone camera function).
• +1 extra buddy if needed following the same or another selected protocol.

Instructions:

Test Case #1. Basic movement skills - using doors

Time allocation = 10 minutes

Starting from Q280 ThinkLab

Outbound & Return

• Starting in Q280 ThinkLab.
• Practice driving the chair in Q280.
• Turn right/left.
• Make your way down the corridor.
• Turn around.
• Return to Q280 ThinkLab.
• Exchange driver/buddy roles.
• End.

Test Case #2. Navigating public spaces -  using lifts and doors

Time allocation = 10 minutes

Starting from Q280 ThinkLab

Outbound

• Turn right/left.
• Make your way to a lift.
• Take the lift to the 1st floor.
• Make your way to the print/copy room.
• Exchange driver/buddy roles.

Return

• Turn right/left.
• Make your way to a lift.
• Take the lift to the 2nd floor.
• Make your way to Q280 ThinkLab.
• End.

Save Data

Share data gathered (voice recording and photos) in the group folder.

Notes:

Narration method (Category: ASK)

" How: As they perform a process or execute a specific task, ask participants to describe aloud what they are thinking.
Why: This is a useful way to reach user’s motivations, concerns, perceptions, and reasoning."
(IDEO, 2003)

Still-Photo Survey method (Category: LOOK)

" How: Follow a planned shooting script and capture pictures of specific objects, activities, etc.
Why: The team can use this visual evidence to uncover patterns of behaviour and perceptions related to a particular product or context, as well as structure and inspire design ideas."
(IDEO, 2003) 

Useful Technology for people with impaired vision

(Notes courtesy of NCBI)

Useful Technology for people with impaired vision:

• Computer Software: enlarging or screen-reading
• CCTV for reading print or handwritten documents
• Braille note-taker
• Braille printer
• Colour identifier
• Bone-conductor headphones – allows you to hear background noise
• Orcam - €3000! Point at a page or sign and it will read it. Sits on glasses, near ear. Also identifies colour.
• Body camera, like a dash cam, to record and show difficulties on a journey.

Smartphone.

• Built-in: voice recorder, torch, text-to-speech, camera: useful for photographing dangerous posters, taxi driver’s identification tag, access problems.
• Accessibility features: enlarge print, and change colour of print and of background, on screen. Audible diary/calendar to keep track of appointments. Weather and time can be made available audibly. Android: Google Assistant. iPhone: Siri
• Add-on Apps: NTA Journey Planner; “Be my Eyes”; Magnifier App (read menu or short note); “Free Now” (taxi); Soundscape;

Etiquette - Some Do’s and Don’ts

(Notes courtesy of NCBI)

Do’s and Don’ts.

On the phone or in person:

• Greet the person by saying your name, with perhaps a reminder of where/when you last met.
• Talk directly to the person rather than through a third party. (Such as a family member or Personal Assistant) It’s easier if you know the person with sight loss by name – say their name when you are speaking to them. If you don’t know their name, don’t be afraid to ask, when giving your own name.
• Try to speak clearly, facing the person with sight loss while you do so.
• Address the person with sight loss by name when directing conversation to them, in a group situation.
• If someone joins or leaves the group, tell the person with sight loss that this has happened.
• Don’t be afraid to use terms like ‘see you later’. People with sight loss use these expressions too.

In the home or office of a person with sight loss:

• To avoid the possibility of someone banging their head, close the door after you, coming in and out. If you open an overhead press door, close it after you. If you see one open, tell the person, and ask if they’d like you to close it.
• If you need to move something in the home or office of a person with vision impairment, tell the person that you are doing so.
• Before you leave, replace the item exactly where it was, and tell them that you have done so, or explain why that is no longer possible, and tell them the new position of the item, so that they can find it when you are gone. Make sure that they have understood you.

Outdoors:

• If you see head-height obstacles ahead of a person using a white cane or guide dog, warn them. A cane cannot locate head-height obstacles, and a guide dog might not always be able to do so.
• Always let a person with sight loss know when you are approaching. A sudden voice at close range when they didn’t hear anyone approach can be very startling. Speak first from a little distance away, and again as you draw closer.
• If you are giving directions, don’t point. Give clear verbal directions, for example ‘to your left’ rather than ‘over there’.
• Don’t assume that a person using a white cane or guide dog is totally blind. If you notice that they are using vision, in some way, this does not mean that they are “cheating” or “pretending”! Don’t assume that because a person can see one thing that they can see everything. If necessary, ask the person if they can see a particular landmark or obstacle.
• Before giving assistance, always ask the person first if they would like help, and if they do, ask what assistance is needed. Do not assume that you know what help they need.
• If you have been guiding a blind person and need to leave them, bring them to some reference point that they can feel, like a wall for example. To be left in open space can be disorientating for a person with no vision.
• If you’ve been talking to a person with sight loss, tell them when you are leaving, so that they are not left talking to themselves.