Design Planning Module 3: Research Methods

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Questions and Answers

What is the main focus of the third module of the Advanced Design Planning course?

Context and foresight research (correct)

Business strategy and management

Empathy research

Design planning and development

What is the purpose of benchmarking in the design process?

To analyze substitute products or services

To understand how competitors solve a problem (correct)

To develop initial design concepts

To identify direct competitors

What are direct competitors in the design process?

Companies with radically different products or services

Companies with no relation to the industry

Companies with substitute products or services

Companies with similar products or services (correct)

What is the significance of considering substitutes in the design process?

To understand the competitive landscape Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of contextual research in the design process?

To understand the context of the product or service Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of foresight research in the design process?

To balance empathy research Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the four classes of inquiry in the design process?

To understand the context and develop insights Signup and view all the answers

What is the main objective of the Advanced Design Planning course?

To develop design planning skills Signup and view all the answers

What type of businesses or organizations are considered wallet competitors?

Those that exist in the same ecosystem Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of benchmarking in the context of competitors?

To understand how competitors address an issue Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an exemplar in the context of hiring?

An organization in a different industry that addresses the same issue Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of studying analogies?

To understand how other organizations in other industries address the same issue Signup and view all the answers

What is the final stage of contextual research?

Inspirations Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of studying how other organizations solve similar problems?

It helps to see patterns and insights that aren't immediately obvious Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of looking at how other industries do hiring?

To understand different strategies and approaches Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of studying how universities do orientation for new students?

It helps to understand how other organizations solve similar problems Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of looking at how nature does things?

To draw inspiration Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of studying inspirations?

To draw inspiration from anywhere Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of studying how pilots scheduled their flights before the use of computers and databases?

To identify novel solutions for modern scheduling problems Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of contextual research in understanding a problem or issue?

To build a larger contextual understanding of the problem Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the contextual research worksheet?

To organize ideas and insights in a structured way Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of synthesizing research findings into a format that's easy to read and distill?

It enables effective communication of research insights Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the 'why you chose them' section in the contextual research worksheet?

To justify the selection of the case study Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between causal logic and the strategies identified in the contextual research worksheet?

Causal logic informs the development of strategies Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of identifying key takeaways from the case study?

To apply the insights to a new problem or issue Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of inspiration in the contextual research process?

To identify novel solutions to a problem Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of using a contextual research worksheet?

It helps to organize and structure research insights Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the contextual research worksheet and the case study?

The worksheet is used to organize and structure the case study Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step suggested when redesigning the pilot scheduling application?

Examining current benchmarks Signup and view all the answers

Which industries were suggested as exemplars for self-scheduling by employees?

Logistics and healthcare Signup and view all the answers

How does the text describe the transition to looking at analogies?

Challenging but highly productive Signup and view all the answers

What abstract concept does the text attribute to scheduling work?

Planning ahead using given options to achieve a goal Signup and view all the answers

What industries are mentioned as being useful to study for analogies?

Travel and hospitality Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy from travel planning is suggested as beneficial for a flight scheduling app?

Implementing last-minute booking deadlines Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest you can gain by looking at how vacations are booked?

New perspectives and patterns Signup and view all the answers

What is the final step mentioned in the approach for redesigning the scheduling application?

Drawing from inspirations Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is not directly mentioned as part of benchmarking other airlines?

How airlines manage logistics Signup and view all the answers

Why might looking at other industries be beneficial in redesigning the scheduling application?

To gain fresh insights and unlock new opportunities Signup and view all the answers

What was the analogy used by the student for planning a road trip?

Synthesizing research Signup and view all the answers

What organization did the student choose to study for its decision-making process?

NASSER Signup and view all the answers

How is NASSER using crowdsourcing to aid its processes?

Deciding launch times Signup and view all the answers

What did crowdsourcing inspire the student to consider for the road trip project?

Asking a larger crowd for planning help Signup and view all the answers

What is an important aspect of identifying trends according to the text?

Considering both strong trends and early warnings Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a significant demographic factor mentioned?

Population distribution Signup and view all the answers

What specific demographic shift was noted about North America?

Increasing urbanization Signup and view all the answers

Which trend is categorized under demographics?

Changes in level of education Signup and view all the answers

What was a key piece of causal logic derived from the study of NASSER?

Using crowdsourcing Signup and view all the answers

What is the next section focused on after covering the contextual piece?

Understanding trends Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of vectors in the context of the discussed worksheet?

To highlight future directions for design Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to complete the worksheet discussed?

To create a set of benchmarks and future directions Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus when understanding the 'context piece'?

Current innovations shaping experiences Signup and view all the answers

What topic is mentioned as an example in the content provided?

Millennial consumers preparing for retirement Signup and view all the answers

What does the content suggest about the sequence of completing the three parts (empathy, context, and future)?

They can be done concurrently in any order Signup and view all the answers

Which activity is recommended after understanding the last two tools discussed in the content?

Completing Exercise three Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason given for using the retirement preparation example?

It's an illustration of a good vector Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does a 'complete picture empathy piece' help understand deeply?

Stakeholders' needs Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate goal after finishing the worksheet, as indicated in the content?

Identifying key insights and directions Signup and view all the answers

Why is building a large fact base important before identifying key insights?

To ensure findings are extensive and fact-based Signup and view all the answers

What is a likely reason for retailers to change their strategy?

A demographic shift causing more people to move to the southeast Signup and view all the answers

What demographic trend is currently affecting universities?

A demographic cliff leading to fewer college-aged individuals Signup and view all the answers

What did marketers in the seventies and eighties consider when marketing to families with young children?

The preferences of young boys Signup and view all the answers

What shift has occurred regarding decision-making within families over time?

Decision-making has shifted to young women Signup and view all the answers

Why must designers consider demographic shifts?

To create suitable products and services for evolving markets Signup and view all the answers

What aspect should you design for when considering who is in charge within society?

Deviations from societal norms Signup and view all the answers

What example demonstrates how society's decision-making within families has evolved?

Young girls now often influence weekend family plans Signup and view all the answers

How do marketers adjust their approach based on the demographic cliff?

They tailor their strategies to appeal to fewer college-aged students Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of knowing larger patterns and trends in design?

To design based on demographic and social shifts Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of not considering demographic shifts in university planning?

Loss of competitive balance among universities Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Contextual Research

Contextual research involves understanding the context of a product or service to redesign it.
It involves four classes of inquiry:
- Benchmarks: Understanding how competitors and businesses in the industry currently solve a problem.
- Exemplars: Studying how other organizations and industries address a similar issue.
- Analogies: Identifying abstract patterns and structures that can be applied to a problem.
- Inspirations: Drawing inspiration from distant and unrelated fields.

Benchmarks

Involves understanding how competitors solve a problem.
Identifying direct competitors who offer the same product or service.
Identifying wallet competitors who share the same customer wallet.
Understanding substitutes that offer alternative solutions.

Exemplars

Studying how other organizations and industries address a similar issue.
Identifying other industries that have similar problems.

Analogies

Identifying abstract patterns and structures that can be applied to a problem.
Making the problem more abstract to identify new solutions.

Inspirations

Drawing inspiration from distant and unrelated fields.
Looking at how others solve similar problems in different contexts.

Case Study: Redesigning a Flight Scheduling App

Identifying the problem: Redesigning an app for United Airlines pilots to schedule their flights.
Benchmarking: Studying how other airlines enable pilots to schedule their flights.
Exemplars: Studying how other industries enable employees to self-schedule and pick slots.
Analogies: Identifying abstract patterns in scheduling and applying them to the app.
Inspirations: Drawing inspiration from other unrelated fields.

Contextual Research Worksheet

The worksheet includes sections for:
- Case type
- Organization
- Reason for choosing the organization
- Key points
- Causal logic
- Strategies

Causal Logic

Identifying the detailed steps of how a system works.
How an organization or industry solves a problem.

Strategies

Elements that are key takeaways from studying an organization or industry.
What can be applied to the redesign of the flight scheduling app.

Example: Road Tripping and Nasser

A student studied how Nasser collects and synthesizes information to make decisions.
Identifying the causal logic of how Nasser makes decisions.
Applying the strategy to road tripping, using crowdsourcing to plan a road trip.### Decision Making in Family Structures
Young girls or women often make decisions for their families on weekends
Marketers have shifted their strategies to target this demographic

Technological Advancements

Technology is changing rapidly, influencing industries and product design
Emerging technologies like AI, trust architecture, and blockchain are transforming industries

Identify vectors (insights on changes) to inform design decisions
Use a worksheet to identify vectors, evidence, and implications for a business or product

Analyzing Industry Trends

Develop a set of case studies, analogies, exemplars, benchmarks, and inspirations
Identify future directions the industry is likely to take

Empathy and Context

Develop a deep understanding of stakeholders' needs and context
Analyze innovations and ideas shaping the current experience

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Description

Learn about research methods for design planning, including context and foresight research, in this module of the Advanced Design Planning course.