Using Activity Mapping to Identify Design Opportunities

Activity Mapping to Identify Design Opportunities

Part A: Activity Mapping

Note: You cannot do this exercise in a random manner. It will lead you to no where. You must have in mind your target audience (targer user or target group) to begin and end effectively.

An example: Activity mapping on 'Eating Satay'

1) Pre-Activity - Describes what is done before the activity

e.g. bring money. order the satay. satay is here. reach out for the juiciest stick.

2) Activity - Explains what is involved in the activity

e.g. dip satay into gravy. take a first bite. push the remaining to the front. dip satay into gravy again. take last bite.

3) Post Activity - Includes what is involved after the activity

e.g. put down the satay stick on the table. or continue 'poking' a sliced cucumber or onion.

4) Assessment - Involves how one knows if the activity has been successful

  

e.g. I have problem moving the last bit of the satay from the back to the front. If I don't move it, cannot get it dipped in the gravy. the satay gravy bowl might be a little shallow. But when I do move it . I used my mouth to slide it to the front, my lips becomes full of gravy. Sometimes the gravy touches my cheeks! It seems to be the case everywhere I go and happens to almost everyone I observed.

Part B: Identify Products in Each Process of the Activity Mapping

In Activity Mapping, you made a list of activities involved in each process. Next you will

(a) identify products involved in each process

(b) identify / investigate if there are any problems with these products

(c) suggest any improvements or any possibility of inventing / innovating a new product

(d) note what could make life easier for people

(e) perhaps list all the things that could go wrong when using a product

By now you would have already identified quite a number of design opportunities. Imagine if you do activity mapping for another one or two more activities...

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Activity Mapping is adapted and modified from:

http://educate.intel.com/en/DesignDiscovery/Curriculum/DesignProcess/Session2/Session2B/

or

http://download.intel.com/education/common/en/resources/DD/DD_Session2_SG.pdf

This post was first published on 16 January 2012