Research Outline & Research Techniques

"It's time to do research"

But everybody seems to be looking at each other, some looked blankly on the blank paper, some simply totally blanked - all wondering what to do.

It is very common for students to be in a situation where they want to do research but do not know how and where to begin? 

Some randomly looked for stuffs to 'stuff' them in the journal. Some simply followed their teacher's suggestions to find 5 pictures of these and 10 examples of that. Then 5 advantages for this, and 3 disadvantages for that, etc. Then when those works are done, you look at them, and one wonders what they are for. And neither can the students explain when you asked them.

Is this very familiar?

Very funny actually.

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Firstly, you will need to be very clear on where you are in the design process. 

Because when you are at different stages of the design process that will requires very different type of research methods and strategies and there are not one size fits all approach.

Secondly, you need to know what information you are looking for. 

Ask what specifically are you looking for? 

Ask what do you want / need to know?

Thirdly, you must know your objectives for looking for those information.

For example, knowing what you want to achieve with those information. 

Knowing what you need / want to understand. 

Working out what information you do not have (yet).

Working out what you do not know (yet) but will be important to know or have to. 

Knowing what you will be doing with all those information? 

Knowing how will you be using those information to achieve your objectives?

Finally, having worked all of the above out, you should be clear what you need now. 

Next you'll need to have a few strategies to get those information you need. 

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I just realized I have written on just about every strategy a student can use as research methods / strategies for any part of the design journal. They can be found in the links below.

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Having worked out the objectives, you can use any of the research methods below to fulfill your research needs. Every method yields slightly different results. 

You must understand how each research method works and their respective objectives before attempting any of them for your research. I believe in each of the methods stated below, you should find at least a brief introduction to their functionalities. You may be even find examples of how they are used. IMPORTANT: Do your research with understanding.

• PI.E.S. (Physical / Intellectual / Emotional / Social NEEDS)
• 5W1H (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How)
• Asking the Five Why's
• Activity Mapping (Pre-activity, Activity, Post-Activity, Assessment)
• Observation, Shadowing, Narration, Interviewing + 5 Whys, Survey

Eventually ALL reseach will lead you to an identified Design Opportunity. And ALL subsequent researches will lead you to various solutions you are looking for and solving the issues you have identified.

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More Tips: 

Primary research will give you the best results in a research. e.g. Empathy research enables the designer to live in the shoes of the target user. To really live out the user's life for a considerable time to experience what it is like to be him / her. Only then will the designer most closely understand the NEEDS of the users. Other examples are observing / experimenting the product and experiencing it first hand. Anything that is done that gives the designer first-hand data and experience is primary research.

Secondary research on the other hand should only be done if primary research methods are not possible, or as a supplementary to primary researches. For example, in supporting the claims and evidences from primary researches. Examples of secondary researches are information obtained from internet researches, third party observations, records of surveys, extracting information from articles and journals recording facts and evidences.
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