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Prepping Minds
for Design Success
Sensitizing End Users: A Key to Design Workshop Success?
A study of the effects of sensitization on users' verbal expressions during a generative workshop
Company
Tilburg University
MSc New Media Design
Tilburg University
MSc New Media Design
Role
Academic UX-Researcher & Designer
Academic UX-Researcher & Designer
Location
Multiple locations,
The Netherlands
Multiple locations,
The Netherlands
Year
2022
2022
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Methodology & Methods
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Contextmapping, Research Through Design
Generative workshops, Cultural Probes, Thematic Analysis |
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Tools
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Milanote, Lunacy, PowerPoint, SPSS, Excel, ATLAS
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anchor: Masterthesisscrolldownportfolio
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1. What is contextmapping?
Contextmapping engages end users as co-designers and experts of their own experiences to identify needs for future product experiences. However, expressing needs about future experiences can be challenging for end users. Sensitizing is a method used in contextmapping to prepare users for workshops by facilitating self-reflection and recalling experiences. My research examined the impact of sensitizing on expressing needs in a contextmapping process for future mobility.
This is my master Thesis from the Study of New Media Design. The thesis is the final test of competence within the academic field of New Media Design.
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2. The challenge
By sensitizing, users would have more verbal expressions during the workshop about self-reflection and reflecting on experiences and memories. It has not yet been investigated whether sensitizing leads to the above expressions.
Or is it? |
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3. The Goal
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4. Services
Context mapping, baby! I went all in. I developed a realistic design scenario: 'the future of mobility.' I sensitized my participants and led some awesome workshops. Scroll down to read more about the process, photos, materials, and the academic summary :)
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5. So, what did I do?
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The design scenario became "future mobility." I created a design style and sensitization materials, tested them with two people, and made improvements. Workshop materials were designed, participants were recruited, and a room in Groningen was provided. After creating videos, posters, and messages, I began the study with two groups: unsensitized and sensitized. Generative workshops were held in Groningen and Enschede, focusing on present, past, and future mobility experiences. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, incorporating inductive and deductive approaches.
Read more (detailed)...
First, I read up on context mapping to find out where the knowledge gap was. It took me quite a while to fully grasp the concept of context mapping, even though I already learned about it during my bachelor Human Technology. The next step was to create a realistic design scenario for the context mapping.
The design scenario became "the future of mobility". I chose this scenario because it is an accurate problem and one that people were willing to participate in. With the theme set, I started to create a design style for the thesis and context mapping. When the design style was finished the sensitization materials were made. I tested the sensitization materials with two people and made improvements for the real deal. The next step was to design the workshop materials, recruit participants and see if I could use workshop rooms somewhere. The latter turned out to be a challenge after all. Steven de Boer, Doop and Founded in Groningen were so kind to provide me with a room to do my study. After making A LOT of video materials, Posters and nice messages I found enough people to take part in my study. Finally, it was time to start my study. The participants consisted of two groups: 1. Unsensitized and 2. Sensitized. ONLY the sensitized participants received the sensitization materials one week before the workshop. Sensitization was followed by the generative workshops. The generative workshops were held in Groningen and Enschede. There were 4 workshops in total. 2 for the sensitized participant and 2 for the unsensitized participants. Because of COVID-19 the generative workshop was designed in such a way that the participants were allowed to reflect on the present, the past and ultimately on future experiences within the theme of mobility. The first assignment was to map current mobility in "grootbruggingendam". I chose to use a fictitious map so that participants were all equal during the workshop. Because of covid-19, it was continuously uncertain whether the physical workshop would be allowed to continue. Because of that reason, I designed them hybrid in Milanote. The second exercise consisted of retrieving experiences, around mobility, from the past. The third exercise allowed the participants to create the ideal day in the future of mobility. After each exercise, the participant presented his made artefact to the group and people could ask questions about the artefact. This often led to fun and long interactions. After the workshops, the participants were informed about the real objectives of the research (this was done through a video). All data were analyzed inductively and deductively with thematic analysis. For the deductive part, an operationalization scheme was made based on the claims within context mapping. This was not easily done but in the end it worked out. Yeez.. ALOT of text. CLOSE this!
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Cool timeline about the process
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Time for some cool photo's
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Explore the tools I created for my context mapping study, including a sensitization toolkit designed to engage participants and spark creativity. Watch videos that offer insights into the workshops, where ideas came to life through visual storytelling.
Step into my research journey and discover the impact of these tools. Let's explore the possibilities together! |
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(Academic) Summary
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To launch a product successfully, it is important to find out what the needs are of the users who will use the product. This is the essence of many methodologies and also of context mapping. In context mapping, end users are addressed as co-designers of the product and seen as experts of their experience. This input is used to identify needs for future experiences with the product. However, end users find it challenging to express needs verbally about a future experience. By creating artefacts during a design workshop about past, present and future experiences and reflecting on them, the needs become clear. However, end users are most of the time not able to express needs about future experiences and go through these steps properly when they are not prepared. This preparation is called sensitizing and is a common method within context mapping. By sensitizing, users would have more verbal expressions during the workshop about self-reflection and reflecting on experiences and memories. It has not yet been investigated whether sensitizing leads to the above expressions. This research set up a context mapping process to find out the needs of the future of mobility. One group was sensitized for the workshop and the other was not. The transcripts of both workshops were analyzed thematically. Even though sensitized end-users were found to feel better prepared, no differences were found in verbal expressions. This raises the question of the need for expensive (time and money wise) sensitization when a generative workshop might be sufficient.
Keywords: user research, context mapping, needs assessment, sensitizing, reflective design, experiences, memories |
Thesis final draft
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