top of page
Project & User Investigation
It's time to start investigating your project/ context in more detail - find out what you need to, in order to execute and solve the problem well - remember the problem should be a challenge, so will need investigating in detail.
The main focus for the investigation at this point is the users and the stakeholders. Later we will investigate other areas including existing products, materials and outcome requirements, but for now we need to know as much about the user/ stakeholder as we can.
Assessment criteria says
Exceptional consideration of primary user and other stakeholders needs and wants. A range of clearly defined and comprehensive requirements are identified that offer scope to support the design process.
Investigation plan
Start off this section with a plan. Although you will add to it and adapt your methods of investigation, it's a good idea to think about what sorts of investigations you will carry out and what you need to find out about. The main things at this should focus on are:
-
User Needs
-
User wants
-
Stakeholder requirements
Key considerations:
-
Who is the primary user? What are their needs & wants?
-
Who are the wider stakeholders? What are their needs & wants?
-
What solutions already exist? What makes them marketable?
-
what are the wider considerations (social/ moral/ ethical/ environmental?)
-
What qualitative and quantitative research can you complete?
-
what are the current trends? Will a change in this alter your project?
-
How will you communicate with wider stakeholders?
-
What regulations/ standards/ design guidelines will you have to follow?
-
What questions will you ask? - the answers need to have purpose.
-
You will find out the answers to these when you complete your investigations.
It's all about the users & stakeholders
Not sure what questions to ask?
who?
what?
when?
where?
why?
which?
Can?
if?
would?
should?
could?
might?
Choose
discuss
identify
evaluate
describe
state
explain
analyse
compare/ contrast
How to present your plan:
A sensible way to display your plan could be through the use of a GANTT chart or other project management tools. For A level it is important that you demonstrate your ability to appropriately plan and structure your work. Think about and detail what you think is the right way to approach your research - what would be the most useful thing to do first?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Primary user 1 (Child 1)
Primary user 2 (child 2)
Other user (Mother)
Other user (grandParent)
Stakeholder 2 (SHOP)
Internet
Observations (kitchen)
Focus group (parents)
existing products (TBC)
Gannt chart example
Gantt chart
You're making it for the user - what do they need/ want ?
Investigating your project
Once you have a plan, it's time to start completing the investigation. The aim of this is to help you put together a list of master requirements - something that you will focus on when creating a solution - it' all about what the user/ stakeholders need/ want/ require.
For each piece of investigation, you should present:
-
Investigation type
-
discussion
-
observation
-
secondary research (internet)
-
survey
-
testing
-
analysing
-
(*Think about the different stakeholders you might conduct the above with)
-
reason for investigation
-
collecting key measurements
-
Identifying needs/ wants/ requirements
-
observing restrictions/ standards etc
-
learning more about the user/ stakeholder
-
understanding the problem more
-
-
investigation findings/ evidence
-
photos
-
videos
-
facts
-
information (remember you need to work objectively - not based on your feelings)
-
data
-
notes
-
-
potential follow up/ What next?
-
what further research is required?
-
do you need to speak to additional stakeholders/ experts
-
An example of how you could present your work is shown below:
I have, for this example, completed some research into the user, the wider stakeholders and into the environment (a kitchen for my project). For each of the 3 I have completed the most appropriate methods from above and will evidence my findings on this page.
What are you looking for?
What should you ask?
What should you test?
what research do you need to do?
Investigation type: (User)
Reason for investigation:
Evidence/ findings:
What next?
Investigation type: (Stakeholders)
Reason for investigation:
Evidence/ findings:
What next?
Investigation type: (environment)
Reason for investigation:
Evidence/ findings:
What next?
Project Investigation
My children
discussions had:
e.g.Questions asked/ answers
Video link to YT video
Observation
Cooked with them
Why was it important to complete this investigation?
What did you hope to achieve by completing it?
What were the key discoveries from this that will help you with moving forward with the project?
What will you do next with this information?
More of the same?
Something else?
What investigations are best for your project?
Complete a variety
Why was it important to complete this investigation?
What did you hope to achieve by completing it?
What were the key discoveries from this that will help you with moving forward with the project?
What will you do next with this information?
More of the same?
Something else?
Why was it important to complete this investigation?
What did you hope to achieve by completing it?
What were the key discoveries from this that will help you with moving forward with the project?
What will you do next with this information?
More of the same?
Something else?
What investigations are best for your project?
Complete a variety
Summary
It's useful to find out as much about your user and stake holders as possible as their input into your project will be very useful.
Create a page which includes all the information you know (or have researched) about your user and stake holders. It could look something like thei:
User information
User photo
(in context to the project if possible)
User investigation
Summary
Info about the user that is approptiate/ relevant to the project
Name:
Age:
Interests:
hobbies:
Stakeholder information
Stakeholder photo
(in context to the project if possible)
Info about the stakeholders that is approptiate/ relevant to the project
Name:
Age:
Project association:
Project input:
User investigation
Stakeholder information
Stakeholder photo
(in context to the project if possible)
Info about the stakeholders that is approptiate/ relevant to the project
Name:
Age:
Project association:
Project input:
As you complete your investigations into your users and stakeholders needs/ wants/ requirements, you will inevitably start thinking about other areas you need to explore. Make notes of these things in your sketchpad and start investigating them. We will focus more on existing products, their functionality and material, etc, but you might also think about things like:
-
power supplies/ sources
-
wider considerations such as social, moral and ethical
-
DFMA considerations
-
LCA
-
environmental concerns
-
anything else significant to your project
Once you have looked at you users, please be sure to come back to your context/ environment/ area and make sure you have explored this sufficiently. Have you:
Measured your environment?
Looked at entry and exit to your location?
Considered others who might be in the location/ area?
Considered movement to and around the product?
Considered movement of the product?
Considered accessibility?
Have you photographed and evidenced your findings?
Info about where my solution will be used:
Context / environment / area investigation
Summary
Measurements
entry and exit
others
movement to and around the product
movement of the product
accessibility
Design Technology @ NCB
bottom of page