Data gathering phase seems to be ended, now I have to analyse them and look at them from specific angle that can make a contribution to the audience of design-researchers. 65 people (thank you very much again!) participated in my online experiment, which was continued by 6 skype video and 7 face-to-face interviews. Aim of interviews was to get into more details of the stories that participants have written, and to give chance for participants to try out PictureQuest in face-to-face situation. When participants have tried PictureQuest both online and face-to-face, they were asked to compare their experience between both situations.
There are definetly differences between user responses communicated with or without computer mediation. Synchronity in user communication plays a significant role as well, for instance, people have said that when they are online, they can better reflect on the task, while being in face-to-face situations seems to be more fun.
I will continue with analysing user responses from online experiment and interviews.
This is the next step of my interaction research project. Due to practical reasons, the topic of research was changed. Now it is aimed at games as I am involved in making two games (board game, interactive&electronic game), and data from research could support them.
There is a need to look on data in more depth and from different angles, and that will be done in nearest time (we have only 20+ until deadline after which no more data allowed). Meanwhile, we were given a very important lecture by Ben on how important it is to pick and speak about concepts wisely (Blumer, H. (1954). What is wrong with social theory? American Sociological Review, 19(1), 3-10. & Wittgenstein, L. (1958). Philosophical investigations (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell.).
We have set a date (November) for the workshop where we are going to generate ideas on our board game.
While today we had electronics refreshment class, where we made quick and dirty prototype for measuring on which feet you are holding weight. Or, your can as well think of this prototype as a gameof competing who’s got the strongest pressure with feet.
We have got an inspiration for extertion game with feet from our Movement workshops with Sietske Klooster.
First step of my Interaction research project is a development of online Picture Quest version which is already available at http://experiment.fifix.net, where I ask people to share stories about their experience with playing games. Their stories shall be used as inspiration for concept of the board game or electronic exertion game that we are making for User Experience Design course.
I have made a prototype of online tool, tested for bugs, design issues and meaning on people to see if it works properly, and what kind of possible answers I could get. Initial task for participants was to tell what “solar energy and smartphones” mean to them, as I was planning to design an application for smartphones in field of solar energy. I wanted to support people in telling stories by providing them with opportunity to drag pictures in a comment, that, as I beleived, would provoke thoughts.
After testing session, it appeared that people have difficulties in connecting “solar energy” and “smartphone” concepts. Besides, I was not able to work on smartphone application project any more. I had to change a task to something simpler, that everybody can understand and related to. Besides, I wanted to support existing projects where I am involved in. That’s why I decided to ask people about their experience with playing any kind of games, as it is something that many people can related to (at least in my humble opinion), and from which outcomes would be relevant for my two game projects I am involved in.
What will be results, we shall see after launching experiment in public.
This is About page of my Interaction research course. Interaction research course is a general tryout for our master thesis. We can pick up any topic that’s related to our studies and research it. As the final outcome, a paper will be written.
My topic is ‘comparisment between online and face-to-face user research tools‘. As the first step I have designed an online user research tool, that’s based on Ken Mathiasen’s thesis about Picture Quest – development of a participatory design tool that can help users to express themselves. It, as I hope, will give some valuable inspirations for game designs that I am involved in, namely, (1.) designing a prototype for electronic exertion game in User Experience Design course and (2.) designing a board game for SPIRE center in relation to PINC conference.
There is no doubt about power of face-to-face tools (interviews, workshops etc.), however, I think that online user research/participatory tools can have their share in participatory design as well. For instance in cases when participants are distributed, lack of time or, if participants don’t prefer face-to-face meetings. I aim at looking what’s different between people feelings online and in face-to-face meetings. To what extent online research tools could be used and when they are effective?
To be honest, I don’t precisely know where results from my first step will lead, and if I will be able to do any argumented claims that are directly connected to my initial topic. However, I am keeping myself open and curious If you are interested, you can follow my findings in project blog.
If you are interested, you can follow my findings in 
