Project Mindmap

This is my mindmap that has been filled as the project was been completed. It provided an easy way of organisin information and a good refernce point to the issues involved in my community project.

Triangulation

Triangulation is one of the most important facets of design research in order to have accurate results. Triangulation refers to the collating of research methods so that one common area stands out. This is known as “apparent truth”. However triangulation should likewise occur even within the the research method to ensure greater accuracy even on a smaller scale.

Summative research

I also plan to use summative research near completion of the research to reflect on my researach and come to an understanding if there is room for inprovement. I plan to do this by surveys, interviews and questionnaires. Recieving this feedback will esure future my formative research is more practical and thorough.

Research Methodology- Competitor

Looking at competitors is an integral part of research if success is to occur. In such respects i want to cover both primary and secondary sources as well as undertake quantitative and qualitative research.

Once again beginning with Literature review i plan to utilise this information to both receive statistical data on the success on certain aspects of design and branding. I would also like to collect some collateral from other community organisations and identify what branding and advertising works and what doesn’t.

I plan also to conduct primary research by means of interviews, observational research and questionnaires to understand how the competition feels about their brand as well as have an opinion of what works well in that industry.

In this manner once again i will have triangulation to ensure credited data and information.

Research methodology- market

The second tier of my planned research will tackle in establishing my target market and then digesting that market to understand how they think, act and to what they respond.

Once again i plan to begin research into the target market by literature review looking at secondary and tertiary sources of information to obtain statistics of the spending of individuals and find the donors of charities.  To ad to the authority of my research i would also conduct quantitative research on the people in general to find who are interested in sustainable energy resources. However i understand in trying to determine the target market it will be difficult for me as a student to have a substantial number participate in interviews, surveys and questionnaires. So it is kind of a downfall.

My next step in researching will involve the qualitative research of my identified target market to a certain their thoughts and reactions to a community organisation that deals with sustainable resource management and promotion. I t will also be a good idea to obtain thoughts and perceptions of this group towards competitors. In undertaking this research i plan to employ both secondary and primary research methods, undergoing some literature review followed by surveys, questionnaires, focus groups and ethnographic research (understanding of human thought, behaviour and actions). This will most likely also involve observational research. Using such an array of methods will ensure triangulation of my research and thus aid in accuracy of information.

My research methodology

In undertaking my research i hope to apply some principals of what i have gathered on research. In my community project i would like to structure my research into tiers.

The first involves me expanding knowledge on the subject of sustainability and the issues involved their in. To do this i am going to undertake two forms of Qualitative research from both primary and secondary information. First of all i plan to conduct a literature review or an investigation into documents, publications, books, journals, etc on the topic of sustainability that i may be well informed before taking on any primary research. Libraries and librarians are an invaluable source as these trained professionals can help you filter through and find the most relevant material. Next i would conduct interviews with those involved in the industry and those interested in the industry or technology.

I think this will be an effective method at first as it will give me a basis to form all my other research and will give credibility to my project especially when it comes to surveys, focus groups and interviews.

Research Methods

There are many research methods that can fall into different categories. According to “A Designers Research Manual” research methods can be organized among these categories.

Competitor analysis:

• Literature Review
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Focus Groups

Ethnographic:

• Photo Ethnography
• Visual anthropology
• Observational research
• Literature review
• Survey’s and questionnaires
• Focus groups

Marketing Research:

• Demographics
• Focus groups
• Psychographics
• Surveys and questionnaires
• Web analytics
• Colour theory and predictions
• Literature review
• Personas

User Testing:

• Iterative design
• Personas
• Focus groups
• Observational research
• Surveys and questionnaires
• Web analytic

Visual Exploration

• Visualization
• Colour theory and predictions

While these tactics in their respective categories are all useful only a handful apply to my community project needs while the remaining are inpracticle to be carried out. Also since i’m a student and lack funding some of these may not be as thorughly executed.

Design research categories

In conducting some research on research methodologies, especially eith the aid of the book ” A Designers Research Manual” i found research breaks into a number of categories that inform how and what type of research should be undertaken for a specific project. Thes categories are:

Quantitive and Qualitive
Being already aware of Quantitive and Qualitive research it still wouldn’t hurt to look at its implications again. These are two distinct categories that all reesearhc falls under. Qualitive research is on one hand is research into a subjective matter it aims to discover the qualities of a certain field of enquiery This type of research does not deal with specifics but more of the general understanding of matters.

Quantitive research however deals more on a logical and numerical plane. It ascertains to find the specifics of a design enquiery. It involves the measuring or quantifying of research. This research primarily deals with statistical data.

Primary, secondary and tertiary
Primary, secondary and tertiary research refers to the source of information found.
Primary- refers to first hand gathered data or data gthered by someone for a specific use. examples of this include surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc.
Secondary- refers to information collected from an outside party that has previously been used for an alternative function. However this material relates in some way to the task at hand. Examples of Secondary sources includes magazines, journals, websites, etc.
Tertiary- this data is quite similar to the secondary sources except that it involves the compiling analyzing and digesting of secondary information. A good example could be an encyclopedia or a reference book.

Summative and formative
Summative- research used to understand and breakdown the outcome of a particular invetigative process. This usually occurs near te end of a design cycle.
Formative- Is research used to identify or gain knowledge of a certain question or area of study.

All these categories intertwine with each other and can be used to forma constructive research method.

A designers research manual

Jenn and Ken’s Visocky O’Grady book entitled “A Designers Research Manual” (printed 2006) is a must read for all designers. It is a guide book that explains the the breakdown of research from a designers perspective as well as the forms of research successful designers must be aware of. In reading the book it has enabled me to be more informed of research categories and methods, some of which i plan to use in my own community research project.

Design Research 2

In the previous post it was mentioned that there are two types of design research that Peter Downton mentions in his book “Design Research” which i find apply to my research strategies. The first was mentioned earlier and could be termed as background information. The seconond is:

Design Specific research- This refers to more intense or indepth research that is used to inform, aid and enable a certain design process to be undertaken or for a certain problem to be solved. This type of research has many branches that overlap and aid or supplement one another. The form of design undertaken is based upon the designers prior knowlegde and the project itself.

In regards to my research project, this is where the majority of information would be gathered and collated. It wil include my qualitive and quantitive research from both primary and secondary sources. Thes will most likely involve market research, competitior research, ethnographic, etc.