What is Design Research and what are its benefits?
In the world of design, research has become essential to create successful products and services that meet the needs of users. Design Research is an approach that seeks to understand users and their contexts to generate valuable ideas and solutions that are in sync with their needs. Throughout history, different models have emerged to guide this process, such as Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, and Double Diamond, among others. Although each model has its particularities, they all share a similar line of thought: carry out activities to understand users, their needs, behaviors, values, and thoughts to generate valuable ideas that lead to generating products and services that can be prototyped, tested, and iterated.
Design Research marks a different paradigm from the figure of the “genius designer” that used to prevail until the 80s. Before, the designer assumed that his own ideas were the best and imposed them without a real understanding of the needs of the users. Furthermore, it was thought that users should adapt to the designers’ proposals. Design research now promotes an open and collaborative mindset, where design is based on empathy and a deep understanding of the people for whom the products or services are being created.
Although there are several models and probably the most famous are Design Thinking and Human Centered Design, my favorite model for its effectiveness in guiding Design Research is the Double Diamond, developed by the UK Design Council. This model is divided into four main stages, represented by two diamonds: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. In the Discover stage, the goal is to understand the problem and user needs through research and observation. Then, in the Define stage, the findings are synthesized and the key challenges to be addressed are defined. In the Develop stage, ideas are generated and prototypes are created to explore possible solutions. Finally, in the Deliver stage, the final solution is refined and implemented.
The Double Diamond encourages two complementary types of thinking that are key when creating: convergent thinking, which is used to analyze and synthesize the information that is gathered while developing the discover and define stages, and divergent thinking, which is applied in the Develop stage to generate a wide variety of creative ideas and solutions.
The Double Diamond has several benefits compared to other design research methods. First, it provides a clear, step-by-step structure that facilitates the research process. Second, by focusing on the discover and define stages, it gives a fundamental role to understanding users, which allows for generating more relevant and meaningful ideas and solutions. Third, it promotes iteration and continuous learning through prototyping and testing, which reduces the risk of launching products or services that don’t meet user needs.
A relevant example of how design research has been used to improve the use of products is the case of studies carried out to facilitate the use of mobile phones with one hand, for example, the case of the Apple iPhone. This company is recognized for applying design research to optimize user experiences.
In this case, it was recognized that many users preferred to comfortably operate their iPhones with one hand, especially in situations where their other hand was occupied. To address this challenge, Apple conducted design research studies that involved both qualitative and quantitative methods.
In the qualitative phase of the research, Apple conducted in-depth interviews and user observations to understand the specific challenges and needs of using the iPhone with one hand. They identified challenges related to screen reach, accessibility of interactive elements, and comfort when holding the device.
Based on the insights gained from the qualitative research, Apple moved into the quantitative phase, where they collected large-scale data on user preferences and interaction patterns. They used data collection and analysis tools, such as usage logs and usability tests, to quantify and assess the challenges identified in the qualitative phase. Using this information, Apple’s design team iterated on iPhone design to optimize its one-handed use. They introduced features like “Reachability”, which allows you to slide the screen down to make the top items more accessible. Additionally, they tweaked the interface so that key elements were located in areas that were easier to reach with your thumb.
These improvements based on design research have enabled iPhone users around the world to operate their devices more comfortably and efficiently with just one hand. Additionally, Apple has continued to refine these features across generations of iPhones, using user feedback and continuing design research to ensure the optimal experience. This denotes that, even when products are already released, bought, and used by users, they are never really finalized because there can always be a new version around the corner, which, again, presents iterations identified by means of design research.
In summary, design research is an essential aspect for the successful development of products and services, since it guarantees that these are designed taking into account the real needs and desires of users, which, in the end, produces economic benefits for companies. and improve their business.
If you want to improve your products and services through design research and don’t know how to start, don’t hesitate to contact me to take your products and services to the next level.
References:
- Brown, T. (2008). Design Thinking. Harvard Business Review.
- Design Council. (2019). The Double Diamond: A universal process for innovation.
- Lupton, E., & J. Miller. (2016). Design Thinking: Ideology, Participation, and Democracy. Design Issues, 32(4), 3–14.
- Interaction Design Foundation. “Design Research: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data” (https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/design-research-quantitative-vs-qualitative-data)
- Nielsen Norman Group. “How to Conduct User Research: Top Tips from the Nielsen Norman Group” (https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-to-conduct-user-research/)
- Apple. “iPhone Accessibility” (https://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/)
