How to run a Design Club online (3): User testing and next steps
Design Club mentor Bianca Hollis reflects on her key takeaways from running a series of Design Club workshops using Zoom
Over the past week, I’ve been sharing my experience of running an online Design Club. I ran six workshops with my eight-year-old niece using the video app, Zoom. Her project was to design an app to help her mum cheer up friends during lockdown.
In my first post, I wrote about planning your project. The second post looked at delivering the workshops. In this third and final post, I’ll talk about the user testing and share my reflections on how the project went.
How to run a user test ‘offline’
Once my niece had finished her prototype, I hoped to help her run the user test with her mum while we were connected via video. Sadly this wasn’t convenient for everyone, so we agreed they do it in their own time.
I initially felt uncomfortable with this; I wanted to be there to support and guide my niece. We’d invested so much time together and I was proud of her achievements. I wanted to witness her first user test and the ‘user’s’ response.
A learning opportunity
Putting my personal feelings aside, I realised this was my niece’s opportunity to take responsibility for her own creation and be in control of the test. To experience first-hand user feedback in the safe comfort of her home — with her mum as the guinea pig — was the perfect set-up.
How to prepare for the user test
Make sure your student(s) know what materials they need to have with them, which worksheet to use to capture user feedback, and how to fill it out.
We used the Run a mini test worksheet. We ran over the process (and the concept of not leading the user) two or three times until my niece was confident she could do this by herself. I gave her lots of praise and encouragement along the way.
The user testing debrief and reflections on the design process
After my niece had done the user testing, we met over Zoom one last time. When I prompted her to tell me about the user test she ran with her mum, it was clear from her grin and reflections that she was proud of her achievements.
She held her completed worksheet up to the camera and read back the positive comments her mum had made. I questioned the red mark on the usefulness scale and she explained how her mum could see it being developed to include a function to upload photos and more emphasis on tips to help people be kind. We both agreed this was valuable feedback, indicating the next steps to make her app even better.
We finished by recapping the design process. I checked my niece’s understanding on key terms we’d used: mobile app, empathy, prototype, user testing and colour contrast. Finally, she told me her favourite bits: the ‘Design is all around us’ warm-up, ‘Map out a typical day’ and the screen sketching.
As for me, I’ve two key takeaways from running my online Design Club:
1. You’re never too young to start looking at the world through someone else’s eyes
Empathy and user research is the bedrock of all good design. The ability for a Design Club student to develop an emotional connection with the person they’re designing for and the context of their situation is arguably one of the first signs of a successful design thinking learning experience.
So, I was overjoyed when, after completing an ‘Empathy Map’ and ‘Day-in-the-life-of’ worksheet, my niece looked up to the video camera and said:
‘I really liked thinking about what others are like. I never get the time and space to do that — it’s fun!’
This is such a valuable lesson we can teach children from an early age and one I hope to re-visit in future sessions with my niece.
2. It’s great to do something refreshingly different that feels grown-up (especially during lockdown!)
One surprise from doing the workshops, especially during lockdown, was the joy we both felt from spending quality time together, doing something new and creative. My niece loved having her own Zoom appointment to look forward to each week. Not only did this make a refreshing change from homeschool activities, but her auntie was introducing her to the world of app design. It felt very grown-up!
Next steps
In a future session I plan to introduce my niece to user research methods starting with an interview with another member of the family or a trusted friend, then use the insights from this to design and make something to improve their life.
I have ambitions to branch out into product concepts articulated through storyboarding, a poster design, Lego or recycled materials found in the home.
With a little more thought and planning I imagine this format could work well with a small group of students. At face-to-face weekend clubs, each mentor often works with a group of 3–5 children. Logistically, a larger online club would involve more prep. I recommend starting with low numbers. Siblings or a small group of friends could be a good place to start.
It’s important to bear in mind that there are specific safeguarding requirements for online clubs.
Ready to run your own online Design Club?
Whether you’re an experienced mentor or simply keen to share your skills with the next generation, Design Club has made it super easy to get started. Read the inspirational mentor stories and check out the ready-made resources. Be sure to tag Design Club in any projects you run :)
