Innovation resource pack - Design Museum

InnovationActivity 4 – Observation exerciseWe generally assume that everyone isthe same as us. In fact we all do thingsvery differently, as is proved by thissimple observation of everydayactivities. Designers use in-depthinterviewing and role-playing exerciseslike these to establish what users reallywant from a product.My lifeIn groups of four, choose an everyday activity thateveryone does. It could be waking up, getting up,having breakfast, making a hot drink, preparing orclearing away a meal, having a bath/shower, using thephone, getting to school or college, studying at home,getting ready to go out, getting ready for bed.When you have chosen an activity, everyone in thegroup should take five minutes to write down exactlywhat he or she does.Then make yourselves a set using furniture and propsyou have to hand. It may be useful in some cases toplan in advance and bring in some of the items youmight use, like alarm clocks, mobile phones,toothbrushes, make-up, a kettle and crockery.Now each person takes a turn to act out the activity.The others then question them in detail about whatthey do. Make them explain everything! Think of this asan interrogation!Appoint someone to record everything on a white board orlarge sheet of paper. This will form the basis for discussionof a concept or a starting point for a new product.D For the benefits of user evaluation,look at the case study and picture of theIDEO shopping cart on D for designing 1.Example: Getting ready for bedWhat time do you go to bed? Do youkiss anyone goodnight? Doyou have a bath or shower before bed?Do you wash and/or cleanyour teeth? Do you undress in thebedroom or bathroom? Do youshare your room? Is the personyou share with still up/in bedalready/going to bed too? Whenyou take off your clothes,do you hang them up/putthem in a drawer/hangthem over a chair/dropthem on the floor/put themin the wash? If you don’t put themaway, who does, and when? Where andhow do you store dirty clothes? Doyou take food or drink tobed? Do you have the radio/TV/musicon? Will your noise disturbanyone? Do you read in bed? Do youlike going to bed? Is your bedcomfortable? Is it made? Doyou like your bedroom?Do you spend time in yourroom other than to sleep?Do you study in your room? Do youkeep all your belongingsthere? Do you have slippers? Whatare they like? What do you wearin bed? Do you have a teddybear?…© Design Museum 2001