REPRIORITIZING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HCI

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

COLIN M. GRAY IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

!ERIK STOLTERMAN MARTIN A. SIEGEL

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

Photo  courtesy  of  Marcus  Spiske  https://www.flickr.com/photos/125167502@N02/

METHODS AREN'T MERELY ENACTED IN PRACTICE

(Rogers, 2004; Stolterman & Pierce, 2012)

WE DON'T STUDY DESIGN PRACTICE (IN GENERAL)

(Goodman, Stolterman, & Wakkary, 2011; Stolterman, 2008)

METHODS IN RESEARCH

ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS

(Roedl & Stolterman, 2013)

"...the researchers in their descriptions of design practice commonly engage in

an over-generalization of design situations. We found that the researchers

consistently referred to 'designers' or 'the design process' in a vague and

generic way." (p. 1952)

(Roedl & Stolterman, 2013)

"...a lack of consideration for practical challenges in design work, such as

working within limited time and resources" (p. 1953)

OUR STUDY

Image  courtesy  of  Sean  Munson  https://www.flickr.com/photos/83413148@N00

13 UX PRACTITIONERS

Conception and use of design methods

Information about two specific methods

We define design methods broadly, as any intellectual or practical support that a

practitioner might use to support the design process in a positive way, encompassing

everything from everyday methods, techniques, and tools for idea generation and collaboration,

such as the "pen and paper," whiteboard, brainstorming, dialoguing, to methods and

applications for sketching and refining ideas.

DESIGN METHODS

Image  courtesy  of  Curtis  Gregory  Perry  https://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisperry/62118986

Image  courtesy  of  Sean  Munson  https://www.flickr.com/photos/83413148@N00

Yes No N/A

Affinity Diagramming

Concept 10 2 15%

Historical Context 0 12 16%

Affordances

Concept 10 1 23%

Historical Context 3 8 23%

Name (Pseudonym)

Years of Experience

Vocational Background

Cheryl 10+ Business

Abbie 20+ Computer Science

Vicki 4 HCI

Phil 2 HCI

Jagdish 3 HCI

Too much "big language" and not enough "beer and steak" interactions

with peers

ABBIE

"scrappy" design methods

v.

"textbook" design methods

VICKY

Designers want methods that are easy to explain to their clients and easy to

visualize, for the purpose of assisting them in communicating their design ideas.

Image  courtesy  of  See-­‐Ming  Lee  https://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/4556156477

UNDERSTANDING "CORES" OF METHODS &

ADAPTATION AND APPROPRIATION IN USE

A GENERATIVE MODEL

TRICKLE DOWN

BUBBLE UP (researcher led)

BUBBLE UP (practitioner led)

DIMENSIONS OF THE MODEL

• Disseminating agents

• Communities involved (and power relations)

• Location of appropriation/abduction

Image courtesy of Mary Madigan!https://www.flickr.com/photos/marypmadigan/9505064987

TRICKLING DOWN

Image courtesy of Mary Madigan!https://www.flickr.com/photos/marypmadigan/9505064987

TRICKLING DOWN

Slow & institutionalized

Uni-directional

Privileged

BUBBLING UP

Image courtesy of mullenkedheim!https://www.flickr.com/photos/mullenkedheim/5101515763

BUBBLING UP

Image courtesy of mullenkedheim!https://www.flickr.com/photos/mullenkedheim/5101515763

Practitioner driven

Researcher driven

BUBBLING UP

Image courtesy of mullenkedheim!https://www.flickr.com/photos/mullenkedheim/5101515763

Researcher driven

STUDY OF DESIGN PRACTICE IN SITU

!

VALUING PRACTICE ON ITS OWN TERMS

BUBBLING UP

Image courtesy of mullenkedheim!https://www.flickr.com/photos/mullenkedheim/5101515763

Practitioner driven

ENRICHING DISSEMINATION OF

DESIGN KNOWLEDGE !

LEGITIMATING DESIGN KNOWLEDGE IN THE

RESEARCH COMMUNITY

BUBBLING UP

Image courtesy of mullenkedheim!https://www.flickr.com/photos/mullenkedheim/5101515763

Practitioner driven

Researcher driven

CYCLE AROUND

CYCLE AROUND

Tightly coupled

Iterative and constructiveLessened power relations

WHAT'S NEXT?

• Exploring paths for future research and dissemination

• Partnering with practitioners and generating/legitimating design and practical knowledge

THANK YOUNSF GRANT #1115532 !!UXDESIGNPRACTICE.COM | COLINGRAY.ME