DESIGN THINKING AS AN APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING FINDING YOUR WAY DESIGN THINKING AS AN APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING SUSANNE BUCKLEY, REBECCA GOLDSWORTHY, MICHELLE HARRISON, KATE MASTERS, MEGAN O’BRIEN, POPPY PREZIOS, ELIZABETH QUILTY UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY LIBRARY

WAYFINDING PROJECT STAGE 1 Define ‘Wayfinding’ Experiment with design thinking as a method to creatively approach user-centric problem solving Explore and create templates for use in a variety of other projects Identify and begin scoping potential ‘Wayfinding’ projects through user-focused inquiry

WAYFINDING PROJECT STAGE 2

WHAT IS DESIGN THINKING? Design Thinking is a methodological framework for creative, innovative, user- centred problem-solving. Users are kept front and centre throughout the problem-solving process, and it is vital that we as creative problem solvers let the user’s speak to us throughout the lifecycle of a project.

WHAT IS DESIGN THINKING? CUSTOMISED DESIGN THINKING PROCESS

EMPATHISE TO DEFINE WAYFINDING DESIGN DEFINITION Is the way in which structural, environmental and graphical elements are employed to provide cues (information) to users that enables them to orient themselves, navigate their environment (virtual and physical) and successfully achieve their goals. Is an intuitive and logical schema that provides users with a pain-free experience, regardless of their situational expertise; they do not “have to think like web designers or architects”. Is “Clever direction” Will provide avenues for exploration and serendipity – providing direction not only when a destination is known, but when a destination is unknown. It is anticipatory and will enrich the user experience. Definition composed of brainstorming exercise and staff responses

TELLING THE STORY OF USERS USERS DRIVE PROJECT DESIGN Diversity of users About enriching the user experience Notes:

USERS ARE MORE THAN DEMOGRAPHICS PERSONAS: ENRICHING REAL DATA Notes:

IMAGINE THE USER EXPERIENCE Notes:

DEFINE PROBLEMS & GENERATE IDEAS TOOLS & PROCESSES FOR USER-CENTRED DESIGN Personas are “fictional characters, based on actual data, that depict target user populations... Personas used alone can aid design, but they can be more powerful if used to complement, not replace, a full range of quantitative and qualitative methods. They can amplify the effectiveness of other methods”. J. Pruitt & Grudin, J (2003) Design studies: Human-centred Design, p.313-314. Notes:

OVERARCHING WAYFINDING THEME MAJOR THEME DRAWN FROM DATA ANALYSIS Wayfinding devices need to be placed where and when required to anticipate user needs. The potential to provide value-added services to standard solutions should be considered. All devices must adhere to readability and usability principles – height for disabilities, colour, language used (no jargon) etc.

A PROJECT WITHIN A PROJECT

PROTOTYPE & INITIATION OF PILOT IDENTIFYING USER NEEDS: FLIP CHART SURVEY

THEY TOLD US WHAT THEY WANTED IDENTIFYING USER NEEDS: FLIPCHART DATA ANALYSIS The Communication Insync group have compiled all the data taken from the flipchart survey, and have begun analyzing it by grouping the similar comments together.

ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS IDENTIFYING USER NEEDS: OBSERVATION Trial of observation iPad app, ‘People Watcher’ During a meeting between the Wayfinding and Communication Insync group, the topic of observation as an appropriate research method to investigate how users currently make use of Library spaces. This could provide the Communication group with some data as to where they might want to place a touchscreen device, and what information may be useful to users in that context. After the meeting, I was walking back to the Library trying to think of the best way to quickly record a series of observations – I thought of photocopied maps, but the thought of all that paper wasn’t appealing. Plus, I thought the idea of overlaying all observed paths would be very useful, and paper didn’t lend itself to that. My mind went to the photo editing software, ‘Photoshop’ which provides easy layering of multiple ‘sheets’ – I looked at the iPad I was carrying and it clicked: there has to be an app! Surprisingly, a search of the app store did not reveal any useful hits immediately. A literature search turned up a paper written in 2012 by Nick Dalton, Ruth Dalton, Christopher Holscher & Gregory Kuhnmunch, “An iPad app for recording Movement Paths and associated spatial behaviors”. It was here that I found mention of the app they created, ‘People Watcher’, and was able to locate it in the app store. We conducted a small trial of the app and found, while useful, there were some significant issues with the interface and the way the software functions. Primarily, it is cumbersome to start new participants – you have to go to another screen to stop and start observations, it is difficult to access time-stamped event data – you need to go to your iTunes account to do this – the only analysis available in the app itself is the overlay view of all paths on a particular map. The App is currently in its second stage of development. Future developments will focus on reliably concerning the hard- and software and enhancing the in-App data-analysis functionality.

REFLECTION WHAT WE LEARNT DT needs to be run in conjunction with a project management framework Involving stakeholders at the beginning of the project increases engagement and project buy-in DT is a time intensive process DT is a practice that requires reflection through all project phases As users are the focus of DT, being open to having your ideas challenged is essential Fiction can never replace real data or usability testing Explaining DT to staff outside the project helped us refine our persona development processes, and further embed user-centred problem solving at an organisational level.

REFLECTION BENEFITS OF USING DESIGN THINKING The persona and scenario development process helped us not only identify potential negative user experiences or pain points, but it highlighted opportunities where we could modify our current services and enhance the user experience. By keeping users at the heart of the design process we were presented with ideas we hadn’t conceived of and answers to questions we didn’t ask.