Assignment 5B

The research methods I have recently learned could be applied in numerous situations. For example I could use the methods to enable me to create a body of work tailored to the guidelines of a textile design brief. For a recent brief entitled ‘Ugly Beautiful’ I took inspiration from ‘ugly’ architecture such as tower blocks and derelict buildings in Dundee, which I combined with ‘beautiful’ floral images largely inspired by the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. The inspiration, development and final outcomes of this project are likely to have been different had the research I carried out for the ‘Ugly Beautiful’ brief been executed using a variety of research techniques.

To begin with, literature is often a valuable source of information, but for a brief such as this literature is unlikely to be a useful starting point, as the perception of ugly and beautiful is determined by personal opinion. Instead the best approach would be to ask a small group of people to mind map ugly and beautiful. Ideally the group would be made up of people for whom the outcome is intended, fashion conscious women aged 18-25 for example. This would quickly generate a large amount of ideas derived from a broad spectrum of influences. After creating the mind map, a discussion amongst the group could help to establish what people agree is ugly and what is beautiful. I would investigate further what the majority of people agree is ugly or beautiful, perhaps through source drawing. This method would therefore provide me with a good starting point.

Another or additional way in which to source inspiration for the project would be to ask everyone in the group to photograph 5 things they find ugly and 5 things they find beautiful. This is again likely to create a whole range of ideas and directions that I could investigate further. Although this approach would be more time consuming than creating a mind map it would be more visually stimulating. After this I could show the images provided by the group to a second group of people one image at a time and ask them to comment briefly on what they are shown. I would observe their facial expressions to see if they find the image ugly or beautiful. This could then be followed up with a semi-structured interview to see if the observations were correct.

Another approach to investigating whether the photographs are representational of something ugly or beautiful would be for me to carry out an experiment similar to a theory discussed by Roland Barthes in an article entitled ‘Rhetoric of the Image’ (Barthes, 1986). A set of 3 of the ‘beautiful’ photographs (selected at random) would be given to 5 people. Each person would be asked to describe the 3 images using only one word. If the word beautiful, pretty or similar was given it would be reasonable to suggest that these images do represent ‘beautiful’ and so the images would be a useful starting point for my research. However if the same or similar words were not given by each person this could be due to polysemy. A person’s background, age, interests and occupation for example can affect their interpretation of something so an image can trigger different thoughts within different people. Therefore the individual or target audience for which the outcome is aimed at would be ideal to help me source the inspiration for the brief.

Once I have areas to research and develop further the library or Internet is likely to be the best source of information. I would look at the work of artists and designers who have been inspired by a similar subject area to discover how the subject has previously been approached. In particular I would look at their style of working, the colour palette and fabrics they used as well as the outcomes produced. This would allow me to make well-informed decisions when developing my work.

Next I would ask the client to provide me with images of their home and some photographs of themselves from the past few years. These images would give me an insight in to my client’s background, interests and hobbies for example. I may be able to tell if my client likes bold or intricate patterns, modern or traditional design and pastel or bright colours. A colour palette could potentially be determined from the interior decor within the client’s home or by the colours they wear. Other factors, which may be important to the client, are also likely to be discovered. However The Johari Window is a diagram, which explains that it is only possible to obtain some information about any given person, you can never know everything about them. (Duen Hsi Yen, 1986). It is also impossible for anyone to know absolutely everything about himself or herself. From analyzing a persons photographs it is likely that I would discover information about the ‘open self’ and possibly about ‘the blind self’ of the client but I wouldn’t know about their ‘hidden self’ unless they chose to tell me, then it would become their ‘open self’. No one will ever know about his or her ‘unknown self’.

After analyzing some photographs it would be best for me to follow this up with a semi-structured interview in order to check the assumptions I made and to find out as much information as possible about my client. As a designer I need to know what my client wants, because in the UK most people consume when they want or desire things. In third world countries, people have to consume, as they need clothes, food and other basic necessities where as people in the UK are fortunate enough to fall somewhere between the ‘want’ and ‘desire’ to consume. Guy Julier discusses this in ‘The Culture of Design’.

In conclusion it would be useful and relatively easy for me to apply many of the research methods I have learned this semester to a textile design brief. The outcome for this brief would have had more thought and research behind it had these methods been applied and I feel this would have added value and interest to my work. Because of this I intend to incorporate these methods into my work in the future. In my opinion these methods will be very important to me as a designer, in numerous situations where research is required. I have built on my existing skills and acquired new skills this year, which have lead me to realize how versatile design students can be and the range of opportunities available to me as a result of this.

Word Count: 1099

Bibliography

Barthes, R (1986) The responsibility of forms: critical essays on music, art and representation. Oxford: Blackwell.

Duen Hsi Yen (1999) Johari Window Available:http://www.noogenesis.com/game_theory/johari/johari_window.html (30.03.2010)

Guy, J (2007) The culture of design 2^nd Edition London: Sage

Assignment 5A

After reading ‘The Tipping Point’ I decided to further investigate crime and particularly identity theft, a problem faced by many (Gladwell, 2000). Identity theft can perhaps be tackled with an increased understanding of the issue. To do this I began by reading relevant literature to improve my understanding of the subject, however I only looked at books and journals. In order to further develop my research it would not only be important to gather information from written resources but it is also essential for me to collect primary data from individuals who may be concerned or have been directly affected by identity theft.

I have looked at books and journals and found them informative and factual, however literature can soon become outdated and sometimes incorrect. Therefore the value and relevance of the material may depend upon when it was written. It was necessary to assess whether the information is opinion based or factual and also if it is biased. In order to further my research I would use the Internet for locating current articles, however it would be crucial for me to carefully select the sources. I would consider the reliability of the information, whether it is well researched and the author and publisher. It is also imperative to check when the website was updated. Magazines and newspaper articles could also be a valuable resource. The authors of these articles will be easily identifiable, therefore making it easer to assess the validity of the source, which can be difficult when using online information. A magazine or newspaper is also more up to date than a book.

A current article discusses how purposefully leaving a home insecure, and so making it an easy target for thieves has reduced burglaries (White, 2010). Valuable equipment inside the home is tagged so once a burglary occurs the thief is traced and charged. In order to find out if similar methods could be applied to reduce identity theft I would use a structured interview to obtain information from a member of the police, as gathering personal and background information is unnecessary in this situation. I would first carry out a pilot interview to ensure the questions I planned to ask would provide me with useful responses and I would obtain written consent from those who I wished to interview. I would use this technique for similar formal interviews, to interview manufacturers of biometric devices and bank managers for example. I would hope to gain information about the use, cost and availability of biometric technology and whether it could be used in banks to reduce identity theft. A simple questionnaire could also be used to quickly gain accurate answers.

I would use semi-structured interviews rather than structured interviews when questioning members of the public and victims of identity theft. To do this I would determine a short set of questions prior to the interview then follow up the answers given with further questioning. I would use open questions, to encourage the interviewee to talk freely even if the information they provide is off on a tangent from the initial question as this is likely to provide me with background information, which may be useful when reviewing the findings. Semi-structured interviews also tend to be more relaxed, which helps to unearth personal, background information. Structured interviews are unlikely to provide this information. As a designer it is beneficial for me to be aware of a persons background, tastes and opinions, as without knowing someone’s ‘story’ it is difficult to design effectively for them. The questioning would help me to determine how concerned people are by identity theft and what affect it could or does have on them. I would also hope to discover what lengths people go to in order to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of identity theft. As well as this the interviews would help me to obtain opinions on certain methods of biometric authentication.

Another research method, which can be useful, is observational research. Observing a persons behavior, posture and language for example can be very informative. However, this method can only be applied in situations where observation can be carried out discretely and safely. It is an inappropriate method to use for investigating identity theft. It would be difficult to observe identity theft as it commonly takes place online and observing cash points for example would be an invasion of privacy and very inappropriate. Therefore observational research in this circumstance would be avoided. Similarly research methods such as those discussed in the ‘Rhetoric of the Image’ by Roland Barthes would not be used, as they are only useful when addressing a communication design problem (Barthes, 1986).

A cultural probe is a research method developed by Bill Gaver, which would be used instead of observational research (Katharina, 2007). This technique would involve issuing a cultural probe pack to volunteers, who would be as varied as possible, because anyone can be affected by identity theft (Dix, 2004). The pack would help to obtain the thoughts and feelings of individuals towards crime and identity theft. The pack would contain a diary, pens, stickers, a camera and map of the area the volunteers live in. The diary would be used to record the crimes that the individual is worried could affect them and the places or incidents that make them worried about identity theft or crime. The stickers would be used to mark places on the map where the volunteer feels unsafe or concerned about crime. The pack should be used over a few weeks before being returned. Although time consuming to collect, a cultural probe is favored over observational research if the desired results are for an insight into society’s thoughts and feelings rather than to discover how people behave.

In conclusion, there are numerous research methods available although observational research is not a suitable technique in this situation and methods used to address a communication design problem are also irrelevant. The use of literature would be very valuable but sources should always be carefully considered. Cultural probes would also be useful in helping me to gain an insight in to people’s feelings towards identity theft, however this can be expensive and time consuming. Similarly interviews could be particularly useful in answering specific questions, however the type of interview used would be carefully considered in order to ensure I obtained the necessary information. By using these techniques I would have a greater understanding of identity theft and an improved knowledge of people’s thoughts, feelings and opinions in relation to identity theft. This would hopefully lead to possible ways in which to reduce the problem.

Word Count: 1099

Bibliography

Barthes, R. (1986) The responsibility of forms : critical essays on music, art and representation. Oxford: Blackwell.

Dix, A (2004) Cultural Probes-Methods to study new environments. Available: http://www.hcibook.com/e3/casestudy/cultural-probes/ (30.03.2010)

Gladwell, M (2000) The Tipping Point London: Abacus

Katharina (2007) Interview with Bill Gaver. Available: http://www.designresearchnetwork.org/drn/content/interview-bill-gaver (30.03.2010)

White, M (2010) House Traps: The Open Invitation To A Thief. Available http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/House-Traps-For-Burglars-Used-To-Snare-Criminals-By-Police/Article/201003415582887?lid=ARTICLE_15582887_HouseTrapsForBurglarsUsedToSnareCriminalsByPolice&lpos=searchresults (30.03.2010)