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Research Tools - Other

Video Tracking: Great Future Promise (06-14-13)

Designers are often interested in learning how an existing space is used so new environments can be programmed appropriately – either to support current activities or make others more likely.  Hauptmann, Yu, and Yang at Carnegie Mellon “have developed a[n] [improved] method for tracking the locations of multiple individuals in complex, indoor settings using a network of video cameras . . . . The method was able to automatically follow the movements of . . .

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Number of Questionnaire Responses (05-21-13)

Designers often write surveys to collect information.  Jones and Loe’s work indicates that a larger number of response options is not necessarily better than fewer: “In a simulation study, a standard computer-based administration provided a numeric scale for each item ranging from 0 to 10. The tests were then rescored to simulate the effect of only three choices. For the follow-up study, two versions of the scale were created, one with two response options and the other with six response options, and were randomly assigned to participants.

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The Value of Photos (09-28-12)

A recent study on an academic campus indicates the value of  using photograhs to conduct research before programming begins.

New Tools for Designers Doing Research

Several new research tools/methodologies are available to designers, and could be useful to those needed acoustical, aesthetic, statistical or worker satisfaction measures.

Space Syntax iPad App (07-09-12)

Space syntax is an important design research tool.  N.S. Dalton announced a new iPad app to support people doing space syntax research via a recent e-mail to the space syntax listserv (spacesyntax.jiscmail.ac.uk).  

Researching with Photos (07-06-12)

Ray and Smith’s work supports the use of photographs in design-related research, although design is not the focus of their efforts. 

First Is Good (07-02-12)

Designers ask others to respond to sets of options regularly, for example, for selections from design options or when answering survey or interview questions.

Ordering Options (05-02-12)

New research confirms that people tend to select objects presented in the middle of a set of options.

Solving Problems Using “Generic-Parts” (03-05-12)

Tony McCaffrey developed the generic-parts technique (GPT) to increase the odds that innovative solutions to problems are uncovered. 

Presenting Options (01-17-12)

Bagchi and Davis have completed research on how the manner in which options are presented influences choices made, which complements existing work in the field.