IB Design Technology Topic A2.1.4 User-centred Research Methods Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB Design Technology Topic A2.1.4 User-centred Research Methods Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

Written by official IB examiners

Ask Users What They Say, Watch What They Do

User-centred research methods are the ways a design team learns about the people it designs for, and they fall into two families.
Some methods ask users directly, through interviews, surveys, and focus groups, capturing what people say.
Others watch users in action, through observation, field research, and task analysis, capturing what people actually do.
The two families matter because what people say and what they do often differ: a user might say they always read the instructions while observation shows they never open the manual.
Watching reveals unspoken habits and frustrations users cannot put into words, so strong research combines asking with watching rather than trusting either alone.

Example

A reusable water bottle redesign drew on three methods together.
- Observation: students kept dropping the bottle because it was hard to grip.
- Task analysis: cleaning took too many steps, especially around the cap.
- Interviews: users said it leaked inside their backpacks.
The combined findings led to textured sides, a simpler cap, and a leak-proof seal.

Interviews and Surveys: Depth Versus Reach

Interviews and surveys sit at opposite ends of a trade-off between depth and reach.
Interviews
1. A one-to-one conversation that produces qualitative data (opinions, stories, and reasons), so you reach few users but learn a lot about each.

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Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

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Ask Users What They Say, Watch What They Do

User-centred research methods are the ways a design team learns about the people it designs for, and they fall into two families.
Some methods ask users directly, through interviews, surveys, and focus groups, capturing what people say.
Others watch users in action, through observation, field research, and task analysis, capturing what people actually do.
The two families matter because what people say and what they do often differ: a user might say they always read the instructions while observation shows they never open the manual.
Watching reveals unspoken habits and frustrations users cannot put into words, so strong research combines asking with watching rather than trusting either alone.

Example

A reusable water bottle redesign drew on three methods together.
- Observation: students kept dropping the bottle because it was hard to grip.
- Task analysis: cleaning took too many steps, especially around the cap.
- Interviews: users said it leaked inside their backpacks.
The combined findings led to textured sides, a simpler cap, and a leak-proof seal.

Interviews and Surveys: Depth Versus Reach

Interviews and surveys sit at opposite ends of a trade-off between depth and reach.
Interviews
1. A one-to-one conversation that produces qualitative data (opinions, stories, and reasons), so you reach few users but learn a lot about each.

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

A. Design in theory8 subtopics

B. Design in practice8 subtopics

C. Design in context8 subtopics

IB Design Technology Topic A2.1.4: User-centred Research Methods Notes

A. Design in theory8 subtopics

B. Design in practice8 subtopics

C. Design in context8 subtopics

Ask Users What They Say, Watch What They Do

Interviews and Surveys: Depth Versus Reach

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

Ask Users What They Say, Watch What They Do

Interviews and Surveys: Depth Versus Reach

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account