Non-Computer Based Design Methods
It is a good idea to start a design with a verbal phase.
- Interviews, questionnaires and surveys.
These are not only used in evaluation, but also in the initial design phase
to discover user requirements, expectations, foreknowledge, etc.
- Brainstorming.
All participants contribute ideas, which are recorded without in-depth
discussion or judgement. In this stage no idea is too crazy to express it.
Discussion follows later, in order to select the usable ones.
- Explanation of systems and design methods.
The designer should explain how the (participatory) design process works,
which phases there will be, with visuals and/or demos, and that all
design stages are subject to revision.
After the verbal phase comes a pictoral phase.
- A mockup of the interface, as simple as with yellow sticky notes,
can be used to get a first, quick and cheap impression.
- Storyboarding can be used to give a rough impression of how an
interface will work.
- Tutorials and manuals, written in advance of the system,
should be highly visual and provide insight in how the user will interact
with the system.