charles estes drought research synthesis report

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Charles Estes IND 460 UNDERSTANDING DROUGHT Synthesis Report

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Fourth year Industrial Design research project process book.

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Page 1: Charles Estes Drought Research Synthesis Report

Charles Estes IND 460

UNDERSTANDING DROUGHT

Synthesis Report

Page 2: Charles Estes Drought Research Synthesis Report
Page 3: Charles Estes Drought Research Synthesis Report

01-42

CONTENTS

PROCESS

Generative Research

Challenge Statement

Interviews

Empathy Maps

Observations

Journey Map

Persona

Insights

Problem Statement

Ideation

Brainstorming

Concept Sketches

Evaluative Research

Assumption Test Interview

Low-Resolution Concept Models

Three Concept Directions

Evaluative Interview

Concept Finalization

Sketches

Models

RESEARCH PROCESS TOOLS

Attribute Maps

43-70

Empathy Tools

Framing Tools

Ideation Tools

02

03

05

07

09

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Page 4: Charles Estes Drought Research Synthesis Report

Generative Research Phase

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How Might We Improve The Experience of Conserving Water in Regions Afflicted by Drought?

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Mike Patrick & John FeltySRP Water Distribution Office in Tempe, AZ

Kelli LarsonSenior Sustainability Scientist

School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, ASU

Karolina McLaughlin

Dirty Nelly’s, San Francisco, CA

Amelia GaluskiCoconino National Forest RangerBlue Ridge Reservoir, AZ

Bar Owner

Dan ChildersSenior Sustainability Scientist

School of Sustainability, ASU

EXPERTS

03

PARTICIPANTSINTERVIEW

TannerLandscaping Company Owner

INTERVIEWS

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04

GENERAL DISCUSSION GUIDE

WARMUP

[The purpose of these questions is to explore non-legislative approaches to reducing municipal consumption of water in Phoenix]

PROBLEM

Where are the biggest areas of wasted water in drought stricken regions like AZ?

1

Questions

Where do responsibilities lie?

How much of a role do supplier play?

How much of a role does industry play?

How much of a role do consumers play?

What are the largest obstacles to accomplish this goal?

What conservation incentives have had an impact on consumption?

[The purpose of these questions is to explore strategies to reduce water demand as a means to reduce consumption in drought stricken regions.]

STRATEGIES

How can we reduce the overall demand for water in drought stricken areas?

2

Questions

What about the option of increasing water supply instead of reducing demand?

What is currently being done to reduce water demands?

How important is education?

[The purpose of these questions is to explore the consequences of not reducing water demands in drought stricken regions.]

CONSEQUENCES

What are the potential impacts of not reducing water demands in drought stricken regions?

3

Questions

What are the potential impacts of not reducing water demands in agriculture?

[The purpose of these questions is to explore additional areas of opportunities to save, reduce, and reuse water.]

OPPORTUNITIES

What role will technology play in helping us improve our water usage in the future?

4

Questions

What about the Aquifers?

What about the Colorado River?

WRAP UPIs there anything you think we should have asked you but didn’t?

Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?

Is there anything else that you would like to ask us?

We are seniors in the Industrial Design program at ASU. We are trying to learn as much as possible about the entire system of water consumption. Announce that pictures will be taken during the interview and recording.

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05EMPATHY MAPS

KELLI LARSON

Landscape is the largest factor in consumption.

“Effort” (Laugh) in conservation - Scottsdale has a very high GPCD.

She is a Sustainability Professor at ASU.

She is very enthusiastic about the subject.

Avoided focusing on the topic of Intel.

Engineers don’t care about the end user’s conservation. “Delivery is what they do.”

Laughs - Integrated planning with land planner and water managers.

THINK FEEL

SAYToilet to tap in California, but “we’re not doing that.”

Indoor water usage IS NOT fixed.

Usage varies between cities in Greater Phoenix.

More chemicals are used in xeric landscapes.

30% grass is the magic number.

Rainwater rights are complicated in Arizona.

Sewage system needs a certain amount of water to function properly.

There is a trade off between conservation and the heat island effect.

“Stuff’s Gonna Die!”

Opportunity in water reuse.

“Changing landscape seems way more plausible.” than re-doing how homes are built.

“I could use grey water” but pipes are centralized.

Metering - needs to know where water is going.

Automated watering of plants could lead to forgetfulness.

There is no way to track WHERE water is being used in homes.

Toilet to tap has a bad public perception.

“Something about it mixing with a river makes it OK to use.”

Drought is viewed as temporary. Shared landscapes “makes sense.”

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DAN CHILDERS

THINK FEEL

SAYGoodyear - Linear Park

Water is a limited resource analogous to housing in manhattan

Microclimate - Focus/Perception

Systems Ecologist

Everglades Researcher before coming to ASU.

Has a minor in Climatology.

(looks outside) “seed away baby!”Focus - Cities as ecosystems.

70% of water is used in outdoor applications in the city of Phoenix.

Irrigation can be improved for turf

Water ONLY leaves Phoenix through evaporation.

Social Justice is involved in water regulation.

Tucson uses tiered pricing when charging for water use.

Goodyear Apartment plume of polluted groundwater.

30% of water comes from the Central Arizona Project.

Wide leaf plants transpire more water.

Water services dilemma - Utilities struggle to make money.

User Feedback is very important for awareness.

It will get crier in the winter and there will be less snow.

Water infrastructure will be the first to go if there is no funding.

“Oh Jeez” when mentioning SRP thinks pipe leakage is the problem.

The values of residents impacts the water use of the community.

Water may become a limiting resource in Phoenix.

The carrying capacity of Phoenix may become a limiting resource.

Nobody talks about how water is being delivered.

People take water for granted in Phoenix compared to Miami, even though we have less water.

There is an opportunity is park management.

There could be a new pool cover that is not just a sheet of fabric.

The city is only obligated to deliver water and remove the waste water.

Local evaporation can condensate.

We have to show people to wrong way to do things, along with the good.

We must avoid creating a “city of rich people.”

Evaporation is a huge source of water loss.

Agriculture soaker hoses are expensive and hard to maintain and replace.

Taking agriculture off land as method for decreasing water use only gives “rationale for doing nothing” about the problem.

Really dislikes the name “Avantgarden” being used in his current project.

Central Arizona Project and the Salt and Verde Rivers are incredibly vulnerable.The modeling on heat

island may be incomplete and/or inaccurate.

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All observable events and circumstances were cap-tured in order to give insights during later review.

OBSERVABLE EVENTS

Anything that was deemed unique or exceptionally insightful.

KEY INSIGHTS

Record any noticeable problem areas associated with the event or actions being performed

DISSATISFIERS

Objects that can be used during the observable action or event.

KEY ARTIFACTS

Any important actors involved in the activity is important to the research.

KEY PLAYERS

Repeatable loops are always good to record and observe in order to find design opportunities.

REPEATABLE ACTIONS

SHOT LIST

OBSERVATIONS

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A(x4) & AEIOU ANALYSIS

Pedestrians

LOCATION: Arizona State University Tempe Campus FOCUS: Rainwater DATE: 09/28/14

ACTORS

USERS

ARTIFACTS

OBJECTS

ATMOSPHERE

ENVIRONMENT

INTERACTIONS

ACTIVITIES

Bicyclists

Maintenance Workers

Motorists

Pump

Fallen Trees

Bicycle

Cars

Shoes

Bucket

“Wet Floor” Sign

Traffic Cones

Gloomy

Empty

Inconvenient

Windy

Walking

Driving

Biking

Pumping water

Pedestrians with each other

Pedestrians with debris

Pedestrians with water hazards

08

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09 JOURNEY MAP

Washing Dishes by Hand

Decide to wash dishes.

Gather all of the dirty dishes.

Place dishes and place them on one side of sink.

Grab a dirty dish and rinse with hot water.

DISH WASHING LOOP

Turn the water off.

Scrub the dirty dish with the soapy wash cloth.

Check dish for remaining debris.

Turn the water on.

Rinse the soap and debris off of the dish.

Turn the water off.

Place the clean dish onto a rack to dry.

1 2 3 4

5678

1 2 3

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Turn the water on and let it run until it feels hot.

Grab a wash cloth and rinse with the hot water.

Apply dish soup to the cloth and rub together to form bubbles.

Turn the water on.

Rinse the remaining soap and debris from the sink.

Turn the water off.

Dry hands with a towel

4 5 6

1 2 3 4

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COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER

“Being unsustainable effects my bottom line.”

NARRATIVE

Real Estate Investor.

Undergraduate in Finance.

Has been married to his current wife for 3 for years.

Owns a second home in Colorado.

Lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

MALE AGE 54

VALUES GOALS

Has one child starting college.

Has home with lush landscaping.

Believes that the key to success is not to waste.

Has a love for nature and wants to be ecologically responsible.

Takes pride in his accomplishments.

Expand property ownership outside of Arizona within 5 years.

PERSONA

Masters in Business Administration.

Wants to retire at age 70 to his ranch in Colorado.

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MIDDLE CLASS HOMEOWNER

“Just trying to keep up with the Joneses.”

NARRATIVE

Sales Representative at a successful business.

Undergraduate in Marketing.

Has been married for 10 years.

Owns a timeshare in Mexico.

Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Owner of a seven year old Labrador Retriever.

MALE AGE 42

VALUES GOALS

Has two children.

Has a large pool in the backyard.

Puts the needs of his family before his own.

Health and Fitness are very important. Physical activity and proper eating is a must.

Takes pride in his accomplishments. The appearance of his home represents his success.

Wants to entertain friends and family.Hopes to sell and upgrade his home within 5-10 years.

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INSIGHTS

Landscaping is responsible for the majority of the water waste.

Many homeowners are completely uninformed on how to properly water their plants.

1

2

There truly IS a global water crisis, but most people don’t know about it.

3

WHAT I LEARNED

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14PROBLEM STATEMENT

What Might Be All The Ways To Help Others Use Water More Responsibly Outdoors?

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Ideation Phase

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MORPHOLOGICAL MATRIX

A Morphological Matrix is a great way to brainstorm many different ideas in a short amount of time. Set up a grid with columns of unique categories related to the problem you with to solve. Fill each column with different attributes related to the category. In order to come up with an idea, select different attributed from each column and combine them to form a concept

BRAINSTORMING17

BRAINSTORM IDEATION

This is the most traditional form of concept ideation. Alone or with a team, come up with different Challenge or Problem Statement. Use a timer and come up with as many ideas in a certain amount of time. Once the timer goes off, move on to another Problem or Challenge Statement and do it again.

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CONCEPT SKETCHES

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CONCEPT SKETCHES

THE “DIRTY” 40

Concept Ideation Sketching is a great way to quickly record and visualize each idea. Write a short description of each concept and what problem it is solving at the top of the page. Then sketch a basic visual representation of the concept.

19

In the initial phase of the design process, it is important to visualize each concept so that it can be understood and scrutinized by the designer and the design team. Since form is not the concern in the early stages, function can be given the attention that is needed to create a meaningful solution.

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CHOSEN DIRECTIONS

SMART WATER METERING

Water flow meters throughout the house.

Communication to meter and an app in order to track water useage thoughout the house.

Light indicators on the water fixture that will bring awareness to water usage.

Project the water usage data so that it can be visible and subject to public scrutiny.

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CHOSEN DIRECTIONS

SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Includes a probe that detects moisture in the soil. If the solid is wet it will not water that specific plant.

The control module should be modern and have an easy to use interface.

The irrigation control should have the ability to be controlled through a phone or tablet.

Moisture readings should allow for plant specific program settings.

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CHOSEN DIRECTIONS

DEW & RAINWATER COLLECTION

Dew and rainwater should be collected and stored at the base of the tree.

The extra dew and rainwater should be allowed to flow to a larger tank places elsewhere.

Instead of plastics, succulents can be used to gather dew during the night.

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Evaluation Phase

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25 ASSUMPTION TESTING

Objective

RAINWATER HARVESTING

To test any assumptions related to outdoor water use within deserts and drought stricken regions

TANNER’S LANDSCAPE CREATIONS

DISCUSSION GUIDE

PLANT AND LAWN CARE[The purpose of these questions is to test assumptions related to taking care of lawns and other plants in the desert.]

How does Xeriscape compare to other types of landscaping in terms of water consumption?

Questions

Are there instances of over watering?

[The purpose of these questions is to test assumptions related to rainwater harvesting the desert.]

1 2

Is there a large presence of rainwater harvesting in Phoenix?

Questions

Is rainwater harvesting a viable source of water in areas of low precipitation?

How much attention do homeowners give to their landscaping?

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ASSUMPTION INTERVIEW INSIGHTS

Most people kill their plants by over watering them, even in the desert.

Native desert plants do not need to be watered during the winter months.

1

2

Many homeowners have no idea how to properly operate and program their irrigation and drip systems.

4

WHAT I LEARNED

Residential rainwater harvesting is not common in Phoenix, but is a great way to lower water bills.

3

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LOW RESOLUTION MODELS

Dew Catcher “Smart” Irrigation “Smart” Water Meter

Water needs to drain away from the base of the tree in order to let roots grow outward.

Similar products exist, but not for the commercial scale.

27

Feedback Feedback Feedback

It would be great to have excess water feed into a larger tank.

Moisture sensors would be a great feature to add.

Plant specific programing could be beneficial, but would have to be very simple to program.

Water flow sensors should not require major renovation to install

Use the information to generate awareness, even to neighbors.

Make sure that it links up with the irrigation system and pool.

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There is an opportunity to use more expensive technologies to cater towards commercial properties

Focusing on reducing outdoor water use is the best way to conserve.

1

2

More information and user feedback is the best way to increase the awareness of water usage.

3

EVALUATIVE INTERVIEW INSIGHTS

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CONCEPT FINALIZATION

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31 EXISTING PRODUCTS

DEW & RAINWATER HARVESTING

Simple Form Complex Form

Easy Setup

Difficult to Setup

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IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Residential Commercial

Standard

Smart

EXISTING PRODUCTS

OPPORTUNITY

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CONCEPT 1: REFINEMENT SKETCHES33

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CONCEPT 1: FINAL SKETCH 34

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CONCEPT 2: REFINEMENT SKETCHES35

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CONCEPT 2: FINAL SKETCH 36

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CONCEPT 3: REFINEMENT SKETCHES37

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CONCEPT 3: FINAL SKETCH 38

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CONCEPT 2: FINAL MODEL 40

DEW COLLECTION TOWER

Water from the atmosphere collects on the surfaces of the different levels during the night and drains into the tank at the bottom.

The stored water can then be used to provide water to plants.

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CONCEPT 1: FINAL MODEL39

PUBLIC FURNITURE RAINWATER COLLECTOR

A shaded public bench that also collects rain water an stores it in the underground tank.

Solar panels power the pump that will be used to pressurize the water tank so it can be extracted in order to water the surrounding plants.

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CONCEPT 3: FINAL MODEL41

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CONCEPT 3: FINAL MODEL 42

SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Automated irrigation system for commercial scale properties.

Contains individual solenoid valves to regulate the flow of water to each plant.

Solar power and lithium batteries power the internal computer and switches

Controls and programing are done through an accompanied Mobile App.

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Research Process Tools

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EMPATHY TOOLS

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RESEARCH PLAN47

What So What InsightsThe research plan outlines the focus of the research that is about to be done, the context of the topic, possible people and organizations to contact, and key questions that arise about the topic.A general plan of action is formulated.

Having a research plans helps the researchers maintain focus throughout the research process and broadly define the scope of their research in advance.

Generative research often reveals that the questions asked and directions planned at first are irrelevant or much more complex than was initially thought. It is important to recognize and correct one’s own initial bias when it occurs.Now What

Researchers may begin to discover problems and opportunities within the areas of focus and gather as much information as possible using the methods described in the plan of action.

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INTERVIEWS 48

What So What InsightsPeople representing different stakeholders involved with the topic are interviewed, preferably face-to-face, about their knowl-edge of and opinions regarding the subject.

Talking to experts helps define real problems that exist in the field being researched, which will eventuallylead to opportunities for new products in the market.

Interviews don’t always go as planned, and occasionally the interviewees may become irate because of a question. In this situation, it is important to be diplomatic, but this tension is often a hallmark of an important problem.

Now WhatKnowledge gleaned from interviewscan answers many question, but it also creates them. This helps open up avenues for further research.

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OBSERVATIONS: A(x4)/AEIOU/POEMS ANALYSIS49

What So What InsightsResearchers go into the field and observe locations and people of relevance to the subject while taking pictures and notes.

Seeing users in their “natural habitat” is important to help realize how products are used, from beginning to end, and to help erase assumptions that researchers may have.

Observations reveal problems that stakeholders are not consciously aware of, and thus would not arise in interviews.

Now WhatMore problems and special usage consid-erations are revealed, and opportunities for improvement of participants’ experiences come to light.

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EMPATHY MAPS 50

What So What InsightsAfter each interview, a chart listing what the interviewer did, said, thought, and felt during the interview is created.

The empathy maps help the designer relate emotionally to the interviewee and helps define the most important prob-lems, so that an impactful solution can be reached.

Paying close attention to the bodylanguage and actions of the interviewee is very important, as most communication is nonverbal. Also, it is important to create the empathy map as soon as possible after the interview.

Now WhatInformation from the empathy maps can be used to create personas, or types of people that need to be designed for and what they need most.

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ASSUMPTION TESTING51

What So What InsightsThe designer lists all the assumptions they have made about the user and the value of the product in the process of coming up with a particular concept.

Assumption testing helps the designer understand if a concept is feasible and at least begins to meets the user’s needs.

It is extremely important to not ask loaded questions or questions that are intended to elicit a particular reaction from the inter-viewee. Phrasing is everything.

Now WhatThe designer uses feedback from the as-sumption testing interviews to refine future iterations of the product concept.

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EVALUATION RESEARCH 52

What So What InsightsDesigners bring rough prototypes to potential users and gauge their reac-tions while attempting to use it, and get feedback on the rough physical attributes of the product.

Evaluative research is important to make sure that any obvious and critical design flaws are caught early in the process, and to ensure that the product will actually be useful to and usable by the intended user group.

Designers use evaluative research feedback to refine physical attributes of the model and begin the finer process of creating an appealing and easy-to-use physical appear-ance of the product.

Now WhatDesigners use evaluative research feedback to refine physical attributes of the model and begin the finer process of creating an appealing and easy-to-use physical appear-ance of the product.

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FRAMING TOOLS

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PESTEL ANALYSIS55

What So What InsightsThe political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors affecting the topic are named and examined.

Framing the larger context of the topic helps concretely define problems and gives a higher purpose to research and design.

PESTEL analysis can reveal that the topic has much broader implications than could ever be originally imagined. This sort of “faucet thinking” can get intimidating, but it is better to research broadly now and get more specific later than it is to quickly launch research into a narrow problem that may not be as relevant as was initially thought.

Now WhatA thorough PESTEL analysis often reveals stakeholders for interview, as well as sites for observation, that were not thought of during initial research planning.

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STAKEHOLDER MAP 56

What So What InsightsA stakeholders map identifies people externally and internally who have a stake in the outcome of a project. This is usually done on a large piece of paper with sticky notes and sharpies.

These maps help us identify stakeholder interests, understand their relationship to the client, and their views.

Through this process we can gain a fuller picture of everyone involved in the area surrounding the product concept and experience.

Now WhatNow these maps are able to help facilitate meaningful dialogue and uncover assumptions.

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CHALLENGE STATEMENT57

HOW MIGHT WE...?

What So What InsightsA challenge statement is phrased like “How might we improve the experience of…” These statements are generally very broad and inclusive of an entire challenge space.

The challenge statements are one of the first steps in narrowing in on the prob-lems the researcher is trying to solve.

A more specific direction of your challenge is gained through the process of formally identifying multiple challenge statements.

Now WhatOnce they are identified they can be used to go on and create problem statements and continue narrowing.

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PROBLEM STATEMENT 58

WHAT MIGHT BE ALL THE WAYS to...?

What So What InsightsA problem statement is phrased like “What might be all the ways to…” This type of statement is more focused than a challenge statement.

This tools gets the researcher one step closer to gaining clarity on the specific problem they are trying to solve.

These can feel very similar to challenge statements but they truly do get you much closer to insights and concepts.

Now WhatOnce these are identified they can be used to identify assumptions and continue on in the research process.

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INSIGHTS59

What So What InsightsInsights are drawn from all of the various other tools. They should be accurate and provocative and directly relating to the research being done.

The process of gaining insights is the entire point of doing the research.

This is the crux of the entire process, it is one of the most exciting and motivating aspects.

Now WhatOnce the insights are identified they can be used to inspire concepts, more questions, or new problems.

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JOURNEY MAP 60

What So What InsightsA journey map identifies a specific stakeholders journey through a specific journey. It identifies their touchpoints, emotional status, moments of truth, ser-vice delivery, and visualizations through-out the journey.

This tool gives a detailed visualization of actions a stakeholder experiences from the moment he/she first hears about the product/service all the way through the final outcome of the experience.

This tool ensures the designer does not overlook any steps, touchpoints, or truths throughout the product/service experience. It also puts the designer in the shoes of a specific stakeholder.

Now WhatNow we can clearly identify every aspect of a specific stakeholder or users experience.

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PERSONA61

What So What InsightsA persona is a representation of a specific person the researcher interviewed. It is broken down into a narrative, their values, their goals, usually a quote, and picture or illustration that represents them.

While the persona is specific to an interviewee it is intended to represent the broader user type or stakeholder that the interviewee is a part of.

Many insights are drawn from the process of specifically defining the stakeholders through personas.

Now WhatSeveral personas should be created to represent the most relevant, prominent, and inclusive people involved in the research process.

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POINT OF VIEW 62

What So What InsightsThe POV articulates how the designer choose to look at and frame a problem to solve.

The POV integrates information from the research and clarifies who the user is, what insights were gained, and what opportunities were identified and intended to address.

This is highly useful as the designer proceeds through the concept development and refinement.

Now WhatNow the designer is able to clarify their assumptions so that they can be tested.

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IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Residential Commercial

Standard

Smart

OPPORTUNITY

What So What InsightsAn Attribute Map uses a 2x2 graph to visualize relationships between items and environments. Place photos of objects in the appropriate regions based on the selected qualities that one wishes to compare. As an example, you can com-pare the relationship of objects according to visual qualities such as complex vs simple and traditional vs modern.

These maps are incredibly helpful when comparing competition and looking for opportunities for your project to pursue.

Sometimes the attribute relationships being compared don’t provide any meaningful opportunities. If this happens just try again with a different set of attribute relationships.

ATTRIBUTE MAP63

Now WhatNow that the attribute map is completed, creating meaningful and competitive con-cepts is much easier.

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DATA ANALYSIS 64

What So What InsightsOnce all of the data is collected itmust be reviewed in a matter that makes it understandable. Look at all of the key points and insights. Look for any patterns that may arise

Data Analysis helps us understand the problem more completely so that it can be solved in a more meaningful way. It also helps identify and opportunities for improvement.

Taking good notes is very important so that key information is not left out of the analysis.

Now WhatAfter analyzing and understand all of the data, it is possible to continue researching further or even moving on to ideation.

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IDEATION TOOLS

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MORPHOLOGICAL MATRIX67

What So What InsightsA Morphological Matrix is a great way to brainstorm many different ideas in a short amount of time. Set up a grid with columns of unique categories related to the problem you with to solve. Fill each column with different attributes related to the category. In order to come up with an idea, select different attributed from each column and combine them to form a concept.

This is a great way to come up with many different concepts in a short amount of time. It also helps take a lot of the mental energy out of the ideation process and can make it fun.

Some of the combinations can end up seeming very silly. Even though this is fun some times, if it becomes common, then it means that some of the attributes should be changed.

Now WhatAfter coming with some concepts using a Morphological Matrix, one can move on to sketching.

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BRAINSTORM IDEATION 68

What So What InsightsThis is the most traditional form of concept ideation. Alone or with a team, come up with different Challenge or Problem Statement. Use a timer and come up with as many ideas in a certain amount of time. Once the timer goes off, move on to another Problem or Challenge Statement and do it again.

Since it is times, it puts pressure to come up with as many ideas as possible. It help encourage participants to “vomit” as many things as possible. If others are not hindered by judgment, more meaningful ideas can be put down on paper.

Doing many rounds of Brainstorm Ideation is very mentally taxing. Consuming glucose carbohydrates can help keep blood sugar high enough to fuel the mental exercise.

Now WhatAfter coming with some concepts using Brainstorm Ideation, one can move on to sketching.

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CONCEPT IDEATION SKETCHES69

What So What InsightsConcept Ideation Sketching is a great way to quickly record and visualize each idea. Write a short description of each concept and what problem it is solving at the top of the page. Then sketch a basic visual representation of the concept.

In the initial phase of the design process, it is important to visualize each concept so that it can be understood and scrutinized by the designer and the design team. Since form is not the concern in the early stages, function can be given the attention that is needed to create a meaningful solution.

It may be helpful to ignore the form of the concept during this stage of ideation. This is a great opportunity to focus onwhat truly matters, function.

Now WhatOnce all of the concepts are put on paper, they can be critiqued by other members of the design team. Once the best ones have been selected, they can be further developed using Evaluative Research.

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HYPOTHESIS 70

What So What InsightsA Hypothesis is a way to frame an idea that may need further testing in or-der to prove. Use a sentence structure of “I believe that…,” “will cause…,” “to…” in order to frame the idea in a more understandable way.

This is helpful when trying to get feedback and experiment with certain ideas. It is a great way to test if the solution is on the right track.

Before going on an interview or observation, it is helpful to record any hypothesis so that they can be testedin the field. Don’t try to test them after the fact.

Now WhatAfter coming up with a Hypothesis, it is important to test it by going on interviews or creating low-resolution models.