How Design-inclusive UXR Influenced the Integration of Project Activities
Janne van Kollenburg, Sander Bogers, Eva Deckers, Joep W. Frens, Caroline Hummels · 2017
In this paper, we discuss how the implementation of design-inclusive User Experience Research (UXR) has influenced the composition of UXR and design activities in the industrial setting of Philips Design. We present three design case studies that were executed in a time span of three years: a baby sleep project; a pregnancy project; and a baby bottle-feeding project. Through a retrospective analysis we conclude that the approach adopted in these cases progressed from complete separation of UXR and design activities to design-inclusive UXR in which design forms an integral part of research. This is reflected by a rearrangement of project activities to identify, envision, enable and evaluate user experiences. Previously the UXR (identify and evaluate) and design (envision and enable) activities were executed sequentially. Now, these four project activities merge in studying design interventions in context over a prolonged time, to iteratively explore and advance UX design qualities.