Workshop
STATISTICS FOR DESIGNERS
Become more effective by more fully understanding research in a data-driven world
With the proliferation of sensors everywhere in our lives, data is being generated at astounding rates. The goal, of course, is not to amass data – it’s to make meaning of that data, a task that can often be elusive. Yet understanding and leveraging quantitative information has become a powerful tool for designers.
This workshop is designed to help participants make sense of quantitative studies, with an ability to fully understand the results of those studies. And just as important, to be able to critique those studies (Hint: not all studies are well designed.) It will also support your incorporation of quantitative methods into current design research activities.
Quantitative methods represent a change. The field of design, historically, has included little or no metrics. Incorporating quantitative research has a double benefit: 1) when conducted early in a design project, it informs the design team and steers the design work accordingly, revealing patterns of perceptions, attitudes and usability for various user groups that would otherwise have been missed, and 2) it adds credibility and confidence to design recommendations that could otherwise seem too far out and risky. The design team can be more assured in their directions, and more innovative by acting early on opportunities that may have otherwise been overlooked.
This understanding will especially enhance a team’s effectiveness in data-driven organizations where evidence-based design can help ensure the team’s success.
You'll discover how to:
· Master the Basics: Demystify averages, standard deviations, correlations, and probabilities – and see how they relate to design.
· Become a Savvy Reader: Confidently interpret results seen in marketing, engineering, and design research reports.
· Cut Through the Noise: Understand what makes surveys valuable, and what makes them meaningless.
· Develop a Critical Eye: Learn to evaluate the quality and validity of research reports, and (importantly) kick back when their methods and findings seem questionable.
· Develop Your Own Research: Gain practical methods for planning and conducting quantitative research in design to supplement qualitative research.
· Ask the Right Questions: Learn to formulate effective research questions that yield meaningful data that can inspire your design creativity.
· Harness the Power of Small Studies and the Bell Curve: Discover how even small-scale research can provide valuable insights that will effectively predict performance.
· Strengthen you design decisions: Back up those decisions and convincingly push design further than otherwise possible.
· Identify Meaningful Differences: Understand statistical significance and how it helps you compare design options and user groups.
· See the Bigger Picture: Learn how to draw inferences about larger user populations from smaller, focused studies.
Whether you're looking to strengthen your design rationale, communicate more effectively with data-driven teams, or incorporate quantitative methods into your workflow, this workshop will equip you with the essential skills to thrive in a data-informed environment.
If you would like to get started, or simply chat about possibilities of how we can assist your company or organization, contact:
Dan Formosa, Ph.D.
dan@thinkacthuman.com
+1 201 315 4400
(To visit Dan Formosa's website click here)