Week 2: Task Review + Design Research

 

Lecture Class

In today's class, Dr. Asline brief us again our lesson plan and we discuss the answer from last quiz session to understand HCI more. Then, Dr Aslina discuss our submission of project proposal. 

Week 2 Tasks

Our task in this week is to plan a design research plan. We need to choose at least one of the method listed down to do a data collection that help us to understand our users. We need to write about the details of the plan, how are we going to conduct the research, where and when to conduct the research, what data we want to collect and etc. 

Tutorial Class

During the tutorial class, we start to plan the design research plan and ask for feedback from Mr. Ron. According to the feedback, we adjust it to have a better planning. 

Design Research Plan

Participants and Stakeholders

The first group of target audience are the fans of Leslie Cheung. Since this is a vinyl exhibition of his works, there are fans coming to listen to his songs and appreciate his works. The second target audience will be museum visitors or tourists from all age range, some are individual tourist, some are family, couples or group of friends. From my observation in the museum, I notice most of the museum visitors are foreigners. They are there to visit the traditional Nyonya house and artifacts, trying to understand the Nyonya culture in Malaysia. The third group of target audience are art enthusiast, especially installation art. 

The study will take place at Malaqa Cultural House, where I will observe the relationship between the target audiences and the space directly. I will also conduct a few of interviews with the target audiences if applicable. The research will be conducted in just 1 day as the location is in Melaka, but further trip will be conducted if needed. 

Methods

I will be using contextual inquiry and interviews method. First, I will be at the Malaqa Cultural House to observe the target audiences interacting in the museum space, especially the room where the installation situated in. Then, I will ask for permission for interviews. The target is to get interview from different group of target audience. If no interview permission is given, I will be focusing on observation. 

Detail of Primary Method

Contextual Inquiry

First, I will be at the front of the museum to observe how target audience receives the information on the exhibition poster, ticket information and other posters. I will also observe how the staff at the museum inform the exhibition information to the target audience and observe their reaction. For the second part which is the main part, I will be in the room where the installation is situated in to observe target audiences’ behaviours and reactions towards the space and installation. For example, the first impression of seeing the installation. The spatial behaviours that I will observe, are target audiences’ navigation in the room, the way they read the installation information board, their interaction with the installation, their feedback and more. 

Things to observe: 

- Which group of the target audience belong to? (Fans of Leslie Cheung, Museum visitors, Art enthusiasts)

- Do the target audience comes in group or solo? 

- Target audience viewing posters and receives information at the front desk

- Questions target audiences asked about the exhibition

- Reaction about the exhibition

- The reaction of first time viewing the installation (when they walk into the room)

- The reading of information board, were the target audience confused? 

- How do the target audience interact with the installation? Is the process smooth?

- What way do they prefer to enjoy the installation (standing or sitting)?

- What do they focus on more?

- Emotional response (facial expression, body language) before, during and after viewing (like the user smile at this point)

- What were their comments on the installation? 

- Did they take photo of the installation?

- Observe their facial expressions for determining their emotions

Interviews

A small gift is prepared for participants who take the interviews. 

General Questions:

1. Personal details: Name, age, nationality, occupation, purpose of travelling here (the museum)

2. What do you normally expect when going for an immersive and interactive exhibition? For example, you can touch it, play with it, or you prefer to quietly enjoy the whole thing?

3. Are there any uncomfortable experience or negative issues that makes you don’t want to visit an art installation? For example, like space too crowded, not being able to enjoy art quietly, the art is hard to understand… 

4. Do you have any memorable experience about an exhibition or art installation? What makes it memorable?

5. What are your first impressions of this exhibition and seeing this installation?

6. Were you able to understand the intention and instruction to interact with this installation?  

7. Do you think this experience is immersive and interactive? What would you improve? 

8. In the scale of 1-5, how much do you enjoy this installation?

9. Are there any feedback or comments you would like to give?  

Questions for Group 1: Fans of Leslie Cheung

1. As a fan of Leslie Cheung, what do you feel about this installation? 

2. Do you think that it’s great to have new art installation and exhibitions like this to celebrate the artist’s legacy? Would you recommend it to your fellow friends who also love Leslie Cheung?

3. In your opinion, what should be avoided when doing similar events like this? 

Questions for Group 2: Museum visitors / Tourists

1. This is something that you’ve not planned in your trip, but are you happy to stumble across this installation? Does it makes your trip better or it’s just a waste or time? 

2. If you can change one thing in this installation or to improve it further, what would you do? Using AI technology. 

Questions for Group 3: Art enthusiasts

1. If you can change one thing in this installation or to improve it further, what would you do? Using AI technology. 

2. As an artist or art enthusiasts, would you like to see more of similar installation like this? Or you prefer other arts? Would you give an example of things you would like to see more? 

Reflection

I have done some user data collection before, but it was very simple, using online survey. This data collection seems so much more complicated and complete, which is very different. I feel like if I have done such in depth user data collection before completing my project, it would actually help me with my design and improve my project so much as I was struggling with design before in this project, because the direction is not clear and I get lost easily. This is a really helpful research method. I am happy to learn new things in this module, thanks to Dr. Aslina and Mr. Ron.