Communication Design Communication Design and Communication and Communication

ResearchResearchIntroduction and OverviewIntroduction and Overview

Menno de Jong, UT/ECU, 2007Menno de Jong, UT/ECU, 2007

Communication DesignCommunication Design

A systematic, research-supported A systematic, research-supported procedure of solving communication procedure of solving communication

problems in a professional and problems in a professional and organizational settingorganizational setting

Applicable to:Applicable to: Communication means (brochures, websites, forms, etc.)Communication means (brochures, websites, forms, etc.) Communication campaignsCommunication campaigns Communication policyCommunication policy Communication structuresCommunication structures

Features of Communication Features of Communication DesignDesign

►Highly trained communication specialists

►Phasing of activities►Use of relevant theories + research

findings►Use of applied research techniques►Organizational context

Phasing of ActivitiesPhasing of ActivitiesAnalysis

Design

Development

Implementation

Implementation

Evaluation

Evaluation

Four Design ParadigmsFour Design Paradigms► Instrumental paradigmInstrumental paradigm

►Problem exploration and design specificationsProblem exploration and design specifications►Pragmatic paradigmPragmatic paradigm

►Rapid prototyping, reflection and fine-tuningRapid prototyping, reflection and fine-tuning►Communicative paradigmCommunicative paradigm

►Consensus within the design teamConsensus within the design team►Artistic paradigmArtistic paradigm

►Connoisseurship, freedomConnoisseurship, freedom

Visscher-Voerman, Gustafson & Plomp Visscher-Voerman, Gustafson & Plomp (2000)(2000)

Why Is Applied Research Why Is Applied Research Needed?Needed?

► Problems with empathyProblems with empathy

Cultural differences with receivers/usersCultural differences with receivers/users Functional and/or informational complexity Functional and/or informational complexity Dominant internal focus in many design Dominant internal focus in many design

processesprocesses Receivers/users are not the top priorityReceivers/users are not the top priority Insufficient role-taking skillsInsufficient role-taking skills Differences in perspectiveDifferences in perspective ““Knowledge effect” / “curse of expertise”Knowledge effect” / “curse of expertise” Etc.Etc.

Empathy? Pictures vs. 1000 Empathy? Pictures vs. 1000 wordswords

Not taking

You getpregnant

Empathy? A fish recipeEmpathy? A fish recipe

Empathy? ds0157Empathy? ds0157

How many US institutions have such short names and addresses?

How many US educational programs are a one-day program?

Applied Communication Applied Communication ResearchResearch

Campagne or message designCampagne or message design►Pre-design researchPre-design research►Formative evaluation researchFormative evaluation research►Summative evaluation researchSummative evaluation research

Overall communication designOverall communication design►Communication audits (internal/external)Communication audits (internal/external)►Identity, image and reputation researchIdentity, image and reputation research►Service quality, customer satisfaction researchService quality, customer satisfaction research

Formative vs. Summative Formative vs. Summative EvaluationEvaluation

Criteria for Applied ResearchCriteria for Applied Research►ValidityValidity

►Free of systematic measurement errorsFree of systematic measurement errors►Reliability: Reliability:

►Free of random errorsFree of random errors►Stable across measurementsStable across measurements

►FeasibilityFeasibility►Practical relevance of the resultsPractical relevance of the results

Reliability vs. ValidityReliability vs. Validity

Pre-Design ResearchPre-Design Research►Audience analysisAudience analysis►Functional analysis Functional analysis ►Needs assessmentNeeds assessment►Task analysisTask analysis►Contextual inquiryContextual inquiry►Behavioral determinants researchBehavioral determinants research

Functional AnalysisFunctional Analysis►Determine communication goalsDetermine communication goals►Determine target audience segmentsDetermine target audience segments

►Analyze functions required for successful Analyze functions required for successful communication (per audience segment)communication (per audience segment)

►Derive design specifications from Derive design specifications from functionsfunctions

Example of a Function Example of a Function DescriptionDescription

Case: Public information about legal name change Case: Public information about legal name change

To inform To inform (speech act)(speech act) readers who consider readers who consider changing their name changing their name (target audience)(target audience) about the about the possibilities they have possibilities they have (subject)(subject), so that they can , so that they can decide whether it would be worthwhile in their decide whether it would be worthwhile in their situation to legally change their name situation to legally change their name (effect)(effect)

Target audience segmentsTarget audience segmentsReaders who want to:Readers who want to:

► Make an official distinction between their first and their family nameMake an official distinction between their first and their family name► Change their first nameChange their first name► Change the family name of their minor child into the name of his/her Change the family name of their minor child into the name of his/her

mother, stepfather, foster parents, or mother’s new partnermother, stepfather, foster parents, or mother’s new partner► Change their own name into the name of their mother, stepfather, foster Change their own name into the name of their mother, stepfather, foster

parents, or mother’s new partnerparents, or mother’s new partner► Change a ridiculous or inconvenient family nameChange a ridiculous or inconvenient family name► Change a widespread, non-distinctive family name Change a widespread, non-distinctive family name ► Change a foreign family nameChange a foreign family name► Correct an official misspelling in their family name Correct an official misspelling in their family name ► Correct a mistake made at the registration of birthCorrect a mistake made at the registration of birth► Add another name to their family nameAdd another name to their family name► Object to the name change of someone else (being an interested party)Object to the name change of someone else (being an interested party)

Three Main FunctionsThree Main Functions► To inform To inform (speech act)(speech act) readers who consider changing their name readers who consider changing their name

(target audience)(target audience) about the possibilities they have about the possibilities they have (subject)(subject), so that , so that they can decide whether it would be worthwhile in their situation to they can decide whether it would be worthwhile in their situation to legally change their name legally change their name (effect)(effect)

► To instruct To instruct (speech act)(speech act) readers who have decided to try to legally readers who have decided to try to legally change their name change their name (target audience)(target audience) about the official procedure about the official procedure (subject)(subject), so that they are able to start the procedure and take all , so that they are able to start the procedure and take all actions required during the procedure actions required during the procedure (effect)(effect)

► To inform To inform (speech act)(speech act) readers who have decided to try to legally readers who have decided to try to legally change their name change their name (target audience)(target audience) about the official procedure about the official procedure (subject)(subject), so that they are able to understand and judge the way their , so that they are able to understand and judge the way their application is handled application is handled (effect)(effect)

Task AnalysisTask AnalysisCase: Donating plasmaCase: Donating plasma

Behavioral Determinants Behavioral Determinants ResearchResearch

Theory of Planned Behavior

Behavioral Determinants Behavioral Determinants ResearchResearch

Technology Acceptance Model

Formative EvaluationFormative Evaluation►Evaluation function:Evaluation function:

►Verification, trouble-shooting, choice-supportingVerification, trouble-shooting, choice-supporting►Source of information:Source of information:

►Expert-judgment-focused, reader/user-focusedExpert-judgment-focused, reader/user-focused►Task for participants:Task for participants:

►In-use, non-useIn-use, non-use►Data collection strategy:Data collection strategy:

►Laboratory, real-lifeLaboratory, real-life

Formative Evaluation Formative Evaluation MethodsMethods

► Think-aloud protocols Think-aloud protocols (concurrent/retrospective)(concurrent/retrospective)► Constructive interactionConstructive interaction► Plus-minus method / FocusPlus-minus method / Focus► Eye-trackingEye-tracking► Focus groups / interviewsFocus groups / interviews► Online questionnaire / server logs / online Online questionnaire / server logs / online

feedbackfeedback► Unguided expert evaluationUnguided expert evaluation► Expert evaluation with heuristicsExpert evaluation with heuristics► Expert evaluation with scenariosExpert evaluation with scenarios

Think-aloud VariationsThink-aloud Variations► Concurrent think-aloud protocols: users Concurrent think-aloud protocols: users

verbalize their thoughts while carrying out tasksverbalize their thoughts while carrying out tasks► Retrospective think-aloud protocols: users carry Retrospective think-aloud protocols: users carry

out tasks, and afterwards verbalize their out tasks, and afterwards verbalize their thoughts while watching a recording of their thoughts while watching a recording of their processprocess

► Constructive interaction: teams of two users Constructive interaction: teams of two users collaborate to carry out tasks; their natural collaborate to carry out tasks; their natural interaction replaces the think-aloud protocolsinteraction replaces the think-aloud protocols

Summative EvaluationSummative Evaluation►Zero and end measurement of effectsZero and end measurement of effects

►Dissemination, Change in knowledge, Dissemination, Change in knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, Awareness, Appreciationattitudes, behaviors, Awareness, Appreciation

►Tracking or monitoring studiesTracking or monitoring studies►Periodic measurements during the campaignPeriodic measurements during the campaign

Plus-minus methodPlus-minus method►Readers read a document and put Readers read a document and put

pluses and minuses in the margin to pluses and minuses in the margin to anchor reading experiencesanchor reading experiences

► Interview to explore the reasons Interview to explore the reasons behind every plus or minusbehind every plus or minus

HeuristicsHeuristics

HeuristicsHeuristics

Usabilty testing Improving artifacts

Usability practice

Developing and validating methods

Investigating therevision phase

Developing pre-design methods

Studying problemsof empathy

Applying usabilitymethods in new contexts

Studying usability testing in practice

Academic contributions on usability testing

Writing research

Methodology

Two Research ProposalsTwo Research Proposals► Inventory of pre-design research Inventory of pre-design research

techniquestechniques►Literature researchLiterature research►Exemplar use of techniquesExemplar use of techniques►Outcome: Journal article (comprehensive overview)Outcome: Journal article (comprehensive overview)

► Interpretive research into the US visa Interpretive research into the US visa application documentsapplication documents

►Document analysisDocument analysis►Reader research (plus-minus method? CIT?)Reader research (plus-minus method? CIT?)►Outcome: Journal article (empirical study)Outcome: Journal article (empirical study)