Exploratory research focuses on gaining a deep understanding of the lives of the end users and the contexts in which they use certain products and services. At its core, it’s about challenging and exploring the problem space, before venturing into the solution space. Using real-life examples of digital tools that help people access affordable housing or register to vote, this talk will explore the different tools used for exploratory research, including ethnographic interviews, contextual inquiry, and co-creation activities and prompts. This talk will leave the audience with a better understanding of the types of insights that exploratory research generates, and how they can complement the findings of evaluative or comparative research.
More Talks by Sarah

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A Typology of Participation in Participatory Research
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How to map out the degrees and sites of participation in research?...

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Unraveling the Links Between Design and Policing
TopicsCommunity, Data, Disability, Environment, Ethics, Policy, Security, Social Networks
Digital tracking and profiling, personalizing users’ experience, monitoring their...

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Critical Design Alternatives
TopicsDiversity & Inclusion, Ethics, Social Innovation
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Establishing Meaningful Relationships with Communities You Serve
TopicsAccessibility, Diversity & Inclusion, Service Design, Social Innovation
How can we form more authentic relationships and coalitions with community?...

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Trauma-Informed Design
TopicsAccessibility, Diversity & Inclusion, Ethics, Service Design, Social Innovation
How might designers bring a trauma-informed lens to their work?...

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Lessening the Research Burden on Vulnerable Communities
TopicsDiversity & Inclusion, Ethics, Service Design, Social Innovation
In what ways can we make research less burdensome for vulnerable communities?...

VideoSlides
Conducting Research with Vulnerable Communities
TopicsDiversity & Inclusion, Ethics, Service Design, Social Innovation
What are the specificities of conducting design research with vulnerable populations?...

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Physical Storyboarding
TopicsMethodology, Service Design
How can we make storyboarding more participative and collaborative?...

Slides
Research in Design for Development
TopicsEthics, Service Design, Social Innovation
What makes user research in the context of international development unique?...

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The Power of Proverbial Expression in Design Research
TopicsEthics, Service Design, Social Innovation
How can proverbs be used to enrich our design research practice?...
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