Malcolm Jones | Northumbria University (original) (raw)

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Papers by Malcolm Jones

This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as currently applied in the context o... more This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as currently applied in the context of experience-centered design. We suggest that conceiving knowledge as if it were an entity that can be captured in some form and transferred unchanged oversimplifies the situation in the case of design, and, for the purpose of opening a dialogue on the topic is problematic. We put forward an alternative perspective, that of supportive resources, which go beyond social science-based approaches, such as user studies, to focus on the forming of knowledge by designers. Supportive resources are intended to inspire, but equally they are intended to help frame, guide and support the design process in a non-prescriptive way. Designers can apply them as needed to support existing approaches. In order to better describe supportive resources and their role in design, the authors present four examples from projects currently being undertaken by the authors; storytelling, language and touch, material knowledge, and video.

This critical evaluation is concerned with the field of communication studies. It describes a stu... more This critical evaluation is concerned with the field of communication studies. It describes a study for the design of a digital sketching tool dedicated to the purpose of idea generation (ideation) and the communication of human experience. The tool is designed to provide a specific user group with a better means of communicating this type of information. The study set out to establish firm historical and contextual support for the development of such a tool, and to create and test designs for it. The concept to develop an ideation sketching tool evolved from experience in the field of technology research and development, where, in the early stages of product development anticipating and communicating the end user experience is critical. The tool has been given the name ‘workPlay’ because it provides benefits to a work environment through engagement in the act of ‘serious play’. WorkPlay is a software system that provides a workPlay author with the means to express value statements about products by describing the experiences of those who may use them. This is done through stories or scenarios. The means of expressing the stories consists of composing sequences of words and pictures in a format similar to that of a comic strip. As such, the study concerns itself with issues of graphic communication, narrative and visual language. This study will show that within the technology sector there is no standard tool designed to facilitate the creative development of ideas and convey the user experience in a visual and narrative format. It will further show that there are no recognized criteria for determining what is and what is not considered to be a ‘visual language’, and few agreed standards of grammar for what are claimed to be existing visual languages, but that these studies have led to a theory and hypothesis that might provide a means for a better understanding of both. The project has been critically reviewed by an international panel of professionals, academics, and experts working in the fields of science, technology, design and education(see Appendix 1). Their responses to survey questionnaires in a series of expert reviews, and in particular their comments, suggest that there is a need for a tool such as workPlay, that workPlay has the potential to provide value, and that having been presented with the concept, they would now just like to play with it!

Interfaces Magazine, Jun 2012

"This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as currently applied in the context... more "This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as
currently applied in the context of experience-centered
design. We suggest that conceiving knowledge as if it were
an entity that can be captured in some form and transferred
unchanged oversimplifies the situation in the case of
design, and, for the purpose of opening a dialogue on the
topic is problematic. We put forward an alternative
perspective, that of supportive resources, which go beyond
social science-based approaches, such as user studies, to
focus on the forming of knowledge by designers.
Supportive resources are intended to inspire, but equally
they are intended to help frame, guide and support the
design process in a non-prescriptive way. Designers can
apply them as needed to support existing approaches. In
order to better describe supportive resources and their role
in design, the authors present four examples from projects
currently being undertaken by the authors; storytelling,
language and touch, material knowledge, and video."

Thesis Chapters by Malcolm Jones

N/A, 2020

Increased complexity in contemporary design work has led designers to place greater dependence on... more Increased complexity in contemporary design work has led designers to place greater dependence on the use of story and narrative. Though many consider story and narrative a fundamental part of design, use continues to present challenges and efficacy is poorly understood. With regards to use, challenges stem from a lack of support in directing strategic conversations towards getting the right stories and to getting stories right. With regards to efficacy, poor understanding stems from a lack of research and a corresponding lack of unifying theory.
Scenario research represents the largest body of knowledge on the use and efficacy of story and narrative in design. Yet, scenarios are characteristically narrow in scope and their descriptions typically thin. Scenario research is in decline, and what theory exists is neither extensive nor extensible. Nevertheless, scenarios serve as a starting point for this research, with questions posed about how designers work with story and narrative, and how, in turn, story and narrative work for designers.
To explore these questions epistemological, philosophical and theoretical positions are taken up and these underpin a Research into/through/for Design methodology. A series of self-reflective experiments lead to the creation of novel narrative resources and approaches, which empirical studies expose to a range of increasingly challenging settings. Findings from these studies show that narrative resources coupled with resource-based approaches provide targeted support for cognitively challenging aspects of story work. Furthermore, outcomes from a programme of critical analysis provide insights into how story, narrative and narrative resources work for designers.
Contributions to knowledge are made in three areas: first, in the area of design practice in relation to narrative resources and approaches to story work; second, in the area of design theory in relation to realistic approaches to method innovation; and third, in the area of research practice in relation to aids to visual analysis.

This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as currently applied in the context o... more This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as currently applied in the context of experience-centered design. We suggest that conceiving knowledge as if it were an entity that can be captured in some form and transferred unchanged oversimplifies the situation in the case of design, and, for the purpose of opening a dialogue on the topic is problematic. We put forward an alternative perspective, that of supportive resources, which go beyond social science-based approaches, such as user studies, to focus on the forming of knowledge by designers. Supportive resources are intended to inspire, but equally they are intended to help frame, guide and support the design process in a non-prescriptive way. Designers can apply them as needed to support existing approaches. In order to better describe supportive resources and their role in design, the authors present four examples from projects currently being undertaken by the authors; storytelling, language and touch, material knowledge, and video.

This critical evaluation is concerned with the field of communication studies. It describes a stu... more This critical evaluation is concerned with the field of communication studies. It describes a study for the design of a digital sketching tool dedicated to the purpose of idea generation (ideation) and the communication of human experience. The tool is designed to provide a specific user group with a better means of communicating this type of information. The study set out to establish firm historical and contextual support for the development of such a tool, and to create and test designs for it. The concept to develop an ideation sketching tool evolved from experience in the field of technology research and development, where, in the early stages of product development anticipating and communicating the end user experience is critical. The tool has been given the name ‘workPlay’ because it provides benefits to a work environment through engagement in the act of ‘serious play’. WorkPlay is a software system that provides a workPlay author with the means to express value statements about products by describing the experiences of those who may use them. This is done through stories or scenarios. The means of expressing the stories consists of composing sequences of words and pictures in a format similar to that of a comic strip. As such, the study concerns itself with issues of graphic communication, narrative and visual language. This study will show that within the technology sector there is no standard tool designed to facilitate the creative development of ideas and convey the user experience in a visual and narrative format. It will further show that there are no recognized criteria for determining what is and what is not considered to be a ‘visual language’, and few agreed standards of grammar for what are claimed to be existing visual languages, but that these studies have led to a theory and hypothesis that might provide a means for a better understanding of both. The project has been critically reviewed by an international panel of professionals, academics, and experts working in the fields of science, technology, design and education(see Appendix 1). Their responses to survey questionnaires in a series of expert reviews, and in particular their comments, suggest that there is a need for a tool such as workPlay, that workPlay has the potential to provide value, and that having been presented with the concept, they would now just like to play with it!

Interfaces Magazine, Jun 2012

"This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as currently applied in the context... more "This paper questions the nature of qualitative user studies as
currently applied in the context of experience-centered
design. We suggest that conceiving knowledge as if it were
an entity that can be captured in some form and transferred
unchanged oversimplifies the situation in the case of
design, and, for the purpose of opening a dialogue on the
topic is problematic. We put forward an alternative
perspective, that of supportive resources, which go beyond
social science-based approaches, such as user studies, to
focus on the forming of knowledge by designers.
Supportive resources are intended to inspire, but equally
they are intended to help frame, guide and support the
design process in a non-prescriptive way. Designers can
apply them as needed to support existing approaches. In
order to better describe supportive resources and their role
in design, the authors present four examples from projects
currently being undertaken by the authors; storytelling,
language and touch, material knowledge, and video."

N/A, 2020

Increased complexity in contemporary design work has led designers to place greater dependence on... more Increased complexity in contemporary design work has led designers to place greater dependence on the use of story and narrative. Though many consider story and narrative a fundamental part of design, use continues to present challenges and efficacy is poorly understood. With regards to use, challenges stem from a lack of support in directing strategic conversations towards getting the right stories and to getting stories right. With regards to efficacy, poor understanding stems from a lack of research and a corresponding lack of unifying theory.
Scenario research represents the largest body of knowledge on the use and efficacy of story and narrative in design. Yet, scenarios are characteristically narrow in scope and their descriptions typically thin. Scenario research is in decline, and what theory exists is neither extensive nor extensible. Nevertheless, scenarios serve as a starting point for this research, with questions posed about how designers work with story and narrative, and how, in turn, story and narrative work for designers.
To explore these questions epistemological, philosophical and theoretical positions are taken up and these underpin a Research into/through/for Design methodology. A series of self-reflective experiments lead to the creation of novel narrative resources and approaches, which empirical studies expose to a range of increasingly challenging settings. Findings from these studies show that narrative resources coupled with resource-based approaches provide targeted support for cognitively challenging aspects of story work. Furthermore, outcomes from a programme of critical analysis provide insights into how story, narrative and narrative resources work for designers.
Contributions to knowledge are made in three areas: first, in the area of design practice in relation to narrative resources and approaches to story work; second, in the area of design theory in relation to realistic approaches to method innovation; and third, in the area of research practice in relation to aids to visual analysis.