Qualitative Research Through Design | Skills Pool
Qualitative Research Through Design Apply research-through-design (RtD) methodology to investigate wellbeing in design contexts. Use when conducting user research, creating prototypes for understanding user needs, iteratively validating design decisions, or documenting lived experiences. Combines qualitative inquiry with iterative design and participant co-creation.
JDerekLomas 0 stars Mar 3, 2026 Occupation Categories Sales & Marketing Qualitative Research-Through-Design for Wellbeing
Research-Through-Design (RtD) is a rigorous methodology that treats design artifacts as research instruments. Rather than designing to solve a known problem, RtD uses iterative prototyping and participant engagement to investigate complex design challenges and generate new knowledge.
Methodology Overview
Core Principles
Design as Research : Artifacts and interactions reveal insights that surveys alone cannotIterative Inquiry : Each prototype informs the next cycle of investigationParticipant Co-creation : Users aren't studied but collaborate in knowledge creationContextualized Learning : Understanding emerges from real-world use, not decontextualized settingsEmbodied Knowledge : Lived experience and tacit knowledge are primary data sourcesReflective Practice : Designer reflexivity about their own biases and assumptions
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Updated Mar 3, 2026
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RtD for Wellbeing Design Process
Phase 1: Problem Framing (4-6 weeks) Goal : Understand the design space through participant lenses, not researcher assumptions
Activities:
Contextual Inquiry : Observe users in natural environments (home, workplace, recreation)Shadowing : Follow users through daily activities relevant to design questionDeep Interviews : 60-90 minute unstructured conversations about lived experiencePhoto Elicitation : Participants photograph their world; discuss images togetherJourney Mapping : Co-create visual representations of user pathways and emotional arcs
Deliverables:
Rich descriptions of participant worlds (personas, but narrative-based)
Identified pain points and wellbeing opportunities
Design themes and tensions worth investigating
Preliminary "How Might We?" questions framed with participant language
Analysis:
Thematic Coding : Inductive identification of patterns from interview transcriptsAffinity Diagramming : Group themes by relationships and clustersEmotional Mapping : Visualize affect and wellbeing fluctuations in contextConstraint Identification : Systemic factors affecting user agency and flourishing
Phase 2: Design Exploration & Prototyping (8-12 weeks) Goal : Create tangible prototypes to investigate design possibilities and participant needs
Prototype Fidelity Progression:
Sketch & Storyboard (low-fidelity)
Paper sketches, comic-style interactions
Quickly explore multiple directions
Gather initial reactions
Role-Play & Bodystorming (embodied exploration)
Act out interaction scenarios
Participants physically engage with imagined interface
Reveals gestural and emotional dimensions
Digital Mockup (medium-fidelity)
Interactive prototypes in Figma or similar
Realistic workflow but not fully functional
Test navigation and information architecture
Functional Prototype (high-fidelity)
Working code or near-working implementation
Extended use in realistic context
Investigate edge cases and emotional nuance
Co-design Sessions (Structure):
Warm-up : Creative activity to establish trust and energy (30 min)Context Setting : Remind participants of design challenge (10 min)Exploration : Participants interact with prototypes (30-45 min)Reflection : Guided discussion about experience (30-45 min)Synthesis : Participants help interpret findings (15 min)
Key Questions to Investigate:
Does this design respect user autonomy or feel controlling?
Does it enable competence or increase cognitive load?
Does it foster genuine relatedness or perform intimacy?
What emotional states does it evoke? Are they intentional?
What aspects feel aligned with user values?
What unintended consequences emerge?
Phase 3: Iterative Refinement (Ongoing) Goal : Deepen understanding through successive prototype generations
Each Cycle:
User Testing Session : 3-6 participants interact with current prototypeData Collection : Video, audio, think-aloud protocols, observation notesParticipant Feedback : Structured and informal reflectionAnalysis & Insights : Identify what the prototype revealed about needsDesign Decision : Specific changes informed by findingsPrototype Evolution : Implement and prepare for next cycle
When to Stop Iterating:
Patterns have stabilized (no new insights from 2 cycles)
Diminishing returns on refinement
Core design principles clarified
Ready for evaluation phase
Data Collection Methods
Video & Screen Recording
Strengths : Captures nonverbal communication, interaction patterns, emotional reactionsAnalysis : Code interaction sequences, moment-by-moment emotional shifts, hesitationsEthical : Always get explicit video consent; transcribe sensitive sections
Think-Aloud Protocols
Participant narrates reasoning while using prototype
Strengths : Direct access to mental models and decision-makingLimitation : Artificial, changes behavior; use sparingly with difficult tasks
Observation Notes
Contextual field notes during sessions
Record emotions, body language, environmental factors
Note moments of confusion, delight, frustration, engagement
Semi-structured Interviews
Prepare guide with core questions, adapt to conversation flow
Opening : "Tell me about your experience with the prototype"Deepening : "You seemed hesitant when... Can you tell me more?"Exploring : "How did that compare to how you currently do this?"Closing : "Is there anything you wish the design did differently?"
Participatory Annotation
Users mark up printed or digital prototypes
Circle problem areas, add notes, suggest changes
Combines visual and verbal feedback
Experience Mapping Workshops
Participants collaboratively create journey maps during sessions
Map emotional highs/lows, pain points, moments of agency
Integrates lived experience as primary data
Analysis & Interpretation
Thematic Analysis Process
Familiarization : Immerse in data (watch videos, read transcripts)Initial Coding : Mark meaningful units relevant to research questionTheme Development : Group codes into emergent themesTheme Refinement : Define relationships between themesInterpretation : Connect themes to design implicationsMember Checking : Share findings with participants; refine interpretations
Coding Frameworks
Apply pre-existing framework (e.g., Desmet's 13 needs)
Code for how prototypes support/frustrate each need
Enables systematic comparison
Allow themes to emerge from data
Capture unexpected wellbeing dimensions
Reveals researcher blind spots
Hybrid Approach (Recommended):
Start with framework, remain open to emergent themes
Code for known constructs AND note anomalies
Stronger validity and responsiveness
Interpretive Rigor
Multiple data sources (observation, interview, artifact)
Multiple researchers (compare independent coding)
Multiple cycles (patterns across iterations)
Actively seek exceptions to identified patterns
Revise interpretations to account for outliers
Prevents overconfident claims
Document researcher assumptions and biases
Acknowledge positionality (how your identity shapes interpretation)
Question design decisions motivated by researcher preference rather than data
Quote participant language in findings
Show coding examples
Explain interpretation reasoning
Acknowledge limitations
Wellbeing-Specific RtD Considerations
Emotional Safety
Prototyping intimate wellbeing features may surface vulnerabilities
Create psychologically safe co-design environments
Have mental health resources available
Debrief with participants about emotional impact
Ethical Participation
Informed consent explaining research purpose and use
Participant right to withdraw without judgment
Equitable compensation for time and emotional labor
Transparent about commercialization plans
Authenticity vs. Idealization
Challenge tendency to design "perfect" wellbeing experiences
Investigate real-world friction, ambivalence, complexity
Resist simplistic "happiness" as design goal
Explore how design supports flourishing amid life's difficulties
Capturing Nuance
Wellbeing is context-dependent and personally defined
Same feature affects different people differently
Document individual differences, not average user
Explore contradictions (e.g., comfort vs. growth challenge)
Documentation & Outputs
Design Artifacts
Annotated Prototypes : Screenshots with insights, design decisions notedJourney Maps : Emotional arcs and wellbeing touchpointsInsight Cards : Key findings on individual cards (shareable)Personas : Rich narrative descriptions of user worlds
Research Outputs
Design Principles : Derived from findings (e.g., "Design for autonomy, not dependence")Interaction Patterns : Demonstrated to support specific wellbeing needsCaution Points : Where design commonly frustrates wellbeingWellbeing Framework : How design operates within Desmet's model
Dissemination
Research Reports : Detailed findings with quotes and analysisVisual Presentations : Design research stories for stakeholdersAcademic Papers : Rigorous analysis for peer reviewPractice Guides : Actionable principles for design teams
Common Challenges & Solutions Challenge Solution Small sample sizes feel unrepresentative Document participant diversity carefully; focus on depth not breadth Lack of statistical significance Shift to qualitative validity criteria (credibility, transferability) Difficulty recruiting participants Partner with community organizations; compensate fairly; iterate on recruitment Participants tell you what they think you want Triangulate with observation; look for contradictions; test with real use Analysis feels subjective Apply systematic coding; multiple coders; member checking Stakeholders want "proof" from RtD Complement with quantitative measures; frame as exploratory precursor Design direction from feedback feels unclear Focus on patterns, not individual suggestions; synthesize principles
Integration with Other Methods
Use validated scales to measure wellbeing outcomes of prototypes
Complement numeric findings with qualitative richness
RtD + Participatory Design :
Co-design sessions are natural RtD activity
Participants as researchers in problem framing
Investigate entire experience ecosystem, not just interface
Map touchpoints and stakeholder interactions
RtD + Design Ethnography :
Extended immersion in user contexts
Long-term relationship building with participants
Resources & References
Key Authors : Frayling, Findeli, Koskinen, Smeenk, Zimmerman & ForlizziMethods : Design probes, experience prototyping, cultural probesTools : Atlas.ti, NVivo, MAXQDA for qualitative data analysisCommunities : Design Research Society, International Association of Societies of Design Research Sales & Marketing
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