02/2017 - 06/2017


Coach

  • Rens Brankaert

Collaboration

  • AAtrium

Key learning points

  • Design research process
  • Quantitative data analysis

Paper


Research project

Instructions for Dementia

After completing my design project, I realized how many assumptions were made during the design process, due to a lack of guidelines regarding design for dementia. One of these assumptions regards the way instructions were provided to the person with dementia. The concept used video clips to do so. Even though these clips were recorded in the user’s home, this method did not work perfectly.

This research compares three different ways of providing instructions for people with dementia. Each method should be able to be implemented without high costs or effort. The main new method that is explored uses colored stickers to create a connection between the instruction and the physical object it is meant for.

Reflection

The main challenge I encountered during this project was starting with a relatively small and well defined scope. Opposed from a design project where pivoting and changes in planning happen more often than not, design research has a clear goal and a well-structured path should be followed in order to achieve it. Defining the scope for this research, as well as choosing the appropriate tools and analyzing methods was a process of trial and error. Even though this resulted in less time for the research itself, this process was insightful for my development regarding design research. It made me aware of the different phases of a research process, specifically including the amount of time required for these phases, depending on the scope of the project. This will help me in my planning and expected results for future research.

Furthermore, I worked with quantitative data analyses tools, excel and SPSS, to analyze my data. My previously non-existent knowledge in statistics, mainly regarding the different types of parametric and non-parametric tests, was significantly extended. Although development attracts me to greater extent compared to research, these skills can prove valuable in future research regarding quantitative data.