introduction to design analysis

My students will be doing field research over the next week or two, and I need to show them how to transform their observations into design principles.

I looked through the ID methods wiki trying to think of what analysis framework would be most appropriate for undergrad students who are being made explicitly aware of a structured research->analysis->prototyping process for the first time. I think there are a couple that could work (needs cluster matrix, concept matrix, "Grounded Theory Analysis" i.e. observation coding), but each of these required several weeks for me to barely understand! I cringe at the thought of trying to explain how the axes or column names are supposed to emerge based on the content, and I fear we would have to abandon any of these methods before the students played with it enough to make it work.

But I noticed one method is missing: Post-it clustering! I'm thinking this is the obvious best choice - and really the only choice for first-time design-analysts - for the following reasons:
- the question "which of these belong together?" doesn't require explanation*
- it's tangible (in cogsci terms: it takes advantage of innate spatial reasoning skills)
- it's colorful and fun, which helps keep even the most skeptical/bored participants engaged

Based on this, I'm planning to use it wherever the students have research to analyze. Has anyone found any other way?


*(i.e. it leaves out difficult questions like "*why* do these belong together?", and "what other groups do we get if we continue in the same perspective?" - whereas the other methods appear to put them first)

anthropology/ethnography perspective

Mis estudiantes in the video department first said they'd need about 9 people to make a video. It became clear that guerrila-style, research-oriented video with a single, hand-held flip cam is not part of their experience.
Here are a couple of ID resources that I'm going to show that you might also find helpful:

Getting People to Talk: An Ethnography & Interviewing Primer
by Gabe and Kristy
http://vimeo.com/groups/iitdesigncommunity/videos/1269848

What People are Really Doing
(an introduction to home visits and video ethnography dos and don'ts)
http://vimeo.com/7099570
**this one stars me!**

restaurant recommendations from Miguel

Restaurant wise, some traditional references (you can google the
"severals"):
- Rey Del Cabrito (Barrio Antiguo, Av. Constitución #817)
- or Gran San Carlos, for cabrito and traditional north-of-mexico food
(several)
- El Gaucho, all around best steak house (Arroyo Seco #100, Col. Arroyo
Seco)
- La Mejico, best place for contemporary mexican cuisine (Plaza
Tanarah Local 144, Ave. Vasconcelos)
- A-K-B, traditional street flautas, enchiladas, etc. (Plaza
Vasconcelos, Av. Vasconcelos #633 Pte.)
- and La Purísima, best traditional "granielotes" corn.. snack.. thing
(several)
>>
Some decent, commonly found fast food types:
- Super Salads, pretty decent salads and sandwiches
- Gorditas Doña Tota, traditional corn flour "gorditas"
- Las Alitas, pretty decent hot wings
>>
Personal favorites (top three, no particular order):
- Sushi-Itto, excellent place for sushi with some mexican cuisine (several)
- Ali Baba, favorite place to get falafels (Centrito Valle, Río
Grijalva #206 L-12)
- Taiwan Cuisine, hands down best dumplings I've ever had, but a
somewhat remote, niche place (Simón Bolivar #1840-A, Col. Mitras)

Wife's favorites:
- Delicias del Contry, hands down best cakes (their mango or
strawberry rolls, in particular)
- Freddos, best "chamoyadas" frozen chamoy drinks (Plaza Las Rocas
L-2, Av. Vasconcelos #200)
- Neuquen, contemporary Argentinian cuisine (several)
- Lo Spuntino, italian fine dining (Plaza 404 Local B-1, Av. Gómez Morín
#404)

Day 1

I came across a blog that has a clear and precise guide to how to navigate Mexican social situations. It seems a little on the conservative side compared to most individuals I met, but then that was mostly academics and expat-exhippies from the US.

http://www.mexperience.com/liveandwork/mexicosocialetiquette.php