Design research turns questions about people, contexts, and experiences into evidence that can guide responsible design decisions. This course introduces a systematic process for framing research, selecting qualitative methods, conducting fieldwork, synthesizing findings, and communicating actionable insights.
Week 4: Experiment Logic Building Clear Comparison Conditions
Chuseok Holiday · No regular offline class
Opening Questions
What is the fairest baseline for our research question?
Do the comparison conditions differ clearly in the intended design factor?
Do the initial stimuli make that difference visible without introducing other differences?
Learning Goal
Develop clear and fair comparison conditions, then translate them into initial participant-facing stimuli that can be reviewed during the Week 5 consultation.
Lecture Materials
FC Lecture: Experiment Logic: Building Clear Comparison Conditions
Comparison Condition & Stimuli Canvas
Fair Comparison and Confound Checklist
Unlocks when Week 3 class ends
Sep. 18, 4:00 PM (KST)
In-class Activity
Class Format:
No offline class due to the Chuseok holiday
Watch the asynchronous FC lecture on baseline selection, comparison logic, and stimuli concretization
Asynchronous Team Activity:
Revise the RQ and identify the single design factor to investigate
Define a realistic baseline and A/B or A/B/C conditions
Specify what changes and what remains controlled across conditions
Create side-by-side sketches, flows, storyboards, or low-fidelity prototypes for all conditions
Identify possible confounds and prepare two or three questions for consultation
Preparation for Week 5:
Bring the completed Comparison Condition & Stimuli Canvas and initial stimuli to the consultation
Unlocks when Week 3 class ends
Sep. 18, 4:00 PM (KST)
Homework
HomeworkRevise the research gap and RQ using Deliverable #1 feedback where necessary.
Define the baseline and A/B or A/B/C comparison conditions.
Visualize every condition as participant-facing initial stimuli.
Complete the fair-comparison and confound check.
Prepare two or three specific questions for the Week 5 consultation.