Explore interface design for data

Collaborate with the organiser on the following:

1. Download and print the service scenarios, the design cards for interface, interaction and timing as well as the mobile templates
2. Find a clean surface (e.g. whiteboard, flipchart) or table to work on
3. Consider all of the different service scenarios beforehand before selecting one service (i.e. a single set of 3 scenarios)
4. Cut out the design cards and arrange all of them on the surface so that each one is visible but separated by colour into clear areas for “interface”, “interaction” and “timing”
5. Hand out mobile templates

Facilitators should look at all of the service scenarios beforehand: there are twelve fictional data-driven services with three different missions for each service.

Choose one data-driven service. This could be a service that is closest or complementary to your product, or simply one that you find particularly interesting or challenging. Use the set of three scenarios for this service.

Facilitators should familiarise themselves with all of the interface, interaction and timing cards beforehand.

Divide the group into 3 small teams. Explain that this exercise consists of 3 main steps: discovery, sketching and sharing feedback.

Explain the selected data-driven service and its core functionality.

Each team will focus on the same service and functionality, but a different goal.

The aim is to meet the designated goal for the service's core functionality with one team focussing on asking people for consent, another team focussing on informing people and the final team focussing on allowing for control.

Ask each team to understand their service and its core functionality. They should discuss and clarify their particular goal as a team.

Now each team should consider and select three design constraint cards - one for interface, one for interaction and one for timing - that they feel will be relevant to their goal.

Now introduce the sketching task. Ask each team to sketch ideas by using their three design constraints from their chosen cards.

Explain that each team should rapidly and collectively sketch on mobile templates to get to a preferred design that meets their given goal for the service's functionality.

Gather everyone and lead the discussion around the designs that each team has made.

Explain that each team has 1 minute to present their designs based on their goal and their selected design constraints.

Encourage the other teams to listen and give quick, constructive feedback as to why they think some of these decisions are good or where they may need improvement, drawing comparisons between other designs.

In the discussion, consider prompting each team as needed with the following questions:

• Does the design meet your given goal?
• What happens when you work from the same service and functionality but with different goals?
• What happens when you work with design constraints?
• How did you come to a collective decision about which sketch you preferred?
• What worked and what would you improve about the way you went about this decision-making process?
• Are you or the intended audience likely to read and act on your design?
• What do you think about the interactions and the experience (e.g. layout, illustrations, hierarchy of information)?
• How does the tone and implied audience of your wording and messaging combine with the design?