Introduction

User research is an essential, if not, the most essential foundation for creating a good UX product. Co-design encompasses a range of activities that involve stakeholders and users as equal participants, especially during the initial, uncertain phase of design where user needs are identified, problems are framed, and development strategies are selected.

In this project, our objective is to apply co-design methods to actively involve users and stakeholders in shaping the project 1 context. Our research plan will focus on identifying, planning, and implementing activities that engage various stakeholders in a digital co-design workshop. The insights gained from our designed workshops will guide the creation of a roadmap for developing project 1.

The aim of project 2 is to streamline the efficiency of communication between the teaching faculty and students, making Purdue a better educational experience for everyone.

Stage 1: Identify the problem Space

Goal

The goal of this stage is to first brainstorm an issue within the local community to address, building an understanding of community goals and underlying infrastructure and improving them after identifying their weaknesses, as well as identifying our stakeholders.

Brainstorming

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Brainstorming for Purdue’s current community issues on the FigJam Board

Following a brainstorming session, we organized our ideas into 5 categories, and decided to focus on the Academic side of issues, focusing on faculty and students. Upon our activity discussions with faculty, we found that professors and TAs alike often struggle with balancing their work, often having their time consumed by grading, preparing for lectures, communicating with students, etc. By focusing on streamlining this process, we believe it can not only improve the lives of faculty but also improve the educational experience of students at Purdue, overall improving the college experience for everyone.

Brainstorming for academic-based products on the FigJam Board

Identifying the Stakeholders:

We decided that communication is a core issue that can be streamlined at Purdue. After some observation, we realized that teachers and assistants often have to juggle communication with students in multiple channels of communication, including Slack, Teams, Outlook, etc. Our stakeholders will primarily be the faculty of Purdue, particularly within the User Experience department. This includes both teaching professors and teaching assistants of the program.

Stage 2: Co-Design Activities