Assumptions, Hypothesis, and Research Questions
What do we know? What do we think we know? What do we need to find out? All of these questions are important and this activity aims to identify the facts we know, the assumptions we’re making, and the questions we have about a problem space and users. This will help us develop hypotheses that we can then design research around to test our assumptions and hypotheses and answer our questions.
Outcome
A clear understanding of questions, facts, assumptions that we have about our users. Development of hypotheses and then research to test our assumptions and hypotheses.
Method
- Brainstorm research questions together - what are questions you feel you need to answer to design for this space and these people?
- What are your assumptions? Write where those assumptions are coming from. *Note: these could be hypotheses if you have a solution in mind already.
- Using a 2x2, plot those assumptions against how risky they are vs how easy they are to validate.
- Taking the assumptions that are most risky and easiest to validate, brainstorm how you can test those assumptions (or hypotheses) - what will validate or invalidate them? Who can you talk with to do that?
- Once you have those findings, create a factual statement based on that research.