Scholarly communications is a shifting problem space that can be difficult to navigate. Design thinking takes an iterative approach to generating ideas in any problem space by using user research and low-cost brainstorming techniques. This approach can help to bring clarity to complex problems that change over time. It also keeps projects on track and user-centered by building consistent testing of ideas into the life cycle of a project, be it the development of a tool, a service, or an event.
This course will introduce the concept of design thinking and identify ways in which applied user research can help focus efforts around scholarly communications as a problem space. The course will also address methods for data gathering and project management that support an iterative and user-centered design workflow.
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Articulate what design thinking is and how it supports investigation into scholarly communication as a problem space.
Apply user research methods in the scholarly communications environment to support the design of interventions.
Apply common user research strategies (such as semi-formal interviews) to a problem space.
Implement a project life cycle that applies design thinking strategies to the identification of a subset of the scholarly communications problem space and selects common user research strategies to support user-centered design to address the problem.
Proposed level: This course is appropriate for participants who are broadly familiar with the scholarly communications landscape but have little or no familiarity with design thinking.
Limits on participation: Participants should have access to a computer with internet access.
Intended audience: This course is directed at a broad audience and is appropriate for anyone developing scholarly communication interventions, including designing tools or services, or developing programming around openness or other scholarly communications issues.
