In this thesis, there will be several methodologies related to the study works. Firstly, “Diary studies”
and “In-depth interview” are the methods for exploring two groups of users’ behaviors and perspectives under their daily contexts toward cycling activities. After that, the approach of “Means-end analysis” and
“Focus group” are proposed to help data analysis from user study results and conducting persuasion strategies for persuasive system design.
2.4.1. Diary studies
Before design processes, diary studies, which is also known as cultural probe, is an approach for proposing the data gathering participants’ needs in developing a novel projects. (Gaver, Dunne, and Pacenti, 1999, Crabtree et al., 2003) Different from direct-observation approaches used in traditional field studies or usability testing, it was used to allow participants’ self-document to lead a conversation with the groups toward unexpected ideas without dominating. In other words, the information is inspired by probe diaries to inform design. (Gaver , 2006) It neither has a given way since it’s a design-led approach to encourage participants’ subjective engagement, empathetic interpretation and a pervasive sense of uncertainty as positive value for design. (Gaver et al., 2005)
Diary studies was used media diaries and photography during an ordinary week to gain insights into the development of HCI field for studying the role of internet video in everyday domestic media consumption and online social life, (Oumard et al., 2008) Using a open space with oblique questions and evocative image on postcards, map for pointing the familiar positions, photo and media to record their live story, which allowed elders’ respond their attitudes towards their lives, cultural environments and technology. (Gaver et al., 1999) Both them were used for inspiring design. On the other hand, there were other approaches for probing. Informational probes were used to report participants’ information to provide insights into users’ needs and perceptions for the beginning of the study in elders (Crabtree et al., 2003). It opened dialogues with users. Mattelmäki (2005) summarized four reasons to apply diary study: inspiration, information, participation, and dialogue.
There were three types of diaries are categorize. Firstly, interval-contingent methods are usually
28 used for studying some prevalence of certain events in daily life or report experiences across general time period. Signal-contingent methods use device to prompt participants to reports, and event contingent to report when each time the event occur. (Wheeler and Reis, 1991) It was stated that inspiration probes used raw data in way to create persona, frame problem spaces and capture design ideas, while information probes were used directly to elicit information about user needs (Haines et al., 2002).
In order to exploring how target behaviors are proceeding in users’ real life, using diary studies may be an appropriate approach to understand the intention and needs. Also, dialogues are furthered opened to investigate problems and issues preventing the behaviors. It helps to provide sources and evidences to investigate persuasion strategy
2.4.2. In-depth interview
As one of qualitative interviews in addition to structured and semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews are also proposed a technique for verifying problems with questions based on interviewees’
answers (Britten, 1995). With the form that participant is considered as an expert and the interviewer as a student, the interviewers raised questions neutrally and listened to participants’ responses for asking follow-up questions face-to-face. It benefited for learn the perspectives of the research topic from users’, including the experience, feelings, needs, and problems. (Guion, 2001; Mack et al., 2005)
The process of in-depth interviews is logistic with proposing seven key characteristics include open-ended questions, semi-structured format, seek understanding and interpretation, conversational, the recording of responses, observations, and reflections. Although interviewers could prepare pre-planned questions to ask in interview, the questions should flow naturally depends on the participants’ responses (Guion, 2001).
In our study, in-depth interviews are proceeding based on diary studies to investigate following questions according to interviewees’ one week records.
2.4.3. Means-end analysis
In order to offering a way to orientate position of products in marketing, a means-end chain (MEC)
29 is a model for explaining how products or services facilitate the achievement of desired end states. It consists of elements that represent the consumer’s cognitive processes which link their values to behaviors. Consequence is defined as the result of consumers’ behaviors. The desirable consequences called benefits, which is differed from products’ attributes whereas it depends on what people are received. Consequence could be physiological with satisfying hunger, psychological with self-esteem, or sociological with enhance status. In sum, the model is a hierarchical link between values ends and the means represented by product attributes. (Gutman, 1982; Reynolds and Gotman, 1988)
The MEC model was widely applied in discovering the experiences of consumers, users, or participants through engaging in the services providing (Lin, 1990), purchasing behaviors (de Boer and McCarthy, 2002; Chiou-wei and Li, 2002), or particular experiences. (Marsh, 2008) Laddering interviews were proposed to gather the information of users’ perceptions. Through the laddering referred to one-on-one in-depth interviews, it is determined the linkages between the key conceptual elements among attributes (A), consequences (C), and values (V). In other words, the elements’ relationship between participants’ values and consequences and the corresponded attributes could be found and constructed in the laddering involves tailored interviews using a series of directive probes (Reynolds and Gutman, 1988). The structure of model was furthered illustrated in a hierarchical type shown in Fig. 2-8.
Fig. 2-8 Customers’ MEC model in hierarchical (Lin, 1990)
For investigating female cycling features to explore persuasions to pull female participate in cycling activity in this thesis, applying approach of MEC is a way to understand users’ thought process of making decisions or engagement experiences in behaviors. We can use this approach to explore participants’
cognitive connection through the knowledge of behavior context, which is the attribute, and their attitudes which is the consequence corresponding to values.
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2.4.4. Focus group
Created by Robert Merton, focus group is a general study approach in social science field in late 20th century. Different from traditional closed interview studies, focus group proceeds without prepared questionnaires but converses in an open and free atmosphere. Through the communications between participants in the form of group, researchers encourage them to talk, ask questions, exchange and comment on each other’s sharing instead of asking each participant questions in turn. It’s could be particular used for exploring the participants’ perspective and experiences. The group process helps researchers to explore and clarify their views and particular appropriate with open ended questions to identify the issues of importance. (Kitzinger, 1995&1996)
Using focus group provided the advantages to collect data on a large range of behaviors, give a greater variety of interactions with the study participants, and have more open discussion of research topic in a limited period of study session. Focus group was found appropriate for providing an approach to collect data of the research topics from group discussion (Morgan, 1997).
For conducting the data from diary studies and in-depth interview with users, focus groups which are formed with experienced producers and designers who are professional and experienced in design processes are invited to verify and classify persuasive features based on user study results.