Redesigning iSchool Commons to better Accomodate Graduate Workers
Collaborators: Stephanie Apollon, Antariksa Akhmadi, Yabing Yang
Client: Dr. Wayne Lutters (Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, UMD iSchool)
As part of the planning phase for the i-School Commons redesign, teams in the Research Methods in UX Design course conducted a study to provide design recommendations for the project.
We were team Arjav, and we gathered actionable feedback addressing the space needs for graduate assistants at the i-School.
Overview
In our study, we found that graduate assistants at the iSchool faced challenges balancing privacy with a sense of community and collaboration.
Research Question
What privacy needs do iSchool graduate assistants have in shared workspaces, and how can these spaces also foster community and collaboration?
Goal
To understand the balance between privacy, sense of community, and collaboration for iSchool graduate assistants.
Key issues included inadequate workspaces, lack of privacy, and limited food options and storage.
Privacy
Need for spaces that support focus and discretion.
Breakout and Food
Desire for better food options and breakroom facilities.
Comfort and Equipment
Importance of ergonomic and productive workspaces.
Flexibility and Identity
Preference for flexible spaces and a clear iSchool identity.
Floor-plan and design vision
Our design visions featured flexible spaces that balance privacy and collaboration, including greenhouse-style courtyards, quiet and noisy work areas, reservable rooms, a café, and secure storage.
User Insights and Design Solutions
We came up with 3 visualizations to help our clients build an accurate mental model of what the users need
This User Journey Map illustrates a typical graduate worker’s experience, highlighting emotional states throughout the day.
The Space Matrix helps depict spaces perceived as quiet/open, quiet/closed, noisy/open, and noisy/closed.
The Identity Model represents the graduate assistants’ perceptions of their roles, enjoyment, and workspace needs at the iSchool, showcasing common characteristics and needs despite different job types.
Study Design
Participants
Demographics
Graduate Assistants (GAs)- Research Assistants (RAs), Graders, Teaching Assistants (TAs)
Specific Qualifying Criteria
Must be enrolled in the INFO College/iSchool
Must be employed by the university
Must be a graduate student
Age: Minimum 20 Years of Age
Hours Worked Per Week: 20 hours
Data collection and synthesis
We gathered data through user testing and focus groups, synthesized it into key themes, and organized these into an affinity diagram.
Two Wall Walk sessions with the client team, graduate assistants, and staff helped refine and validate our insights.
We conducted on-site contextual studies to gain a deeper insight into the experiences and perspectives of graduate workers.
Transcription
The recorded interviews were transcribed using Revoldiv and Zoom
The Affinity diagram
The affinity diagram consists of three levels of themes, each representing key insights from user research.
The first level captures direct user notes, which are then grouped into broader themes in subsequent levels.
Wall Walk with Stakeholders
Key points were identified by reviewing and interpreting the interview notes
Wall Walk and Model Creation
Wall Walk Engagement and Feedback
Carried out a wall walk involving teachers, learners, and various stakeholders to share preliminary results.
Gathered responses and ideas regarding topics such as bookable study areas and safe storage.
Feedback Interpretation and Design Visioning
We developed design visions based on feedback, including concepts like greenhouse-style indoor greenery, re-divided workspaces, and a reservable room system.
Discussed feedback to determine which ideas to keep, learn more about, or discard.
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