While I understand the overarching concept of contextual design, and (though we didn’t name it as such) believe I have participated in its application as a user, I am having trouble with the difference between “interpretation” and “data consolidation” in the 7 step process. The Wikipedia article includes this description within the “Interpretation” part of the process, “Data from each interview is analyzed and key issues and insights are captured,” (“Contextual Design,” 2010, “Interpretation” para. 1). The article also includes similar language in the “Data Consolidation” section, “Data from individual customer interviews are analyzed in order to reveal patterns and the structure across distinct interviews,” (“Contextual Design,” 2010, “Data Consolidation” para. 1).  Since “models” are built from both steps in the process, (again, at least according to the Wikipedia article), is the substance or structure of the models the differentiating factor between the steps? Or is the difference that in the “Interpretation” phase, a single interview is used to build a model, then in the “Data Consolidation” phase, all of the different models that were built from separate interviews are compared to find commonalities? Also, I believe I was asked to take part in the “Visioning” process used in the OLE Project (http://oleproject.org/) by constructing “stories” — is this standard practice for the story creation to be done by the users, especially if they have not been involved in any other aspect of the project development (or contextual design, other than being asked about tasks in a way that seems like the data-collecting phase)?

I’ll continue to refer back to this process of (1) collecting data, (2) interpreting data/(3) consolidating data, (4) ‘visioning’, (5) storyboarding, (6) diagramming with User Environment Design, and (7) prototyping as I approach future projects (whether as someone simply doing tasks, the user, or the one designing how they are done or could be done more efficiently). I hope, though, that I’ll have the good fortune to have knowledgeable guidance as I attempt to apply this model in some sample situations before actually trying it in the real world!

References

Contextual design. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contextual_design