Deconstructing analysis techniques

Deconstructing analysis techniques
For as long as we continue to discuss
the analysis of research as a 'black
box' where "magic happens", we will
fail to learn, improve and innovate in
the areas of design research
techniques.
- me, February, 2009.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Deconstruction: breaking observations
down into component pieces. This is
the classical definition of analysis.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Manipulation: re-sorting, rearranging
and otherwise moving your research
data, without fundamentally changing
it.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Transformation: Processing the data
to arrive at some new representation
of the observations. Unlike
manipulation, transformation has the
effect of changing the data.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Summarization: collating similar
observations together and treating
them collectively. This is a standard
technique in many quantitative
analysis methods.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Aggregation: closely related to
summarization, this technique draws
together data from multiple sources.
Such collections typically represent a
“higher-level” view made up from the
underlying individual data sets.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Generalization: taking specific data
from our observations and creating
general statements or rules.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Abstraction: the process of stripping
out the particulars - information that
relates to a specific example - so that
more general characteristics come to
the fore.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Interpretation: assigning meaning to
the data.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Synthesis: The process of drawing
together concepts, ideas, objects and
other qualitative data in new
configurations, or to create something
entirely new.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Reflection: thinking, pondering,
contemplating. To the outside
observer it looks a lot like staring into
space

Deconstructing analysis techniques
Visualization: this technique is about
giving the data a visual dimension.
Instead of lists of items, or rows of
numbers in a spreadsheet, a chart or
graph or some form of illustration.

Deconstructing analysis techniques
http://johnnyholland.org/magazine/
2009/02/deconstructing-analysis-
techniques/

Steve Baty, UX Strategist
Principal, Meld
Consulting
Organizer, UX Australia
Director, IxDA Meld Consulting
Founder, UX Book Club
Editor, Johnny Holland Twitter: @docbaty
Contributor, UX Matters
Editor, Boxes & Arrows Blog: http://meld.com.au/blog
Member, IA Institute
Mentor, IAI & IxDA Email: stevebaty@meld.com.au