portfolio
DESCRIPTION
An overview of my perspective and a selection of my best work in qualitative research and problem-solving.TRANSCRIPT
I am a
Looking to enter the world of design.
Experience
I conduct audience research and evaluation on issues of inclusion for new/underserved audiences for educational institutions. I apply a mixed-method, culturally responsive approach to data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Background
I use qualitative research to improve the visitor experience. I collect data about guests with interviews, surveys, and observations. I was lead author on two studies and supervise weekend volunteers to ensure department goals are met.
Garibay Group / researcher / auGust 2011 to present
shedd aquarium / Field evaluator / april 2013 to present
EDUCATIONnorthwestern university / evanston, il / 2007-2011B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, Concentration in Music
Thesis: “Medical Choice and Decision Making in San Ignacio, Belize”
desiGn For america / summer studio / summer 2011
Skills
interviewing
ethnography
ethograms
participatory methods
survey design
IRB/research ethics
qualitative coding
data visualization
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
cake design
drafting
sewing
woodworking
I worked with a team of students to apply a human-centered design approach developing an exhibit on “tinkering” for the Chicago Children’s Museum. We created working prototypes of exhibit elements and a scale model of our design.
quantitative analysis
tracking/timing
research
makinG
My approach
Empathy
Identify
a Need
Prototype
Test Gather
Insights
Ideate
Frame the Problem
Plan
CollectData
Analyze
ReportWorks-like
Model
Identify Problems
Iterative TestingHow?
Meaningful solutions are only possible through empathetic concern for users’ perspectives.
Why? A world designed for all people promotes equity and empowerment.
Values
What?
I want to create designs that inspire curiosity about the world.
curiosity
empathy
equity
Featured examples of my Work
Problem Solving
Cake DeSign
auDienCe reSearCh
Making
Research
exhibit evaluation & DeSign
Shirin Neshat RetrospectiveCALTA 21
Aquarium Experience Study
Play & Grow GardenMobile Learning StationsTinkering Lab
Kathryn’s Blackberry Tea CakeGaribay Group Cake
iResearcherRenter’s Planter
Window Bird FeederFood Minder
D.i.Y.
Audience Research
Zoo/Aquarium
Science Museum
Children’s Museum
University
Art Museum
Nature Center
Natural History Museum
Research Foundation
Public Library
History Museum
# OF PROJECTS BY CLIENT
For the past three years, I’ve helped educational institutions answer questions about audience engagement and learning.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Experience
My Methods
I use qualitative research methods to understand what people are doing and why.
what’s happeninG? why?
interviews
focus groups
card sorting
open-ended surveys
ethnography
ethograms
surveys
timing and tracking
behavioral checklists
collection
analysis
quantitative analysis
data visualization
transcript analysis
emergent coding
experience models
methodology Influences METHODS MATRIX
anthropoloGy
human-centered desiGn
Identify
a Need
Gather
Insights
Ideate
Plan
CollectData
Analyze
Report
My Research Process
Will this produce actionable insights?
What methods will best answer the
questions?
How will participants be
affected?
How can analysis support the client and
users’ needs?What story does the
data tell?
What can be communicated
visually?
Who will be reading this report?
Will it enable stakeholders to affect change?
Who else could benefit?
Will this serve
the needs of the
target audience?
Why is this study necessary?
What key questions need to be answered?
Are those questions answerable?
Shirin Neshat Retrospective
Challenge Develop interpretive strategies to achieve intended outcomes and minimize possible negative reactions to an exhibition of contemporary Iranian artist, Shirin Neshat.
Collect
I am Its Secret, Shirin Neshat 1993
Observations and interviews of participants in a mock-gallery
Focus groups with general audience and Muslim community members
Research QuestionsHow will this exhibition be perceived by visitors who do and do not identify with cultures represented?
What information do visitors need to make connections with the conceptual art?
What are visitors’ preconceptions of the art and themes?
Do visitors see the exhibition themes as global or relevant only in Middle Eastern or Islamic cultures?
Project Overview
Client
Company Role Interviewed participants after observing them in a mock gallery. Analyzed transcripts.
There was a range of understanding of Iranian politics and history. Some people were very
knowledgeable, while others held more stereotypical views.
All visitors could benefit from interpretation that grounds them in the political and historical
context of Iran.
FindinG recommendation
Respondents had difficulty interpreting the work because of its highly conceptual and
symbolic nature.
Visitors will require significant hand-holding and scaffolding in order for them to make
meaning of the art.
Since Neshat uses photography, many respondents interpreted her work as photojournalism.
Emphasize that the work is one artist’s perspective, not documentation of
contemporary life in Iran.
A vocal minority interpreted the work as a negative portrayal of Iranian, Middle Eastern, and
Muslim culture. They worried the exhibit would reinforce negative stereotypes.
Communities represented in the exhibit must feel included in the process. The exhibit needs to
provide context to help visitors move beyond stereotypes.
The strongest overarching theme respondents saw in Neshat’s work was gender, specifically the
oppression of women by men.
Be aware that visitors’ recognition of gender as a theme may significantly color their
interpretation of the work.Gender
portrayal oF middle
east
symbolism
historical & political
context
artist’s intentions
Outcomes
CALTA 21
Project Overview
Client
Company
Role Interviewed students, conducted analysis and reporting.
Challenge Communicate how CALTA 21 transformed student, teacher, and museum educators’ perception of the possibilities for adult English language learning in museums.
CollectPlan Data were collected from three different audiences, but many of the research questions concerned partnership or relationships between groups. This model shows how data collection was coordinated to measure all questions.
Student interviews and surveys
Teacher interviews and surveys
Museum focus groups and surveys
Videos of students facilitating art discussions
student
teacher museum educatorinstitutional
partnership
immiGrant empowerment
museum visit
classroomexperience
Research QuestionsAre collaborations between art museums and community colleges helping to empower adult immigrant English language learners?
Are art museums becoming learning spaces for adult immigrants?
Are immigrant voices strengthened by the development of social, cultural, and civic capital?
Transformation of museum Perception
Student Empowerment Modelle
ss e
xpe
rien
ced
w
ith m
use
um
s
mo
re experien
ced
with m
useu
ms
art museums are valuable to me
art museums are not valuable to me
Museums are not just buildings with art; they are places of learning and self-expression.
I belong at art museums.Before this class, I never
would have gone to a museum to share my
opinions.
I’m intimidated by art museums.
I love art, but didn’t see museums as a
place to improve my English.
I never thought of smaller museums
as valuable.
I’ve never been to a museum before.
Museums are boring.
Analysis Survey data was used to determine if program goals were being met. Transcripts of student and educator interviews were analyzed to develop deeper insights about how those outcomes were experienced.
Analyzing transcripts and developing models.
Outcomes
Aquarium Exhibit Types
Project Overview
Organization
Role One of two lead researchers. Primary author of final report.
Challenge Investigate the holistic visitor experience at representative exhibits across the aquarium to identify pertinent questions and methods for a large-scale study.
Formative Aquarium Experience Study
Research Questions
How do guests seek out and share information?
How do group dynamics affect the exhibit experience?
How do visitors answer questions or find information?
How does engagement differ across exhibits?
How do guests respond emotionally to exhibits?
Collect Recorded visitor conversations in five representative exhibits. Took ethnographic notes of all activity and behaviors in exhibits.
A series of habitats united by an environment or geographic region, but are separate and contain
a small variety of species.
description
Habitats that use some immersive elements, such as sound or lights, but do not emphasize time and place
enough to be truly immersive.
Galleries that “effectively absorb, engross or create for visitors the experience of a particular time and place.”
Habitats with one species. All design and interpretation supports visitors’ experience with a single species.
Experiences built around a physical interactionwith an animal. Exhibit design and species are
selected to support touch experiences. touch
encounter
solo animal habitat
semi-immersive
immersive
traditional Gallery
exhibit
Rivers
Amazon
Caribbean Reef
Otters
Stingray Touch
Analysis Conversation transcripts and notes were reviewed for patterns in group dynamics, topics of interest, information seeking and sharing, evidence of empathy towards animals and the aspects of the exhibits that afforded those interactions.
Areas to Explore
What role do Shedd’s animal rescue stories play in a visit? What interpretation makes
them more effective?
How can we support meaningful interactions in
short stay times?
How can we support connections with animals that
do not exhibit these characteristics?
Are tablets more effective tohelp identify species?
Does identification support connections with the animals?
technoloGy & interpretation
transitional spaces
rescue stories
connections with animals
immersive elements Immersion plays an important role in visitor experiences, so it is important to understand the design elements that afford it.
varietY oF SPeCieS
lighting SounD
ConSiStent geograPhY or environment
human Context
realiStiC habitatS
Rescue animals stories are a great opportunity to build connections with animals, but some are overlooked.
Habitats in transitional areas of the aquarium compete for visitors attention with
logistics.
Animal characteristics that afforded connections: large size, physical responses to visitors, highly active, and
human-like behavior.
Visitors asked more questions and identified
more species in exhibits with tablets panels.
observation questions
Outcomes
Exhibit Design + Evaluation
My Approach
How are visitors engaging? In exhibit evaluation and design, I examine visitor experiences by investigating opportunities for engagement across these areas:
A note On “engagement”
This term is the “innovation” of the museum world. It’s used so broadly and without definition that it can be jargon. This model offers one possible definition based on my professional experience.
Emotionally
Socially
PhySically intEllEctually
Research QuestionsHow do children utilize living, green environments for physical and imaginative nature experiences?
How do children socialize and interact with peers?
Do parents understand the importance of nature experiences and outdoor play to their children’s development?
Evaluation / play & Grow Garden
Collect I conducted 20 observations and interviews with families in the garden.
Challenge Measure exhibit goals and understand the factors that affect families’ experiences to identify assets and opportunities for improvement.
A young visitor intellectually engaging through fort-building.
Project Overview
Client
Company
Role Data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Pine Tree-o
Chalkboard 1
Chalkboard 2
Chalkboard 3
Welcome Gate
Gravity Run Log Runnel
Pebble Pool
Tree Hut Hangout
Willow Fort
Tinker Tree
Soil Kitchen
Chalkboard 4
Chalkboard 5
Chalkboard 6
GPC Play and Grow Garden Areas
Stumptown
Billy Goat’s Bluff and Bridge
Tree Trunk Obstacle Path
Train TreesWater Spigot
Tree Trunk Obstacle
Spiral
A rough sketch of the garden with labeled areas, drawn to acquaint new data collectors with the site.
Engagement by Area This graphic illustrates relative levels of engagement by activity areas. The larger the circle, the deeper the level of engagement.
Play & GrowGarden
Experience
Caregiver
Child
Staff
Design Features
PhysicalEngagement
Building Materials
Containersand Utensils
Natural Materials
Structures
Fine Motor
Water
SocialEngagement
IntellectualEngagement
ProblemSolving
Imaginative Play
ProgrammingEmotionalEngagement
Gross Motor
Activity
Materials
Factors of the visitor experince
Outcomes
Evaluation / Mobile Learning Stations
Interaction Models After 15 observations and interviews, I drew aerial sketches to show how facilitators and visitors interacted with the prototypes.
Challenge Help create and assess the overall impact the mobile learning stations have engaging visitors in inquiry-based learning.
Phase 1 Observe how visitors use two prototypes to inform the design of five new mobile stations.
How are visitors interacting with the stations?
To what extent does the design of the stations affect interactions?
Do the stations meet the needs of the target audience?
What messages do visitors take away?
Phase 1 Questions
Project Overview
Client
Company
Role Data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Phase 2 Assess overall impact the learning stations have engaging visitors in inquiry-based learning.
Did the learning stations... How are visitors engaging?
Increase appreciation of the zoo’s commitment to animal care and/or conservation science?
Inspire visitors to share something that they learned with a family member or friend?
PhysicallySocially EmotionallyIntellectually
Animal Investigations
Habitat Inhabitants
How Feces Save Species
Nature Stinks
Nature’s Neighborhoods
Animals Like Us
Secrets of the Zoo
Key:
High Med Low
Outcomes
Project Overview
Partner
Sponsor Design for America is an award-winning nationwide network of interdisciplinary student teams and community members using design to create local and social impact.
Design / Tinkering Lab
Challenge How can we create an exhibit that empowers children to explore and create with real tools?
Tinkering vs. Scientific process
About Our student team applied a human-centered design approach to develop an exhibit on “tinkering” for children ages three-eight.
Several of our exhibit ideas were incorporated into the final space, which has been open to the public since early 2013.
tinker [v.]: to explore materials without a fixed goal
start with materials
ask a question
Form a hypothesis
experiment analyze conclude
tinkering: conclusions are the result
of random discovery
SCientiFiC ProCeSS: conclusions are drawn
by testing premeditated questions
Familiar items inspire kids to role-play and build on
prior knowledge.
Real objects are more inspiring than fantasy.
Use real objects and common tools.
Observation Insight Design Outcome
There is a disconnect between what kids imagine
and what they make.
Imagining is valuable, but ability to make is limited by familiarity with tools.
Provide the tools and support to bring kids’
ideas to life.
Kids enjoy solving problems, but get
frustrated when goals are too complicated.
Flexible outcomes let kids explore solutions
more freely.
Create open-ended prompts that let kids define and solve their
own problems.
Kids respond to small and large-scale experiences
with excitement.
Scale can be used to generate excitement.
Integrate a mix of small and large-scale
experiences.
Flexible
authentic
wow!
Outcomes
Pegboard Pinball Road Squares
These fabric squares feature textured material on one side and a road shape on the other. These flexible, tactile pieces help younger children explore textiles.
This simple pinball machine lets kids create their own obstacles with common materials such as bottle caps, pipe cleaners, and found objects.
ModeL + Prototypes Our team created two working prototypes of exhibit elements and produced a scale model to show how our ideas might be used in the future space.
Tinkering Lab Model
Designed to fit in the proposed exhibit space, this model incorporates our prototypes and other large scale opportunities for tinkering and play.
Deliverables
Problem Solving
Window Bird Feeder
Challenge How can I attract birds to a high-rise window for cat entertainment?
Prototype in UseI have a chubby cat named Elmer.
Laid-back to a fault, it’s difficult to get him active. The only thing that stimulates him is watching birds out the window. However, I live on the 4th floor of a high-rise building and need a product that can:
SpecificationsHang outside a window with absolutely no risk of falling on the busy street below
Attract birds without risking their safety
Allow me to open and close my window
prototype testing While using the window feeder, I noted several positive features and issues to resolve in the next iteration:
What WorkedElmer would stay glued to the window for hours
It successfully attracted birds, who were unruffled by my cat on the other side of the window
Issues to resolve Not adaptable to different window styles and sizes
Not weather proof. Cold air flowed into apartment
Not made from rot-resistant materials
Didn’t drain during rain
Product Illustration This drawing shows how the feeder attaches. Installing to the interior window ledge removes risk of falling on the street below.
iResearcher
Challenge How can I integrate smart phone usage into traditional handwritten data collection techniques?
The problem As a qualitative researcher, I need to take thorough, detailed notes on participant behavior while taking photos and recording time. It is most natural to use a smart phone, but it was difficult to capture all details while switching between my phone and clipboard.
Ideating I built several prototypes with cardboard and tape, then tested them in the field.
Specifications From testing, I learned that next iteration should:
Attach and detach from standard clipboards without adhesive
Withstand pressure applied while using buttons
Allow for the use of all smart-phone features
Not interfere with ability to flip pages on clipboard or minimize available writing surface
Testing Works-Like Prototype+ =?
3D Modeling After testing cardboard prototypes, I modeled a 3D printable version. This initial design was functional, but the size made printing impracticle.
Benefits Allows for new data collection tools without impeding traditional methods.
Adapts to a product that already exists, reducing cost and waste.
Solution is publicly available for print/download at TinkerCAD.
Model of Final PrototypeThis final model securely fits on a clipboard while using far less material and can be printed using a 3D printer with a standard surface area.
Renter’s Planter
Challenge How can I introduce green space on a small porch without occupying floor space or using permanent hardware?
Sketch of PrototypeThe problem As an urban renter and a DIY “nester” I am frequently at odds with the terms of my lease, namely the provision that I not hang anything using permanent hardware on our small back porch.
Ideating After exploring several no hardware options, I decided to prototype a self-supporting pressure planter. I created two window boxes, to be hung on either side of a porch rail, tightened together until they supported the weight of removable planter liners.
Specifications In addition to the original design challenges, this prototype needed to:
Support 90 lbs. minimum
Give the appearance of floating on the porch rail
Have removable flower planters
Be easily moved by one person
Be made from rot-resistant materials and allow drainage
High-Fidelity Prototype. I built this using cedar, steel rods, and removable planter boxes. I look forward to making it easier to install and adaptable to different porches.
Building at my woodshop
Food Minder
Challenge How can I design a product that helps college students reduce food waste?
DeSign ChallengeS
uSer inSightS
Users inventory fridge contents
visually, so clutter leads to waste.
How can I make it easier to inventory
food?
How can I accommodate a
variety of organizing styles?
Shared fridges are used as message
boards.
How can I make it easier to track
expiration dates?
Users do not know average shelf life of
most foods.
Insights + CHallenges from ResearchThe Problem
470The average pounds of food wasted per person annually.
Food waste at home is a problem for everyone, but college students are particularly susceptible because they are:
New to grocery shopping for themselves
Busy and can’t prioritize healthy eating
“ “I don’t usually buy a lot of produce because I worry about it going bad.
Solution A system of magnets with food items colored with a gradient indicating approximate shelf-life. Word magnets can be adapted for different organization and communication strategies.
Early Prototype A series of square magnets with food items color coded by shelf-life with magnetic strip that can be placed in or outside the fridge.
Issues to resolve
Next Steps This system solves the problems of visibility, shelf-life knowledge, and flexible organization, but it requires a significant time investment. In the next iteration, I would like to do long-term user testing for new insights.
No one used the magnetic strip inside the fridge. All users preferred external freezer door placement.
Colors did not intuitively communicate shelf-life without key.
Combining images with words made them too different from word magnets, therefore less intuitive.
Cake Design
Birthday Cake Philosophy
Sugar is my medium of choice to celebrate the special people in my life.
A cake should always be personal
Something tart
Something Sweet
Something Cute
Something boozY
Cake Study/ Kathryn’s Blackberry Tea Cake
Kathryn is a PhD student in English literature. A lover of tea and thoughtful conversations, she’s most at home cuddled with a warm mug, good book, and the company of friends.She’s an avid runner and farmer’s market attendee,
appreciating food that is local, seasonal, and healthy. When asked to describe her, most people will use words such as “lovely” and “thoughtful.”
The Birthday Girl The Cake
Inspiration
Black-tea cake covered in blackberry-lime curd and frosted with blueberry-blossom honey-stabilized whipped cream
Cake Study/ Garibay Group Cake
Jane is a co-worker at Garibay Group. With an MDes in Communication Design, she is responsible for the presentation style of our final reports and is a stickler for making sure all reports use our official company color palette.
The Birthday Girl The Cake
Inspiration
Orange cake, brushed with orange-rum syrup, covered with dark chocolate rum ganache and topped with pistachios
As a fan of natural snacks, especially fruits and nuts, she enjoys specialty trail mixes comprised of fruits, nuts, and chocolate.
Garibay Group Color Palette
D.i.y.
DIY Philosophy
Makers are better
consumersEngaging with how objects are
made, equips you to better question and seek alternatives to standard means of production.
men can sew, Women can
use powertools.DIY techniques should be
accessible to all. No one should be hesistant to learn a skill
because of gender associations.
Sources of inspirationDIY is an attitude,
not a skill setIt’s about recognizing your ability
to alter your environment and define your own way of living.
@KatieSmiley
614.582.8199
CONTACT INFO
Thank you
katie-smiley.squarespace.com