Making Context Specific Card Sets - A Visual Methodology Approach: Capturing User Experiences with Urban Public Transportation

Abstract

The paper discusses the use of visual methodologies in the sense-making phases of HCI design processes. The discussion is illustrated through development of a card set, a visual tool, to explore context specific issues related to experiences with urban public transportation. The card set was intended for an open exploration of users’ experiences during different phases of a typical commute, from preparing for traveling to arriving at the destination. The paper argues in favor of increased use of visual methodologies in HCI and presents a framework for visual methodology in the production of a card set. The framework consists of seven concepts that support visual reasoning: visual immediacy, impetus, impedance, association, abduction, blending, and analogy. Our results show that these concepts were useful for finding out what types of images were communicating precisely the intended meaning and what types inspired associations, blending, and abduction.