Quick Start Guide: Design Study Lite

What is Design Study Lite?

A simplified 5-step process for creating data visualizations with domain experts in just 4-6 weeks.

The 5 Simple Steps

📋 Step 1: Define the Problem (Week 1)

  • Talk to your domain expert
  • Understand what they need to see in their data
  • Write down 3-5 key questions they want to answer

✏️ Step 2: Sketch Ideas (Week 2)

  • Draw simple sketches on paper with your expert
  • Try 3-4 different layout ideas
  • Pick the best one together

🛠️ Step 3: Build It (Week 3-4)

  • Code your visualization using web tools
  • Show progress to your expert weekly
  • Make adjustments based on feedback

🧪 Step 4: Test It (Week 5)

  • Ask 2-3 people to try using it
  • Watch what confuses them
  • Fix the main problems

📝 Step 5: Document & Share (Week 6)

  • Write down what you learned
  • Share your process with others
  • Plan improvements for next time

What You Need

  • Time: 4-6 weeks, 10-15 hours per week
  • People: 1 domain expert + 1-2 developers
  • Tools: Paper, web browser, coding tools (D3.js recommended)
  • Data: Small dataset (under 10,000 rows works best)

Ready to Start?

🎯 Start Your Own Project

  1. [Stage 1: Abstract Phase](Stage-1-Abstract-Phase/README - Begin with domain analysis
  2. Use the Templates to fill out forms for your project
  3. Follow stages in order: Stage-1 → Stage-2 → Stage-3 → Stage-4 → Stage-5

📚 Learn by Example First

[Complete Transport Case Study](Training-Materials/Case-Studies/Transport-Case-Study-Full/README - See the full 9-week methodology in action

📖 Detailed Academic Framework

Full Methodology - Complete research framework with all requirements

Need Help?

  • Stuck on a stage? Check the [Transport Case Study](Training-Materials/Case-Studies/README for examples
  • Need templates? Look in Templates/ folder
  • Want details? Read the Full Methodology
  • Focus on one step at a time - don’t overthink it!

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