EVALUATING DESIGN FOR SPECIFIC USER GROUPS – DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA FOR A DESIGN AWARD

Paper i proceeding, 2015

In this paper, we present a design research approach to measure quality of design targeted towards specific user groups. In our efforts to increase the focus in design on specific user groups, here exemplified by children and elderly people, we have established the European DEVICE Design award. The paper report from our efforts of iteratively developing a common set of criteria for evaluating design targeted to these user groups. It is illustrated how iterative development and design of an award can be used as a method and driving force for defining a set of criteria for judging design quality for specific user groups. Three iterations of the DEVICE Design Award and the criteria are presented together with the main lessons learned. The lessons focus on 1) how to balance the value of theoretical and methodological contributions equal to design practice, 2) how to align different design disciplines in one award under the same criteria, and 3) the value of evaluating criteria in order to improve the quality of the award. The contribution of this paper is the lessons learnt in the process of defining criteria, as well as the final criteria themselves, which can be useful for others involved in evaluating design for specific user groups or interested in setting up a design award.