Design Research Guide

The BC User Research Guide provides documentation and instruction on doing design research as a BC public servant. The draft version of the guide is being developed in Github and can be read using Github pages

The guide assumes that you are doing research with participants over 19 years old who are capable of making their own decisions. If you are looking to do research with participants that do not fit with this description, please review information on complex research and see if formal approvals are required.

Aligning to the Principles for Digital BC

Doing design research supports the following digital principles:

• Principle 1: Prioritize delivering impact for British Columbians
• Principle 2: Design with people & embed inclusion
• Principle 4: Continuously learn & improve
• Principle 10: Express cultural & historical awareness & respect

Versions

• v0.0.1 Proof of concept launched (01/14/2020)
• v0.1.0 First draft of guide content launched (02/21/2020)
• v0.1.1 Included
  • stipend receipt template
  • ethical practices and code of conduct (Needs review) (02/27/2020)
• v0.1.2 Updated information on allowing the use of electronic gift cards for stipends (04/15/2020)
• v0.2.1 Major update: Including remote user research practices throughout guide and new page for remote research (04/16/2020)
• v0.3.0 Major update: Changed name from User Research Guide to Design Research Guide along with updated language throughout the guide. (07/23/20)

Provide Feedback

Content for the guide is hosted on Github and published using Github Pages as a way to develop content in the open. If you find inaccurate content, need more information, or content is missing you can create an issue in the Github repository or email uxbc@gov.bc.ca

This guide is adapted from the Ontario User Research Guide and the Australia Government Digital Transformation Agency available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License