Kitchen of the Future Workshop
A two hour design research analysis workshop · taught several times at CCA MDES and DMBA
What this session is…
An introduction to design research analysis using the Design Decisions worksheets, a set of tools that bring together my Institute of Design graduate training and what I learned at IDEO. This workshop is focused on practicing making sense of raw research data—not the collection of the data. I’ve found this is a bit of a black box for my students so I use the worksheets as scaffolding and the exercise to give them practice in this step.
By the end, students get…
Exposure to project definition or charter writing
Exposure to research planning and generating a discussion guide
Practice turning raw research data into actionable problem statements and criteria for an ambiguous user-centered problem
Agenda
| Time | Activity | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 15 min | Intro and background | Who I am, and the story behind the worksheets |
| 20 min | Worksheet overview | Each worksheet in medium detail, with room for questions |
| 5 min | Demo: project definition | How the worksheets define an ambiguous project |
| 5 min | Demo: research plan | A research plan, reformatted into a discussion guide |
| 15 min | Story and video | The story of the team going out to do research, plus the research video (teams can rewatch it at their own pace) |
| 30 min | Exercise | Teams use the Observations to Insights worksheet to turn research data into actionable knowledge. I walk around, check in with each team, and answer questions. |
| 15 min | Next steps and questions | What would happen next on the project, then open questions |
Format. 10–20 students. Class divides into project teams of 3 or 5.
Below: Research highlight reel I made with former IDEO colleagues.
Below: Students making sense
What Students Say
Excerpts from anonymous end-of-term course evaluations in the MDes Interaction Design program at California College of the Arts.
“He showcases deep expertise as a design leader and has the ability to push his students to think beyond their limits without imposing his own opinions on to them.”
— Student · IxD Studio Foundations, Fall 2022
“Matt comes from so much experience and is still so humble and that is a very admirable quality even in his teaching methods—he never made us feel that his way is the only right way of doing something.”
— Student · IxD Studio Foundations, Fall 2021
“Extremely good at articulating and explaining complex topics, in a way where we reach the answer ourselves.”
— Student · IxD Studio Foundations, Fall 2022
“Extremely good at articulating and explaining complex topics, in a way where we reach the answer ourselves.”
— Student · IxD Studio Foundations, Fall 2022
“The most rewarding aspect was the various models we used, e.g. the way I learnt to define the problem, harm, and solution as a single page summary. This is something that I will practically use for my projects going forward.”
— Student · IxD Studio Foundations, Fall 2021
“Matthew’s teaching strengths include his patience, kindness, and ability to create a safe space for creative freedom. He explains concepts clearly and supports students thoughtfully without pressure.”
— Student · IxD Studio Foundations, Fall 2025