7.3
The focus groups were designed to provide an ideal setting for householders to share their everyday routines and their experiences of comfort at home. This stage served the purpose of learning about specific activities which participants carry out to create comfort. The findings of this stage will be used to identify potential comfort activities in the diary routines in study 4: Capturing comfort in context.
Methods
7.4
The value of engaging participants in the research topic prior to the main study is a technique which has gained prominence within user experience research using, in particular, a process known as context mapping. The purpose of context mapping is to gather rich and broad contextual information from users in a form which can be transferred to the designers (Visser et al. 2005). The process of context mapping uses generative techniques to evoke a deeper level of thinking in order to gather latent knowledge from participants, deeper knowledge is gained using generative techniques as illustrated by Figure 11. Given the subconscious and intimate nature of domestic comfort, the process for exploring this topic with participants would benefit from using similar techniques to elicit latent knowledge on their personal comfort experiences. Visser and colleagues (2005) described the context mapping process and detailed the steps followed, which includes a stage where participants are engaged in the research topic prior to the main stage of data collection. This is known as sensitisation and is defined as "a process where participants are triggered, encouraged and motivated to think, reflect, wonder and explore aspects of their personal context in their own time and environment." (Visser et al. 2005, p.5) User researchers have described the pre-sessional step as a 'highly valuable role as an
128 ice-breaker' (Moule 2010); within this stage, the research topic can be broadly introduced. In reference to this stage of research the sensitisation step is an appropriate method to introduce, engage and prepare participants for the main study.
Figure 11: Different Data Collection Techniques and Knowledge (Visser et al. 2005)
Ordinarily, sensitisation tools require participants to complete an exercise in their own time and either send prior or report the findings during the main generative session. The tools used for sensitisation are similar to those used in cultural probes and also share the same ambition to elicit unique insights into participants’ lives through creative approaches (Gaver et al. 1999). Typical tools used for both methods include using disposable cameras, workbooks exercises involving open- ended questions, drawings, or diaries. Within the context mapping process, this session is followed by a group sessions where participants can discuss their experiences of the sensitisation step.
For this research, given the self-reporting stages of both studies 3 and 4 to follow, it was considered more appropriate to engage participants in a focus group session to discuss the topic and share experiences of comfort in the home; this approach allowed for generative techniques to be implemented, maintaining a creative element to the sensitisation stage. The session would also provide a fitting opportunity to guide participants through the imminent data collection process for the studies 3 and 4. Further details of focus group methods including generative techniques have been discussed in the chapter 4: Methodology (see section 4.4.2.).
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Sampling
7.5
A purposive sampling strategy was used to identify suitable participants for this study. The selected participants for this study were also recruited to complete studies 3 and 4 simultaneously, therefore the needs of all three stages were considered during the recruitment process.
The sample criteria was partially shaped by previous findings: the first study identified that participants created comfort by personalising the space through the décor and furnishings which was, to some extent, possible through home ownership and therefore having the freedom to make significant changes to the property. With this in mind, the sampling process for this study focused on recruiting homeowners. Participants were also required to go to work or study at least part-time for the purpose of study 3: Capturing comfort in context.
The full recruitment criteria included: Age between 21-65 years old Homeowner
Work / Study 25+ hours a week Only one participant per household
Participants were recruited in two locations: Luton, Bedfordshire and Loughborough, Leicestershire. In Luton, the majority of participants were recruited through the local Church community, in Loughborough participants were recruited through Loughborough University, both by word of mouth. Suitable candidates were asked individually and provided with an information sheet which set out all study stages. Once recruited, participants completed the consent forms at the beginning of the focus groups.
Once the study was completed, all participants were given a £30 High Street voucher for taking part in the whole study. See appendix A for the information sheet and appendix B for the consent form.
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Piloting
7.6
As the participants were due to complete the focus group along with studies 3 and 4, a pilot study was conducted of all stages. The pilot of the focus group procedure was completed with two participants in Luton; no major revisions were required however additional questions following the ‘day-in-the-life’ exercise were added to provoke further discussion of participants’ activities and routines at home. In addition, questions about the opportunity for participants to share activities they would like to be able to fit into their current routines were included.