Prototype Methodology

In order to test the system of “Party Smartly” and because this project has developed into a two part system, it seems as though it would be best to test this system with a mixture of two design research methods. Part one of the “Party Smartly” project is a physical campaign system, i.e. posters and coasters; Part two is the digital app. With these two outcomes, pairing them with a focus group and a touchstone tour would yield the most informational responses. The focus group would be conducted around the physical campaign, gauging on if it is eye catching, intriguing, and mysterious. Focus groups in the past have been used for marketing campaigns to know where points of focus are and where things are falling through the cracks. A focus group is the perfect way to see if the QR code portion of the campaign is working or if it is failing. For the digital app, the research method needs to be more interactive. A way to see if the app is helpful and if it can even intervene in the moment like it is supposed to. For this part of “Party Smartly” the research method chosen is the Touchstone tours, a almost guided experience that will allow users to be curious but also guided through the use of the app in the atmosphere that it is designed to be used in. It is with both of these methods that the prototype system that I have created could find the most informational results.