What is the define stage?
The second phase of the model is the define phase. At this stage, we are looking at all the data gathered during the discover phase, studying it closely and identifying themes to gain an even deeper understanding of what is going on.
When analysing the information gathered, we identify themes or learning points and consider what this tells us or what it means in the bigger picture. During this phase we must consider how the data help us understand what is going on around this issue. We lean in to build a deeper understanding across the complex system to identify the root causes of the issues, problems and challenges that we are seeing. To do this we need to look at not only the quantative and qualitative data, but also the emotions and values that shape the individual experiences people have, and identify and build patterns of meaning across those different experiences. The anchoring question ‘So what?’ enable this. Throughout this phase we must iteratively be asking questions such as what is really going on from a systemic perspective? Where can we have the most impact?
What are the goals of this stage?
At this stage, the goal is to:
- Understand the emotions and values that shape an individuals’ behaviours and experiences
- Identify and build patterns of meaning across multiple individuals’ experiences
- Gain insight into the root cause of the challenge or issue
- Determine whether we have understood everything we need to in this complex system
So, in the define phase, we use the data gathered in the discover phase around people's behaviours, thoughts, feelings and decisions, identify common themes and ask ourselves questions to try to make sense of it. Put simply, we are asking ‘why?’
| During discover, we are gathering information about | During define, we are asking ourselves |
|---|---|
| What people are doing | Why people are behaving this way? |
| What people are feeling | What can these feelings tell us? |
| What can we see | Where have we seen something like this before? |
| What the data shows | What does the data, taken together, mean? |
| What is explicit | What is implied? |
Defining is our way of moving from what we have learned, to what we think we understand and what we think is going on.
Analysing the data = Identifying Themes then Creating Insights
Analysing the data
We use two connected methods to analyse data. By chunking the data into two steps, we can synthesise the data and make sense of it. We do this firstly by Identifying Themes, and then moving on to Creating Insights.
Identifying themes
Themes are meaningful connections between multiple pieces of data. We can identify themes by looking at the raw data and trying to make sense of it and understand what it means. When we look at all of the data together, we can start to see connections and patterns between the different pieces.
To start to identify themes we need to first present the data visually so we can see it all together. It is important that we set out all of the data in a way that our brain can interact with it and not miss things. Spreadsheets and tables won’t work for this phase! We can use whiteboards and flipcharts to do this if we are in a physical setting, or there are digital tools that we can use that work really well (eg Miro, Mural, etc). We are looking at the raw data points and thinking – what do they tell us?
It can take some time before the themes settle into place, again because we are taking a fresh look at the challenge area it is important to stay iterative in the process of starting to identify what the data is telling us.
Sometimes when you are working with the data and connecting the pieces, you will see a gap or realise that there is important data missing. When this happens, you many need to go back to the discover stage and gather more data, then bring it back to analyse.
The themes we identify will help us to create insights.
Creating insights
By identifying themes, we have created a structure or frame, that helps us better understand the data. We can now move onto looking for insights.
Insights give us the most valuable learning we can draw from the research, learning about the root causes. They give us the key takeaways that will help us articulate the meaningful aspects of the data and define and communicate the complexities in the system and what is really going on. Insights are critical in getting buy-in for the work.
A good insight is made of three sentences:
- Sentence 1: Describes a current situation.
- Sentence 2: Describes a dilemma the stakeholders or residents face, how they feel, and why.
- Sentence 3: Describes the impact of the current situation – this should tell us why the insight is important and should inspire action.
There are other ways to communicate the insight but this is a useful structure to use. The insights need to be able to stand alone, and be understood by people who were not involved in the research. It is important insights are articulated in a way that is easy to understand and makes the meaning clear.
The insight is our articulation of the root cause of the issue and helps others understand what is going on. Insights are used to generate ideas and make strategic decisions, from a place of deep understanding. In this way, we build confidence and commitment for the work.
We use our insights for the next phase of service design, develop.
Tools for using at this stage
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The Scottish Approach to Service Design
The vision for the Scottish Approach to Service Design is that the people of Scotland are supported and empowered to actively participate in the definition, design and delivery of their public services (from policy making to live service improvement).
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The Double Diamond (Design Council)
The Double Diamond is a visual representation of the design and innovation process. It’s a simple way to describe the steps taken in any design and innovation project, irrespective of methods and tools used.