Now you!

Time to grab your camera, which can simply be your smartphone. There are advantages to using other equipment, e.g. to get better audio quality in noisy environments, but we can keep this simple.

Take a topic and start filming to try out what you can do with design research documentaries. The most important thing is to start thinking not only as a design researcher, but also as a filmmaker.

PREPARATIONS

Ask a colleague to be your participant for half an hour and do a quick exercise.

Here's a topic if you need one: 

What do you do when you need to really focus on something at work and come up with something new? Do you go for a walk, why? Where, and why? Do you put your headphones on, why? What do you play, and why?

Well, you know what questions to ask, you are a design researcher!

FILMING

First, film your participant while you ask questions. Keep the camera pointed at their face as you ask the questions. 

Second, film the things that they showed you on site or on screen. Let your participant talk you through everything they do and show you (again). 

Finally, film some extra shots of things you observed. What environment are we in? What else is happening there? Think as a filmmaker, too. What shots do you need to show where we are? Perhaps some elements of the story can be shown rather than being told?

EDITING

Now you need to edit. First edit the story. Focus on the audio, not how the image looks. The bits that look bad, we can cover with other shots later on.

Once your story 'flows', bring the shots of what your participant does and shows to you into the film.

Finally, bring in the shots you filmed of the surroundings last. These will help show where we are and offer some visual comments on the story. 

VIEWING

Now you can watch your film! Watch it with your participant and other colleagues. Observe what they get from the film, how they interpret things that are shown and told. Does this lead to a conversation about finding focus at work and different ways to do this, as well as barriers people encounter? Do you find opportunities to focus better at work? 

All of that is what design research documentaries are supposed to do!

Want to know more? Check our references page!

Want to share your experiences with design documentaries? Or do you want to use this approach in your project? Get in touch with Stby! We made many design documentaries over the past 15 years. Find Bas Raijmakers, co-founder of Stby, on Linkedin.