This is something I've been confused ever since I started my undergraduate research.
My research related to User Interfaces. Based on some of the previous years undergraduate research or from some research in the same year as me, as far as I see, have these steps:
- Suppose we wants to design new interface for a system-X
- We do the survey about the interface of system-like-X (but not X) to the users
- From the survey, we get the data: what the users don't like from the present system interface, which part should be improved, etc
- Then, we propose the new design based on that data
- We then, again, test that new design with users
And now, my steps, according to my advisor
- You design the new interface
- Test it
I'm so confused, because, based on what would I design the interface? What standard or principle I should used? Also, in my case, I have to implement or develop the testing tools myself, which means that I got more work to do compared to my friend's workload. Could that be why step 1-3 skipped? But this is academic, I can't say the reason I choose that design is because "well, because that feels good/looks nice!". But my advisor never told me by what should I based my design on, she just "Yes, you design it first". But that's not my question here.
My questions are: In this case, where if I do not base my research on data, by what should I based it on? Should I use a principle to back it on or what? Is there a research method like this? What is the name of this research method?
In case I ask in wrong place or there's lack of information, please tell me.