Design Research
Innovation Hub
Informing future mental health programs and service design at the University of Toronto
In partnership with Health and Wellness, the Innovation Hub aims to learn more about how students take care of their mental health. The findings of our study will inform future mental health programs and service design at the University of Toronto.
OVERVIEW
OUTCOME
A final report and presentation outlining key insights and findings of the data collected from primary and secondary research.
ROLE
Design Reseacher
COLLABORATORS
Lisa Hu
Anna Hardie
Jenna Gu
Helen Chan
CLIENT
Health and Wellness, Student Life
TIMELINE
September 2022 - April 2023
TOOLS
Dedoose Software
Miro
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
NOTE: Research findings will not be included as the final report is currently under NDA. The purpose of this case study is to walk you through my research approach, methods and lessons learned.
PROJECT SCOPE
Supporting Health and Wellness
In September 2022, I had the incredible opportunity to join a team of Design Researchers at the Innovation Hub, an initiative at U of T that works with different departments to improve campus life through student-centric design.
Our study falls under the domain of Whole Student Development, which focuses on the support and resources U of T students need to care for their holistic well-being (physical, psychological, social, and emotional). In partnership with Health and Wellness, we wanted to look closer at the ways students perceive and address their mental health. The findings of our study will support the design of future programs and services to support mental health at U of T.
Instead of jumping to solutions, we approached the problem space by focusing on the underlying whys and hows. To do this, our research team worked closely with students to generate authentic data that reflects their diverse perspectives, needs and pain points when grappling with mental health.
MISSION
To improve mental health programs and services at the University of Toronto through student-centric design.
At the Innovation Hub, we practice Design Thinking, a philosophy that values empathy and collaborative exploration to solve problems through design. By taking a peer-to-peer approach, our research team identifies ways design can address unmet human needs. Read more about our approach and methods here.
RESEARCH APPROACH
Practicing Design Thinking
When using design thinking methodology, I consider these key principles:
Cross-disciplinary and collaborative: encourage ideas from all corners
Integrative: find connections between seemingly conflicting ideas
User-centricity: understand the people you are designing for
Growth mindset: be comfortable with change, feedback, and new insights
METHODS
Secondary Research - Looking Internally and Externally
The goal of our secondary research was to contextualize the broader culture of well-being and how mental health is currently addressed by the university.
We conducted an environmental scan to gain insights into existing circumstances and potential gaps that could be explored.
Environmental Scanning
Gathering information about an organization's internal and external environments to determine their future direction
Primary Research - Amplifying Diverse Student Voices
To learn more about the student experience navigating mental health, we wanted to talk to them directly.
During this study, I had the opportunity to conduct focus groups with current U of T students to hear about their struggles and triumphs when managing their emotional well-being.
Student Feedback Sessions
Asking questions that engage the participants in a reflective and generative conversation about their experiences
By applying a design thinking approach, the Innovation Hub not only prioritizes the underlying needs of students, but offers an opportunity to involve them in the design process.
I facilitated collaborative ideation sessions with students to generate ideas about programs and services to support mental health.
Co-creation Sessions
Facilitating collaborative ideation with the group of people we are designing for to bring them into the design process
Data Analysis - Identifying Common Themes
After meeting with students and hearing their diverse experiences and perspectives, our research team wanted to dig deeper into their stories.
At this stage in the research process, I coded and analyzed qualitative interview data with Dedoose software to create needs-based insights and design principles.
Qualitative Data Coding
Systematically categorizing excerpts in the qualitative data in order to find themes and patterns
UX Artifacts - Defining User Needs, Goals, and Obstacles
I curated personas in order to better empathize with and communicate the data our team collected through primary research.
Using the key findings from the feedback and co-creation sessions, these cohesive characters encapsulate student feelings and experiences.
User Personas
Creating fictional characters whose goals and characteristics represent the needs of a larger group of users
In addition to developing personas, I mapped out user journeys to visualize the current and ideal experience of accessing mental health services.
Each journey focuses on the diverse experiences of U of T students navigating the landscape of mental health on campus and how they feel along the way.
Journey Mapping
Visualizing the emotions and step-by-step process that a person goes through in order to accomplish a goal
Presenting the Data - Storytelling
When presenting the key insights and findings of the qualitative data, we put student experiences and insights into context to help the audience understand the deep meaning behind our study.
By communicating with accessible language and story-telling techniques, our data drives impact in diverse student populations and stakeholders.
Storytelling
Contextualizing insights and findings from research by embedding them within an accessible narrative to drive action
REFLECTION
My Personal Takeaways
Understanding the Project Scope
To complete our deliverables within the timeframe given by our clients, it was crucial that we understand the scope of our work. Since health and wellness overlap with other aspects of student life, it was easy to stray away from the main goals of the project. To ensure that I directed my efforts toward the deliverables, I asked questions to define the client's needs, the expected project outcomes, and the subject matter outside the research team's control.
Recognizing Personal Bias
Being part of the U of T community myself, it was easy to relate to the experiences and feelings that our student participants shared during feedback sessions. To ensure that my personal viewpoints did not hinder the process of identifying the underlying needs and pain points of students, I consulted with my research team through open dialogue to ensure consistency between our interpretations of student stories.
Framing is Everything
In order to dig deeper into the student experience, I had to step away from the “what” questions and focus on the “why” and “how.” The nature of the project topic is complex, so it was important to frame questions in a thoughtful way that fosters constructive and productive discussion. When listening to student stories, I learned to take a step back and critically analyze their responses to generate probing questions for further insights.
Leading with Empathy
Mental health is a deeply complex and personal topic that requires a level of vulnerability from anyone to speak about it. To create a safe environment for our research participants to open up about their experiences, I reiterated the importance of respecting personal boundaries and affirmed that all information shared with us is confidential.