MYP Design Year 1 · Unit 2 · Lesson 10
Redesign an Everyday Object for a User
L10 · 01

Observing Users

Observation shows what people actually do — not only what we assume they do.

Student Materials
Observation lens
E
EVIDENCERecord actions you can see or hear.
?
QUESTIONSeparate what happened from what you think it means.
↺
PATTERNNotice repeated difficulty, hesitation, workaround, or success.
Use ← → / Space to navigate.Lesson 10 · Primary research
Learning Focus
Observation before interpretation
L10 · 02

By the end of today, students can…

01

Record

observable user actions without exaggerating.

02

Separate

evidence from interpretation.

03

Notice

a difficulty or pattern worth researching further.

Primary research foundationObserve → interpret
Mini-Lesson
Evidence vs assumption
L10 · 03

Assumption

“The user hates the lid.”

Observation

“The user tried twice to open the lid, changed hand position, then used both hands.”

OBSERVATION RULE

Write what you can defend with something you saw, heard, counted, or measured.

Interpretation can come after evidence.Specific actions
What to Notice
User interaction clues
L10 · 04

Grip

How does the user hold or control the object?

Reach

What must the user stretch, bend, or reposition to access?

Sequence

What steps does the user repeat?

Workaround

Does the user invent a way around a problem?

No diagnosis. No mind-reading.Observe interaction
Teacher Demo
Thirty seconds of observation
L10 · 05

Watch one simple interaction.

Example

A volunteer removes a ruler from a crowded supply container, uses it, then returns it.

CLASS TASK

What did you actually observe? What would be an assumption?

Model brief notes aloud.Teacher-led demonstration
Workshop
Observe-a-User
L10 · 06
Workshop

Observe a partner using a familiar object.

ROUND 01

Observe

One student uses the object naturally. The observer stays quiet.

ROUND 02

Record

Write actions, hesitation, grip changes, extra steps, and outcomes.

ROUND 03

Switch

Change roles and repeat with another object or task.

Use simple safe classroom objects.Main workshop
Apply to Unit Project
Gather first-hand evidence
L10 · 07

Observe your intended user with the current product when possible.

I observed…Action or event
→
This may suggest…Possible need or difficulty
→
I still need to ask…Question for the next research step
If direct observation is not possible, teacher supplies a scenario.Project evidence
Exit Reflection
What did observation add?
L10 · 08

Finish one sentence.

“One thing I learned from watching the user that I could have missed by guessing was _______.”

Next lesson

Students learn to interview users and ask questions without pushing them toward a preferred answer.

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