The co-constructing stories method: feedback of designers on use of the method in real design cases

In this paper we present the "Co-constructing Stories" method, aiming to elicit feedback from end-users on novel design concepts in the early phases of the design process. In sessions of less than an hour, participants are prompted by a storyboard depicting the current situation to recollect relevant real-life experiences for sensitization. Next, participants are presented a storyboard depicting the future situation to envision possible future experiences that can be mediated by the concept. We explain the method and discuss its background and relation to other methods. The method was evaluated through five case studies in which designers applied the method with different user groups. The evaluation provides insights about the use and value of the method in design practice and points out directions for further development.