Developing Framing Judgment Ability: Student Perceptions from a Graduate UX Design Program
Paul Parsons, Prakash Shukla, Ali Baigelenov, Colin M. Gray
Abstract
Making framing judgments is at the heart of design. When faced with complex, open-ended situations, designers need to exercise good judgment to identify the core of the problem at hand and set the boundaries of the conceptual space through which the design process will unfold. While framing ability is broadly recognized as important, the factors that contribute to its development in educational settings are not well understood, particularly in the context of HCI education. In this study, we collected data from master’s students in a UX design program at several points in time across their program journey. We interviewed 11 of these students in their final semester, having them reflect on how their ability to make framing judgments has evolved over time. We highlight pedagogical factors relevant for the development of their framing ability as indicated by the students. Our findings also highlight the impact of framing ability on other design activities and personal design philosophy.