Product Design
Open Research Comic
Designer for an educational comic introducing key concepts in open science.
THE CHALLENGE
Open Research is a different process for conducting and reporting science, but confusion and misunderstanding is a barrier to adoption of this new process. We can get researchers started in Open Research practices with storytelling.
This case study presents our process for researching and designing an educational product. We published in good time, but by not knowing and implementing the full design process, our deliverable missed details about our audience that would improve the deliverable. Our process demonstrates application of evidence and collaboration to work through limitations.
​
This was a side project separate from my full time research and so was completed in extra hours, limited by stakeholder availability and the target end-date.
Context
Produce academic support material under a University Research Culture grant
Role
Lead research & design, illustrator. Co-author Dr Gray helped with research, planning, edits,collaborations, and printing
Timeline
About 4 months, side project
Research Goals
Aim: Apply graphic storytelling to educate researchers on open research principles and practices. We hypothesized that a storytelling format would help be an approachable way to connect our audience with the basics of open research.
Rationale: The NU Research Culture action plan highlights a need to upskill the research community with training and activities to promote good research practice. Our target audience was researchers, students, and research-aligned staff seeking basic information on open research.
Success: Success was defined as a printed and online document that introduces key concepts (identified through research) required to understand Open Science. The document will be available by the preparation date for the Research Culture week campaign.
Research produced the questions people are currently asking about our topic, which was applied to develop our comic content, starting with by-page scripts.
Methodology
Research focused on competitor approaches and internal stakeholder feedback. This identifies the key content we needed to know and what issues occur to our (local) target audience in particular. This was informal qualitative data as we did not have approval to conduct true research.
Through in-person interviews and online dialog, we asked internal stakeholders what questions they were asked about open science. In-person stakeholder interviews involved the head of open science within the library services, members of a related journal club, and feedback from the local open science representative. Online, we used a staff message board and open research-related Microsoft Teams group to ask what people want to know about the topic.
I did an AnswerthePublic.com search on open research to collect data on what people tend to ask in search engines.
We also collated a list of recent publications and preexisting syllabi regarding open science to pull terms, concerns, trends, and overall discussion points.This helped us identify trends in structure and order of teaching and current topics of discussion.
This data was pulled together with an affinity diagram-like activity.
While scripting, we realized we would have to limit the scope of the content- either we would need more time to make more pages, or limit what we produced so we didn't overload readers with information.
Iterative Approach
We took an iterative approach, reworking our script and target content using tools like affinity diagrams. This allowed us to pivot based on previous pages and new feedback.
Product Design
I wrote the script and Dr Gray reviewed it for accuracy and flow.
Draft pages were sketched on paper or digitally. A refined draft was rendered digitally, then inked and colored in Procreate before being exported to Adobe Illustrator for lettering.
We posted the first page on a comic artist site and internal open research site for technical and content feedback. After revisions, we published!
Comic Design
The design of the comic was based on our audience, comic standards, and design principles.
Tone
limited palette of black ink and minimal colors with moderately symbolic characters. The colors include the palette already used in open research content to maintain consistency. The style will be akin to comics in circulation.
Representing Character
A stylized barn owl, as they are found worldwide, charismatic, easily identifiable, and have obvious facial features. Open Science [research] Owl has a rhythm in English and so is easily memorable. Owls are symbolic of wisdom and knowledge in some cultures, and so are especially fitting as part of a research theme.
Environment
A range of human researchers in different stages who dialog with the OS owl to collectively learn and implement new practices. There will be an emphasis on presenting diverse people.
INSIGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
Outcomes
The initial prints were distributed around campus, as well as available online through a QR code on the back of the comic. For an upcoming awareness campaign, a second printing was requesting as well as a the design of swag and an advertising banner.
The second printing integrated additional user feedback and print quality modifications. This final edition has since been reprinted annually.
For accessibility, the script was published online as an alternative to viewing images.
​
The comic was promoted by Research England, incorporated in undergraduate research education courses, and referenced in research with a sociologist on transitioning to open research practices.
Section of a comic page prepared for print.
Reflections
Our product was successful given its scope and resources available. The comic was well received and led to a re-hire for marketing materials. The outreach event was a success and we were able to offer attendees greater value by proving the comic. The comic is reprinted annually for university open science outreach, bringing value to new cohorts of students.
Doing it again, I would incorporate prototype testing and more refined research strategies. Also, we focused on producing a print comic without consulting users on their preferred format. They may have preferred an online comic, potentially changing the layout to be optimized for web instead.
​
We had a great time and were able to create engagement and interest in open research with this small project, as well as improve cohesion in our university through this collaboration.
