Run a bodystorming session with research rigour

Everyone can run a bodystorming session. By running it, you will get a result. But have you really explored the power of bodystorming from breadth and depth? In this article, I share my tips from my experience of running the bodystorming session that is research-wise valid and rigorous.

Bodystorming is a form of brainstorming when we use our body to gain insights and experiences.

Why use it?

How to run a bodystorming session with rigour?

Often people do bodystorming alone or in groups where each member of the group does it alone again (grrrr…). The best practice is when we do it with a role-play.

Here, I share my secrets –the preparation and the process. I will refrain from telling the name of the products and the client here.

Preparation:

1. At least two people. If more than two, divide them into groups of three.
2. Sharpies, stickies, paper, tapes, furniture or props to act as furniture.
3. A physical prototype of the gadget/technology to bodystorm. If this technology is not built yet, create a physical prototype with cardboard or paper. A prototype that will be at a format to proxy for the research.
4. Physically warm-up and relax to perform. Get rid of shyness. Remember you are contributing to knowledge. Drama class experiences may be useful.

Process:

Step 1. Write the situation on a paper where you will work on the bodystorming.
Example:
Consider bodystorming about an active duty nurse. She is carrying a watch to receive notifications when she is walking around in wards.

Step 2. Write at least three possible scenarios that take place during the situation on the same paper.
Example:
Scenario 1, the nurse receives a routine inspection reminder while she is doing her routine duty.
Scenario 2, a patient seeks her attention as they saw her physically while she just received a notification on her watch. And so, on.
Past research from primary and secondary data would be very useful to create some of these scenarios.

Step 3. On a different sheet of paper, write down issues that may occur in those scenarios. Also, write down all the possible great ideas (if any came out).

Step 4. Set up a physical space of the nurse’s hospital. Use tapes on the floor to mark boundaries. Use furniture to make it realistic. In the absence of furniture use tools that can represent the limitation of the physical space. We often used chairs as proxy to real furniture. Create hallways, nurse desk, patients’ wards etc.

Step 5. Assign roles to the two people. One participant is an actor and the other the observer. Mark the actors with sticky notes.

Actor stops when freeze is used. The observer may take photos and notes.Then the observer may add new scenarios in step 2 as what-if scenarios.

Actors should not bother about the observer and impartially think aloud while acting the scenario. Shyness, does not help anyone. Overall just be playful and enjoy.

Finally, switch roles, where the observer becomes actor but for a different scenario in step-2.

Repeat this until all scenarios are completed. (Initial scenarios + the what-if scenarios).

Remember, bodystorming is an ideation method. After this you need to create prototype and testing.

Bodystorming IS NOT user testing.

Bodystorming IS NOT prototyping.

Different actors (as they switch roles) DO NOT replay the scenario. This is not an improvement of performance or competition. This is collaboration. Observers do not JUDGE the actor for not doing something else the observer would have done.

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