Learning from Lonely Hearts: Using Advice Columns in User Centered Design Education

Public advice columns have provided information, satisfied reader curiosity, and ignited discussion since the late 1600s. The role of the advice columnist can be understood as a form of cultural intermediary who identifies and assesses individual problems of potential relevance to wider audiences. Online columnists are now joined in this analysis of the human condition by communities of contributors who offer supporting or alternative judgments and directives for action. We examine the potential of these online advice columns as a material resource for assisting novice designers in identifying and understanding authentic human problems from multiple perspectives. We present insights from a small pilot study where university students used this design method as a framing mechanism for proposing socio-technical interventions. We conclude with consideration of the value, optimal usage, and limitations of adopting this approach in generating design ideas and training novice designers.