Design Study "Lite" Methodology: Expediting Design Studies and Enabling the Synergy of Visualization Pedagogy and Social Good

Design studies are frequently used to conduct problem-driven visualization research by working with real-world domain experts. In visualization pedagogy, design studies are often introduced but rarely practiced due to their large time requirements. This limits students to a classroom curriculum, often involving projects that may not have implications beyond the classroom. Thus we present the Design Study "Lite" Methodology, a novel framework for implementing design studies with novice students in 14 weeks. We utilized the Design Study "Lite" Methodology in conjunction with Service-Learning to teach five Data Visualization courses and demonstrate that it benefits not only the students but also the community through service to non-profit partners. In this paper, we provide a detailed breakdown of the methodology and how Service-Learning can be incorporated with it. We also include an extensive reflection on the methodology and provide recommendations for future applications of the framework for teaching visualization courses and research.