The parallel image associative retrieval design method using Internet

The aim of this research is to clarify how user demands could reflect the design of the following project. The Virtual Lunar Development Project, carried out by 21 design students, was presented from its beginning to its end through the World Wide Web continuously for three months from Nov. 1998 to Jan. 1999. The development mission was to create a suitable facility for users on the Moon. Many interactions between designers and users occurred. We have received 214 pieces of advice and evaluative data on their design from Web visitors. In consideration of this, some of the designers used conjoint analysis using the user data and systematically sought the most suitable solution, but other designers were assisted by the opinions of the Web visitors and re-designed the site in cooperation with them. By quantitative analysis, we could extract several types of attitudes within the relationships between designers and users. Finally, we propose a parallel image associative retrieval method based on this result as a user-centred design method. By considering this experimental result, the demands of users effectively reflect the important design guidelines. We consider that the trial of the parallel image associative retrieval design method using the Internet by taking into consideration the user demands was successful