What is this?

In a design project, a method mix is a combination of design methods and techniques that will be used to gather information and make shit happen during the project. The goal of a method mix is to make sure that you:

• are analysing a situation from enough different angles (remember "triangulation"?)

• don't forget a key phase of a design project (for example, research without testing or building is limited)

• don't overwork and limit yourself to the quickest and smartest way to get to your final goal

How can I apply this?

Once you have a good understanding of the goal of your design project, you can make a list of the different methods you'll use through out your project to help you plan the key parts of the project.

One advice I would give is to set boundaries before you start creating that plan. For example, you could have as a rule:

I'll use only three research methods max

For the more visual people, you can set these boundaries by having rules like:

I should be able to describe my research mix on a A6, post-card format piece of paper.