by helene.goedl -

Proseminar Master Thesis | Task III – Evaluation of a Master Thesis

For this evaluation task, I have selected the master thesis “Digital fashion for sustainable change a strategy for digital fashion at Tommy Hilfiger” by Charlotte Joliijn Hoekstra. The thesis was submitted in March 2021 at Delft University of Technology for the completion of the masters degree in Strategic Product Design. The evaluation considers the following criteria:

  1. Level of Design The thesis is well designed and comprehensive owing to its employment of color coded layout and clearly structured chapter marking. The reading flow is easy and the overall appearance of the thesis is appealing. Graphics and statistics are also designed in a uniform way, which contributes to the cohesive appearance of the work.
  2. Degree of Innovation
    The topic of the thesis is quite innovative and new, especially for the time of publication. There research topic of digital fashion is not yet extensively researched in academic context at time of writing. Additionally, the concrete and precisely narrowed down scope of the thesis makes it a useful case study and an important reference basis for further research in this area of study.
  3. Independence
    The thesis demonstrates a high degree of independence and effort on the part of the researcher. The outcomes are tangible and underline the amount of independent research that was conducted for the paper.
  4. Outline and Structure
    The structure is extremely reader friendly and clear. The researcher provides a table of contents that includes an executive summary as well as a reading guide in the beginning of the text. The thesis is then divided into five main areas, titled “Discover”, “Why”, “How”, “What” and “Conclude” which each of the sections being color coded and further divided into subchapters. This is extremely helpful for readers in guiding their reading experience of the paper.
  5. Degree of Communication
    The degree of communication high, the manner of communication is effective and the research topic, though extensive, is well communicated. The author manages to relate the basis of the topic and the background information needed to understand the most important aspects of the research in a clear and understandable manner, enabling even readers who are unfamiliar with the research area to understand the thesis. 
  6. Scope of the Work
    The scope of this work appears to be quite extensive and becomes evident primarily in the discussion of the research objectives, the scope of the deliverables and the research methodology. The researcher employs various methodological tools, such as the Vision in Product design method on the design side and scientific research methods current state of the art evaluations and focus group research. The paper consists of 85 pages including the bibliography and title page, and I would evaluate this as a quite extensive scope for a paper at this level.
  7. Orthography and Accuracy
    Orthography and accuracy are on an appropriate level. No obvious mistakes in orthography, grammar or mistakes of any kind in the writing could be detected while reading the thesis. 
  8. Literature
    The author cites 44 sources, which I would classify as a number on the lower end of the scale especially in relation to the extensiveness of the work. However, the novelty of the topic and the limitations in existing research justify this quite low number of referenced works. The cited references are varied and diverse and draw from different categories of sources. Overall, the literature is satisfactory but could be slightly more extensive. 

Overall Evaluation
Overall, this thesis is very well written, has a clear and appealing layout, an excellent reading flow and demonstrates a high degree of innovation. The slightly low number of literature sources is compensated well by the extent of independent research conducted by the author. In the Austrian grading system, I would grade this thesis as a 1 (very good).

Source:
Hoekstra, Charlotte. „Digital fashion for sustainable change: A strategy for digital fashion at Tommy Hilfiger.“ (2021).

by dragana.maksimovic -

Evaluation of a Master Thesis

Title: Enhancing Educational Experience: A Digital Approach to Visual Education Tool for Children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Author: Gladys Theresia Suryana
University: Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Master’s Degree Course: International Design Business Management – Arts Department of Design

In this blog post, I have decided to evaluate a master thesis by Gladys Theresia Suryana called „Enhancing Educational Experience: A Digital Approach to Visual Education Tool for Children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)“. I decided on this thesis because it seemed relevant to my current research topic, therefore I studied it according to given criteria.

Level of design

This thesis has a very user-centered approach. By collaborating with educational institutions and involving caregivers and therapists, the work demonstrates a careful design process that takes into account the unique needs of ASD students, demonstrating a high level of empathy and understanding of the design context.

Degree of innovation

The work shows a high degree of innovation, especially in the integration of co-design methods to create a visual educational tool for children with ASD. Even though the application of digital tools in education is not new, the focus on creating visual tools specifically for children with ASD and using a feedback system makes this approach really interesting.

Independence

Suryana did extensive research for this thesis with minimal relying on assistance from others. This independent approach shows a high level of initiative in solving the problem.

Outline of structure

The structure of the paper is well organized, it logically moves from the literature review and research of ASD challenges to the development and application.

Degree of communication

Communication in the paper is clear and precise, especially considering the complex topic about ASD and visual educational tools. The work includes interviews and case studies, demonstrating Suryana’s ability present information in an engaging and accessible way.

Scope of the work

The scope of work is appropriate for a master’s thesis, including a literature review on autism, current state of education, and specific requirements for visual tools.

Orthography and accuracy

The spelling and accuracy of the work seem very precise, with terminology that is accurately used in the context of educational techniques and design methodology for ASD, which contributes to credibility.

Literature

The paper includes a wide range of literature, with references covering ASD, design thinking, educational tools and co-design processes. This approach shows an understanding of interdisciplinary sources, which is critical in addressing inclusive design.

This blog post was written with the help of Chat GPT, used for english translations and spelling.

by karolina.malec -

Evaluation of Master’s Thesis

Evaluation of Master’s Thesis related to own research area ( UX, Eye tracking, User testing, improving conversion rates)

Title: The Role of Visual Attention and Eye Movements in Product Purchases on Websites
Author: Tommaso Ceroni
University: Utrecht University, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Master’s Degree Course: Applied Cognitive Psychology

  1. Level of Design: The design is straightforward and effective but lacks creativity and complexity, which might have added interest or depth to the reader. The structure is clear and has predictable composition which may feel overly simplistic and even a bit dry for readers familiar with the field. The design quality could be significantly enhanced by incorporating more detailed schemes and sketches, which could increase its visual appeal.
  2. Degree of Innovation: The research is original to the extent that it goes further with how visual attention and decision making has been researched previously by looking at e-commerce situations. Nevertheless, the contribution could be increased by including different consumer characteristics (for example: how used they are to shopping online) or by manipulating other web page elements beyond product labels.
  3. Independence: The thesis shows a high level of of independence, as the author has designed the study, collected data, analyzed results, and interpreted findings. The author demonstrates the ability to manage the research process and and make reasoned deductions from the results obtained.
  4. Outline and Structure: The thesis is well-organized and follows a clear, logical structure. It includes all essential sections (introduction, methods, results, discussion) and maintains coherence throughout, and there is no inconsistency that would make it difficult to follow the content.
  5. Degree of Communication: The author communicates ideas effectively, with clarity in the description of methods and findings. Pertaining to the relationship of cognitive psychology to eye tracking, relevant concepts are well covered, however some terminologies used in this area (i.e. fixation duration, AOI) might require more explanations and/or pictures.
  6. Scope of the Work: The study scope is appropriate for a master’s thesis, focusing on a specific aspect of consumer behavior through a manageable experiment. In as much as the sample is rather small, the research scope is in harmony with the goals of the project and provides relevant information.
  7. Orthography and Accuracy: The thesis has a few minor grammatical errors. Despite these minor issues, the thesis demonstrates overall good orthographic standards and accuracy.
  8. Literature: The author draws on a strong foundation of relevant literature, particularly focusing on studies related to eye-tracking, attention, and decision-making. The references are appropriate and support the research questions, although including more recent studies on e-commerce or consumer behavior would strengthen the review.