Design research was originally constituted as primarily research into the process of design, developing from work in design methods, but the concept has been expanded to include research embedded within the process of design, including work concerned with the context of designing and research-based design practice.
Human-Centred Design Toolkit
hcdconnect.org/toolkit
Avoid Bullshit Personas
http://bit.ly/bspersonas
Service Design Tools
http://servicedesigntools.org
d.school Bootcamp Bootleg
http://bit.ly.bbootleg
Contextual Inquiry
Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant's experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around a topic. Interviews may be useful as follow-up to certain respondents to questionnaires, e.g., to further investigate their responses. Usually open-ended questions are asked during interviews.
Scenario Maps
IBM Scenario Mapping
Complexity Analysis for Human Centred Design
Human Centred Design of Complex Systems
Complexity analysis from various points of view to the benefit of human-centered design. Covers how large numbers of relatively simple entities organize themselves without any central controller acting collectively to create patterns, use information, or adapt and learn.