Methods in Research....
In this document I am going to outline the ways that I am going to go about collecting, collating and gathering research and information to aid me in setting up my pre-major project. These methods and systems will allow me to gain the answers I am after and give me results that will ultimately affect the way and what I chose to design for my major project. My initial research will be an outside look at the inner workings of families with children. It will involve two different surveys. The first being a look at how much food they buy from the super market. The types of food they buy fresh versus processed. Included in this survey will be the percentage of food they buy for them selves (parents) versus again the amount of food they buy to satisfy their children’s wants. I will want a collection of how much they spend each shop and how often they shop a week. I want to look at families from different areas, 5 from out here locally where I live and 5 from inner city families. I will need to take into consideration number of children and age range of children. Another important part of this first survey will be how much time they spend cooking a night and
who does the soul amount of cooking, in comparison to the type of work commitments as parents they have. I will look at a families with stay home mothers or fathers, Part time workers or full time workers both parents or one parent. This first survey will be a way of assessing the situation and affects my grow box can have on the ‘average’ family. The second initial survey will be looking at the way children interact with their food all ready. From these families I will gain information regarding, what time there children eat dinner, do they eat as a family or children separately. Do they sit at the table or in front of the TV? Reasons why they would be hesitant to having children in the kitchen. If they have the time to supervise children in the kitchen. Things they feel may be missing in the kitchen and home that would help their kids be more involved with the food they eat. It will be a general survey or interview that will look at the way their children are currently interacting with the food they are eating, things they think could have improvement, also things they would be inclined to use or not weighing up the effort versus the results. This second survey would be best aided with either video or photographic documentation, just a snap through of daily interactions children have with the kitchen and the way in which they engage in these activities this allows me to look back on it with accuracy and
asses things I may not have initially thought important, catching every moment in image means I will not miss underlying and sometimes not as obvious but vital things needed to later make deign decisions. In consideration of the grow boxes I will need to do some research into urban agriculture and growing things small scale. I need to research into how lower maintenance is achievable. The other major part will be researching into the feasibility of materials. I need to research into adjustable climate materials. Materials that will be most suitable for my project. I need to research costing of Mass production. Lastly with this part I need information regarding ways distribution whether it be sold of funded. The second product research development in accordance to the surveys will need to be into the ergonomic restrictions placed on children in relation to them using adult made kitchen utensils and accessories. I need to define a new set of ergonomic guidelines appropriate to the sort of interaction I want the children to have with my kitchen tools. Looking back at the either audio visual or photographic recordings I have done I need to asses and evaluate my findings. As these restrictions will be needed in research it does not mean I will stick to the basics, I will use these as a guideline, as a starting point to my design. I want to create a more hands on interaction
with food, as children will relate to something they are able to engage with through feel and touch rather than through a large wooden spoon for example. But none the less it is vital to take into account ergonomics. Going into the smaller two projects I will focus my research less in these areas but at the same time these two projects will allow me to convey my research results. They will allow me to group the 4 projects as a whole. So it is important from research results they are executed perfectly. The cookbook will involve collecting recipes and modifying them enough for copyright reasons and of course
appropriate them to work in the sense I need them too but also I will need to do research through a means of evaluating. I need to assess the cookbooks all ready existing in the market place and make assessments to the best of my ability from initial research what will work best. From this collate the best aspects into the best and most useful children’s cookbook I am able too. The net working site will need to have formal research into legal aspects and logistics. As it is for children there will need to be research into administration needs and monitoring.
Copyrighting the site will need to be taken into consideration so I will need to again look into if this is possible and if monitoring is able to be done by under the department of education as they have pre existing sectors for this at this current time. I will need to train my self in more complex web design. At the end I need to collate and evaluate all my other research and come up with a set of design out lines that will help me come to a better conclusion and ultimately solution to the task I have set. I need to become sufficient in interviewing and improve my skills in evaluating