DHM310 CONSTRUCTIVE DESIGN RESEARCH S1 Teaching Professor: dr.ir. Stephan A.G. Wensveen
RESEARCH QUESTION
HOW TO DESIGN FOR ‘DIGITAL OBESITY IN REAL-LIFE SOCIAL SETTINGS’ USING THE SHOWROOM METHODOLOGY
Undeniably, humanity is currently living in the information age, an era of a rapid technology-driven transformation. Evidently the shift to this digital world led to many technological advances albeit several major consequences as well. Digital obesity, (or information overload), is one of these consequences; a term used to describe the modern issue regarding daily overconsumption of digital media and information shared through the world wide web (Borra, 2013). This issue raises certain significant concerns such as the loss of real human connection and community and the decline of social cohesion (Martin, 2005). The topic in question was addressed through the investigation of ways in which design is capable of influencing or even diminishing the phenomenon of digital obesity through the Showroom methodology. ‘‘Time can gain value or be ‘multiplied’ when spent with others’’; this was the statement
DESIGNED PROTOTYPE
that the group decided to communicate through a prototype; a provocative intervention. The team gained ‘returns’- insights by evoking reactions around the use of social media in a social environment and sparking discussions on preventive measures to soft-pedal the consequences of digital obesity. In this case, the intervention experiment was conducted in a student bar setting whilst most of the participants had a background in design. The team deployed carefully planned strategies (Gaver, 2002) in order for the returns to inspire the prototype’s designs. The idiosyncratic notion of digital obesity was, then, distorted in its most exaggerated form, portrayed as an addiction; while, insights gained from two earlier experiments, focusing on an act of greed and charity, functioned as input and shaped the guidelines for the locale, content and graphics of the final intervention. The prototype was then designed to match the scenario.
The users were confronted by a design which crudely implied that they were suppressed of real social interaction by their dependence. In combination with a ‘therapy session’ act, which occurred if the users failed to control their addiction, the intervention led to tensions dividing the users to promoters, supporters and opposers. The acts triggered in-depth dialogs in relation to the disadvantages of Digital Obesity, human relationships and face-to-face interaction in the digital era.
In order to create a provoking prototype, cigarette packaging was re-imagined as a phone case. Due to the resemblance, the association of terms -such as addiction and social media use- was unavoidable.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS By adopting a more critical attitude, in order to make the end user think and shake up the general public’s daily routine, designers manage to give design more value (Wensveen & Matthews, 2014). The Showroom methodology involves exploring an issue, a seemingly unnoticed matter and figuring out how to materialize it into a project, transform the project into a design idea, interpreting this design idea into prototypes, and lastly, distribute these prototypes through exhibitions or publications. The returns out of the final experiment were the outcome of data analysis collected through audiovisual media; video clips, audio recordings, photographs and personal encounters.
The prototype functioned as a vending service by taking away the access to social media and by providing uninterrupted social communication; thus, ameliorating human relationships. The design was ‘hackable’, (the package had a breakable seal) allowing the user to bend the rules of the product’s use, leading to them admitting addiction to phone use, thus, adding further tension to the situation.
The insights were extracted after close observation and evaluation of the data in order to find correlations and/or contrast in opinions and actions. Following the analysis the findings were then separated into 6 categories: -Design that fits the user increases credibility. -The direct environment of the target group is an active persuasive element. -Design intervention requires a narrative of use. -Hack-ability improves the flexibility of use, yet has to be intentional.
References: Borra J. (2013) “Digital Obesity”.Guardian Professional. http:// www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/digital-obesity-high-tech-health. Retrieved 25.09.2015.
-Rules of the system are either explicit or implicit through design.
Gaver, B. (2002). Presentation about Cultural Probes. PowerPoint presentation, November, UIAH, Helsinki. http://designresearch.fi/ archive/luotain/pdf/probes-seminar/GaverPROBES.pdf. Retrieved 28.10.2015.
-Taking away the phone, takes away a part of real life social behavior.
Koskinen, I., Zimmerman, J., Binder, T., Redstrom, J., & Wensveen, S. (2011). Design research through practice: From the lab, field, and showroom. Elsevier.
Indeed, the juxtaposition of the returns from the experiment revealed the existence of such a tension, offering further design research explorations.
Martin T.P. (2005)“Fuzzy sets in the fight against digital obesity,” Fuzzy Sets and Systems, vol. 156, no. 3, pp. 411–417. Wensveen, S.A.G. & Matthews, B. (2014). Prototypes and Prototyping in Design Research. In: Rodgers, P. & Yee, J. Routledge Companion to Design Research. Taylor & Francis Group, London.
Research poster by Eleni Economidou Student no.:0978864