LEWIS JUST PORTFOLIO 2015
CONTENT
About Me ................................................................ 02 Designing (in)Equality ............................................. 06 Future Finance ......................................................... 10 Note - Audio Travel Bag ............................................ 14 Design and Religion ................................................. 18 Mental Health Toolkit .............................................. 22 Sustaining Culture ................................................... 26 Other Projects ........................................................... 30
ABOUT ME
As a designer, my passion lies in curating raw data and complex research into tangible and meaningful experiences and artefacts. I would classify myself as a social designer, not only inspired by the physical and digital interactions I see around me but also looking for a way to improve people’s life through meaningful design interventions. I believe that design can not only show us what a better future looks like, but it can also enable and encourage people to take steps towards that future.
EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT Master of European Design with Distinction from the Glasgow School of Art (2015) Aalto University (2012-2013) Köln International School of Design (2011-2012) Glasgow School of Art (2009-2011)
Freelance Designer for Designit. Curitiba, Brazil, 2014 Freelance Graphic Designer for GBCT Rebrand, 2014 Plan (Design Strategy) Internship, London, 2013 Digital Imaging Technician and Data Wrangler, 2012 Freelance Designer for The Digital Orchard, 2011-14
AWARDS EXHIBITS & PRESS Winner of the Neil Morris Prize for Innovation (2015) Finalist SiAG Degree Show Sustainability Prize (2015) Winner of Aalto Conference Paper Competition (2013) 3rd Place at BigScreen Short Film Festival (2013) 2nd Place in Köln DAAD Photography Awards (2012) Finalist Idea for Scottish Institute for Enterprise (2012)
Inequality Institute - The Skinny Website 2015 Note Audio Bag - Platoon Magazine 2015 Note Audio Bag - EU Parliament Exhibition: Wearable Technology & eTextile Design 2014 Note Audio Bag - Berlin Wearables Show 2014 Animals Gone Wild - designxport, Hamburg, 2012
WORKSHOPS STRENGTHS AND SKILLS Coordinated and participated in a cryptocurrencies workshop for Tesco Bank(2015) Led workshop for secondary school leavers to teach them about design thinking(2015) Participated in the MIT Mobile Experience Lab (2015) Participated in Cryptography Workshop (2014) Participated in a “Designing Culture” workshop ran by Chiba University taking place in rural Japan (2013) Participated in the Global Service Jam, Helsinki (2013) Participated in a “Designing Communication” workshop ran by Cairo University in Egypt (2012) Helped Coordinate Global Service Jam, Köln (2012)
Fluent in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, DPS, Illustrator, Premier, After Effects, Lightroom) Analogue and digital Prototyping (apps, arduino etc) Confident to work alone. Very happy to work in a team Strong head for time management and logistics
AMBITIONS TO IMPROVE Refinement of graphic layouts/ graphic language Further improvement of interview engagement tools Deeper understanding/usage of Design Ethnography
DESIGNING (IN)EQUALITY
Create a tangible experience for the third sector to engage the public on the issue of inequality Master Thesis Project
In the last fifty years the gap between rich and poor has dramatically grown, making income inequality a defining challenge of our time. Inequality has developed from the workings of unrestricted capitalism and broken institutions, propped up by failing democracies lacking strong worker’s rights. But what can be done to tackle such systemic problems? This project started with a deep dive into the third sector by interviewing experts in the field, attending third sector events and participating in workshops. The public was also more widely engaged through several ways, one of the most successful being a faux charity fundraiser questionnaire. This complex research was then synthesised and affinity clustered which was then used as the basis for a “change matrix�. This mapped out where society is now (e.g. apathy) to where it might go (e.g. empathy). The final outcome is based on an institution that would create engaging and playful spaces for open conversation, where people can further their understanding of the causes of inequality, develop their empathic skills and, ultimately take concrete action towards a fairer society. In 2015, the Inequality Restaurant opened its doors catering to a predominantly millennial audience, determined to make a positive impact on the world.
Diners first discover their fortune with the lottery-ofbirth scratch cards revealing whether they will be ‘rich’ or ‘poor’ for the meal. When soup is unevenly served in favor of the ‘rich’, diners can use the taxation ladle to redistribute the portions. For dessert, ‘rich’ diners can slice up the trickle-down lemon drizzle cake, while the crumbs fall down for everyone else to fight over. Finally, instead of signing for the bill, diners are offered to sign a petition and join the movement to a fairer, more equal society.
FUTURE FINANCE
Envision new opportunities for the UK in 2025 for the domains of finance, healthcare, mobility and energy Team: lewis Just ,Santini Basra and Hitachi Design Team 4 Month Project
The team of master students and recent graduates worked closely with the Hitachi Design Team to explore the future of the UK in the domains of finance, energy, healthcare and transportation. We first identified key political, economic, social and technological drivers within the UK relative to the year 2025. The research then employed ethnographic methods, such as stakeholder and expert interviews, to understand how people’s needs, behaviours and attitudes to these drivers will evolve over the next 10 years. This research was then brought to life by creating future-based scenarios, envisioning a future world from a user’s perspective. Theses scenarios were populated with distinct personas. To keep these personas in context, rich landscapes, where constructed (seen bellow). Key interactions could then be brought to life through tangible communication artefacts displayed to the right.
UK FINANCE 2025 Tim lives in a small rural village in the countryside. This village operates on an informal barter economy; a system in which various goods, services, and currencies can be exchanged. Currently Tim is trying to save up a bit of cash to buy his daughter a 21st birthday present, and so when buying eggs in his local store, he chooses to pay for them in time, as opposed to using the local currency — EKO’s — or the national currency — Pounds. In paying for these eggs in time, he is offering the shop his labour for a specified period of time. Graham and his wife, Linda are going through a divorce. Alongside splitting their physical estate, they must also separate their digital estate. This process not only includes a splitting of assets, such as music, films, photos and e-books, but also the management of joint subscriptions, as well as bi-data collected on the individuals. At this moment in time we see Graham filling out an e-ink form given to him by his lawyer in order to help separate his and Linda’s digital estate. Long term couple Amy and Craig have a baby on the way, and are looking to buy a house in the suburbs. Currently they are in a meeting with their account manager, John, at RBS, who is attempting to assist them with this decision. John is using personal and financial data that RBS has collected on them to attempt to converse in a personal and friendly tone, while also offering them housing suggestions based on their current situation. This type of interaction is typical of traditional bank’s attempts at mass personalisation — offering a more tailored service to everyone. Anthony’s mother has sent him some cryptocurrency for his birthday. However she knows he is lazy and often doesn’t wake up early, so she has decided to program this birthday money so it can only be spent before 9am in the morning. Not only is the currency unavailable after 9am, but also Anthony’s spending history using this currency can be viewed by his mother, and therefore when he buys his daily morning coffee his mother knows he is awake.
Challenger banks Challenger banks will contest the Traditional banks, attempting to gain market share of young pre-family professionals, with simple financial needs. They will be digital only banks that will push traditional banks to provide better and more holistic services.
Car Share As we move from a society of ownership to one of usership, we see more resources shared, such as cars. These will be found both in the city and in rural areas.
Digital Divorce Lawyer Specialist law firms will emerge offering services focusing on digital data, helping clients navigate the grey areas of data usage and ownership.
Spin off Bank In order to grow a fresh brand on the high street and shake off the mistrust that still shadows the banking sector, traditional banks create spin off banks. These new institutions will strive to be more transparent and will try hard to define their brand personality so as to differentiate themselves.
Star Bucks Many companies will start to evolve their rewards systems from that of vouchers to digital programmable currency. This means that they can offer customers specific deals from one day to another, in different locations or times of the day. Companies can use these incentives to change customers consumption habits. (E.g if its quiet in the afternoons, the prices fall)
Data Farm These data farms will start to occupy spaces outside of cities. They will be secure locations used for the storage and dissemination of mass quantities of bi-data produced every second of the day by thousands of connected devices.
Swap Shop Community run swap shops will grow in rural areas, as a way of cutting costs and bringing communities together. Swap shops can also be used as a way to share bigger, more expensive objects, like a lawn mower or a power drill.
Community Shop The heart of the community, the shop provides a place for locals to shop, chat, acts as a bank for local currencies and is a place where LETS (Local exchange transfer system, where people can share time and skills) can be agreed.
High street Bank Banks will keep their presence on the high street but will dramatically change their role. They will no longer offer transactional services, instead using the space as a social hub to educate customers in finance, especially at pivotal financial moments in life.
Rise of Alternate Currencies This digital wallet is used to store, create and spend digital money. The wallet allows the individual to program their own currency, affecting their own modes of consumption, for example to helping them to achieve personal health goals. Equally businesses can use programmable currency to alter customer’s spending habits, such as when and where they spend.
Perceiving New Values in Data With the exponential rise in the production of data and the recognition of its value, specialist lawyers emerge to protect people’s digital assets. This e-ink form is used as part of a divorce procedure to divide a couple’s digital estate. The form is used in parallel withthe user’s personal devices, addressing not only digital filesbut also joint subscriptions and the use of Bi-data.
The Dawn of the Banking Renaissance A personalised email sent by a branch manager to two of his customers. This email details some of the services that traditional banks will start to offer as part of an attempt to shed their current stigma, and move towards a more holistic banking approach. This depicts a bank’s attempt at mass personalisation; using a customer’s financial and personal data to communicate in a ‘friendly tone.’
A Netarchical Economy In a tight knit rural community, goods and services, such as these eggs, are exchanged through various value and currency systems. This leads to an informal barter economy, in which time, skills, resources and currency (local and national) are exchangeable. These eggs can be paid for in British Pounds, Local EKOs, or time. A system such as this allows for a community to increase it’s economical resilience, while also promoting it’s local identity.
NOTE: AUDIO TRAVEL BAG
Produce a piece of fully functional i nteractive wearable technology. Team: lewis Just, Dongjin Byeon, Nina Chen and Sami Kiviharju 8 week Project
The International team consisting of myself, a fashion designer from Canada, a graphic designer from South Korea and an industrial designer from Finland, where challenged to create a fully prototyped ‘wearable’ product. The team started looking at the experience of traveling and how travellers captured their adventures. Research was carried out using probe kits and interviews at local train stations. Although the most common reply to documenting their travels was taking a picture, the group found it interesting that often the less tangible had a greater impact on memory: smell, taste and sound. The group focused in on sound and after several idea brainstorms the ‘audio travel bag’ was taken forward. By simply opening up the bag, it would record ambient sounds from your travels: a busker on a busy Parisian street, the sound of wildlife in a remote jungle, a conversation with a local. This could then be listened to at a later time. Although we had the main concept, much of the interactions were not in place. We started to build and prototype the bag using quick mock-ups to get a sense of the various ways in which to control the bag. Through constant iterations we refined the bag and its controls. The bag was built using an arduino uno board as its base, small LED lights for sound feedback, a motor to expand the bag, mimicking it filling up, and electric thread for the playback controls. To increase the playback volume, a user simply runs their fingers up the strap. Pinching the strap in various ways plays, pauses and skips to the next sound clip. The bag was then sent out into the world to test it. It remains traveling to this day.
DESIGNING RELIGION
Create a critical ARTEFACT on the theme of fAITH/RELIGION/BELIEF 8 week Project
As part of the Design Exploration and Experimentation course at Aalto University, students where challenged to reflect on the ideas and behaviours surrounding religion. As part of this several excursions were made to places of worship or religious practice. I spoke to Buddhists, monks, nuns, spiritualists and atheists. On a trip to Hanevasi (a remote village of less than 100 people in the north of Finland) I visited a Monastery where devote Christians spent their entire lives. Witnessing the morning ceremony, and talking to the head of the Monastery gave me a chance to understand what some of the artefacts they used symbolised and their importance to the religion. I was surprised by the decadent golden crosses, and diamond studded challises I found at the Monastery and saw a disconnect between the form and symbolism of the religion so decided to rework the objects in a more suitable material which would better align to the philosophy of the church and teachings of their profit: Jesus. I wanted to have full control over the material from sourcing it to finish so picked wood: a simple and humble material. I spent 4 days, alone, camping in the deep forests of Finland and came back with wood collected from fallen trees. These pieces of wood were then worked only by hand into their final forms. By not using machines, I tried to reflect the practices and dedication of the Monasteries ethos.
MENTAL HEALTH TOOLKIT
support rehabilitation for people leavING a psychiatric clinic in order to prevent relapse Team: lewis Just, Irina Massmann, Jesmine Liu, Rami Santala 8 week Project
As part of Finland’s 365 Wellbeing initiative, our design team was challegned to help people who were recovering from mental illness, with a key focus on supporting the journey of leaving the hospital. We carefully mapped the stakeholders involved in this complex journey back to a self sufficient life and identified key people and organisations to talk to. The team was careful to get many perspectives: from doctors and nurses, to NGOs to the patients and ex patients. We ran several workshops, each with different tools to help engage different stakeholders. One of the main insights we gathered through talking to a patient, or ‘expert by experience’, was that mental health is a universal issues and so we needed to focus on creating holistic systems that promoted a healthy body, which can lead to a healthy mind. This would in turn reduce the danger of relapse. ‘Our Step’ was our final concept company that aims to promote mental wellbeing instead of mental illness by offering products that motivate people to stay active. “My Step’ are the kits that are sent through the post, containing products that support the rehabilitation process. For instance a smart, social pedometer to encourage walking and exercise or a special filter camera so that patients can document when they feel certain emotions at certain times or in certain places. The kits are sent over a stretch of time depending on the progress of the receiver. The kits are built by a multidisciplinary team of designers, health practitioners and ‘experts by experience’ to provide products and services that are beneficial to as many people as possible.
Customers
order
inspiration
psychiatric clinics
Contributers
delivery
Receivers former patients
ex-patients psychiatrists therapists nurses NGO’s
SUSTAINING CULTURE
UsE local treasures TO CREATE A service or product that helps sustain the area Team: Lewis Just, Riina Oikari, Kamo Akito, Wang Baosheng 1 week Project
As part of a one week workshop lead by Chiba University, eight European and eight Japanese students travelled to Ota Village ( a small rural village south of Tokyo) to help sustain their local culture. After being shown around the area by locals, the group started to identify ‘treasures’. The term treasures can relate to people, places, objects, ideas or activities. We were exposed to old traditions that are very rare to find still in practise today. Just some of the highlights that the group identified were the growing and preparation of a special yam, rope making using rice straw (including the passing on of knowledge), indigenous flowers found only near the temples, temple rituals and the symbolism behind a new years banquet. As a group we interviewed locals and asked them what they considered to be important for the area. Many highlighted the production of local food and understanding the traditional processes. We brainstormed with locals to identify and cluster ideas for sustaining their way of life. From this the group identified one main theme to focus on, the treasure of food and its relation to the community. Food is an important part of the area, and special products are only found in the area so we wanted to highlight this. Our final concept was to create a mark that people could identify the area with, similar to those seen in Europe. The idea was received warmly by the local residents at the final presentation and was put into use a month later.
The straw is a symbol of old traditions and symbolises the passing on of this knowledge
The knot in the circle symbolises the strength and longevity of the community.
“Produce of Ota� in bold to make clear the mark of the region.
The Tsukubanesou is an endigenous species to the Ota area symbolising the produces origin
Jewellery Design Workshop
A slingshot necklace with brass rocks. Produced as part of a workshop to learn jewellery techniques.
OTHER PROJECTS
Widening Participation: Professing Practice
As part of my Masters course, I had the opportunity to teach the design process and design thinking to Secondary School students from disadvantaged areas. Myself and three other students ran the one day workshop, exploring users, context, interactions and experiences, all culminating in an iterative prototype session and group share. The workshop taught us valuable lessons in juggling several clients, managing and delivering a project from start to finish and that teaching takes a lot of preparation, can be hard work, but ultimately is extraordinarily rewarding.
Kone: A touchless elevator experience
Working for one of the worlds largest elevator manufacturers in the world, this project saw a team of three dive into the experience of an elevator ride. We focused on creating a frictionless and stimulating elevator ride: not the stereotypical awkward and painfully slow journeys everyone has suffered at least once in their life. Through ‘wizard-of-Oz� prototyping the team was able to live prototype the immersive experiences. The client was thoroughly impressed with our final concept and ended up purchasing the rights to it.
Hamburg Designxport: Wild Animal Design
An odd brief, this project saw me pair up with a graphic designer to take on the challenge of designing for animals in the wild. We responded to this in a critical fashion by creating a translation service for animals of different species to communicate to one another. Enabling this meant that animals could become more aware of their loss of habitat due to humans, and could therefore self organise and start a rebellion, taking back them planet for themselves. The final outcome was a short animation, which gave me a great opportunity for self-learning After Effects, Premier Pro and sharpening my skills on Adobe Illustrator.
The Digital Orchard: Brand Strategy
As part of my fascination with all things film I have been lucky to work on two Hollywood budget films as a Digital Imagining Technicians assistant and a Data Wrangler. To get this experience, I worked through an agency: The Digital Orchard. As a newly emerging powerhouse in the UK film industry their branding was self admittedly dull and inconsistent. I worked closely with the Director and internal marketing team to produce a fresh, new look and feel for the company, working on everything from the website to the business engagement packs.
Ray Ban: Future Brand Extension
As a company Ray Ban has a rich History yet has continued to stay relevant and desirable in today’s society. By studying Ray Ban as a brand, it was then possible to project what they might accomplish in the near future. Ray Ban started off as a way to protect military pilots eyes when flying. By forecasting these two elements (protection and flight) to their next development, I produced a tunable ear protector device. Originally for astronauts to tune out the high pitch frequencies in space, it could also be used by music fans to augment and improve their live music experiences.
Whitelines: Digital Magazine
This project stemmed from an urge to transform a paper magazine into a digital, immersive experience for tablet users. By using the content of Whitelines Snowboarding magazine I was able to create rich interactions that brought the content to life. For instance bringing a story about what lies under the snow to life by making readers able to actually wipe the snow off the images using their fingers on an Ipad. This research project raised as many questions about what is possible as it did produce new ways of telling compelling stories through the ever evolving medium of touchscreens.
lewismjust@gmail.com