Dounia Bourjila Master ID TU/e
Hi, I’m Dounia Bourjila, 23 years and a rookie the Master Industrial Design (M1.1). I have always been curious about why the things are the way they are, where they come from. This curiosity, together with the urge to create and set my own route planning seemed to be a perfectly suited set of properties for a designer to be able to innovate. I don’t have a motto. I have several (sorry!), however I compressed them to three: “Limitations drive innovations” “Less is more” and “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel” In other words: The challenge I find in design is to drive problems into opportunities, which can be sometimes just slight small changes, as long as we change our perspective on things, to be able to create things that actually do matter for us. Because what matters, is our well-being. And what matters for me is peoples experience and their identificationof the world. To shove away from this abstract talking, the subjects I have experience in or like to design for are: wearable technology in the fields of sport innovation, fashion design, business and strategic thinking , branding/ corporate identity. And there is yet more to come..
VISION ON MYSELF AS A DESIGNER
VISION ON DESIGN
Before starting the master I have asked myself quite sometimes what an Industrial Designer actually is. I have understood that approach of this faculty is in a traditional way (product design). Yes we design, yes we innovate, but what do we actually mean to the outside world? And more important: what do I mean and what do I want to mean? (meaning is very important to me as you can see) I was kind of struggling with this question, since I couldn’t place myself into a certain role, or see what kind of work I could be doing in the future.
PEELING OFF THE FIRST LAYERS WHICH ARE CALLED “STEREOTYPES” Our perception of the world surrounding us is formed by experience and maps we have drawn in our minds, in which we created values and meanings that are important to us. These aspects are embedded and are essential for our intuition to do her work. The issue we as designers, but also other people, face is a fuzzy awareness in what we base our choices on and why we do that. Therefore I question myself; how aware are we of the choices we make and on what they are based?
I found out I might not even profile myself as an Industrial Designer, because the focus is more on innovating based on a certain vision. The innovator, as I like to call it, educated at the TU/e can even have a strategic role in a company for example (and not only design products as it is understood by many). This happened in one of the modules I did, and really inspired me in what I can be as a designer. I find it very important to be able to profile myself to a company for example. In my opinion, I am inspired by the role Creative Director; to be skilled in different fields, but not until the details, being able to shape the creativity of a team into one direction, and to generate a lot of ideas for example; overall being able to see the bigger picture and understanding how to link the right people, places and things for the benefit of a company.
What I specifically like to do is to take stereotypes under a magnifying glass, and even break them. I believe that innovation doesn’t necessarily have to be in radical new things, but can be in hidden existing things, in history. They are hidden because we place a stereotypical image on them and don’t make the effort to look a layer deeper. I think if one does, there is still a lot to be found in what there is now and has been. Therefore I support the idea of changing the meaning of things, in how we understand them now. Also concerning the coming years wh: I think consumers’ paradigm on consumption and life will be will be focused on looking for REAL meanings in life, things that are meaningful to them. Therefore I think it is very important to look at the things in their current state and in history.
WHAT IS GOOD FOR US? However an innovation doesn’t necessarily have positive to our well-being. What makes this technological revolution of iphones and a ‘second life’ on the internet for example good for our social life? Good for our mental and
physical health, good for our children, good for the world? But first one needs to define “good”: is good being healthy? Why do we want to be healthy? To live a happier life? But “happy” can be defined in a million different ways! To me innovation is to define at least these valuable meanings for people and society, by first changing my own designers paradigm: placing the known things in unknown settings to create new meanings. There are three aspects that particularly interest me: - Sustainability: in designing for long-term solutions we just cannot only look at the visible things/materials. When talking about health specifically; mental healt (the intangible) plays such a large role in the overall wellbeing of people, but is yet so hard to grasp. Here lies a challenge for me! - Spotting design opportunities: to be able to change the glass we look trough we need to work with our intuition and senses. Many things are seen through a filter, but can be slightly different when one takes a second look at them. - Timelessness: I have always been fascinated by designs/phenomenons in our society that have once got in and never got out. What makes these things so trusted by people, that they don’t feel the need for something new and different? And what does this mean for innovation? Do people need new things? Or can they use know things in different settings? (creating ONE systems, in which the knots that are tying the links can be changed)
VISION ON THE WORLD The last ten years have changed our society in a very radical and fast way, which make me think are we going the right way? So many things have changed, that made people, relations, companies, economy adapt to them. One of the causes has been the introduction of the internet which has grown so fast into being reachable everywhere in the world. I can talk about this radical change from experience (and not only from what I read): if I compare the 90s, the year that I was born and grew up, to how young kids for example grow up, I can see a major difference in their behavior. I have the idea that with all innovations which have created our alter-ego in a parallel universe (internet) have not only effected our behavior and well being but will also have an immense effect for future generation. In my opinion I feel we have lost our touch with nature, ourselves and are lost in a new world we created ourselves. This world is so fragile that is can collapse with the smallest problems (imagine the cars and people that were stuck on the highway for a long time due to traffic jams caused by snow, just a stupid example). Stress and distraction being caused by the many smartphones, the same smartphones that brought us mobility, attainability and joy. They are great innovations, but I just think one needs to know how to use these, and when, concerning our well-being. How I want to contribute to well-being as a designer is to approach health different ways than we already know, maybe very unconventional to some people. Health is, of course, not only through doctors and medicines that cure people from things that already happened. Health starts in a very
early stage and problems can and should be prevented. This can be done by starting from our daily acitivities, or things that we interact with on a regular basis.
1st Bachelor year - BLANK
2nd Bachelor year - AWARENESS
3rd Bachelor year - DEPTH
Starting the bachelor of Industrial Design at this faculty was and still is an adventure. I came in with a set of creative skills and the desire to create, ready for new experiences. The first project I started with was a very explorative and open one,which made the my awareness of my development very vague due to my unfamiliarity of the activities.After the first semester and introducing assignments, I got a better insight in the educational system. In the main project I set my first steps incommunicating ideas with others, and working together towards a same goal. While most deliverables were a result of skills I already had, plus the experience of that moment.
With the first experiences I gained I tried to focus my learning goals more efficiently at the beginning of semester concerning assignment, projects and extra activities. The first semester has been one of the most intensive ones during my whole Bachelor period. I learned how to handle more projects at one time (Bachelorproject, Designrides and presenting at ID’10), while taking control of the problems in teamwork I got in project ID’X @ DDW (B2.1). However, I managed to finish everything with an Excellent verdict, and I learned a lot from problems occured in teamwork and communication. This semester was very enriching.
A complete new experience is the internship I did abroad, which I think came at the right time. I considered doing an internship as finding out the real world where designers will end up, but also an important point of reflection on whether the ‘real world’ meets my expectations of what I will be doing in the future. I also were this time on the side of execution of project, instead of being at the beginning of translating ideas into concepts, which was a good experience. I realized that some aspects only happen in a educational environment, where a student get’s the space to experiment and with lower expectations. However, he real world can be much harder. Therefore, very enriching experience.
During the second part of the first year, the knowledge gained from the assignments, workshops and first project were became the first basic layer of my package of skills. The educational system was no longer a ‘fog’ anymore, so I could focus on how to implement it in my next project. In the second project I focused in developing skills in technology and electronics, to set a basis for the next years. At the end I felt I gained good experience in excellent teamwork, and the process of trial-and-error with electronics. Yet I still needed to develop a vision on design by getting more experience in the field.
In the second part I discovered my interest in Wearable senses, within an explorative project, which was also the first soloproject for me. I entered a new phase of my development as a designer: beingresponsible for all deliverables and growth. I got a better understanding of taking control of processes by coninuously reflecting when taking decisions, making realistic plannings, and finding the right help at the right time. I also got a better insight in my own attitude, and vision.
My Final Bachelor Project started with a continuation of my old B2.2 project, which allowed me to go deeper in one aspect of the complete design process: designing experiences by means of the reflective transformative process. I realized the responsibility was heavier this time compared to previous soloprojects. With my set of skills I developed within wearables and electronics I was asked by many for advice or tips, which made me realize it could become my field of expertise.
Xtra: BUBBLE RIDE COMPETITION “DESIGNRIDES DDW”
B1.1 MIRAL PROJECT BIRTHBOX (HEALTHCARE) - SUBJECT: storing memories
- DESIGN LEARNING: designprocess / brainstorming, teamwork, technology, research, ideating, interviewing, getting to know competency system - SUBJECTS memories, storage systems, society & human relations Find out how ppl store their memories, create an object which is pleasant to carry with: values/meaningfulness
B1.2 CIDS PROJECT MAKE THE ROBOT MOVE ME (HUMANOIDS) - SUBJECT: robot/toy that can sense, interpret, learn and react
- DESIGN : integrating technology, electronics, pressure cooker designs, mathematical/ model thinking, making probes and testing - SUBJECTS : psychology of children, decentralized systems
B2.1 GRAND CAFÉ DE ID PROJECT ID’X @ DDW (EXELLENCE) - SUBJECT: creating exhibition experience for DDW @ ID and attract visitors - DESIGN : teamwork & communication, technology & testing probes - SUBJECTS : translocal communication system, how to attract visitors: how to stand out @ DDW (marketing)
- SUBJECT: creating an object on the roof of DDW designrides within the theme “Design Bizarre” - DESIGN : from idea to product in 6 weeks, making/improvising, originality - SUBJECTS : finding meaningfulness/ creating value within a simple system, finding a new use for an old product (luxaflex), productdesign With simple things and use of natural sources (wind, we can create a lot of fun (bubbles)
Trigger childrens curiosity, keep this curiosity by surprising them, make game understandable, yet a part unknown
BACHELOR 2009- 2012 MASTER 2012 - CURRENT
Creating a garment based on movements, made an iconic accessory which enhances/ empowers natural movements * fashion sketching, designing garment, integrating fabrics + mechanicsm (technology) , storytelling, realisticness , REAL company
M1.1 ADAMAS - SUBJECT: designing jewellery with a new meaning based on nowadays technology/developments | changed the meaning of a diamond (functional) and interaction with jewellery - DESIGN LEARNING: integrating technology on a very small scale, ideas and concepts, vision development, form and senses - SUBJECTS Changing meanings and paradigms fighting stereotypes, theory about diamonds, placing old things in new contexts
EAST SIDE COMEDYNIGHT
JOB AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Defining corporate identity of this event, with logo, business model, ideas for the show, styling of comedians, photography => Setting up company: business modeling, branding, styling, marketing
M1.2
PROJECT BEYOND ACCESSORY
PROJECT RESEARCH - SUBJECT: - DESIGN : - SUBJECTS :
MODULE ACTIVATING INNOVATION RADAR Toyota case: desiging concept for healthy car, changing meaning of a car + ecosystem * changing meaning, paradigms, branding corporate identity company, storytelling,
PROJECT SOFT & HARD (W SENSES)
- SUBJECT: creating combina hard and soft materials which an intelligent wearable for box - DESIGN : vision building, br ideating, making, electronics, - SUBJECTS : Stress and we , Brandcommunication, passio arts “Technology makes fashion in again” Vision: Is wearable technolog our powers? Combining the fragileness of t with a rough and traditional sp to serve well-being of ppl + int Japanese design
Translocal communication to make our exhibition become unawarely noticed: persuasive design + creating platform where ppl behave unpredictable
MODULE CRAFTING WEARABLES
B2.2 DIFESA
ATTITUDE
- Not the leader, but the shaper in the team; shaping the direction/ vision/ meaning - Always questioning why are things the way they are? - Interested in what kind of personality things have, character - Too many ideas, like to bring the energy in the team “Let’s do it!”
BELIEFS
(1)
WEARABLE
ations with h resulted in xing rainstorming/
ellbeing on: martial
nnovative
B3.1 INTERNSHIP @ STUDIO ANNAMARIACORNELIA, ANTWERP, BELGIUM
- SUBJECT: executive in company, ‘wingman’ - DESIGN : making small scale models, form and senses, planning and executing big tasks =>, sewing - SUBJECTS : social design, experience design, wearable technology exhibition, small company culture, Belgian community and culture
gy amplifying
B3.2 “DIFESA”(2) FBP PROJECT WELLBEING, FROM IDEAL TO REAL (follow up B2.2)
- SUBJECT: design for healthy society, how to trigger people to exercise more - DESIGN : making many probes, crossment between science and user, - SUBJECTS : experential design landscapes, experience design, sports innovation(congres), contact with potential client NL Boksbond, aims for starting a business with stakeholders (scientists, engineers, sportsmen)
INTERESTS
contexts - FASHION corporate identity, lifestyle, branding - SPORT innovations & technology - automotive: corporate identity, character of vehicles, peoples image Experience design Wearable technology Fashion design Branding/marketing
- Limitations drive innovations ,LESS IS MORE - People dont remember what they see or heard, but people remember how they felt at a certain moment - I like to peel off the upper layer of things which is called the ‘stereotype’, look at things that we already have and place them in new settings , change paradigm - Are the things we design actually good for are well-being? sustainable design
-As a designer important chain to bring value to sportsmen, balancing the scientist with the engineer. -Sense of fullfillment to see boxers like the concept -There is a need for innovation in boxingworld in NL
technology port as boxing terest in
FUTURE= BRIGHT? POSSIBLE -INBETWEEN- INTERNSHIPS
- Nike Amsterdam | Apparel design - Adidas Herzogenaurach | Apparel/Shoe - Asics Hoofddorp - Minor TU Delft sportsinnovation - G-star Amsterdam GRADUATIONPROJECT
- Adidas Herzogenaurach | AIT (Adidas Innovation Team -Toyota | Brussel CAREER
Toyota/automotive design/brandingteam? Adidas Design Academy towards AIT or designteam apparel?
M2.1
M2.2
PROJECT
PROJECT
- SUBJECT: - DESIGN : - SUBJECTS :
- SUBJECT: - DESIGN : - SUBJECTS :
MY PROFILE
Innovator with a background in industrial/interaction/experience design, psychology, branding, fashion design (wearable technology) to be a : creative director?
PLANS FOR M1.1 My plans for this semester are mainly to find out what my plan is for the future, in shortterm and longterm. I need to find out what kind of designer I would like to be, where I would like to work, what kind of role I would play in society, and what set of skills I will need for that. and all these things need to be fed by a vision.Therefore I chose project Beyond Accessory, which has a quite ‘open’ brief and allows me to experiment with different things. I would like to find out by trying what kind of aspects design trigger my senses, intuition and the need to create. This way I can plan the exact steps for each semester, and eventually where I can work in the future. Because I would like to prepare for that already during my master.
M1.1 FIRST SEMESTER I can describe my first master semester as a paradox; it felt the same as the bachelor, yet very different. However, I did know what to expect and yet I was surprised by the activities, speed and pace, level and more. One of the things that I had to get used to is the set up of the semester : the heavy modules, a period of three SDL weeks followed up by modules( which resulted in five weeks off from the project). Another thing was to get a clear image of what kind of level was expected from M1.1 in deliverables, attitude, process, and to balance that with what I expect from myself.
Sensing In general this semester was very enriching to me, the module were great experiences, challenges, and very demanding, but have triggered my vision development for example. As for the project I was an explosion of ideas, I didn’t have the fear of trying different things. The problem was the next step, making a choice, but based on what? Because I felt I couldn’t get clear idea (security) that one choice was better that the other, I kept on going in circles. I found out that I have to let go of the thinking sometimes, and just sense everything around me. I already know this, and I have done many projects with a load of passion, but due to this need to do everything well at one time, and my perfectionism I sometimes blocked myself during the process. I had in mind (unaware) that everything needed to be on a very high master level, but I forgot that one can’t do that in one step. It needs to be developed, one needs to try and fail sometimes. Even this I already know, but somehow I just didn’t give myself the chance to fail.
What I tried to do in concrete terms is following extracurricular drawing lessons (“The Thinking Eye” 2 counts for ECTS)at the faculty of Architecture. These drawing lessons were not only for the techniques of drawing (perspective, cast-shadow etc) but more focused on triggering one’s senses. One of the lessons was to draw for example with our eyes closed, and hearing music. We were forced to turn of our common senses and just really sense the music. Apparently it really helped, because the next day I had set up my complete concept (in 1 day) that I have presented at the exhibition. Conclusion: I found out for my weekly plannings I should do at least 1 day a week something that can stimulate my sensing skills (drawing, reading etc). In general I know now were the danger is when making choices, and I can say to myself: “Dounia move away your perfectionism, just dare to fail.” But it still needs practice.
Identity As for my designer identity I have got further this semester. In the beginning I was a bit lost of where I want to go, what kind of designer I would like to be for example: I didn’t have a clear plan. However I did know what I liked and wished to do, but the specific plans for developing the right skills and the path towards it was not clear. .
Vision For my vision counts the same, I have developed a more clear opinion, but what I am still missing are good arguments and (scientific) knowledge about history, science, anthropology, research, psychology etc. to base them on. Therefore one of my goals is to read more, and talk to experts to validate the information I found for coming semesters.
Practice makes perfect I already know this, but as mentioned by Bart Hengeveld in the module Composing Interactivity is to try to do many different things. This will widen my expertise and also take away the fear of failing.
Communication Another focus this semester – especially during the modules- that I developed is storytelling in different ways. I found out that it is very important in a business setting(convincing people is 20%concept 80% storytelling!), but also other settings, and that is it very hard to get a grip on the message you as a designer want to convey and how people understand it. This is definitely something I want to develop more together with the skills needed for it (video’s and storytelling). Therefore now I know better how to plan my semester time-related, what kind of difficulties to take extra in consideration to keep the designprocess flowing, try to do different things and dare to fail, what kind of skills I need to develop. However, knowing only will not help, it is the perfect balance between knowing and doing…
WISHLIST OF SPECIALTIES INTERACTION DESIGN USER EXPERIENCE BRANDING/CORPORATE IDENTITY BUSINESS PROCESS DESIGN FASHION DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGN (PART OF CORPORATE ID)
There are a couple of things I have a particular interest in, which I would like to develop during this master. I found out through all activities starting from the bachelor, I focus most on User Experiences, psychology, sociology, and more.. A second thing that interests me but I haven’t developed yet is branding (corporate identity in a company therefore in a business setting), and the story with it’s message that I like to convey with a design. To summarize the specialties I would like to have at the end of the master: User experience, Branding, Business process design My first focus in this master is of course to continue developing my designprocess, and the specialties I meant before, to be able to apply them in di¬¬fferent contexts. The specific contexts that interest me are sports innovation by means of wearable technology (to serve well-being), and fashion in which I hope to play a meaningful role in, in the future.
WISHLISHT OF CONTEXTS SPORTS INNOVATION WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY FASHION DESIGN AUTOMOTIVE/MOBILITY
What my wish is for the future, after graduating is to gain a position in a large company in which it’s corporate identity and DNA matches my vision. Companies that interest me are
Nike or Adidas, which combine (sports)
innovation with fashion, however it doesn’t necessarily have to be these two companies. I’m open to other companies are interested in innovation on a strategic or branding level. For example, I worked with Toyota in a module in my first semester of the master, and found out my skills in experience design could mean a lot in the field of mobility and automotive design, which I really found challenging! This also interests me, therefore just like to grow a lot and develop expertise in the mentioned fields, and be able to play a meaningful role in companies that have an influence on our society with their products, services and vision.
WISHLISHT OF SKILLS ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR PHOTOSHOP INDESIGN PREMIERE AFTER EFFECTS SKETCHING RENDERING
M1.2 plans As I said before I am focusing now on specific specialties I want to know more about, to be able to use them in any contexts, and to profile myself towards a company. For coming semester these are Branding and User Experience related to stress and mental wellbeing. Therefore if it is a research project I would like to combine these two subject, and learn about them trough research. I also want to develop the level of my delivarbles, refinement of my work and attitude. Therefore I listed the goals I would like to work on: 1. Develop a more scientific basis for my vision and designproccess knowledge I developed my vision this semester, however I feel a strong need to read more papers and books about many different subjects (psychology, history, antropology, design theories etc.). I have already listed a list of reading work, and I would like to read at least one paper a week. 2. Develop depth knowledge about branding and mental well-being related to stress by.
3. Develop Adobe skills in order to design a corporate identity for a company (a job that I am doing next to my study for a Comedyclub) -Illustrator (logos) -Photoshop (photography) -Graphic design ‘eye/feeling ’ for designing websites 4. Develop my storytelling by means of video Adobe Premiere Pro Adobe After Effects By making small movies and validating their meaning with people 5. (spare time) Keep my sensing radar triggered by developing my knowledge in fashion by: Intuitively sketching Gathering moodboards