12th February 2012
Smokestack
To begin to post-rationalize the last 5 days spent in Dublin toon, I’d like to share two, rather key, takeaways;
1. The zenith of a fine conference and everything you expect from a good takeaway; a 24 hour faux American diner joint, surrounded by good friends and eating the quite aptly named ‘Smokestack’ beef burger, lovingly greased up with smoked applewood cheese and bacon.
2. The distinct feeling of being fired up!
5 days in the company of interesting people with ‘disruptive’ points of view leaves me with a notion to turn this ship arooooound!!
In all honesty, before arriving, the thought of these events made me shudder as I began to imagine the quintessential ‘receiving and blowing smoke up ones ass’ rhetoric; otherwise known as a ‘conference’. How very cynical of me.
By joves there are some clever and inspiring people out there, and I am all the better for meeting them! When these minds come together, the future becomes exhilarating! Let’s get emotional!
Notes from key presentations to follow…
Clarity
Flying high after interaction 12 in Dublin’s fair city with a revitalised viewpoint on ‘what if…’! Post-rationalisation to follow!
I have reached a point in my project where I feel that my understanding of the subject of depression has become the very reason I am anxious to start designing for it. The strong hold that this negative power takes on many different people, all with their own complexities and stories, leaves you thinking what difference can you make? However, it has always been clear to me that people have to help themselves in the end, but we can do a whole lot to support the people in our lives who struggle living day to day.
Once again, the project is not a fix-it solution. This is an exploration on how we approach the illness, how we can offer support and maybe challenge the way people can help themselves. This area has long been a taboo, especially within design, with very little sign of attention, and consequentially, innovation. In which case, I should shed the fear of failure and be confident that people can take my ideas and hopefully challenge and build on them.
THE DESIGN SPACE
How might we create a transition or trigger out of the “force field” of negative thought, in the aim to provide an opportunity for relief?
This could use the following functions:
>setting tasks
>creating distractions
>alter the environment
>informal communicaton/interaction with people
I have to set some constraints:
It has to get the user outside!
I feel it should involve the friends and family in some way, however small.
Next…Brainstorm!!!
- Camera: Canon EOS 30D
- Exposure: 1/640th
- Focal Length: 50mm
USER RESEARCH
I have carried out various interviews with people who regularly battle depression, resulting in isolation, low-motivation and self-esteem. For some, engaging with nature and the outdoor environment can be a relief from the repetitive negative thoughts,
“I am more likely to live in the moment if I’m in nature”
but the prospect of leaving the house itself becomes an internal struggle;
“it’s like a force field you just can’t get out of”
The user diary above questioned;
the communication with others including friends and family, and through what mediums. Preferring to text, or speak anonymously through the internet, to avoid exposure of their emotional state.
the triggers that brought on depression; negative memories or events
the triggers that could bring them into a more rational state, whether it was challenging themselves, small tasks, distractions or the intervention from friends and family,
the securities in their home environment, or the discomforts
the obstacles they come across
the experience of stepping out into the outdoor environment and the thoughts evoked from this.
There is no underestimating the severity of dealing with depression; the aim of this project at this point is to try and provide a small relief from the torrent of negative thoughts encompassed by depression. Interpreting this research, I have defined a design space and parameters for the concept generation, in the hope to maintain a constant dialogue with the users themselves.
Next post… The design space
Final Project time…
It’s about time I revisited the blog-osphere to discuss my current project.
THE STARTING POINT: Parkour and city spaces.
I was initially inspired by Parkour (freerunning) and the way the ‘traceur’ (Parkour participant) translates and uses the built environment in a completely different way, reframing public space. How can the movements and visions of Parkour be translated for others, creating a more experimental and engaging use of a city? Also how this physical activity outdoors can enhance the wellbeing of the participant.
After initial research and meetings with ‘Traceurs’, the philosophy of Parkour became more significant to me than the physical act; a positive mentality that can improve your day to day outlook on life.
“Learn to see things in a different way; as opportunities opposed to limitations’
For me, this outlook resembled the likes of the positive thinking employed in treating depression, initiating my next stage of research.
I identified people with mental health problems, predominantly depression, as my user. I wanted to explore how the metaphor of Parkour, and the translation of the city, could inspire others moving in the city, to help them engage with their environment in a richer way for their recovery. It was not about encouraging the same physical movement, but more the positive outlook and discovery of space.
“A space should put you in the mood - experiencing a space is equally as important as the movement itself”
This appreciation of space and the outdoors reminded me of the practice of ‘mindfulness’ and and how it can be utilised in battling depression, and more over the importance of outdoor activity in their recovery.
Next stage… user research!
- Camera: Canon EOS 300D DIGITAL
- Aperture: f/9
- Exposure: 1/1250th
- Focal Length: 50mm
My revised portfolio now online!
CIID Summer School 2010 is a series of back-to-back workshops where participants can choose to take part in one, two or three of the modules. Week One – Exploring Interaction Design (July 12th-16th) Week Two – Computational Design (July 19th-23rd) Week Three – Physical Computing (July 26th- 30th) Participants will gain an overview about what interaction is and how interaction design can define behaviours. They will then have the opportunity to learn hands-on practical skills for designing tangible and graphical interfaces. We recommend that people participate in the full three-week programme but we understand that some people might have specific interest in 1 or 2 weeks. We would like participants to become engaged with the topic of interaction design, learning practical skills in the process. We hope that we can infuse both the knowledge and enthusiasm to encourage participants to study interaction design at a higher level or to use their new-found skills in their current practice. It will be great to have more people around in the month of July. Check out more about CIID at www.ciid.dk
