The follow-up assignment of project 1. Where project 1 focused on empathise, project 2 deals with the rest of the process of design thinking methodology. The design question for project 2 is: How can you direct / influence a certain target group in the academy in your way to achieve a goal you have set yourself? It is now mainly about within the academy itself. To design from within the academy. The intention is to work on my own with the findings of project 1.
Define
The step define is all about creating your own objective and design question. During the lesson there was a brainstorm moment to determine the target group. During the brainstorming I started thinking about which target groups are at the academy with the same problem as Michel, not knowing where which classroom is.
After the brainstorming I ended up with the target group of students. Teachers and staff often have a permanent place in the academy, but students walk through the academy most of the time. Because of this I decided to define the target group as: Students who don't know where which classroom is located.
Ideate
The assignment for the les ideate was to make 15 to 20 sketches about the target group & design question. Per sketch we only had 3 minutes. The first few sketches were about the target group and the rest of the sketches about the solution / elaboration.
When sketching the idea, the intention was to come up with an even worse idea and an even worse idea. Then I came to the next 4 idea sketches.
The idea was to replace the numbering with easier names. Like for example BC018 to be replaced by Propedeuse ateliers.
Here was the idea to make a model of the academy. To get more insight in what the academy looks like on the inside.
Here was the idea to increase the numbering of the classrooms in such a way that the door would be blocked. This way the numbering is more visible.
The idea was to give the walls / corridors of the classrooms a color based on their department.
I wonder why there is no floor plan of the building in the academy itself. I had searched online for the map of the academy and it could be found on gebouwen.avans.nl The floor plan is more like a blueprint and therefore not really useable for the student.
Prototype & Test
The next steps are to work out the ideas and test them on the target group. My first idea was to make a large central floor plan that would hang at the entrance. During the testing phase I found out that it would be more convenient if it was offered as a small booklet or as a folder itself. Below is the first sketch of what I wanted the floor plan to look like.
Furthermore, I went to look at different formats and learning methods of the folder. In the end I chose for a mix between a three sided folder and a booklet.
Also during the test phase I found out that the history of the academy can still be seen in the building. Names like the refectory & the stage tower are still remnants of the building. The academy used to be a seminary. Minor Seminary Ypelaar. The building was used as a seminary from 1950 to 1969. Online there is a website called www.seminarie-ypelaar.nl where people who were students at that time tell about their experiences at the seminary.
Elaboration
The final idea is to create a floor plan for students to use if they get lost. I've put the numbering of the rooms / places on the map that are relevant for the students. I also divided the rooms per department so that it is easy to see which room belongs to which department.
Furthermore, part of the map is about the history of the academy, such as how life and the seminary used to look like. I also walked around the academy and wrote down all the numbers of all the classrooms.
Assessment
For the final assessment we had to present the entire work process. The presentation had to show the design thinking methodology: d steps empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test & implement. In preparation for the presentation we had to make a sketch of how we would arrange it. During the final assessment we asked for a classmate give feedback & feedforward.
Evaluation / reflection
The presentation I made didn't feel like it went so well. In my sketches I had arranged my presentation better, but in the end I arranged the presentation very sloppily. The floor plan I made is still too confusing because of the colors & lines. But the history of the building is a nice find. As a feedback I have that the history is a nice addition & that the elaboration is graphically 'very nice'. As a feedforward I have that the presentation can be made more clear next time. Also, the floor plan (thesis) should be more visible.
What I have noticed for myself is that I haven't experimented enough yet. And that can be seen in the elaboration. Because I have added too little, the elaboration is very static. Next time I will have to sit less on the laptop and work more by hand.
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