Co-Creation Report
- 2. Contents Introduction 3 Project Intention 5 Profiles 7 Activities and Toolkit 10 Questionnaire 12 Toolkit Booklet 14 Data Analysis 24
- 3. 3 Introduction Abstract This research will take place at Emily Carr University employing 24 university students between ages 18 and 25 as participant to co-design a reusable food container and redevelopp an efficient system to promote its usage and minimize enviromental impact. Activities will generate information on a potential user’s motivations, habits, and perspective on the product. Through collaboration with participants, we hope to generate a functional, efficent and sustainable product that can be used everyday.
- 4. The Strive to Sustainable Habits While on its way in becoming “Greenest City in the World” by 2020, Vancouver is still struggling with landfill waste. In 2015, the City of Vancouver released a landfill annual report stating that a total of 1,063,673 tonnes of wate was produced that year. Though more restaurants are beginning to switch from styrofoam to compostable boxes, reusable containers leave a more sustainable footprint as it results in zero impact in a long term usage. (City of Vancouver) Project Intention Emily Carr University is situated on Granville Island. Known for its public market, and artisan boutiques. The location offers students a wide range of food choices, though foodcourt. Food Courts often use an efficient purchasing and discarding routine that is convenient for consumers on the go. This mentality creates huge issues with waste prodution. Materials discarded include: -Styrofoam containers -Plastic containers -Paper containers Although there are some designs that use biodegradable material, it still creates impact as materials must be collected from natural resources. (City of Vancouver)
- 5. 5 Project Intention Research Question What features of current reusable food container designs need refining to enforce the use of portable food containers and minimalize enviromental impact in everyday routine? Research Project Intention This project’s goal is to understand what is working or not working with current reusable food containers and finding ways in improving. This project will be looking into a potential user’s motivations, past experiences, priorities, routines and behaviors while having them partake in co-design activities that will contribute to a stronger understanding of the food container design. A toolkit will be provided to participants gathering qualitative data from the activities.
- 6. Research Methods Research methods that will be used are: - Questionnaires -Experience Sampling -Photo Cards -Interview -3D Prototyping -Group Discussion Path of Expression This co-design session is to guide the particpants through a path of expression. The stages include: 1) Sensitizing and Immersing Participants will be exposed to current issues of waste production and pollution to understand the goal of this project. 2) Activating memories and experiences Though some participants may rarely use resuable food containers, a journaling activity will allow users to create memories and experiences with the product. 3) Reflecting and thinking of future possibilities Through group discussion, participants can share and elaborate on each others ideas on the approach to the research qeustion question. 4) Translating Allowing the participants to create 3D forms will help express and translate visual ideas to researchers.
- 7. About the Toolkit This toolkit follows the Say, Do, Make technique as mentioned in the book “Conivival Toolbox: Generative Research for the Front End Design (Sanders & Stappers, 2013). A questionnaire will also be handed out prior to the activities. Say technique will be performed through a questionnaire that will be provided before the activites. Answers provided will contribute to understanding predetermined opinions of this topic, and providing personal information on specific aspects of a participant. Following the questionnaire, participants will complete activity 1 which focuses on sensitizing the participants. Through the use of photo cards, this method will help participants brainstorm and reflect on their lunch options. Participants will also be analyzing and discussing pre-existing tupperware designs as provided through photographs. In activity 2, particpants will be practicing the “Do” Technique by recording their 5 day progress in a minimal impact lifestyle. Data collected from the journal will be analyzed and taken into consideration for an improved design. This acivity will help further understand the participants routines, motivations and behavior as well as finding the advantages and disadvantages of this task through experience while observed in an unobtrusive manner. In activity 3, participants will use the “Make” technique by analyzing their current experience with the product and finding ideal features through 3D modeling clay. This activity will investigate and translate a participant’s needs by expressing visually and creatively. Participants will also be asked to bring in their school bags and analyze their carrying capacity. Finally, in activity 4 will be followed by a group discussion on ideas for future product designs. Group discussions are very useful for sharing different perspectives and elaborating ideas.
- 8. 8 Profiles Co-Designing will be beneficial for researching this project as it helps designers with a better understanding of a potential user’s thoughts and feelings of related products.
- 9. Participants This workshop will be asessing 24 participants ranging between the age of 18 and 25. This age range is based on the lifestyle of indivituals who are beginnign to leave home with a lower financial income and social engagement. Target Group As this research will be put towards developping an improved product, the target group will be people who go to school or work everyday, or individuals with busy schedules. Potential Clients Companies that will benefit them most from this research would be food container distributors, and retail. This research will provide key information about food container designs through a user centered appraoch, thus catering directly to the needs of the target market.
- 10. 10 Activities and Toolkit ACTIVITIES With multiple contributors of the targeted user group, a potententially functional, and efficialt product will be produced that caters to a user’s needs. To capture all this, participants will engage in three different activities using the See, Think, Do technique. (chpater 3) Toolkit Materials Participants Must Bring • Mobile Device • School Backpack Provided by Researcher • Instruction booklet • Ballpoint Pen • Notepad • Photo Cards • Block of Clay
- 11. Activity 2: Activating- Lunch Journal The second activity will involve making and interacting with tupperware designs that exist already. Participants will be asked to download a mobile application designed by the researcher named “Lunch Journal” . This application aids in recording thoughts, feelings, process and photos of their lunch for five consequitive school days. Activity 1: Sensitizing- Photo Sorting The first activity will be focused on sensitizing participants in lunch posiblities. Participants will be asked to sort through a selection of photos of foods, food containers and utensils into two piles: “Would have” and “Would not have”. Then, participants are to be asked questions about their choices. Activity 4: Translating- Group Discussion For the concluding activity, all participants will meet up with the researcher to partake in a group discussion about their designs and elaborate on each others ideas, thoughts and experiences. Activity 3: Reflecting 3D Modelling The third activity will involve participants bringing in their school bags and analyzing their experiences with current food container designs and will be givent the opportunity to redesign or refine some features using a block of clay.
- 12. Questionnaire 1. Which of the following do you value the most a. Money b. Time c. Food d. Sustainability e. Minimalism f. Other _____________ 2. Which of the following do you value the least? a. Money b. Time c. Food d. Sustainability e. Minimalism f. Other ______________ 3. What kind of bag do you carry to school? a. Purse b. Tote c. Backpack d. Messenger Bag e. Other _______________ f. None of the above 4. On average, how often do you go out for lunch during a school week? 5. On average, how often do you pack a lunch during a school week? 6. Why do you go out for lunch at school? a. Being social b. Convenience c. Food tastes better d. Cravings e. Other____________
- 13. 7. What is your favourite kind of lunch? a. Sandwich b. Leftovers c. Soup d. Salads e. Grains f. Other ________ 8. Make a list of common items you would bring to school in a week. 9. What are three advantages when packing a lunch? What are three disadvantages when packing a lunch? Advantages Disadvantages
- 15. ABOUT Researcher Victoria Tai vtai@ecuad.ca 778-886-3338 Facitily Emily Carr University 1399 Johnston St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9 604-844-3800 Feel free to contact us for any questions or concerns... This project will focus on the analyzing and redesigning reusable food containers. As the participant, your role is to help generate ideas and contribute your personal experiences to this topic through a series of activities and questionnaires. The project’s aim is to find a way to reduce our enviromental impact in everyday routine by avoiding disposable food containers.
- 16. SCHEDULE Time Time Activity Discription Date Introduction 10 minutes Discuss topic and research intentions. Short brief on activities. Questionaire 15 minutes Participants will complete a questionnaire prior to activities. Photo Sorting 15 minutes Participants will examine and sort photos of possible lunch items. Journal Activity 5 days Participants will download an app and record entries for five days. Product modeling 20 minutes 3D protoyping with clay Discussion 20 minutes Participants will gather and discuss their prototypes Please fill in the dates provided at the first session.
- 17. ACTIVITY 1 Participants will be given photo cards to analyze and sort into the following categories: “Would have” and “Would not have”. Cards will contain photos of possible meals, lunch containers and utensils. After sorting the cards, and interview will take place regarding the participants decision making process.
- 18. ACTIVITY 2 Participants will be asked to download a journaling application “Lunch Journal” to their mobile phones and record their packed lunches for five consecutive school days. Participants are use only reusable containers, encouraging minimal enviromental impact.
- 19. Step 1 Download “Lunch Journal” on your app store. Step 2 Set your entry reminder. (You can also set a lunch packing Step 3 When your entry reminder goes off, write a brief discription of your lunch and the process of preperation.
- 20. Step 4 Swipe right and you’ll find a mini questionnaire to Step 5 This process will repeat for five consecutive days. You can review your entries by tapping on the booklet icon. Step 6 Tap the figurine icons to see how other participants are
- 21. ACTIVITY 3 Participants will be asked to bring their school bag filled with their personal belongings. Together with the researcher, participants will analyze and prioritize the items in the bag. Then particpants will be given some modeling clay to create their ideal lunch containers.
- 22. ACTIVITY 4 After prototyping, participants will be asked to discuss their designs and ideas in a group discussion.
- 23. NOTES
- 24. 24 Data Analysis Plan Because the data collected from these research sessions are qualitative data. Heavily based on analysis and observations, the data will be put into tables and visual diagrams from each category.
- 25. Data Representation Word Storms After recording the participants’ opinons and though process, a Word Storm composed of key words from participants will help visualize the important qualities of the design. Photo Journal Keeping a photo journal of the sessions will be useful as participants will be making models and sording photo cards. Mapping Diagram A network diagram will be helpful for tracking and visualizing a participant’s train of thought. This method would be useful for activity 1 by mapping out the participant’s decisions after each interview question.
- 26. 26 Process For this project, I wanted to do a topic on a growing issue that is not highly discussed. I chose this topic because I’ve strived towards minimal impact habits, the idea of a reusable food container and thinking about the amount of unecessary waste I produce each day from purchased foods has always interested me. The first co-design activity I came up with was the photo journaling. I provided myself a journal booklet and I tested the activity on myself and found that it was difficult for me to record my data due to its inefficiency. I then moved over to designing an mobile application that would appeal to my participants. Looking through the “Universal Design Reasearch Methods”book, I though the photocard activity would be useful as photos can tap into memories efficiently. After discussing how this activity would apply to my research, I decided to do this activity before the lunch journaling as it also helps participants brainstorm ideas prior to being immersed into the experience with the product. Finally as an industrial designer, 3D modeling has always been my favorite technique for brainstorming. Whether it is making a finalized prototype or just exploring shapes, this technique is helpful when trying to express complex ideas. I struggled with finding time to do a complete pilot testing, finding participants was difficult due to the short class time, futhermore one of my activities requried 5 days.
- 27. Citations Kumar, V. (2013). 101Ddesign Methods: A Structured Approach for Driving Innovation in Your Organization. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Martin, B., & Hanington, B. M. (2012). Universal Methods of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions. Beverly, MA: Rockport. Sanders, E. B., & Stappers, P. J. (2012). Convivial Toolbox: Generative Research for the Front End of Design. Amsterdam: BIS. 2015 Vancouver Anual Landfill Report. Retrieved from http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/2015-Vancouver-landfill-annual-report.pdf