development
present
This section reflects on my development of the five expertise areas defined by the faculty of Industrial Design and how these relate to me as a designer and my final master project.
link to identity & vision
I am a user-centered designer who wants to empower users and stakeholders. I focus on the user as the primary stakeholder throughout my iterative processes. I take the user with me during the design process and develop user study methods to require desired results, which benefit development. I like to focus on everyday challenges and tailor solutions to their needs (e.g., HeyMe).
development
The courses design for behavioral change, user experience theory and practice, and community experience design taught me several user-centered design methodologies. Throughout the courses and projects, I learned that each target audience requires different study methods. Next, the design stage defines what knowledge is needed to progress. I developed to use and combine different study methods creatively for the right results. The design projects enabled me to put what I learned into practice (e.g., Verso, Dearing, Opruimmaatje). I also learned the importance of ethics (e.g., Dearing, Opruimmaatje). Both during user studies, as well as the development of smart designs.
Testing with retailers in their store (Project Retail Hulp)
Contributing activities:
- Design for behavioral change
- User experience theory and practice
- Community experience design
- M1.1 design project, Verso
- M1.2 design research, Dearing
- M2.1 project at a company, Retail Hulp
- CIRCO circular design course
- HEMA design contest, HeyMe
- Final master project, Opruimmaatje
final master project
It was possible to work on an innovative design concept fitting the users’ needs. I applied multiple user study methods and combined them into a new way of testing or applying them in a different context. This showed me that creating a user study for a specific context determines the quality and extensiveness of results. I used visual vocabulary to make the information and activity easily understandable.
Toolkit for box-study with 7 participants
link to identity & vision
For me, this area is, on top of beauty and creativity, related to the interaction users have with a design and how users explore creativity with the design (e.g., Verso, Opruimmaatje). The way a design looks resonates with how it can be used or whether it will fit in someone’s life. It is, therefore, essential to consider the story a designer wants to convey.
development
During the interactive materiality course, I learned about materials and their effects on shape-building and shape-change by analyzing their qualities and using these when designing. With the course A designerly perspective on IoT, I learned to focus more on interacting with and between different devices and their importance when using and understanding. During Creativity and aesthetics of data & AI, I discovered the implementations of data and AI from a design perspective and how they can be implemented creatively and effectively. My development in using understandable visual vocabulary resulted from the course Designing for social innovation, where I had to translate academic knowledge into infographics weekly. As an extracurricular activity, I followed a course on circular design. Here I learned about how to design sustainably, but also what kinds of new opportunities in the usage and development of designs open up. I implemented ideation techniques, material qualities, and interaction design in projects.
Exploration on the physicalization of an AI (Creativity and aesthetics of data & AI)
Contributing Activities:
- Interactive materiality
- Designing for social innovation
- A Designerly Perspective on IoT
- Creativity and aesthetics of data & AI
- M1.1 design project, Verso
- M1.2 design research, Dearing
- CIRCO circular design course
- HEMA design contest, HeyMe
- Final master project, Opruimmaatje
Final master project
For Opruimmaatje, it was the goal to see what makes products ‘écht HEMA’ and how I could apply this. I was already introduced to their aesthetics during my win in the HEMA design contest. I discovered that it is not only the aesthetics but also the creativity and fun their products offer. They impress their users and can deliver products that make you think: “why wasn’t this on the market already?” Opruimmaatje does fit in this narrative, in my opinion. Furthermore, creative user studies were made to gather valuable information to discover and experience possible concept directions and interaction narratives iteratively.
Exploration of écht HEMA meaning (all images from HEMA)
link to identity & vision
While my primary focus lies with the end-user, other stakeholders are also essential. Conveying user studies are beneficial for businesses to discover user needs and can be used to develop exciting and renewing value propositions, opening up new business opportunities. The environment is also an essential stakeholder, where circularity creates new directions for businesses.
development
As I find the business aspect of design necessary, I wanted to develop further in this direction. During the course Designing for social innovation, I learned about societal transformations and how to discover and act on these changes. The courses Design innovation strategies and Community experience design taught me more about developing concepts with user input, minimum viable prototypes, and financial plans. I can combine this with my knowledge of value propositions and business model creation when creating business viability. During my circular design course, I became familiar with new kinds of business models. For example, designing something to become a product-as-a-service.
Contributing Activities:
- Designing for social innovation
- Design innovation strategies
- Community experience design
- M1.1 design project, Verso
- M2.1 project at a company, Retail Hulp
- CIRCO circular design course
- Final master project, Opruimmaatje
Final master project
It was essential to know HEMA’s value proposition and how they deliver this to their broad audience. I could consider the business context and deliver a new value proposition by involving the different stakeholders in this context. The rapid iterative process was beneficial in doing lots of stakeholder involvement providing the concept and design development with valuable insights. By taking the stakeholders with me closely during the process, I could design a solution that fits the actual needs. Next, I have been looking at HEMA’s transition into a circular economy without losing value, time, and money. Finally, I used my development to create a business plan on how the Opruimmaatje system would be sold and deliver a new value proposition.
link to identity & vision
I believe it is valuable to use prototypes to make the concept idea more experiential and understandable for the stakeholders for whom and with whom it is designed. They are extremely valuable in exploring a design’s possible interactions and perceptions and how users might use them. Next, prototyping offers an exploration of shape and interactions as well. But also, this is important when looking at a design’s possible development and production. It creates a means by which ideas can be made and tested, exploring the possibilities and feasibility of a design.
development
During the courses Interactive Materiality and A designerly perspective on IoT, I used materials and prototypes to create new interaction possibilities, like shape-changing materials. I learned much about creating a technological functioning design with my project Verso. For Verso, I had to work with people who were more familiar with the electronics side, as I was more familiar with the material aspects. Together we were able to create a functioning device. With Dearing, I focussed more on translating data into shape-changing wearables. During Retail Hulp, I also developed my skills in making digital prototypes using Figma and testing these with users digitally and physically.
‘manufacturing’ Verso
Contributing Activities:
- Interactive materiality
- A Designerly Perspective on IoT
- M1.1 design project, Verso
- M1.2 design research, Dearing
- M2.1 project at a company, Retail Hulp
- Final master project, Opruimmaatje
Final master project
The multiple iterations enabled the creation of multiple prototypes, eventually resulting in a robust prototype system containing smart features. Choosing the right technology and realization assets enabled me to create a real-looking design. The prototype knowledge and values helped develop the project by offering interaction exploration. I also gathered new skills regarding interactive prototype development using Protopie, 3D modeling, and 3D printing. Working with these techniques helped me learn more about production processes because I had to think of how the design would be made efficiently.
Exploring touch-screen possibilities
link to identity & vision
I see data as an essential factor in stakeholder studies and guidance for design processes. Good gathering and analysis are required when designing in a user-centered manner. Next, data should be considered when making smart devices.
development
I developed mainly in the direction of data gathering and analysis. Qualitative data gathering has a lot of value in qualitative data gathering since they bring nuance to qualitative answers. During projects, I worked on implementing this to get valuable results. With Verso, I learned about data gathering with the design. During Dearing, I also learned more about data usage’s ethical side. During the course creativity and aesthetics of data & AI, I got more familiar with the directions of data science and their usage in artificial intelligence (AI).
Data gathered by Verso
Contributing Activities:
- Creativity and aesthetics of data & AI
- User experience theory and practice
- M1.1 design project, Verso
- M1.2 design research, Dearing
- Final master project, Opruimmaatje
Final master project
To develop the design, I did several stakeholder studies. Therefore I had to create a way to gather data and analyze this to develop my design. Data security was also an essential factor of this project since it is considered dangerous when storing the locations of someone’s belongings digitally and potentially in the cloud. Focussing on this aspect taught me to be aware of the current advantages and disadvantages of technologies and how to create concepts in such a way that privacy and data security are thought of and implemented.
Thematic analysis
link to identity & vision
Since I focus my design processes on user-centered and value-based design, doing design research is essential. I carefully select and creatively apply the proper methods to gather valuable data for my design process.
development
My development mainly resulted from the course constructive design research, where I learned several research methods. During my projects, I tried implementing different methods to generate new knowledge on data sharing (Dearing), user needs, and product development (Verso, Opruimmaatje).
Contributing Activities:
- Constructive design research
- M1.2 design research, Dearing
- Final master project, Opruimmaatje
Final master project
My final project consisted of multiple rapid iterations in which Design Thinking and user-centered design methods were used to research and develop the design. This knowledge was connected to academic research in terms of a literature review. The results enabled the development of a desirable, feasible, and viable design.