This M21 project is the first phase of the Final Master Project and was presumed in the M22 semester, the second phase of the FMP. Both phases are each defined by different characteristics, as each phase has a different challenge and aim. Where the first phase departs from an academic approach, which is fostered in a research focussed exploration equipped with corresponding relevant stakeholders, phase two will be centered around translating the theoretically infused starting point from phase one into a viable product. The reason for dividing this project in these two separate phases with distinct aims and challenges, is the aspiration to first allow myself to find inspiration that goes beyond market restrictions. The academic domain cherishes a distinct value system that will inspire different shapes and different interactions which can be rich grounds for developing product concepts that might also be interesting and valuable for market purposes. The result of phase 1, the M21 project, is a theoretically infused product proposal.
For this project, I was inspired by the process of dematerialization, which can be defined as a growing course of action in today's generation of intelligent, digital products in which physical products are gradually being replaced by their digital counterparts [1]. This is also the course of action for photos, which is the focus of this work.
Even though the dematerialization of photos comes with valuable advantages, like infinite storage space, photos that can be accessed anywhere and anytime, and photos being easily sharable, these advantages come with a cost. Because these advantages are now easily accessible, people make use of them, which is logical, of course. But what we can see is that photo archives are growing towards immense sizes, to an extent that they can no longer be deemed graspable, resulting in the user engaging less and less with their photos. This is a relevant issue, as photos have always been a valuable medium for recollecting the memories that we've successfully captured in time.
I challenged myself to design a theoretically infused product proposal capable of offering new entryways into our massive photo collection, aiming to unify the benefits of the adaptability of the digital world with the richness of the physical world. A comprehensive design exploration resulted in a product proposal that allows the user to browse through their collection on two parameters, ‘location’ and ‘time’, offering a rich, more pleasurable experience due to the implementation of physical interaction.
AFFILIATION
Master Industrial Design (TU/e)
ACTIVITY
M21 option (Design Project)
COURSE NAME
Project at Department of Industrial Design (FE)
PROJECT COACH
dr.ir. J.W. Frens
EXPERTS INVOLVED
E.A.W.H. van den Hoven
W. Odom
PERIOD
S1 Q1&2 (2020/2021)
TEAM
Individual
KEYWORDS
Creativity & Aesthetics, User & Society, Dematerialization, Physical Interaction, Rich Interaction, Photo Repository, Tangible User Interface
GRADE
Promotion with Excellence (PE)
Phase 1 of this FMP started off with the challenge to design an 'ultimate user interface' for three different lenses: (1) the organization of photos, (2) the retrieval of photos and (3) browsing through photos. This exercise resulted in the insight that it is rather challenging to design an 'ultimate organizing interface', as I didn't feel comfortable with deciding for other people on how they should organize their collection.
A literature review focussing on the trait 'conscientiousness' from the Big Five model of personality and how this trait could be 'improved' in people revealed that a key factor in trait intervention is motivation [2]. The 'autonomy' aspect derived from the Self-Determination Theory [3] revealed the conclusion that a photo-curation device should offer handles for organization as opposed to imposing a predetermined structure. The design explorations were consolidated into a concept. This concept - going into all kinds of directions concerning functionality - revealed the most influential insight gained through the design process:
instead of trying to replace what already exists, I should pursue an extension of what exists, which relieved the pressure from trying to design a catch-all solution and allowed me to gain focus. Further design explorations into photo meta-data and associative browsing led to a second consolidated concept, that allows the user to browse through their collection on (a combination of) two parameters: 'location' and 'time', offering a rich, more pleasurable experience due to the implementation of physical interaction.
As a final act, the product proposal was evaluated with the user via a qualitative approach and it was found that the user could see themselves mainly using the product in social context, for sharing purposes. However, it was also found that the value and use of this product would decrease extensively when all photos, meaning including photos that are deemed clutter, would be presented through this system, as one wouldn’t want their experience to be polluted or disturbed by insignificant, double or irrelevant photos.
Vision and identity as a designer
Though the project inherently relates to my vision and identity as a designer because this project was constructed as a product of this vision and identity, it also contributes to my identity and career preparations in a more holistic sense. The project is divided over two separate phases with each phase having differing challenges, aims and therewith characteristics. This was done with very specific grounds: the aspiration to first allow myself to find inspiration that goes beyond market restrictions, as the academic domain cherishes a distinct value system that will inspire different shapes and different interactions.
In retrospect, this division with this reasoning matches precisely with how I identify myself as a designer and how I plan to present myself when starting my career: as a not yet so common bridge between the realistic world of user-centered design (reinforced by a set of practical skills obtained during my Bachelor’s program at an Applied University) and the rich and progressive world of scientific research. Allowing my designs to flourish beyond market restrictions is what motivated me to apply for this Master’s program in the first place, even though I have not yet been capable of seeing it in that way, until now. This honestly feels like a ‘Eureka’-type of moment as I can now actually comprehend why I am here, doing this Master’s program.
Overall Competence of Designing
The AE Creativity & Aesthetics is integrated in the project by practicing iterative analysis, by applying a creative, more diverging design approach that has proven to be competent for generating insights and constructing a theoretically infused product proposal. The design narrative is powerfully illustrated by means of visual and physical explorations.
The design is challenging the world as we know it, by focussing on rich and meaningful interactions instead of pursuing efficiency. This project helped me in seeing the value of my graphical sketching skills by realizing that it is a powerful tool - both communicational and aesthetically - and that it is something in which people can recognize me as a designer.
The AE of User & Society is primarily integrated in the project by its aim to create value by offering meaningful ways for experiencing one’s ever-growing digital photo collection, as digital collections becoming more and more impenetrable is gradually becoming a more relevant issue. Even though the user was not actively involved in the project (with exception of the final act being a qualitative user evaluation), all design decisions were made with regards to positively affecting the user experience, which made me more open towards user-driven design as opposed to user-centered design: the approach that I used to see as the only way in which design should be practiced.
I would say that the AE of Technology & Realization was slightly integrated in the project by effectively communicating with a data expert and establishing basic awareness on the technological and data-driven structures that my design would entail. In the second phase of this project, I do however wish to realize the demonstrator to an extent where it is partially operable, as I am opinionated that a mid fidelity prototype would add a substantial layer in communicating the design. The demonstrators presented in this project do however serve their purpose, by adding an additional communicational layer when presenting the design during the expert sessions and user evaluation.
[1]
Van Campenhout, L. D. E., Frens, J. W., Overbeeke, C. J., Standaert, A., & Peremans, H. (2013). Physical interaction in a dematerialized world. International Journal of Design, 7(1), 1-18.
[3]
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory.
[2]
Roberts, B. W., Hill, P. L., & Davis, J. P. (2017). How to change conscientiousness: The sociogenomic trait intervention model. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 8(3), 199.
[1]
Van Campenhout, L. D. E., Frens, J. W., Overbeeke, C. J., Standaert, A., & Peremans, H. (2013). Physical interaction in a dematerialized world. International Journal of Design, 7(1), 1-18.
[2]
Roberts, B. W., Hill, P. L., & Davis, J. P. (2017). How to change conscientiousness: The sociogenomic trait intervention model. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 8(3), 199.
[3]
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory.
[1]
Van Campenhout, L. D. E., Frens, J. W., Overbeeke, C. J., Standaert, A., & Peremans, H. (2013). Physical interaction in a dematerialized world. International Journal of Design, 7(1), 1-18.
[2]
Roberts, B. W., Hill, P. L., & Davis, J. P. (2017). How to change conscientiousness: The sociogenomic trait intervention model. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 8(3), 199.
[3]
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory.
