User and Society
The Users in CBL Project 1
The development of the first CBL project progressed hand in hand with the users. Through the initial phases of the project, it was crucial to get an understanding of the target group. Since our target group was first year industrial design students, we were able to conduct some semi-structured interviews with them. These interviews provided their personal perspective on the struggles of idea generation in a group setting, alongside their preferred manner of presenting concepts. We took this information and created different personas so that we had prototypical users that would shape the product. From this experience I learned how to not only host an interview, but also analyze the information which the interviewee provides. For more information refer to the Final Report, which illustrates the direct connections and changes made in order to better suit the user.
Warm in de Wijk - Case Study
As a designer it is always important to emphasize the role of the user. For one of the courses I undertook this year, Sustainable Technology in Society, this was the focal point of the project. We had to analyze the moral and political impact that would occur with the introduction of a new technology. The initiative we focused on was “Warm in de Wijk” , a district heating project taking place in Den Haag. From this case study I learned the distinctions between the stakeholders, and the relevance of this type of analysis. Since we live in an age of innovation, there is constant change happening around us. Hence it is important to always keep the user in mind, when such technologies are being integrated.