Research is an important element of education, creation and innovation. Therefore Design Academy Eindhoven has developed different initiatives to boost knowlegde transfer. This May we organise two different - so called - Open Design Spaces (part 4 and 5). Participants are DAE en TU/e students.
An Open Design Space is a short course offered on Wednesdays that allows our students to learn about and experience design research. The courses are offered by DAE Readership in Strategic Creativity Research Associates and each have their own unique topic.
Open Design Space #4: WHaT RemaInS?
“I seem to lose words like another person loses blood”
J. Bernlef, Out of mind.
By reading this sentence, one can perhaps begin to understand the struggles of an Alzheimer’s patient. Little by little the capacity to remember, speak or even move, withers and questions arise as to how one can live with such a deteriorating condition.
In this edition of Open Design Spaces (ODS) we will explore how game elements can form a new ‘alphabet’ providing patients with a channel of communication.
During 4 Wednesdays, starting from the 8th of May, 15th May, 22nd May and 29th May, we will do a design research project investigating how gaming elements can be used as triggers for physical and social stimluation of Alzheimer’s patients.
Participating in the Open Design Space is Monobanda (a serious game organization), Careyn (a social enterprise working with elderly Alzheimer’s patients), several experts on Dementia as well as a selection of various designers, researchers and Tom Bieling (Design Research Lab, Berlin).
Open Design Space #5: Empathic Design Research
People | Experience | Stories | Engaging | Understanding
"When you're old you know what it's like to be young, but when you're young you can't know what it's like to be old."
(Jeanne, 90 years old)
As design researchers we seek to capture the experiences and stories that elderly people share, and translate them in order to create value.
In this installment of Open Design Space we will explore what is design research, and how you bring your own qualities as a designer within a research context. The main activity of this ODS will be designing how you capture the experiences and stories of elderly people (by applying some great methods!) and then we will have a go at translating the stories and experiences we have captured and discuss what kinds of value these create.
This means that your qualities as a designer will come into play during this two-sided challenge; designing the research method that captures experiences and stories, as well as communicating the entire research process and its results in your own way. During five Wednesdays, participants will be encouraged to design and implement empathic research tools to engage with elderly people, as well as work together with our industry partners to translate the research into value.
This course is part of the 'Grey but Mobile' CRISP research project where we seek to improve mobility product service systems (PSS) for elderly that support independent living and social connectivity. This means that the work we do during the five weeks will contribute to a larger research initiative.
For more information: opendesignspaces@designacademy.nl