University of Kent - Challenge Brief - Empathic Design

…to uncover local needs

…using creative methods

…to design meaningful solutions

Marketing the value proposition Developing the project

Creating the model Measuring the impact

That can be taken forward…

What is public space?

Why do people get involved?

• Making sense of people’sattitudes & behavioursas well as theirmotivations helpsunderstand how toinvolve them.

• What influences peoplemost in whether publicspaces meet their needs,is the level and type ofinteraction they expectto have with others.

Can technology improve where I live?

• Technology doesn’t onlyhelp people connectwith others online. Itcreates opportunities forpeople to get off theinternet or their phonesand do things offline too.

• Many of the best digitalinnovations haverepurposed an existingidea to a new field.

What resources exist in public spaces?

Steps

• 1. Collect data

o Carry out empathic conversation with older participants.o Carry out field observation of how people interact in public spaces (these could be, but

are not limited to: gardens, high street, bus stop, public transport, shopping centres, village green, train station, library, etc.).

• 2. Identify the problem space

o Decide on a public space you will investigateo Decide on the participant group (old, young, children, elderly, etc.)o Identify the problem (what needs addressing or changing)?

• 3. Propose a design solution

o Research the feasibility of your idea (technological capabilities/constraints, user acceptance)

o Test the design solution with representative group of users o Present to the client and examiners

Credits

Slide 2:

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/sirens-of-titan/5891414655

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/darkspawn/6891001298

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/arkhip/5509022857

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/wiredforsound23/15792255328