Day 4 of last week (Applied Psychology)
Kick-off
During the kick-off, we were introduced to the fundamentals of product design, including key aspects such as being innovative, creative, and sustainable. We received our main assignment: to design a connection object that encourages interaction between strangers in public space.
Everyone worked individually on initial concepts, allowing for a wide range of ideas to choose from later in the process.
To better understand how people connect in public spaces, we went outside and interviewed several people about what kind of activities or interactions they would enjoy most with strangers in a public environment. This helped us gain insight into user preferences and what makes people feel comfortable or interested in interacting.
My first idea was based on game interaction, which developed into a concept similar to a Just Dance-style setup where people could connect by dancing and listening to music together.
Day 1
Catch-up
I was sick on this day and unable to attend class. To stay in line with everyone else, I reviewed the presentations that were shared online.
I also worked on a drawing exercise from the product design presentation. When I encountered things I didn’t understand, I looked them up independently. This helped me stay somewhat involved with the design process despite not being physically present.
Day 2
Review
I was still sick and could not attend class. I continued catching up by going through the shared presentations and materials on the DLO. I also kept close contact with my team to know if anything important was said during the lessons.
From the comfort of my bed I tried to help my team any way I could. Gathering information online for presentations if needed.
Day 3
Absence
I was still sick and unable to participate in class activities.
Although I could not actively contribute, I stayed informed by checking updates and materials when possible, so I would not fall too far behind.
I checked in with my team multiple times a day as well.
Day 4
Presenting
This day focused on presentations of the final product concepts and prototypes. Although I was still recovering and had lost my voice, I attended and observed the presentations.
Our group worked on a concept where people are encouraged to connect by solving a puzzle together. When a person approaches the machine, they receive half of a puzzle and must find the person with the matching half. This creates a natural interaction between strangers.
Even though I could not actively present, I was able to understand the outcomes and see how different ideas were developed into final concepts.
Reflection
This week was challenging for me because I was sick for most of the project. As a result, I was not able to fully participate in the design process or contribute as actively as I normally would.
Despite this, I made an effort to stay involved by reviewing presentations, completing small exercises, and keeping up with the project materials through the DLO. This helped me still gain insight into the product design process and the development of concepts.
From the parts I was able to follow, I learned that product design in an urban context is strongly focused on creating meaningful interactions between people, rather than just designing a functional object. The idea of a “connection object” showed me how design can actively encourage social behaviour.
I also found it interesting to see how different concepts approached the same goal in unique ways. Our puzzle concept, for example, focuses on collaboration between strangers, while my initial idea explored connection through shared activity and play.
This experience made me realise the importance of being present and actively participating in the design process, especially during ideation and iteration phases. At the same time, it showed me that even when circumstances limit participation, it is still possible to learn by observing, analysing, and reflecting on the work of others.
For future projects, I want to focus on being more actively involved in concept development and iteration, as this is where I can contribute most with my background in game design.
Learning Outcome
2.1 The student acquires knowledge from other disciplines and masters methods to develop new work.
Although I was ill for most of the week, I learned about product design principles such as creating meaningful interactions, sustainability, and innovation. I also gained insight into how product designers approach social interaction problems.
2.4 The student reflects on their own development, the transdisciplinary collaboration, and develops a vision of themselves as a designer.
Being unable to participate fully made me realise how important collaboration and active participation are within a design process. It also highlighted where I can contribute most effectively through my game design background.
2.5 The student demonstrates critical ability regarding their own contribution to the group work.
Because I was absent for most of the week, I had to honestly evaluate my own contribution to the project. This made me reflect on how I could have contributed more during the ideation and development phase and what I can improve in the future projects.
