IAD Process 21: Designing for social impact
The topic for this class addresses the typical design premice of interaction designers' wishes to have a societal impact. People-centered design is at the core of interaction design studies and human-computer interaction research. What does this premice actually mean? What are the limitations, frustrations, realities of designing on the ground? What if we should move away from a human-centric design to a non-human one? The class proposes to look at proposal of changes not in term of individual behaviours but addressing if systemic changes can happen from a design proposal. We will also uncover the contradictions of a designer's responsibility, agency and idealisation.
For this course, each group of students will engage designing in a social context that they will identify and they will argue for their intervention, in conjunction with working with people (or non-people) involved on the ground.
Student projects:
POOYA is a machine with some level of intelligence that interacts with humans but doesn’t really understand them.
BE A TREE is an audiovisual installation that shares the story of an oak tree. The installation is all about rooting yourself, growing awareness, cultivating your understanding and leaving your ego aside.
The AHV is unstable and will not be sufficient for our generation. To provide a stable pension, WOOL is the first 3rd pillar to work with blockchain technology. The decentralized AAVE protocol helps us lend money in the form of cryptocurrencies. A part of the generated interest benefits you and the community. However, the larger part is used for sustainable projects in which you have a say and can even submit petitions yourself.
MOA is a toolbox that creates mindful moments for the user and his wellbeing. The toolbox consists of an ecosystem centered around a wearable bracelet, which triggers moments of awareness through a cold/ hot sensation on the users skin.
