MIAD Industrial Project
Jeanne's Creative Spacepaper pasted on foam board
00cm x 00cm December 2019 Exhibition TextJeanne's Creative Space is a redesign of my grandmother's second bedroom in her apartment. To the left is an image of the poster board I took to MIAD, where I presented my ideas and got feedback on how to improve for next semester. The purpose of the project is to create a space where my grandmother can express herself creatively, as well as cleaning the clutter out of the room being used in order to create that space for her. The reason I decided to focus on my grandmother and this room was because of her recent retirement and the increased amount of free time she is getting because of that.
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Empathy Chart |
POV StatementWe met:
A woman who recently retired from her place of work, where she was employed for many years. She needs to wait until January 2020 to pick a retirement plan. We were amazed to learn: She has an interest in a multitude of creative outlets, and has a second bedroom that is mostly unused, due to clutter. It would make a real difference if we could: Redesign the second bedroom in her apartment into a creative outlet with multiple functions; a space for checking email, painting, and making essential/infused oil. |
Inspiration
Doug DietzDoug Dietz is an industrial designer for GE, most well known for his redesigning of children's hospital rooms. He joined GE in 1989, designing many different kinds of medical machinery for a myriad of tasks: X-rays, ultrasounds and MRI machines. Currently, he works as a design thinking mentor and instructor at Stanford University, as well as the Lead Innovation Architect for GE in multiple GE design incubators.
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Process
Beginning of Ideation
Mind Mapping
A mind map is a way of brainstorming where the creative can visualize the many ideas they may have about a certain project. In class, I made an example mind map of ramen. The purpose of a mind map is to focus more on the function of an object/idea, rather than what the end goal is. My mind map for this project focused on the different things that are already present in my grandmother's second bedroom, as well as the things I wanted to add or remove based on my goal of redesigning it as a creative space. The process of creating a mind map allowed me to get more specific on the things I want to have in this creative space, as well as expand on my ideas for what was possible for the room, without any setbacks. |
Further Ideation: Planning Sketches
For my first sketch, I wanted to show how the room looked presently and how it would look different if I implemented the changes I wrote. The main thing I focused on in the beginning was how I would reduce the clutter and what areas of the room could be turned into extra storage space in a way that would not take away from the overall landscape of the room. In the beginning I didn't really know what I wanted to do for my grandma, so below my sketches I jotted down some notes that highlighted interests my grandma has.
Throughout many of my planning sketches, I simply brainstormed about the placement of objects in the room. I also thought about how the room needed to have multiple functions: working on paintings, checking emails or working on a computer, and having a sleeping space for guests when they visited my grandma. Of course there needed to be a desk, which would serve as a work space for sketches and computer work. I also needed there to be a space where the easel would go, and then thought of my grandma using something like a desk easel, which would allow her to paint without having to stand or sit in uncomfortable positions to paint her pieces. It was important for me to always think of how my design would work for my grandma, so I made sure to sketch out size comparisons to see how everything would fit (or if it could). |
Ideation Board
After I had finished my sketches and had a more thorough understanding of what I needed to accomplish, I compiled those ideas onto a board that I would then print onto foamcore. For this step of the project, I used the application PhotoPea, which acted as a version of Photoshop that I could use on my chromebook. I made sure to include all of my written information-my empathy chart and POV statement- as well as my sketches and visual mindmap (which differs from the one above, because it is a final draft). It was a bit difficult to use Photopea for this step of the process because my chromebook often times became slow and would freeze, or the layout of the application would get confusing. |
Process
Experimentation
I went through many different ideas for this project before my final design. I experimented with different problems I had in my own life and attempted to relate that to a more general problem, but I soon found that it was more helpful to focus on someone other than myself. I knew then that I wanted to focus on my grandmother, because around the time we started this project was when she retired, However, when I thought of a single item that I could create or improve upon, I felt limited to what I could create that would help someone solve a problem that they had. As aforementioned, one activity that I did in order to expand on my ideas was mind mapping. This was really helpful for me to decide on what I wanted to do for my grandma and I had decided to base my project off of a combination of two things: her recent retirement and the lack of use her second bedroom saw in her apartment.
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Process
- There was a lot of brainstorming that went into this project before I finally decided what I wanted to do. Once that was done, I began to mindmap and and think about the specific things I needed to accomplish in order to succeed in completing the redesign.
- Once I was done with the mindmapping and knew what I wanted to do, I compiled my sketches into one board on photopea. This took a lot of time on my part because photopea is an application on the chromebook, and my chromebook would often freeze while I was trying to work on my project. After I was done designing this board, I uploaded it to my usb and printed out onto a sheet of paper. - With the printed paper and my compiled sketches and notes, I sprayed the blank side with glue and prepped it to be pasted onto a piece of foamcore. It took both me and a partner to flatten the sheet of paper onto the piece of foamcore and once that was done, I trimmed the excess paper away. The board is meant to be brought to MIAD and presented to staff there. |
Comparing and contrasting
Compare:
- keeping the customer/subject in mind to improve their experience
- redesigning an already existing space
- The reason that these redesigns took place: feeling inspired by the people we see (Doug Dietz saw how children got nervous going into the machinery, and wanted to improve. I spoke with my grandmother and how she doesn't really have room for the projects she wants to do, and I wanted to give her that space).
Contrast:
- Doug Dietz has years of experience working as an industrial designer for GE, I am a high school student.
- The purpose of the rooms: Medical space versus creative space
- The target subject: Doug DIetz was redesigning for children, I am designing for a recently retired woman.
- keeping the customer/subject in mind to improve their experience
- redesigning an already existing space
- The reason that these redesigns took place: feeling inspired by the people we see (Doug Dietz saw how children got nervous going into the machinery, and wanted to improve. I spoke with my grandmother and how she doesn't really have room for the projects she wants to do, and I wanted to give her that space).
Contrast:
- Doug Dietz has years of experience working as an industrial designer for GE, I am a high school student.
- The purpose of the rooms: Medical space versus creative space
- The target subject: Doug DIetz was redesigning for children, I am designing for a recently retired woman.
Reflection
I am overall satisfied with this project and how I was able to help my grandmother develop her own creative space. I think that despite my initial confusion on what I was to do for this project, the idea I chose to focus on was very interesting and very helpful for my grandmother. This project has taught me many things about the way industrial design works and how you can maximize the value of your product. Throughout this process, I learned how to implement your customer's/subject's needs and interests into a design, and the importance of keeping their ideas at the forefront of your designs. One thing I enjoyed a lot was the development stage: using mindmaps and lots of time for ideation were really helpful in the momentum of this project. I think it's definitely a tool that I will continue to use in other projects, not even just for art, but for other classes as well. Another thing that I learned is that industrial design isn't really the field I am suited for. I have found that I don't quite enjoy the process of creating a product, but I did find it valuable to develop more interpersonal communication skills with people that essentially "hired" me for a creative project. I see this more as a developmental tool in possible careers that I would be interested in the future.
ACT Responses
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
Both my inspiration and my piece are made to put the person(s) it's made for at ease, and have a calm and constructive air to them.
2. What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Doug Dietz wanted to make sure that children in having an MRI would feel more comfortable while the procedure took place, because he felt their experience should be a priority.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I found that creative thinkers, such as Doug Dietz, constantly think of ways to improve people's experiences with their designs.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Since my design is of a creative space for my grandmother, I took inspiration from a designer who's main goal was to make the people who use his designs feel comfortable and enjoy themselves.
5.What kinds of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I know that the feedback from the person you're designing for is vital to the success of your designs.
Both my inspiration and my piece are made to put the person(s) it's made for at ease, and have a calm and constructive air to them.
2. What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Doug Dietz wanted to make sure that children in having an MRI would feel more comfortable while the procedure took place, because he felt their experience should be a priority.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I found that creative thinkers, such as Doug Dietz, constantly think of ways to improve people's experiences with their designs.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Since my design is of a creative space for my grandmother, I took inspiration from a designer who's main goal was to make the people who use his designs feel comfortable and enjoy themselves.
5.What kinds of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I know that the feedback from the person you're designing for is vital to the success of your designs.
Bibliography
- “Doug Dietz TEDx.” A Look into John's Mind, 14 Mar. 2014, https://jghaley.weebly.com/blog/doug-dietz-tedx.
- Mount Mary University. “GE Healthcare's Doug Dietz to Address Graduates at Commencement.” Urban Milwaukee, Urban Milwaukee, 11 May 2016, https://urbanmilwaukee.com/pressrelease/ge-healthcares-doug-dietz-to-address-graduates-at-commencement/.
-TEDxTalks. “Transforming Healthcare for Children and Their Families: Doug Dietz at TEDxSanJoseCA 2012.” YouTube, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jajduxPD6H4.
- Mount Mary University. “GE Healthcare's Doug Dietz to Address Graduates at Commencement.” Urban Milwaukee, Urban Milwaukee, 11 May 2016, https://urbanmilwaukee.com/pressrelease/ge-healthcares-doug-dietz-to-address-graduates-at-commencement/.
-TEDxTalks. “Transforming Healthcare for Children and Their Families: Doug Dietz at TEDxSanJoseCA 2012.” YouTube, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jajduxPD6H4.