Finalised Design Briefs

Design Brief 1: Senior Savvy Starts at Home

Develop an activity that is targeted at youths and young adults to influence them to be more aware and mindful of their current relationships with their older family members (parents/grandparents etc.).

Background: 

  • We need to address the issue of ageism on a micro-level – our families – before we critique how society (macro-level and meso-level) mistreats older adults.
  • Research shows that poor family relationships is one of the stronger predictors of ageist attitudes. 

Approaching the brief: 

  • This brief asks for the design and facilitation of a fun and interactive activity in hopes of enabling the younger generations to be more aware that their time with their ageing family members is limited and they should start caring for them more when they have the chance to. 
  • The activity could be then be modified into a family game or a bonding activity for an intergenerational audience. 

Design Brief 2: Generation to Generation

Design an artefact that will assist the younger generations in inciting their interest to uncover past memories with their families – mainly their parents and grandparents.

Background:

  • Past memories are important to everyone as they give us a nostalgic feeling and remind us of the happy times with our loved ones. 
  • Photographs and memorabilia are visual representations of past stories, feelings, places, and most importantly, the people. 
  • The physical family photo book is a treasured possession of families as it contains many cherished memories. It is also a keepsake that can be passed down from generation to generation. However, they are far less common today than in the past. 

Approaching the brief:

  • This brief asks for a social mechanism to induce a collaborative activity between the generations to unearth hidden narratives and stories, relive past memories, and hopefully, create new adventures together. 

Feedback

Some pointers from Nur, Harah and Andreas: 

  • The design briefs are very focused and situated on intergenerational bridging but you may need to clarify the role
    that you will assume within these community workshops and engagements to understand how “design” is central to
    these activities
  • Visit D301 to see the BA students’ cultural probes based on your own study
  • Your thinking process and project planning is very analytical and clearly outlines your design briefs and the resulting
    projects
  • Your role as facilitator is well defined and you have clearly established your background data, however
    your role as a designer needs to be strengthened, especially in terms of better understanding and implementing the
    visual language requirements of your products
  • Perhaps you should consult a designer with a background in design
    communication to develop this visual language
  • Remember that not all your target groups might respond equally to the same design
  • Maybe you should also consider developing a strategy to document your design brief results, which will make it easier to communicate the gameplay to others. You are very engaged with the different communities that you address, which should help you to test, evaluate and document your projects in a timely and thorough manner