These reflections took place 10th -14th March 2014
Summary
The reflection cards consider my learning during the prototyping module, how I have learned this, how this is in relation to other learning and how I can implement my learning into my Masters project and any project in the future. I will discuss what and who has influenced my learning and explain how I have implemented some of the learning from the prototyping Masterclass week and the impact.
As I reflect on how we were advised to manage delivering these cards, I realise that I have appreciated the step by step approach. I have prepared written reflections on either the day or the day after the experience, so they were fresh in my mind and the notes I took just acted as prompts. I think that this method will act as a prototype for my Masters project. Houde & Hill (1997) suggest prototypes are the first and give rise to others. This is a step by step approach which will create the big picture. The interesting thing about reflecting this way for me is that my documented reflections then influenced my work during the week more. I think because of writing the reflections down and considering them, they were amplified in my mind. This created an awareness daily about how my thoughts could influence the now and my reflection in action during this Masterclass week, this was more like I think in my day job, (Coiff, 1997). As I reflect on this, I am acknowledging that this will influence my designer intuition and if I continue to do this written reflection, I will be able to reflect effectively without the written work and still have the same impact as if I had analysed during a tangible exercise.
Draw it, build it, act it.
During our 1st day of the prototyping module we were asked to prototype a shoe shine service, having never been a customer or a provider of such a service, I was intrigued! Amongst a group of 4 other designers, we started with post its and sharpies and developed a journey map and as always visualising enables further insights into services. It highlights pain points and gaps in the service which without visual representation are left uncovered. After the visualisation we then went onto a further prototype of building what the shoe shine process would look like. This was great fun and everyone was on their feet and creating the environment where the shoe shining takes place. We saw, through visualisation what the journey may look like, then we built it, encouraging us to think about the tools in the process and this enabled us again to realise further missing information (Schrage, 2006), we then went to the next stage, acting or body storming it. We were amazed with further discoveries, even though we had done 2 previous prototypes, this 3rd got us into the ‘zone’. We were really engaged with this activity and saying things like, ‘I wouldn’t want to do that’ and ‘I would prefer this’, all brought about by creatively prototyping the process. On reflection I can see this had an impact into our insights of both the proprietor and the customer. It was a step by step process, each prototype uncovering new information which adjusted and influenced the next prototype. I had read that this was a really helpful way of understanding journeys and where the challenges and opportunities lie. However, by taking part in this exercise it has shown me just how effective this activity can be, especially by drawing, building and acting it step by step. In the future I will definitely be utilising this prototyping process in my work. In my project, I would be very interested in implementing this to enable Community Doctors, Healthcare professionals and people with LTC to engage with each other and create empathy between the roles. This could influence issues such as understanding each others perspectives and health literacy.
Protoyping….It’s a design philosophy
During the afternoon presentation Fraser suggested ‘…plan your project around your prototyping…’. I was not really sure about this statement. Warfel (2009) suggests that design is a philosophy and when thinking about this later on and relating it to our activities in prototyping, I began to be persuaded that using prototyping to plan and lead my project may in fact be beneficial. As philosophy is a theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behaviours, it would therefore be appropriate to suggest that prototyping is such. As I reflect I recognise that during the prototyping activity (a shoe shine journey), each prototype encouraged more learning and understanding, which led to the adaptation of the next. So to have the evaluation and adaptation of prototypes with relevant stakeholders influencing the direction of the project would make perfect sense. It would also encourage interest, understanding and make people feel valued within the process.
Dow (2009) states that prototyping creates visions and enables gaining feedback and re evaluation.
The benefit of the iterative nature of prototyping is it encourages new insights into challenges and pain points and the value of realised opportunities with every prototype. Reflecting on this in relation to my project, using this, could encourage the continual improvement of my methods and tools, learning, project planning/management and development. I could use it in preparing for interviews, collaborative spaces, workshops and the tools used in the workshops…..the time used to gain insight into the project can be the prototype…
Bite sized chunks
It was during a morning with Louise Valentine that I was introduced to ‘Agile management’, a term which I had not been familiar with. Louise was encouraging the class to use tools to enable us to drive through the ‘prototypathon’ which we are to experience the following week. This tool of developing a mindset to get you to the outcome in a step by step process is a feasible way to manage the workload. If I am to get through an intense 9 weeks of research and analysis to present for assessment for my Masters project, I need a plan like this. Louise likened the process to that of a professional athlete, with the intended outcome to be a world class athlete. How would this person do this? It would be challenging to achieve if the process was not broken down into small chunks. As I reflect on this I can see that this process will be very helpful during the course of my project. I do tend to use the principles of this in everyday management of my life, and i can see why I manage it like this. If there is only the beginning and the end point, the middle seems a huge expanse that without clear direction, the challenge would appear to big to cope with. On reflection I need to see my project like this. Instead of seeing it as a project, I need to plan clear steps towards my aim. These steps can be laced with energisers to encourage me forward to the next. By doing this I will clearly see small manageable and achievable tasks moving me closer towards the larger project.
- People not software
- Customer not profit
- Learning not knowing
- Taking a change not staying in your comfort zone
- Resilience not about perfection
- Moving others not about preventing change
- Taking responsibility and not laying blame
The future is already here!
During an inspiring tutorial with Fraser Bruce and David Sanchez there was much to consider regarding how the future , Gratton, (2012) will influence my project. How I should be mindful about what is happening to the world and why, and that there is a moral standard to the services we are designing. As I reflect on this I appreciate that to a certain extent I was aware of this, however I believe that considering nature and the respect I have for it, during this workshop, in the reality of what is happening to our beautiful Earth, I feel that my awareness has increased.
On reflection I am aware that my considerations were more Human and that this blinkered outlook could constrain the services I am involved in developing in the future. However, considering this topic I am now motivated to read, and think further about nature and the perfection it brings. It understands systems, growth, development, behaviour, time and place and there is much for me to learn from this. So as I look into this, I will be thinking about the questions asked during the tutorial, Can I map my project out from the start? What do I want my project to look like? and How do I bring all these things into my project? If I start with these questions, it will enable me to gain perspectives which will provide the project with a holistic approach and holistic opportunities. I need to think about what types of services I want to design and why!
Prototyping – It’s serious play
We had a great day prototyping with Selina Law, it was when everything slotted into place for me.
The world and it’s issues are complex and very serious. However play can enable rich insights, Gauntlet (2011).
Selina walked us through the process. We started by developing interview questions for someone who smokes, did the interview, and then critically analysed it. What had happened, thoughts and feelings about this and then how it could be improved. Selina then took us onto building, this was a positive experience. There were many insights gained and it made what could have been a challenging conversation into something more manageable. During the day I was continually reflecting in action, bringing my learning into the context of my project and thinking how I could use this to enable insights for individuals within the research. When asked for feedback on the experience, the interviewee stated that he had enjoyed the interview and that modelling and drawing the situation was not only a fun way to explore, it also raised attention to patterns in his behaviour which he was not aware of. The discussion was around a serious issue, however with the tools and props, it enabled the interviewee to visualise a journey which changed the normal interview experience into something more comfortable. On reflection, I am glad I asked our interviewee to feedback, I was thinking about how I could use these tools during my project but also about how it would make an interviewee feel. At times I made suggestions how to visualise and was concerned if this was because there was limited interest, however this seemed to engage the person even more and on reflection would do this in the future. So hearing that building added to the experience for the person was encouraging and has inspired me to, as Selina suggested at the beginning of the day, ‘turn up with a prototype’. On reflection, I wondered what this meant at the start, however by going through the process, it was very clear why I need to implement this into my project and work as a designer
Immersion into all activity
The inspiration for these thoughts are in considering thoughts on ‘Design within Natural systems’ and the six key points highlighted by RSA (Thersa.org). The one which captured my attention was about immersion into all activity – it is not enough to scratch the surface.. I have reflected on this and realised that at the start of the project work I was reading and trying to gain context, however I became acutely aware that if I was to uncover the richness about the context of the question, it would be by having conversations with people. I was quickly engrossed in speaking to people with Long term conditions and G.P’s who were sharing their stories with me. As I reflect on that part of my journey, I can see that I was becoming invested in this project, not only because I had end of module deliverables but because through realisations and insights the issues were turning into reality. Christine Kingsley (2009) suggests stories create empathy and I did feel this while listening to people, I could see and hear the significant impact in their lives. So as I continue the journey through this project, I will continue to immerse myself in it. I will be ensuring that I spend time with the stakeholders, from time observing to conversations and collaborative spaces. They are the ones with the understanding, I just need to be with them to understand.
So, then in the future I will endeavour to immerse myself within the project, which I cannot see being an issue. I hope I shall inspire others and in turn will then will create a group who is invested and encouraged in the project to engage and find opportunities towards innovation.
Prototyping in enabling strategic conversations
Sarah Cox discussed the concept aroung prototyping enabling strategic conversations. When this was first said I was wondering what she actually meant by this. Solomon, (2012) suggests this to be around, Build understanding, shaping choices and gaining alignment to make decisions.
Selina Law had discussed how the characteristic of workshops enable strategis conversations, i.e Flow (information and energy), Trust and respect, Non hierarchical, Collaboration – high participant engagement and Open dialogue.
Putting it like this showed me that as a designer, I could have the ability to use these tools to enable conversations which can lead to insightful revelations towards new ways of thinking and opportunities to otherwise seemingly unsolvable situations. As I am reflecting on this, I am aware of the impact this could have on my project. During the last module I spent time interviewing G.P’s and people with Long term conditions as well as reading around Healthcare, design and Mindfulness.
Bringing my new knowledge together and understanding the key insights I became quickly aware that the initial question being asked is not really the question. I therefore have reframed the question and during the next meeting with my expert I will put this re framed question to him. This is a strategic conversation. I had been thinking about how I could enable understanding for the expert in an engaging way about my findings and how re framing the question could enlighten us to the real issues and therefore create the aligned opportunities. Reflecting on this then, I shall enable this strategic conversation and also look to do this with others in the future with prototyping. I shall take pens, paper, play dough etc and hope that the conversation with my expert will be enlightening and lead us to understanding each other better and collaborate more effectively.
Prototypes bring people together
Protoyping with Sarah Cox today explored how prototyping can bring people together.
Rhinow et al (2012) suggests prototyping manifests user feedback, improves user experience and is a force to converge thinking during the design process. Sarah discussed how prototyping can lead us towards developing ways that we, as designers can enable conversations. Sarah then gave us a brief to create a prototype for a workshop or conversation for a Public sector organisation to improve the long term health of its service. We started by brainstorming the subject thinking about using the following headings – Activities, Environment, interactions, Objects, Users.
The group became stuck thinking about what the needs of our workshop should be. It was during this phase that I reflected on the process and suggested that we trust our tools and rather than just use the tools for others to find opportunities, that we use this principle ourselves. I suggested that we each develop an empathy map for a user of our choice from those identified. In the map we should consider the person in relation to their situation as well as in relation to the workshop. From this we created journey maps for 4 different people with different needs, realising pain points and opportunities. We then built the workshop environment which enabled us to consider further and highlighted other issues. On reflection, as a group, when we were getting stuck, individuals were becoming disengaged and frustrated. However, when we stared using our tools we became more cohesive and as the journeys of our empathy maps interconnected and became visual, the group became more engaged and there was clearer understanding. This has taught me something which is crucial to my project. If I am to bring people together, then I need to trust my tools. They do not only lead other stakeholders towards opportunities, they lead me towards opportunities in developing opportunities for others. Reflecting on this new knowledge, I will aim to trust my prototyping tools, because I have seen the evidence of how they bring people together.
Is this the problem?
Prior to meeting the IRISS team, I read ‘Insights – preventing social isolation and loneliness in older people’ Collins, E (2014). This introduced me to some facts underpinning the project. It was a literature review social isolation and loneliness. It discussed the impact that practitioners in health and social care could have on raising awareness enable a preventative approach. It stated, ‘There is a need for workforce training and development to support practitioners to embrace these recommendations’. IRISS explained the need to enable frontline staff was important and thoughts around this are developing cards for influence. I reflected about how frontline staff within the public sector are increasingly handed tools to enable, however at times are not supported with the basic needs of time and finance to implement and innovate through these tools and constraints disempower and are non negotiable. During the conversation I reflected on our work during the week and discussions around are we asking the right questions. I felt very uneasy, however challenged what was being asked of us – was this the right question? There was interesting discussion and I reflected, considering how the question could be answered to and the deliverable provided, with something which could make a difference. My considerations for the cards could be around creating environments where practitioners participate and collaborate towards finding opportunities. Cards to enable stakeholders to work together, to have strategic conversations, to understand and gain others perspectives within an enabling environment. If we develop cards which are passed to frontline staff, do managers know how it is impacting workload and because this issue takes preference, will some other problem arise? Should these issues be placed soley on frontline staff?
On reflection, it is clear then that participation and collaboration needs to happen. As discussed in the week with Selina Law and Sarah Cox there are effective processes towards this and if we do not use the principles of design thinking, we are at risk of trying to create opportunities which may compound issues for some. So reflecting on this, it is difficult to ask, ‘Is this the right question?’, because there may have been significant time invested prior to a designers involvement. The challenge therefore lies in how I can creatively deliver in a way which will enable environments where stakeholders can create opportunities together. For my Masters project therefore, these considerations will be essential and my learning would suggest that prototyping could be the key!
Reflection – for future considerations
We were to meet with two stakeholders interested in the IRISS project, a Project Manager and a volunteer. I saw this as an opportunity to gain some understanding of the people who would hope to benefit from the project. I started reflecting on what we had considered earlier in the week about creating the best environment to explore questions and how to get the best from conversations with people. I reflected on the day we had with Selina Law and Sarah Cox and how I could use the learning from those days in this. I made up some open questions and then, with another member of the group thought about how we could make and build. On a Friday afternoon there was the potential for lethargy to be in the room, so reflecting in action I recognised the need to use the tools we trust to engage and have profitable conversations. We thought about the tool developed the day before, ‘A day in the life of…’, to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities of the stakeholders day. As we were preparing and waiting on the stakeholders to join us, I could see that energy levels in the studio were starting to reduce and I reflected (Marks-Moran and Rose, 1997) on Louise Valentines thoughts about energisers. I encouraged everyone up on their feet and we played a couple of games, it created some laughs and some expressed that they felt energised. On reflection of this, I need to be aware of this during my project for not only the stakeholders but also myself. I need to remember that simple energisers can make a difference. In the future I could use some games or whatever is appropriate to lift the energy levels. Reflecting on this has enlightened me to realise that the recognition of energy levels reducing and being an active agent in attempting to influence it can encourage others in their enthusiasm for doing this as well, it may even be slightly infectious. I think it is the reflecting in and on action which influences my considerations.
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