Prototyping empathy – Design and prospective project
“Understanding and Connecting with me as I get Young”
Project architects:
Benjamin Walker, Industrial designer in charge of the masters program ‘Responsible Innovation at l’Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique
Elyssa Sfar, Design strategist and coordinator of the Responsible Innovation Masters Program
Nathalie Ciprian, head of postgraduate studies, l’Ecole de Design, Nantes Atlantiqu
Sue Alouche, Design strategies and Aged design specialist
Number of credits: 5 ECTS
Organization: 1 x 5 day workshop
Overview:
In the context of the European TANGO project, this workshop will look at prototyping empathy in a transgenerational context.
The aim of the project is to come up with a toolkit of methodologies to model intergenerational empathy. These methodologies will be illustrated by “concept-products”, or scenarios for prospective use.
Skills objectives:
- To be able to identify and develop a range of methodologies to prototype empathy.
- Creativity in a co-designing context.
- To be able to share cross cultural research and experiences.
- To be capable of implementing a methodological thought process adapted to the complexity of the topic.
- To be capable of communicating the process and results in the form of a design project.
Teaching objectives:
Exploring 7 themes for transgeneration empathy:
- Impacts of physical ageing
- Memory
- Health
- Sexuality
- Autonomy – socialization, isolation
- Youth in the world of Adults
- Older generations empathizing with digital natives and broader challenges of generation z.
The Empathy model – is it possible to build a toolkit of methodologies to facilitate this?
Design workshop led by a designer and a design strategist professor.
Students may also be supervised by key figures (Mme. Sue Alouche) with an involvement in the project.
Working in small groups of local and international students (ideally 3-4) each thematic group will be responsible for identifying a design opportunity (problem), developing and prototyping an ‘Empathy methodology’ – an experience that illustrates enhances our understanding of the problem (empathy), and creatively ideate and communicate a TANGO scenario.
While the processes of analysis and creation constantly alternate and overlap, the project is punctuated by intermediary presentations defining 2 phases.
Phase 1: Context analysis and preliminary designs, proposals (end of day 2)
Phase 2: Prototyped Empathy expressed through innovative methodologies and illustrative design concepts. (end of day 5
Methods:
Learning through the completion of a project:
- workshop (group work and personalised follow-up): exchanging ideas, researching and sharing information, creative research, analysis and synthesis and prototyping emapthy
- lessons and examples providing aspects of methodology or knowledge input depending on the project.
Planning:
| AM | PM | |
| Monday | Kickoff Presentations and group organization
Walker, Sfarr, Alouche |
Group work
Walker, Sfarr |
| Tuesday | Topical discussion and group work
Walker, Sfarr, Alouche |
Group work with initial presentaion
Walker, Sfarr |
| Wednesday | Group work | Group work |
| Thursday | ‘free time’French students have a ‘suivi’ for their project long. | Informal consultation with Sue Alouche and Ben Walker |
| Friday | Presentation preparation
Walker, Sfarr |
Final Presentation
Walker, Sfarr, Alouche |
Exhibitable deliverables:
- Tool kit to model empathy (physical prototype on unrestricted media)
- User Scenarios presented in poster/video form
Assessment:
Clarity and efficiency of the design methodologie(s)
Richness and innovation in the capacity to empathise through design.
Group presentations will be held on the afternoon Friday May 25th in Sottsass auditorium. The criteria of assessment will be based around:
- definition of a empathy opportunities with reference to determined theme
- conception and exploration of methodologies (Tools)
- realization of production stages
- presentation of prototyped empathy ‘tool’
