Design for Social Change

A few weeks ago, I finished up a short course I had been eyeing for quite some time, called Design for Social Change with Kara Pecknold. Although it was pretty intense and fast paced, which left me feeling frustrated at times, (Kara adamantly forewarned us we would! We only had 6 classes.) it was definitely a good challenge and it took me out of my comfort zone and made me broaden my design thinking.

Our mini version of Dinner with a Side of Design

photo courtesy of Kara Pecknold at Olivelife

Springboarding from IDEO's Human Centered Design Toolkit, we began digging through the concepts and methods for designing with social aspects in mind. I learned that social change is not the same as raising awareness - social change has to be measurable, with units in social metrics (like job creation, training, improved health) as opposed to just dollars.

One team's concept and research shown with candy!

By the third class, we were split into groups that chose three different sectors. From there we learned and executed multiple design research methods. My group, which focused on the sector of health, tried a unique text prompting method where we texted participants the same question twice a day, for two days to get an immediate, in-the-moment-type of response.

Research Method: Text Prompting

photo courtesy of Kara Pecknold at Olivelife

My group ended up concentrating on health within the workplace, while another group

researched systems for socially responsible procurement methods with businesses in the DTES. Another group chose to rethink the transient space at Georgia Street and Granville.

Rethinking the space at Georgia and Granville

photo courtesy of Kara Pecknold at Olivelife

Our last class ended with a mini version of Dinner with a Side of Design, where we ate and brainstormed about a city of the future amongst fellow classmates and guest designers. During this last class, we also pitched our final prototypes to the guest panel.

Hunchback Bob before the wonderful posture improving product, SitFit

photo courtesy of Kara Pecknold at Olivelife

My group (we had a student industrial designer, Ben, in our group, yay!) prototyped a product that encouraged better health in the workplace, by creating a Wii-like device that could monitor posture and prompt one to drink water or take a break. It was pretty silly but thankfully it was the idea, the journey and the execution that mattered. We presented a story of Hunchback Bob who demonstrated the benefits of this product. I wrote and illustrated the story while Sue super powerpointed the research to bring it all together.

Not all designs for social change is a physical product. One group came up with a procurement system, executed on a website.

Another group conceptualized a community space and structure.

I think I would have enjoyed having more time to read case studies and examples of design that worked for social change, and learned more about the execution methods, funding options or where one goes after the pitch, but alas that's a lot to cover.

All in all, it was a very challenging course, but it gave me something to think about in regards to how my animation can incorporate aspects of social change. I'm not exactly sure how just yet, but it's always refreshing when animation can be more than mere entertainment.

I took a lot away from this one quote, which I like very much:

"Fail often to succeed sooner." - IDEO

*edit*

Here's how the giraffe on SitFit topples over if your posture is next to dismal

photo courtesy of Kara Pecknold at Olivelife

Here's a TV commercial for Smirnoff Rocket that I helped design and animate a couple of months ago. We were told to reference the styles of Roy Lichtenstein and Shepard Fairey. I animated the liquid pour, some characters and designed the last group of people in the party scene.

I've updated all the videos on my blog to be sourced from my Vimeo and be in HD. So embed codes and links in past posts have changed and they are now supposedly iPad, iPhone, and Flash friendly. Huzzah!

Here are the other two HST animations I helped with. I animated the top one, and I helped pose the 2nd one.

This month, we are having a referendum to vote for or against our controversial Harmonized Sales Tax here in BC. This is an animation I did for HSTinBC.ca, with Anik from Dancing Line Productions.

Do you know how you will vote? I'm still doing my reading and research. If you have any links to share about the HST's pros and cons, please let me know!

Burger Love

A wedding gift for my good friend Karen. They love to travel in search of good food.

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Relief Fundraising Update!

Total donations raised as of today from print sales: $3907!* $4907!

(*update: Oops, I forgot to include the $1000 that ING Direct matched)

Being that it's just a little over 2 months since the disaster hit Japan, I thought I should update you all on how much my cousin and I have raised so far in donations. She is up to $2000 USD, which has gone to Mercy Corps via Artists Help Japan, and I'm at $1907 $2907 CDN, which has gone to the Canadian Red Cross. Thanks so much!

Here's a picture taken by Sota from Crane for a Dollar at the VIVO fundraising event in March 2011. Sota has been selling buttons for a dollar and is going around local elementary schools here in the Lower Mainland, to teach kids about what happened in Japan and what it means to be compassionate, alongside button making and crane folding. He has partnered with local businesses to raise funds for Japan. Check out his website for the great work he's doing.

As for my prints, there are still some available online at my Etsy store, or at a couple of places like Blim, Blim's monthly market, and supposedly the Nikkei Centre's gift shop.

Thanks again to all who are supporting the relief efforts in Japan. We wish the victims in Japan the best in their recovery. There are daffodils growing amongst the tsunami ruins. Spring has arrived.

I sewed a ukulele bag a couple of weekends ago. I modified a box pouch pattern to create a tapered case. It's a pretty snug fit. This blog makes it look like I like to sew, but I actually don't... I realize I keep doing it cuz it's an easy way to create things in styles I like... yar... you win sewing.