y2s1
week 1.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
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Year 2 has officially begun. Today's first class brings to our attention the module on design insights, a basis of strategic thinking that immerses us with awareness and critical thinking for the future of design that fits our world today.
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As Bruce Maus has said “Practically everything we do today needs to change”.
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Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous or “VUCA” reinforces the importance of design insights as a core aspect of forward-thinking design. It's a collective of factors that highlight liabilities should we overlook them. And allows us to carefully consider all matters of research and strategy to progressively develop our world through design.
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Weekly entry
Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous or VUCA reinforces the importance of design insights as a core aspect of forward-thinking design. VUCA illustrates a collective of factors and underlying detriments of societal progression. Gavin Wright and Ivy Wigmore point out that the proper use of VUCA is to apply it to a situation to help quantify risks and create mitigation strategies.
Design is about envisioning concepts and changing opinions. It is a product to enhance, innovate and redefine the quality of life. It embodies expressionism through creativity in the form of practicality and alleviates the everyday problems of society. Design employs and deploys strategies in our world-building. Across the globe, design thinking is the tool to counter specific circumstances that may not be found elsewhere. Due to the vast opportunities where design exists, it is often subject to the defining space available to communicate it. Kenya Hara, the CEO of 'MUJI' said in an interview, 'Designers shouldn't come up with philosophical ideas, but rather philosophers should instead do some designing.' The same can be said afterwards when that ideology is applied to engineers, politicians and any public service job title. I believe practising or knowing about design is the best way to make sense of the world around me. It leads me to celebrate or partake in the creativity the human mind is capable of and gives me a sense of belonging in the context of society in Singapore.
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07.08.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
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For design insights there were questions posed about how ethics and morals come into design and if it should be considered as a designer. This would personally relate to priorities and where the designer stands within society today. Eugenics was mentioned in class by Johnston and I thought it was a great example of how ethics and morals come into play with this creation. It is made for the right reasons, as it can help a long line of people who have inherited a certain bad gene for generations. But is it stepping over the line as to how we are changing the course of nature? As someone who grew up in a religious household, I am torn knowing that someone has essentially become God with this technology. Not to mention a potential evil lying in this technology because of the limitless possibilities science will push for.
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Personally, I design to help society progress, but a designer should also hold their beliefs true to themselves as it will reflect the way they are perceived. I do not want to have any regrets in the future for a previous design that might have rubbed people the wrong way when my reputation is on the line. So for me, I’d pay close attention to ethics and morals when designing to not get ridiculed.
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11.08.23
week 2.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
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How does change happen? A video shared on screen in the lecture shows a lone man dancing and looking like a fool in a social gathering of hundreds of people. Someone else joins him and that slowly sparks a mass gathering of people dancing around where now the reverse is true of those who are not part of the fun and look like fools. Recognising trends and changes is important by finding the right opportunities. There's no movement if not for the first follower of a leader. A lone nut is only a leader after the next person joins him/her to do whatever it is they’re doing or believe in.
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What is a trend report? A research report that explores specific areas that forecasts the future. It's an analysis about potential changes that may happen upcoming in the industry. Historical context and data should be the focus of 90% of this trend report, it's a combination of past and present data.
STEEP is a research method that was introduced to us through this lecture that serves as a guiding principle to better dictate our trend report analysis.
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Weekly entry
Change happens due to specific points in time where I craved for something I could feel proud about as part of my identity. For instance, a lifestyle change when I started cooking because I craved food that I liked to eat and I really wanted to prove to myself that good food can also be found when you put enough effort into making it. A physical change when I started working out in the gym to build a bigger body from my scrawny appearance as I used to be picked on by some of my classmates and seniors in primary school. I also overhauled my wardrobe to be more updated to fashion trends as I was a growing teenager concerned about outward appearances and the judgment of my peers. Of which I was also teased because of the way I dressed and my outward appearance in the design faculty of ITE.
These weren’t big life changes that were going to make a major difference at the time, but I did remember thinking about the positive social response I would get if I acted on them. Ultimately, because of these changes I was able to build my identity from it. This got me curious and made me want to explore my capabilities as an individual. Whether or not this defines me as a person today, I am glad that I pursued these changes as it gave me a broad new perspective on society. I believe these changes helped me connect with people I know today and I can’t imagine a different me if I didn’t decide to act on them. In conclusion, change is a subjective matter of influences but how we choose to react will determine the maturity of growth.
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14.08.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
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My chosen topic in the miro board was quality of life through design, on the subject of “Integrated architecture with home, parks and leisure”. To use PESTLE or STEEP to describe the research in depth (which will definitely help) and present the analysis on Friday next week.
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There was also a sharing in class about our journal entry for the week which describes the changes we went through in life and its impact on us. One sharing after another led to me sharing about my gf, friends, family and how they have significantly impacted my life. Homework was to focus on research for STEEP to really understand if I can proceed with the trend report.
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18.08.23
week 3.
21.08.23
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
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Design involves many psychological aspects within society as a result of world-changing circumstances. Although technology is taking the forefront in society, human interaction will remain a priority in areas such as civil, healthcare and hospitality services. Design through technology cannot be for technology’s sake but must serve human needs. Through the lesson, I got to learn about space10. They are part of Ikea working as an individual design research lab producing projects and selling to potential clients after their completion.
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Weekly entry
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Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
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Today Johnston just focused on STEEP analysis as individual students presented their STEEP. Throughout the class, he emphasized how we should research information from the past or present and less about the future. This is to ensure we understand current societal standards before any assumptions about the future. Urban hubs built away from neighbourhoods create inaccessibility for the ageing population. Cognitive challenges and other health factors can come with safety concerns every time seniors leave their homes. With ‘STEEP’ analysis, it enables designers to focus on different aspects of society that can influence the desirability of age-friendly design.
25.08.23
week 4.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
Trend vs Fad:
Trends are long term and are socially constructed with a continuous influence over a period of time. Fads are short term and fade quickly in its existence.
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Signals and Drivers:
Signals present changes or hints for possible futures. This can be seen in products, events and experiences. Drivers are trends that will make a significant impact on the future, it goes across multiple industries and practices.
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Horizon Scanning:
It is a foresight method that utilizes a systematic process that allows us to spot trends before it becomes mainstream. Identifying key points to shape desired and preferable futures.
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28.08.23
week 5.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
Predictions are unrealistic when understanding future thinking, instead look at connections between tech, society, economy and organisation. It’s about looking for the big picture, being ready and seeking new possibilities.
STEEP, horizon scans and signal triangulation are to gain certain foresight. Some trend signals include tech, application, product/service/experience, personal observations, and news stories. The future is collaborative, it requires diverse views to have rigorous information on a forecast. A community is usually better to contribute and exchange knowledge forming a better view of the future.
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04.09.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
Today I presented my STEEP analysis to Johnston and found that my social, technological, and economical factors did not provide enough impact on my subtopic to push age friendly urbanism forward. I plan to research more on the relevant insight categories, especially statistics to boost the justification for this topic.
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08.09.23
week 6.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
Signal triangulation helps us to define purpose, ideas and aspects of future thinking. Various signals provide evidence for how the world is moving in a certain direction. This cements the need for new solutions to be thought through and guides us toward a probable future.
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11.09.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
I redid some parts of my STEEP today and realized that I haven't done a clear analysis. Johnston reviewed it and said that I am on the right track but I just need to analyze the information I’ve gathered and how it applies to me as a designer. It felt like a small comment to allow myself to have a clearer vision of what I really want.
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15.09.23
week 7.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
Future Cities workshop placed emphasis on roleplaying, exploring the possibilities of how different occupations can contribute to a unique world scenario. It opened our minds to think differently and see things from a different perspective that we are not used to outside our own thinking. With over 100 jobs to choose from, I tried to look out for something fun such as a media recorder (DJ) and treated it with a little bit of novelty. The scenario was related to the current covid-19 endemic so I just considered the similar issues that clubs and concerts would have to face because of the circuit breaker and lockdowns.
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18.09.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
STEEP is all about analysing everything that needs to be explored until there is enough evidence for the trend research report to be well documented. For Singapore's ageing population, there is much information that can be found in the way Singapore is striving for an age-friendly city onward to 2030. Beyond that, inclusivity should always be considered when developing urban spaces.
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11.09.23
week 8.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
Future Cities workshop placed emphasis on roleplaying, exploring the possibilities of how different occupations can contribute to a unique world scenario. It opened our minds to think differently and see things from a different perspective that we are not used to outside our own thinking. With over 100 jobs to choose from, I tried to look out for something fun such as a media recorder (DJ) and treated it with a little bit of novelty. The scenario was related to the current covid-19 endemic so I just considered the similar issues that clubs and concerts would have to face because of the circuit breaker and lockdowns.
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25.09.23
11.09.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
STEEP is all about analysing everything that needs to be explored until there is enough evidence for the trend research report to be well documented. For Singapore's ageing population, there is much information that can be found in the way Singapore is striving for an age-friendly city onward to 2030. Beyond that, inclusivity should always be considered when developing urban spaces.
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week 9.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
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Natalie, our guest speaker is a designer who specialises in branding, and packaging design. She is someone who loves nature and tries to use her expertise as a way to raise awareness for the environment and plastic waste. With that, there are various roles of design that is happening now, design as an entrepreneur, design as a salesperson, design as an educator, and design as an advocate. She shared with us about being a climate designer, designers who use their knowledge and expertise to combat climate change. Solar punk was a cool introduction to the future of solar power, integrating nature and technology. Life-centred design is an extension of human-centred design with a focus on life and the existence of everything around us.
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02.10.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
Week 9 reflection will be based on NDC’s 50 years of Singapore design. Johnston brought up some research examples to help us better understand horizon scanning and looking for signals. STEEP can be talked about how it fits in our subtopic. Environmental for example, can be tackled based on micro spaces and not always on the macro aspect of the nation and the global state. One takeaway from the tutorial is whether technology truly is necessary for the future. Is lab-grown meat more sustainable? Does it signal that Singaporeans are more accepting of lab-grown meat?
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06.10.23
week 10.
Design Insights (lecture)
Mr Johnston
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There wasn't much that I did today for DI, other than hearing other people present their horizon and triangulation. It helped in a sense so that I was able to gain some insights on how it should be done for my own horizon and triangulation.
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09.10.23
Design Insights (tutorial)
Mr Johnston
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I shared with Johnston about my final horizon scan and the triangulation by following other class examples over previous weeks. Johnston thought it was good and said I could proceed to do the trend report. However, he did warn me about the solutions not being too direct such as having a button in the home for the elderly to press or having a handrail, but rather to understand the overall topic to consider a creative solution.
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13.10.23
design_studio
week 1.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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This first class in DS touched on cross disciplinary collaboration with different specialities in our teams. Mr Jason gave us a lecture about team culture norms and did a team building exercise that can help break the ice and got us to know our teammates better.
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Coincidentally all of us are born in September so we named our group “Septembruh” LOL. Robin comes from a 3D background while Yilin is from Comms. Through the team building exercise we all agreed on no specific leader in this group and all of us should be able to work cooperatively to reach the final outcome at the end of week 7.
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We also learned about IDEO which talks about the type of person we are as designers and people. It helps us organize and distribute ourselves effectively as a unit so that we may help understand each other's strengths and capitalize on it. I see myself as an "experience architect", "Caregiver", "Collaborator" and "Hurdler".
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Through this studio lecture, I realize that I have to be more forward thinking and out spoken. Although skillsets are integral to project management, presentation will be the defining factor from a viewer's perspective when hearing about our ideas. Since my groupmates are both 3D and comms with me having a background in comms, I realize that I may be able to provide background support on both sides if need be.
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08.08.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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Today’s lecture talked about the importance of design thinking. And how there are different aspects of design such as tech-driven, functional, business, and human-centred design.
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This lecture introduced us to the pyramid of essentials about living as individuals in society today. This helps us see the big picture of life so we can narrow down what and who we want to tackle within our society.
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The assignment for the next 7 weeks involves a form of service design inspired by a past product through the group setting. 'Septembruh' did a quick portfolio-sharing session so everyone knows what the other’s strengths are. Robin specializes in 3D while Yilin is an artist animator. Initially, we thought of going with one of Robin’s products but we decided on one of my past project ideas instead.
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LSN article Quiet Mode talks about people wanting more freedom of privacy to focus on their lives without the added stress or pressure the fast-paced world and social media bring. Different brands have responded by hyper-contextualizing their product experience for users to enjoy their version of what it means to have quietness.
LSN article Mass Movement talks about how the pandemic has changed how physical activities mean to them. Where everyday outdoor activities become more akin to a social event, they bring a sense of novelty because of the added connection people and nature bring.
10.08.23
week 2.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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Today I couldn't attend onsite lessons as I was COVID-19 positive, but my group mates and I had an online discussion before class to clarify what we wanted to do for this project. We went back and forth in deciding whether to design for 21-29 y/o or cancer patients. I kept pushing for us to do a different meal plan than I did with the original project. However, we ended the call by settling for the popup store where people could come by and try the bento-type meals.
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Feedback from the class was to centre around an app that acts as a delivery service since cancer patients won't always be in the hospital. Some ideas inspired by featured services were also discussed in my group like randomized meal-boxes. There was another good aspect of brainstorming which was the consumer journey, helping us with the process of consumer interaction.
There was a case study presented to us in the form of an article about Singapore Airlines
on why it represents the best example of service and hospitality.
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Reflection questions on SIA (Singapore International Airlines):
What would personas be like?
People who value hospitality, comfort, welfare and quality of service.
What was the opportunity identified?
To be more than Airbus, to be a hospitality service first.
Can you define the user journey?
Go airport with luggage, check-in, wait around, enter Airbus, place civilian bags at seat storage, sit and put on seatbelt, steward service.
Can you imagine what is involved in the service blueprint?
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15.08.23
17.08.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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Study about different people and survey our target audience to create a persona or personas. Knowing what personas do during their free time can be a potential strength for a touchpoint for our product to reach out to the market. Service blueprint to establish an internal network of services and processes that deliver the experience to the consumer.
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Our project was tweaked to become more of a food delivery service that works with F&B brands and hospitals to develop specially designed menus for patients going through cancer treatment such as chemo and radiotherapy. There is a lot to consider for this brand as Remy mentioned that its strong but requires more research while Jason has seen the potential pitfalls of different cancers.
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week 3.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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Market research is quantitative and design research is qualitative. Market research seeks to understand ‘WHO’, and ‘WHAT’ and focuses on understanding the consumer. Market research is also more about informational data and economic statistics.
Design research is about ‘WHY’ and leans more on the direct user. It also narrows down its focus to a subset of people, focusing on values and what they desire. There are various ways to conduct qualitative research such as user interviews, shadowing and role-playing.
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Project Research
We pitched our new food for mental health idea to Jason and he thought it makes sense. But he told us that we just need to understand more factual knowledge through rigorous research, primary research regarding health, psychiatrists, and dieticians. Secondary sources such as psychiatric, and dietary books were suggested to understand the topic better.
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22.08.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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This lesson was focused on sharing updated problem statement pitches and consultations. Our group presented our idea of food for mental health through gamification. Feedback was given from Raksita and Nanda about how the app makes sense for better management of one’s mental health but probably requires a clearer explanation of vision through the actual execution. There were also questions from Remy about how to incentivise the usage of the app and how we can blend the gamification aspect with the food service. Both Remy and Jason gave us feedback about how the app itself is one of its kind, allowing us to capitalize on this USP through the execution strategy.
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Remy had given valuable feedback that sparked consideration of whether we were able to draw consumers back to the app consistently. For that, rewards between the gamification aspect and food are required to provide consistent incentives. Robin, YiLin and I were able to agree that we can start on our design executions.
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25.08.23
week 4.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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Presentation is about creating a narrative, not just the problem but the story behind it. What, How, Why, Wow, explains the process of questioning and the ultimate intended result. The 3 elements of good storytelling are Explain, Engage, and Enlighten. This allows us to form a strong focus and curates a good experience. Using these guiding principles, my group aims to establish an exciting and engaging narrative through the app user interface with gamification, creating a solid emotional connection with the target audience. We intend to create slides that will be easily understandable and didn't want to force a lot of information toward the audience.
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29.08.23
31.08.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
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Presentation slides feedback
We need more connecting research for mental health and food. “Have you eaten” is commonly used to show love and care toward people and is also a way the app can interact with users. Through today’s presentation, I’m able to understand that the focus of our app should be designed to be a subset within a larger service. The comments were as expected because our slides lacked any urgency to back up our focus that food and mental health should be connected.
week 5.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Online interclass presentation, multiple groups other than Mindfull presented. We got to see various presentation decks and the other class lecturer's feedback on them to better reflect on our project. Many groups had feedback regarding surface-level research and pinpointing an underlying issue. I also noticed that there were a lot of various interesting ideas whereby our group seemed abit plain and uninspiring. I just hope that the lecturers will be able to see the monetisation aspect of this business model, giving users an incentive to practice mental well-being activities that cope with stress.
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05.09.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Presentation for today’s feedback had a lot to do with diving deeper into the solution. Also I believe we did not provide the relevant rebuttal against his opinion on it just being an app as it was not emphasized enough. How do we combine food with mental wellness and take it to the next level and be more than just a side aspect? We create a space where food and mental wellness can be blended together to form a shared bond. Have creative empowerment that enables the individual to feel like they can get better by using this service space. I felt that Will’s comments may have come from a personal perspective in therapy rather than thinking about the big picture of a business as he believed it was greedy of us to implement this system. However I thought that he put out some good points to perhaps push our project to the next level.
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07.09.23
week 6.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Today marks the 2nd last consultation before the final submission. Our group had planned to create an added spatial feature to the project by utilizing pod spaces. In addition to the pop-up kitchen, we wanted to make someplace where the user can dine and relax while using our app to create that atmosphere.
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I had planned two approaches, one that scatters the pods around a campus or the other which incorporates a kitchen with pods looking like a flower. After consulting Remy and Jason, their comments about the kitchen with pods had to deal with lack of space on campuses, so this led us to conclude that the pop-up kitchens and pods would be a more feasible and sensible solution.
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12.09.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Today was the last consultation before the final submission… The project had been shifted to fit the pod space as planned, however upon our lecturer’s comments it felt like it had lost its focus. So we had a little discussion and realized that we should remove the pod space as it was shifting the focus of food.
We decided to implement a direct add-on to the app service instead, so we came up with points to earn when buying a bento set via QR code. We had to rework the storyboard, change the service blueprint again and tweak the app UI. But this time I believe we have a more cohesive service.
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14.09.23
week 9.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Jason told us that research should be the main focus at the start of the 2nd assignment and any ideas of solutions should not be thought about yet. Make sure there is enough relevancy to design a service, build on existing core businesses to provide stronger ground. Situational leadership will be based on the team members and their main roles. With teamwork is good to have diverse personality types such as introverts and extroverts as the work ethic and style is different.
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Reflection on Term 1:
What did you learn from working with students from
different disciplines?
2. How did cross-collaboration contribute to the project's
success?
3. Were there any misunderstandings or communication
barriers? How did you overcome them?
4. Did cross-collaboration lead to new insights or unexpected
outcomes?
5. Have the role you resonate with changed in any way, why?
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Working collaboratively with fellow students who possess diverse skills and abilities has significantly enhanced my understanding of the significance of teamwork when it comes to group projects. The presence of individuals from various fields of expertise has provided us with a platform to share distinct viewpoints and skill sets, thereby facilitating a comprehensive approach to problem-solving. This dynamic has played a pivotal role in our ability to successfully develop a suitable outcome. I firmly believe that our collective expertise in design has empowered us to address the project in a manner that is both straightforward and impactful, given the nature of the research and the challenges at hand. As a creative individual, I find myself continually inspired by the universal language of design, which transcends our diverse backgrounds. I am endlessly fascinated by the potential of combining different faculties to create innovative solutions that are tailored to our specific needs and objectives.
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03.10.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Field research is data collected out and about with a physical examination of a space or for a purpose to answer questions.
Businesses
- Building a business is having solutions that provide problems for returns and is not simply a product or service.
Principles of service design
-Services should be designed based on the purpose of the service | Services should be designed based on needs | Services should be designed to deliver efficient systems | Services should focus on value for users and customers | Services should understand how special events will be treated as common events | Services should always he designed with input from the users of service | services should be prototyped before being developed
- Empathy, having a perspective and understanding others
- Creative thinking, providing a tailored approach toward problem identification and solving
- Strong communication, reimagining person-to-machine communication
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05.10.23
week 10.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Asking the right questions will lead us in the right direction and can come up with viable solutions. Don't be too specific with questions and yet not too general, create a good balance in between. We presented our brand to the class and consulted with Jason about it. He was definitely interested in the direction and brand choice for its unique opportunity and unpredictability.
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10.10.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Our group had consulted on Tuesday already, so we decided to move on with developing our survey questions and send it out by today. The various questions we thought of included asking about what people thought about clubbing in general and finding out what our audience is interested in. We discussed and edited various segments of questions to curate mini-questionnaires for different answers and made sure we understood what we wanted to find out from every question.
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LSN Reading material
Future Forecast 2023: Retail
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Retail is one of the driving factors that boost Singapore's economy. Our focus on quality service and unprecedented approach to nation-building in line with tourism has made Singapore a forward-thinking country that puts us on the world map. This article touches on the human connection of future retail with elements of hyperphysical, digital and meta-physical aspects of experience. It allows brands to reach out to their customers from an emotional stance. This transparency between brand and consumer establishes a healthy relationship and ensures consumer loyalty toward the brand not because of its product only but its service. As a spatial designer, experience is most important for me to get in touch with the audience, the challenge to produce a meaningful time, where a brand connects with consumers beyond the business.
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12.10.23
week 11.
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
For studio, our group did a bunch of research that involved us heading to Drip Club on a Friday night. We noted down the observations that we found and discussed what we wanted to tackle as part of the problem statement. Our team was still stumped on narrowing down the direction forward, but I believe we are still on track to deliver the necessary insights and provide relevant research to elevate our brand.
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17.10.23
Design Studio
Mr Jason & Remy
Problem statement or also known as how might we statement.
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Background of problem
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People affected by the problem
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Impact of the problem on the organization
Value proposition statement
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Summarizes why the customer would choose our product or service
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Empowerment approach
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Customer loyalty and creating a sense of community/committee
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19.10.23
business_management
week 2.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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Today was our first introduction to the Business management module by this nice lecturer Mr Ngam Tee Woh. He started by giving us a formal introduction about his background, with various work and teaching experiences
Entrepreneurship is first a mindset of development motivated by surroundings and culture. It's a strategic approach to design with a heavy focus on the social and business aspects. It starts with an idea and ends with a product or service.
Is entrepreneurship scary?:
Entrepreneurs may face challenges especially when there is no benchmark or point of reference from a product standpoint. There's the obvious factor of potential monetary risk such as bankruptcy or if the market is timed wrongly. I think entrepreneurship is scary because it requires failure and it depends on the drive or motivation of the entrepreneur for him/her to want to push forward with the idea. But of course, it's a developmental process that stacks on top of one another better to produce more promising results of progression toward success.
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16.08.23
week 3.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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Are you more creative or logical?
I am more of a creative that thinks logically. I realize my thought process of thinking outside of the box can be hindered by the way I rationalize my thoughts. The way I think about my work now is always more on the research and thinking before the actual creativity. But when I joined Nafa for my diploma in 2017, I remembered always being more of an illustrative artist/designer. I was always interested in drawing when I was young before design, so perhaps that’s why I see the cat spinning anti-clockwise first, yet halfway through I caught it spinning clockwise for a bit.
If you were given a chance, what would your business opportunity be?:
My business opportunity would focus on how fashion is an outward expression of emotions and feelings. Creating a label that helps symbolize and promote themselves in a meaningful way where fashion is the tool. Less about specific trends, but rather about integrating graphics, techniques, and ornaments like a bespoke mixed media canvas representing their identity.
1. I love gaming, watching thrillers, thought-provoking media, food (Japanese, italian, chinese), drawing (used to), design, cooking, music, fashion, sleeping, hanging out, having sentimental talks, understanding psychological things, architecture things (recent liking)
2. I'm good at gaming, cooking, fashion, eating, rationalizing, designing (subjective)
3. Cooking carbonara/oxtail ragu (speciality), designing (spatial/graphic/fashion-ish), drawing
4. The world needs personality and identity in design. Designers need to be more appreciated for their contribution to society
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23.08.23
week 4.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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Innovation as a whole is a combination of a theoretical concept, technical and commercial exploitation. The importance of innovation is being able to sell it as a product/service brand. The various types of innovation include product, process and organisation. Innovation enables market changes, development and establishment within society. Sustaining innovation includes slowly building improvements to products/services eg McDonalds to McCafe.
Research to find 3 products/services that are considered as disruptive innovation: Apple, Amazon, Netflix
- Apple is an example of disruptive innovation for its reinvention of the touch-phone with the iPhone and continuous quality of refinement in its product/services.
- Amazon is disruptive as it started out as a bookstore. And has developed itself into full blown services with Amazon prime and being a trade distribution site.
- Netflix is an example of disruptive innovation as it started out as a renting business for DVDs and CDs. It started to change the industry by introducing a subscription based format for digital devices and made physical renting of media shows inconvenient and troublesome.
Research to find 3 new products by entrepreneurs with design background. Or, Alternatively, a designer who was collaborated with a big company to bring out a new product.
- Dyson airblade hand dryer
- Nespresso Coffee Machines
- Fitbit Fitness trackers
Research to find three new services where customers are co-creators.
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30.08.23
week 5.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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The rise of social media and tea's global popularity have boosted the boba tea industry. Social media platforms have helped market boba tea's visually appealing nature, and customization options allow customers to create their unique drinks. Innovations in toppings and flavors, fusion combinations, health-conscious options, and sustainability efforts have kept the industry thriving. Overall, the boba tea business continues to evolve and cater to diverse consumer preferences, making it a significant player in the food and beverage economy
Customer loyalty
Loyalty cards with stamps whereby you can redeem rewards
Innovation & Seasonal Products
Innovative tastes, seasonal products constantly draw customers back to the brand
What is the 9 blocks sequence of completion in a Business Model Canvas?
The 9 blocks of a business model canvas is...
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Key partners
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Key activities
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Key resources
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Value propositions
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Customer relationships
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Channels
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Customer segments
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Cost structure
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Revenue streams
Which are the areas which a Bubble Tea business must be efficient in?
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Customer relationships such as providing stamp cards, discounts
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Cost structure such as customising your bubble teas
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Key resources such as seasonal offerings, new products
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06.09.23
week 6.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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Ikigai
My Ikigai was made while he was giving us time to do it. I thought about what I liked to do and then went in an anti-clockwise direction. When I was done, Mr Ngiam gave feedback about what the world needs and how I should include more details when writing about it. There was a lack of underlying issues to talk about.
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13.09.23
week 7.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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1. Ask for specific amount of money for a specific goal
2. Let people see your investment and commitment
3. Communicate the plan and identify risks upfront
4. Talk to an attorney to structure a deal
Funding
Entrepreneurs seek to raise funds must have answers ready
- Debt Financing
- Borrow money for long-term or short-term
- Long-term is a bank
- Short-term is an institution
Venture capitalism is all about capital start-ups and expansion. Market researching and strategy for many businesses.
Venture capitalist looks at personality and experience, qualities they look for is humility. They look for products and whether it can grow in the economy
Customer segment
I believe Banksy is a psychographic as he sees things from his perspective view that’s different form the world.
demographic, psychographic, behavioural, geographic, and firmographic segmentation.
The value proposition of Banksy
Banksy has always been an anonymous artist in the world of graffiti art. His work comes off as sarcastic and is often a commentary about his views of the world. I think what brings value to Banksy is the fact that he refuses to be related or to be seen as a celebrity. Ironically, this lack of exposure whilst allowing his works to speak for itself everywhere
has led him to be even more valuable when it comes to working together with him.
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20.09.23
week 9.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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04.10.23
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week 10.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
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There are few types of businesses
Sole proprietor (u are the business, business is u, owner controls the business, business relies on the owner’s skills and abilities, raising capital can be hard, business ends at owners death or loss interest)
Partnerships (two or more people can start, partnerships are organised as general or limited liability partnerships, liability on part of partners is unlimited, business relies on the skills and abilities of a fixed amount of partners, decision making among partners is hared and disagreements can occur, business ends with the death or withdrawal of one partner unless stated)
Private limited (an independent separate body, private limited shields its owners, a company governed by a board elected private limited is taxed as a separate entity, double taxation, tax is is based on net income)
Limited liability partnership (operates as a partnership while having a separate legal identity like private limited, change in partners will not affect the existence)
Commonly used IP
Patents (licensing fees will be paid to the company that is patented)
Copyright Infringement (occurs when one work derives from another, a copyright owner is required to show that the alleged infringer had prior access)’
Trade secrets (trade secret is any formula or information with a competitive advantage in the marketplace, trade secrets include marketing plans, financial forecasts, employee rosters
Scenario 1:
A stay home mom who is very successful at making knitted dolls is asked by ACRA to start a business or cease operations immediately.
I will encourage her to continue doing what she does and maybe come up with a branding concept for her so that she can better realise her vision.
Scenario 2:
If your lecturer sub-contracts a portion of a design project to you and you had agreed to
complete in a week’s time. You then have received payment after delivering the design.
I will ask someone else to help me and by the end put it in my portfolio and submit for competitions if I can. Then i will credit part of it to myself.
Who owns the picture that we post on instagram on our personal account?
Instagram claims that the pictures we post on Instagram are credited to us and owned by us, but using their platform means that they are granted a non-exclusive license to use it, host or display whenever they see fit. We can end the non-exclusive license if we delete the account. The images are also protected by copyright.
Why do customer choose non original products over original products?
Brand values and services that are worthwhile investing? Quality-made products?
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11.10.23
week 11.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Wee Toh
​
Mr Ngiam shared about the UN's 17 sustainable development goals that aim to change the world. And with this in mind, many countries are contributing in different ways to help transform the way we live.
Success factors of Negotiation:
- sufficient time
- Clear objectives
- Subject knowledge
- Information about other parties
- Treating another person with respect
- Effective communication
- Handle conflicts (agree to disagree)
- Create win/win outcome
- Outcome and agreements recorded
- Agreements implemented
Benefits of negotiations:
- achievement of goals
- Greater sense of control
- Prevention and resolution of conflicts
- Rewards and credibility
- Better service
The Paris agreement
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Is sustainability just about recycling efforts?
Recycling is a way of sustainability for materials, but you have to weigh in other invaluable resources. Another way that sustainability can be done is by reusing and reducing of materials and products.
What does sustainability mean to you today?
I believe creatively, sustainability is first about having social responsibility and contributing to taking steps to be eco-friendly whilst still allowing for economic growth. First consider the well-being of people in communities, such as making quality-of-life adjustments or impacting people’s lives in meaningful ways such as cultural preservation for hawkers and wholesale markets. On top of this, eco-friendliness allows us to practice conscientiousness and preserve the world’s resources effectively in our lives such as reducing waste and pollution.
When was the last time you managed to get a good negotiation?
I think negotiations don’t necessarily need to be based on business or have any transactional benefits. However, there can be social negotiations between friends and loved ones that contribute to the well-being of the relationship. The willingness to compromise when it comes to going out with friends and family
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18.10.23
week 12.
Business_Management
Mr Ngiam Tee Woh
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What is the Long Term Outcome you are trying to achieve by coming to NAFA-UAL?
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- To improve my skillset and learning experience, and find my footing as a designer in the industry. Make long-term connections with other designers for collaborations, creative growth and knowledge. I want to explore design as a progressive format that builds the world around us and encompasses society as a whole.
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25.10.23