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Final Written Report

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D – Describe objectively what you learned

The subject of my project is the ageing of the population. For the final graduation project, I tried to apply all the knowledge and techniques I have learned to my project, including user research, 5C design methodology, empathy map, storyboard, mood board, photo narrative, persona, user experience map, mockup, user testing, speculative design and so on. I pay attention to the correlation between different design methods, and carry out creative upgrades on this basis. For example, I combined the design method of persona with illustration technology, and the contents displayed by the interface are combined with the moving effects. The most significant thing I realised during this period is that I can find out the real needs of some users when I used these design methods. Because my theme is the ageing of the population, the target users are senior citizens over 55 years old, I call them the elderly people. To be honest, I have no idea about them. I imagined their behaviors before the research. However, I can only use these design methods to find the problems, in order to solve the potential needs.

I divided the final project into four modules. First, User Research, which helped me identify the topic and explore potential issues by a series of research methods. Second, App design, It helped me to solve the real needs of users in the form of application and focus on how to improve the design methods to enhance the user experience. Third, Product design, an interactive device is designed to facilitate communication between users while they use the application. The last one, Interface design, I added the moving effects in the interface to present visual contents with a better way and displayed the using scene of the application and the interactive device. Finally, it can help users get a good understanding. During this year's study, I learned various design methods and techniques for user research, and developed the app design, moving effects design, illustration skills, video editing skills, and some techniques for writing code. In the final project, I also used the skills of industrial design that I acquired from undergraduate courses. The previous work experience has always required me to keep a high level of practice and completion of these techniques, in order to solve potential problems while demonstrating the best visual outcomes. By completing the final project, I displayed the methods and techniques that I have learned in the modules. I have always been passionate about design, and this motivation has driven me to explore and promote the development of the project.

I-Interpret the insight

According to my research, I found that more than 70 countries around the world having ageing population in 2015. In the near future, this phenomenon will causes many problems so that we need to prepare for these challenges in advance. Therefore, my insight is that elderly people often feel lonely because their children are busy with careers and their friends live in different parts of the world so that it is difficult to get in touch. Moreover, I think a citizen needs to pay more attention to mental health of the elderly because they can be affected by loneliness. 

Focusing on mental and physical health of elderly people is one of the signs of social progress. I tried to use the method of design that I have learned to reduce the impact of loneliness. Therefore, I set a question, "How might we help elderly people to reduce the impact of loneliness and stay active?" In order to get a suitable way of solution, I interviewed many elderly people on the street and recorded them as the form of photo narrative. I found that these interviewees said that they would not feel lonely although their children lived in other cities. But they spent a lot of time sharing with me the stories of their youth, perhaps such a narrative way is one of the ways that they solve loneliness. On this basis, I came to the Starlight which is a healthcare agency in Southampton. I met some elderly people there that they are very friendly and willing to take the time to help my research. I found that their usual life was peaceful and routine, but they had a strong interest on me today. It is very fresh for them because I have an Asian face and few students like me come to interview. They learned about the developments of China from me. What did China and the United Kingdom do during World War II, as well as some Chinese culture, such as the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Chinese Go. Maybe I brought some freshness to their peaceful life. Therefore, I found that the target users are still curious about the world. If I can design a platform that allows elderly people who have common interests from different countries to share their cultures and hobbies, it may be a useful way to reduce the influence of loneliness and remain active. I recorded the experience as a user experience map and it is support for my insight.

E-Evaluate what you have learned

These understandings are important in a number of ways. First, research is the foundation of all work, and all methods of research are strong support for the final outcomes. Interaction design is an approach of user-centric design that requires designers concentrate on the real needs of users. With the development of research work, each methods of research helped me to promote the progress of the final project. I gradually discovered the problems and potential needs faced by users, which confirmed the design ideas and ultimately met the user's needs in useful ways. Second, the methodology of application design includes wireframes, low-fidelity prototypes, high-fidelity prototypes, user testing, mockup and more. They help me better understand the user's usage behaviors and the logical framework when operating the application. These design methods provide scientific and effective guidance for completing the final project. I can meet user needs and improve their experience, when I use these methods to deal with difficult and complex problems. The third point is the product design. I think there will be more and more interactive devices in the near future, and such devices will provide a lot of convenience for human life. Therefore, I applied this design approach in the final project. It helps me construct interactive devices in a three-dimensional view, which helping users solve the problem of distance, and it is convenient for users to join the entertainment activities and real-time interaction between them. The last one, interface design. The initial purpose of this module is to show the users how to use the yelder APP and interactive devices. Detailed instructions were written at each step and a great visual layout was designed. Due to the correlation between different design methods, I upgraded my creativity. I combined the interface design with the moving effects to highlight the visual effect of the works, and brought a good viewing experience to the users. In conclusion, I tried to apply all the design methods to the final project, because these methods are really useful. I think that by practicing these scientific design methods, we can design excellent works.

P – Plan how this learning will be applied in practice 

These new insights will be useful in my future career as an independent designer. As I described before, I tried to apply all the methods to the final project, in order to test whether I have mastered these techniques, and what else I need to be strengthen. The final project is a summary of the academic in this year, which will have a huge impact on future about learning and working. Design is a great subject because it can change a little bit of the world. What people see, what they hear, and what they feel can be designed to make better, which gives people a better experience. This is one of the reasons why I am learning design. Before coming to study in the UK, I was an employee who working in a company, which main job is designing the business projects. In my future career, I plan to be an independent designer, which means more professional skills and more scientific approachs. Because I need to be responsible for the whole works instead of completing part of tasks in the company. I will try to further explore my personal style and incorporate my thoughts and insights into my personal works. These design methods that I have learned will provide strong protection for my works. Moreover, I will continue to practice these design methods, and I found that many creative ideas were born in practice. At the same time, I will pay attention to the relevance of design methods and try to master different styles to express outstanding works. In conclusion, being a excellent independent designer is one of my dreams. I will continue to practice the techniques I have mastered and continue to learn new ways in the future career. In the end, I hope to leave my works somewhere, so that people can know me from the works.

Reference

1. Max Roser, Hannah Ritchie and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina.(2013) Population of the world today, https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth
2. Dubberly, H.(2004)How do you Design? A Compendium of Models
3. Rose, D Enchanted Objects: Innovation, Design, and the Future of Technology, Scribner Book Company, 2015
4. https://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Global_economics/The_ageing_population.html
5. https://www.who.int/features/qa/72/en/
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_ageing
7. Steven Johnson: Where good Ideas come from
8. Ingledew, J. (2011) The A-Z of Visual Ideas : How to Solve any Creative Brief Publisher: Laurence King