Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Project in the area of Waste in specific context to Bangalore
Waste is a complex issue. Bangalore produces 2000 tones of waste everyday. The centralized government composting plant can handle only 500 tonnes per day. The rest reaches dumps that are illegal. Till Bangalore gets a planned and efficient waste management programme, this situation is likely to continue. And the planned programme is no where in sight. Waste has always been an area that needs to be looked into and a lot of work is being done with it. I intend to create something that is sustainable, a strong survivor that arises from understanding the current state of waste in Bangalore and then co-creating a concept, design, system, service or product that would last the test of time and probably evolve with time in the field of waste. It cannot be understood by one person looking into the issue singularly. Lots of people have done work in this field for years and I do not feel that I can do justice by myself researching from the start on waste. I do not want to only use this traditional process of research. Instead, coupled with my own research, it would be of high value if I could use the expertise of people who have worked and contributed in this field and I feel that if I truly want to do something in the field of waste, I cannot not do it without this first step.
My client is at the threshold of beginning a collaborative process in Bangalore. After my initial discussions with my client, I find that I would like to take ownership of the process because I would like to begin my diploma project by getting a rich, contextual and well informed knowledge in the area of waste.
This project is being done for and with DailyDump, an organisation that works with managing household waste in Bangalore.
I intend to play the role of a conversation architect. Creating a platform to bring together various experts in the field of waste and stake holders who play various roles in the system and then from our interactions (using various tools and techniques for co-creation), we together, collaboratively would think of the various needs and important issues that need to be addressed in the area of waste. I would then make cross connections, analyse and synthesize the data and insights from the discussions and address the most important issue/s evolving from it. This could be a product, service or system design or a combination of the above. Creativity plays a crucial part throughout the process.
Approaches, processes and tools
Strategic planning of the co-creation sessions, facilitation using various tools and approaches and then being able to arrive at various insights are some of my initial roles. Then working around them using my learning’s as a designer and using appropriate design processes to arrive at making a true difference.
This process and thinking would help me differentiate what can be done, has been done, and what needs to be done to make a difference. Also this would enable me to get a broader perspective that would help me create a more system level change.
My own research would involve getting a Bottom up understanding on waste and also getting a bird’s eye view - big picture of the current scenario. This would also involve the understanding and interactions with the formal and informal sector. Engaging in an immersive ethnographic research process, and applying various observation techniques like fly on the wall and other appropriate ones. Being a Participant observer where necessary. Information on the unmet needs, attitudes and behavior as well as dreams, aspirations and values of rag pickers, raddhiwalas and all the important stake holders is key to my process. Understanding the Socio-cultural context, creating present and future scenarios are a part of my process.
Values
Sustainability, co-creating with the various stake holders, in the context of Bangalore waste are some of the key values that my project would work around. Creating a solution that is viable and something that would survive the test of time is what I intend to achieve.
Research Questions
I would like to begin my project with some provocative questions to challenge my own assumptions as well
• How can you feel great about buying waste?
• How can waste be used again in easy ways?
• Why can’t the material used for a product be selected on the basis of its product life?
• What can be done to change this consumerist behaviour and to re-look at the notions of Retail therapy (shopping in order to make one self feel happier).
Material/ Resources
• A camera to do ethnographic research.
• Contacts of experts in Bangalore who are working with waste.
• Accessing all the rich information DailyDump has collected over years on waste.
• Internet, books – understanding what has been / is being done in other parts of the world to manage and regulate waste.
• Films and other documentations.
Learning Outcomes
• To have the experience and to learn how to manage this project in its scale, logistics, conceptualization, research and refinement.
• Working with the Scale of this project.
• Managing and coordinating (the interactions, co-creation sessions) the project.
• Understanding and using tools of co-creation to strategically plan the project.
• Documentation throughout the process.
• Testing the solution/s and working on the feedback.
• Refining and then creating the mechanism for its continued use so that it could be monitored in the future.
My client is at the threshold of beginning a collaborative process in Bangalore. After my initial discussions with my client, I find that I would like to take ownership of the process because I would like to begin my diploma project by getting a rich, contextual and well informed knowledge in the area of waste.
This project is being done for and with DailyDump, an organisation that works with managing household waste in Bangalore.
I intend to play the role of a conversation architect. Creating a platform to bring together various experts in the field of waste and stake holders who play various roles in the system and then from our interactions (using various tools and techniques for co-creation), we together, collaboratively would think of the various needs and important issues that need to be addressed in the area of waste. I would then make cross connections, analyse and synthesize the data and insights from the discussions and address the most important issue/s evolving from it. This could be a product, service or system design or a combination of the above. Creativity plays a crucial part throughout the process.
Approaches, processes and tools
Strategic planning of the co-creation sessions, facilitation using various tools and approaches and then being able to arrive at various insights are some of my initial roles. Then working around them using my learning’s as a designer and using appropriate design processes to arrive at making a true difference.
This process and thinking would help me differentiate what can be done, has been done, and what needs to be done to make a difference. Also this would enable me to get a broader perspective that would help me create a more system level change.
My own research would involve getting a Bottom up understanding on waste and also getting a bird’s eye view - big picture of the current scenario. This would also involve the understanding and interactions with the formal and informal sector. Engaging in an immersive ethnographic research process, and applying various observation techniques like fly on the wall and other appropriate ones. Being a Participant observer where necessary. Information on the unmet needs, attitudes and behavior as well as dreams, aspirations and values of rag pickers, raddhiwalas and all the important stake holders is key to my process. Understanding the Socio-cultural context, creating present and future scenarios are a part of my process.
Values
Sustainability, co-creating with the various stake holders, in the context of Bangalore waste are some of the key values that my project would work around. Creating a solution that is viable and something that would survive the test of time is what I intend to achieve.
Research Questions
I would like to begin my project with some provocative questions to challenge my own assumptions as well
• How can you feel great about buying waste?
• How can waste be used again in easy ways?
• Why can’t the material used for a product be selected on the basis of its product life?
• What can be done to change this consumerist behaviour and to re-look at the notions of Retail therapy (shopping in order to make one self feel happier).
Material/ Resources
• A camera to do ethnographic research.
• Contacts of experts in Bangalore who are working with waste.
• Accessing all the rich information DailyDump has collected over years on waste.
• Internet, books – understanding what has been / is being done in other parts of the world to manage and regulate waste.
• Films and other documentations.
Learning Outcomes
• To have the experience and to learn how to manage this project in its scale, logistics, conceptualization, research and refinement.
• Working with the Scale of this project.
• Managing and coordinating (the interactions, co-creation sessions) the project.
• Understanding and using tools of co-creation to strategically plan the project.
• Documentation throughout the process.
• Testing the solution/s and working on the feedback.
• Refining and then creating the mechanism for its continued use so that it could be monitored in the future.
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