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Our topic is "How might we as designers create more sustainable products" challenge 2

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Our topic is "How might we as designers create more sustainable products" challenge 2

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How might we, as designers, create spaces and experiences for diverse individuals and communities to interact and engage with each other meaningfully?

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What research can we do to find out more

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What research can we do to find out more

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Examine case studies of successful sustainable product design. Research materials and production processes that have a lower environmental impact.Read academic articles and books on sustainable design and product development.

Surveys: Conduct online or in-person surveys to gather information on consumer attitudes and behaviors related to sustainable products. This can provide insights into their priorities and preferences, as well as any challenges they face in making sustainable choices.

Online data analysis: Analyze online data such as social media posts and online reviews to understand consumer opinions and preferences related to sustainable products.

Market research: Conduct market research to understand consumer behavior patterns and trends related to sustainable products. This can provide valuable data on the market size, growth, and demand for sustainable products in Singapore.

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How might we, as designers, create spaces and experiences for diverse individuals and communities to interact and engage with each other meaningfully?

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What research can we do to find out more?

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What research can we do to find out more?

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We can conduct surveys and real-time observations. By actively participating and engaging with different diverse communities, we can use it to gather feedback and responses. It would also be beneficial to look at current studies and information about cultural attitudes and behaviours in diverse communities. Ethnographic research, studies regarding peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences can also be conducted to gain a deeper understanding of diverse communities' cultural and social practices.

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Our goal is to come up with solutions on how we can promote the use of sustainable products as well as alter people's perception on it so that their behaviour is more in line with being sustainable. This will convince companies to shift their focus to making more sustainable products which then leads to a higher supply in sustainable products

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The topic my team is taking is the second topic: How might we, as designers, create more sustainable products?

Ways/ research that we can do to find out more other than reading the resources would be to use research methods such as interviews, surveys, 5 whys, and observation.

The chosen research method is observation and interviews.

Interviews:

- Better understanding of consumer needs and preferences

-Identify potential barriers as to why designers have not made creating sustainable products a norm

- Gather real-life feedback on prototypes or existing sustainable products.

- Learn about the latest trends and innovations

- Build empathy and a deeper understanding of targetted audience

Observations:
Observing people can help educate designers by giving them insight into human behaviour and needs, and telling us what items people usually buy.

Goals for the project:

To educate fellow designers on how to better design products that are more practical in sustainability.

Methods used to help make designers create more sustainable products

- Green Design Competitions
- Sustainability Workshops and Training Programs

Are these methods effective? Why it is or why it is not?
Green design competitions: Effective in raising awareness and promoting innovation in sustainable design. However, they may not necessarily lead to the widespread adoption of sustainable practices, as the focus is on winning the competition rather than incorporating sustainability into everyday design.

Sustainability Workshops and Training Programs:
Effective in educating designers about sustainable practices and giving them the tools and resources they need to create sustainable products. However, these programs may not reach all designers, and some may not have the resources or motivation to participate.

What is a multi-disciplinary team:

A multi-disciplinary team is a team that comprises of members with different skills and experiences. The members of the team typically come from different departments. This allows for open-mindedness and being able to work on a product or service with different perspectives in mind.

To ensure the chances of successful collaboration, clear communication should be ensured, team members should also have a common understanding of the project goals, they should also have respect for different visions etc.

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What are some current methods that are used to address these challenges?

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What are some current methods that are used to address these challenges?

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· Life cycle analysis: This is a method that evaluates the environmental impact of a product from its raw materials to disposal. It helps designers make informed decisions about the materials and production processes used in their designs.

Sustainable design principles: Many designers in Singapore follow sustainable design principles such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and minimizing the use of harmful materials.

Circular design: This approach focuses on designing products that can be easily disassembled and recycled, promoting a circular economy.

Eco-friendly materials: Designers are increasingly using eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, recycled plastic, and biodegradable materials in their designs.

Collaboration with manufacturers: Designers are working closely with manufacturers to ensure that their designs are produced using environmentally friendly processes and materials.

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Our goal is to come up with different solutions to create space and immersive experiences so that we could foster diverse communities together and interact with each other. That way it could also minimize the fear of linguistic, cultural, and religious. Also, go beyond accepting people from different backgrounds and identities to create a deeper understanding and appreciation of one another.

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- Providing a space/platform for youths of different nationality/commuinties to speak up about their concerns

- Having specific spaces for people of different commuinities to own a space for themselves and express theselves

- Having small programs for the commuinity and encouraging people to join.

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What is a multi-disciplinary team? What should you take into consideration to increase the chances of a successful collaboration?

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What is a multi-disciplinary team? What should you take into consideration to increase the chances of a successful collaboration?

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A multi-disciplinary team is a group of individuals with different skills, knowledge, and expertise from various disciplines who work together towards a common goal.

To increase the chances of successful collaboration. It is recommended to have:

1. Clearly Defined Goals: Establish clear, concise and measurable goals to provide direction and focus to the team.

2. Good Communication: Encourage open and transparent communication, establish clear channels of communication, and foster a culture of active listening.

3. Regular Review and Feedback: Regularly review progress, gather feedback, and make adjustments to improve collaboration and achieve goals.

4. Collaborative Decision Making: Encourage collaborative decision-making and problem-solving, and ensure everyone feels heard and valued.

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Are these methods effective? why is it or why is it not?

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Are these methods effective? why is it or why is it not?

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The methods are effective in addressing the challenges of creating more sustainable products. However, their effectiveness depends on various factors, such as the commitment of designers, manufacturers, and the public to adopt sustainable practices, the availability of eco-friendly materials, and the regulatory environment.

For example, life cycle analysis provides a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of a product, but it requires significant time and resources to implement. Circular design is an effective approach to reducing waste, but it requires designers to think creatively and consider the end-of-life process of their products. Eco-friendly materials are becoming more readily available, but they can be more expensive than traditional materials, which may pose a challenge for designers.

Overall, the effectiveness of these methods can be improved by increasing awareness and education, fostering collaboration between designers, manufacturers, and the public, and creating supportive regulatory environments that encourage the adoption of sustainable practices.

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What is a multi-disciplinary team? What should you take into consideration to increase the chances of a successful collaboration?

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What is a multi-disciplinary team? What should you take into consideration to increase the chances of a successful collaboration?

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A multidisciplinary team is a team that consists of digital specialists that allows for efficient and effective building of a service. It allows the team to build services using user-centred design as they have to work very closely with the end users, and the services that are being designed will be focused on the end-to-end experience of the users.

To increase the chances of a successful collaboration, the digital specialists are often multi-skilled in various areas of the project, which allows for effective delivery. Furthermore, by including all the stakeholders in the beginning of the project, the team will be able to get their inputs from the start, and further develop the services from the early feedbacks and inputs. Communication amongst all those who are involved in the project is extremely vital in ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

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How might we, as designers, create more sustainable products?

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- Giving youths the platform to speak out and express themselves allows others to understand and work together to suggest/ come up with a solution which may solve the issues arised.

- Providing a space such as golden mile for people of thai nationality makes them feel included and a  sense of belongingness

- Small programs conducted by groups such as Youthcorps have activities for foreign workers to get to take a break from their normal activities once in a while. Singaporean youths get to interact as well as play with them and thus creating a sort of bond between commuinities.

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A multi-disciplinary team is a team of people with different strengths, one graphic design, one product design etc. A multidisciplinary teams gives users and stakeholders a voice and opinion from the start of the design process.
Benefits of a multidisciplinary team are:

Diverse perspectives: Multidisciplinary teams bring together individuals from different backgrounds and expertise, in turn having a wider range of sides and ideas.

Improved decision making: We can consider a wider range of factors and make more informed decisions.

Better Communication: The diverse perspectives and experiences of team members can improve communication and understanding between team members.

Enhanced problem-solving: Teams can tackle complex problems more effectively by combining their expertise and skills.

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Easy to wash and reuse, but when you're done with them, they're biodegradable.

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Examples of sustainable products (dishcloths)

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Examples of sustainable products (dishcloths)

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Encourage inclusivity and diversity in design: Ensure that spaces are accessible and welcoming to individuals from different backgrounds and abilities.

Create opportunities for social mixing: Design spaces that allow for casual, unstructured interactions between people from different backgrounds.

Promote community engagement: Design experiences that encourage participation and collaboration between community members.

Foster understanding and appreciation: Design spaces that provide opportunities for individuals to learn about and appreciate the diverse cultures, beliefs, and practices of others.

Encourage active participation: Design experiences that engage people in activities and events that promote interaction and communication between diverse individuals and communities.

Foster a sense of belonging: Design spaces that create a sense of community and belonging, where individuals feel valued and appreciated for their differences.

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2.
a) What sustainability is about.
b) How sustainability is currently incorporated in designs around the world.
c) Opportunities for implementing sustainable design in the average consumer's daily life.
d) Relationship between consumer behavior, sustainability and the economy.
e) The lapses in past and present efforts in sustainable design that we can mitigate.

3. How we can have several entities that contribute to a circular economy to partake in small, yet consistent and effective methods to promote sustainability. Find the flaws in the current consumer patterns or policies that may be hindering the use or innovation of sustainable products.

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Topic 3 - Spaces and experiences for foreigners

Comparable Study on current solutions
Interviewing the target user (18 to 25 y/o foreign students studying in Singapore)
Target Poly-Uni to Working

Goals:
Encourage inclusivity and diversity in design: Ensure that spaces are accessible and welcoming to individuals from different backgrounds and abilities.
Create opportunities for social mixing: Design spaces that allow for casual, unstructured interactions between people from different backgrounds.
Promote community engagement: Design experiences that encourage participation and collaboration between community members.
Foster understanding and appreciation: Design spaces that provide opportunities for individuals to learn about and appreciate the diverse cultures, beliefs, and practices of others.
Encourage active participation: Design experiences that engage people in activities and events that promote interaction and communication between diverse individuals and communities.
Foster a sense of belonging: Design spaces that create a sense of community and belonging, where individuals feel valued and appreciated for their differences.

Current method that address the issue:
Currently there are study groups and small organizations that cater to foreign students. One such example is Meetup.com where there are currently 11 groups for students to join, with over 17,026 members.

Effective method because it helps to create opportunities for networking and build relationship. A safe space for students to share and discuss challenges.

It is also effective because of it’s online presence which allows students to easily find such groups by a quick search on Google. From here they are able to find other joins ot easily join and say Hi

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4. What are some current methods that are used to address these challenges? 

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4. What are some current methods that are used to address these challenges? 

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- Restaurants going plastic free (straw and plastic bags)

- Scoop Wholefoods : packaging is paper for dry products and glass for liquids

> Impact: 18,645,575 Plastic bags saved

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5. Are these methods effective? Why it is or why it is not? 

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5. Are these methods effective? Why it is or why it is not? 

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Reasons for ineffectiveness
1. Lack of awareness and education
2. Convenience and affordability of single-use products
3. Cultural and societal norms that prioritize consumption and convenience
4. Limited options for sustainable products and services
5. Perceived high cost of sustainable alternatives
6. Government policies and regulations that do not prioritize sustainability.

Guidelines for effectiveness in creating sustainable products
- Using eco-friendly materials
- Implementing circular design principles
- Focusing on durability & longevity
- Minimizing waste in production
- Incorporating renewable energy sources
- Considering the entire lifecycle of the product.
- Single/multi use products

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centre on a particular group
what kind of group requires more attention
see if can include those informal groups
diverging to a particular group.

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6. A multi-disciplinary team is a group of individuals from various professional backgrounds who work together to achieve a common goal. The diversity of expertise and perspectives in such teams often leads to more innovative and effective solutions. We would have to take into consideration, the strengths and weaknesses of our team members, and work on parts that we are strong in, to ensure quality work.

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Here are some current methods to address sustainability issues.

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Here are some current methods to address sustainability issues.

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One of them is Green technology, also called clean technology, which aims to reduce human activity's impact on the environment. The use of sustainable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy, can help decrease waste, improve resource efficiency, and reduce climate change. There is increasing evidence that green technology can help address sustainability challenges. According to a study by the International Energy Agency, clean energy technologies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance energy security, and significantly increase economic growth.

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6. The multi-disciplinary team is defined as a group comprised of members that have complementary skills and experience. Their contribution is towards particular objectives of an organization via teamwork. Collaboration can be successful if it takes place in environments where there is trust. Enhancing trust with the team and others can be done by exploring your own actions and the culture. During collaboration, be straightforward with each other but do not be defensive regarding feedback given. Provide others with feedforward by exploring what went wrong with – what can be done together going forward.