Navigating Complexities
Asynchronous Session
Markets as Catalysts for Design Evolution: Navigating Dynamic Consumer Landscapes View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nandini Kapu
The current design environment is distinguished by its dynamic and swiftly evolving marketplaces. This abstract examines the interdependent connection between markets and the evolution of design, investigating how designers are compelled to adjust and create due to changing customer tastes, the emergence of new technology, and worldwide trends. This study examines the influence of market-driven pressures on designers, prompting them to explore novel materials, forms, and narratives. Consequently, they create products that not only capture the spirit of the times but also effectively respond to urgent market demands. Through the examination of case examples that illustrate how design adapts to market demands, this abstract emphasizes the significance of being attentive to the market, having foresight, and possessing strategic agility in order to drive the evolution of design and sustain its relevance within a constantly evolving consumer environment.
Creating Opportunities for ‘6S’: Using a Thinkathon to Engage in Future Strategy Creation at the Quadruple Helix Through Design Thinking View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session John Bustard, Rachael Withers
Delivering impactful stakeholder event experiences which can positively engage industry, policy, societal and consumer perspectives (quadruple helix actors) for future strategy development can often challenge research teams. Finding novel ways to increase engagement, understanding and buy-in of stakeholders is imperative. Through a novel co-creation and guided by design thinking theory a ‘Thinkathon’ was executed to seek insights and future strategy through idea generation by engagement consisting of eliciting ‘what, why and how’ information to support specific stakeholders through a specific research context. To aid communication, a ‘6S community’ was developed, consisting of Students, Specialists, representatives of Start-ups, Social Enterprises, Sustainability focused and Social good projects (6S’s). Using empathy building, across 6 stations and 2 sessions, students and stakeholders generated 151 specific detailed ideas relating areas they felt could support the 6 specific stakeholder groups through the research project. The experience generated structured engagement and focused stakeholders toward developing future strategy as well as offering opportunities for networking and connection. Critically, the data highlights opportunities for guiding engagement whilst also underpinning core objectives of a Thinkathon. Future research could focus on engaging a #6SCommunity in developing future strategy in other contexts integrating Thinkathons at the quadruple helix nexus of innovation.
Designing for Complex Change: Lessons Learned from Designing the World’s First Regenerative Farming Certification Approved by the USPTO View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Braden Trauth
Twelve years into the development and six years into the launch of what became the World’s first Regenerative Farm Certification approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office, there have been a lot of lessons learned about creating change within the many systems such a program operates within. A program like this holds a lot of potential in reversing climate change by empowering customers to purchase regeneratively grown products and supporting Permaculturists on their farms. The various forms of Regenerative Agriculture and Permaculture practices have been identified by Drawdown.org as the best strategies to begin to reverse climate change in 30 years. However, little did we know that such a system would come with so many challenges, perils, and opportunities. It ultimately went on to have expanding impact by inspiring people and organizations that have gone on and influenced industries to work on developing such ideas. In retrospect, though, is this the result we want or do we need to continue to fine-tune the proposal? This is a snapshot of what we learned when we looked to change systems that are inherently built upon large energy footprints, consumption and relative simplicity and try to align it with the most highly efficient, complex system on earth, nature. However the results are now stepping stones for new transitional models that can help move us towards a post-carbon world. A world that balances ecological needs and societal needs in an energy-transitioning world.
A Case Study on the User Experience, Interaction Design, and Automotive Design of Driverless, Autonomous Vehicles for Las Vegas Smart City Tourism View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marco Cater, Sang-Duck Seo, Daniel Lee, Shanel Steliga, Jenel Braza
The rapid growth of artificial intelligence in the early 2020s has disrupted industries worldwide. These advancements have poised AVs (autonomous vehicles) to revolutionize transportation and smart cities to improve the quality of life in urban areas with unprecedented feasibility. This research explores the potential relationship between these two emerging technologies, in the context of Las Vegas tourism. This research, conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, proposes designs for AVs in smart cities and synthesizes the best practices from the fields of UX (user experience), HCI (human-computer interaction), HF (Human Factors), and IxDF (Interaction Design). Our methodology incorporates an initial survey, literature review, user storyboards, and user flowcharts. The scope of this research involves designing conceptual UX design prototypes for theoretical UX problems and considers how smart city AV fleets ought to be designed for users. Furthermore, our hypothesis suggests that conceptual service design solutions could be developed to address tourism challenges in Las Vegas smart city AVs. To investigate, this study harmonizes the literature on UX design with modern design thinking methodologies to develop automotive design prototypes, revealing and supporting user preferences for autonomous transportation. Our findings in this case study indicate that UX problems with AVs can be effectively divided and approached as pre-ride, mid-ride, and post-ride stages. Within the context of Las Vegas tourism, our designs take into account traveler expectations, perceptions, and preferences. The proposed design solutions in this study underpin a foundation for empirical studies within various AV design and manufacturing industries.
