Ufarm
Nature at your Doorstep
I got my Interaction Design Master degree at Domus Academy Milano. DataMill was my graduation project which I had delivered during Tangible Interactions Workshop class.
Team Project / Domus Academy
BRIEF
The Internet of Things (IoT), a network of internet-connected objects able to collect and exchange data using embedded sensors, is becoming a part of our daily lives. Data is going to change a lot more than just the Internet. In this context, IoT and the data they provide is especially useful to help us generate better and more innovative solutions. The challenge we face is to translate the possibilities presented by IOT, the data they generate. So, How could this information and these communication technologies be converted into real value for people?
Students are asked to create for the following areas:
– Citizen and living
– Private perspective
– Circular City
– Mobility
– Culture and Heritage
– Food
– Education
– Sustainability
RESEARCH 1
Data & Data Driven Decision making
''Data! Data! Data! I can't make bricks without clay.''
Sherlock Holmes
I firstly tried to understand what Data is. The terms "data" and "information" are often used interchangeably. Although these terms have distinct meanings, still, Data can be assumed as a piece of Information.
''Without data you’re just another person with an opinion.''
William Edwards Deming
When it comes to Data, a term called Data Driven Decision Making plays a significant role. Data-driven decision making involves collecting and analyzing data to make objective decisions, in contrast to relying on gut feelings, tradition, or theory.
This is the process of DDDM:
Define Objective - Establish Hypothesis - Identify Data need -
Build Process - Collect Data - Analyze Data - Make Decision
Big Data & Green Data
Today, collected data is huge, so called Big Data. The biggest volume of data is coming from Governmental, Communication and Environment.
Research shows that Earth's ability to sustain human civilization is at risk and climate change is the greatest challenge. Collecting data becomes crucial to understand and to take actions.The big data of Environment is starting to be described as Green Data.
LOGISTICS
GOVERNMENTAL
ENVIRONMENT
MANUFACTURING
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
COMMUNICATION
&
MEDIA
EDUCATION
HEALTHCARE
TRANSPORTATION
Big Data according to Industries
This moment is where I decided to move on with Sustainability & Environment.
RESEARCH 2
Through some Research techniques like Tech-Scouting, Case Studies,... I looked at how data is collected and processed for environmental purposes. To understand the latest technologies, projects.
- Big Data tracks rising resource demands and supports businesses in optimizing usage.
- Collecting data becomes a business. For insatance, Satellogic manufactures 35 kg Satellites, orbiting in the sky to map environment.
- Even a tiny data is intentionally collected for an appropriate decision making. Global forest Change counts trees one by one.
- 55% of people are living in urban areas but it is expected that by 2050, it will reach to 70%. To monitor cities and to build Smart cities became a must.
-One of the biggest problem in cities is air pollution caused by transportation. The other is residential carbon footprint.
- %26 Carbon footprint is residential, for powering residences.
I decided to investigate more about
residential carbon footprint.
Today, we collect residential data and measure consumption by Smart Meters, Smart Plugs, Smart Home Assistants, Energy Apps.
- Energy used by electronic devices in standby mode accounts for 5-10% of residential energy use
- 1.9 Billion dollars: The Global home energy management systems market, in 2019.
- 4.5 Billion dollars: The Global home energy management systems market, expected in 2025.
PAIN POINTS:
- Smart Meters are installed by companies to track the data. They are not completely made for end users.
- Energy apps mostly try to rely on smart meters etc. not so obvious if they are accurate.
- The common problem in existing solutions is they lack building effective connection with the users.
I looked at Social Media to understand what people think about one of the most challenging problems, how they responded to some surveys.
- People simply are divided into three. The largest group has no idea about what Global Warming is. The smallest group doesn't believe in Global Warming or they don't think it is a problem
- %27 of people think that Global Warming is not a problem for their lives; %1 thinks, Global Warming is a huge lie.
PAIN POINTS:
- Solutions, shared information are either not communicating well so don't attract attention; or, are extreme and do create anxiety.
- They are not encouraging and are not building strategy to enable the community to become the part of solution.
"We cannot hope to create a sustainable culture with any but sustainable souls."
Derrick Jensen - Endgame: The Problem of Civilization
PERSONA
"Correct!, We have habits and love our hobbies but we started to worry so much about our future. We want to live in a clean environment and ready to do our bit!"
The Furbie Family
The Furbie family is a middle-class family. They have one child.
Andrea and Maria, if we may say so, are living for their only
child Marko. For this reason what ever he demands returns
into a must-accomplish duty. Also for this reason again, they
are so worrying about his future because of environmental
crisis and the latest happenings caused by global warming. They, at least, want to start to support the Environment at Home by reducing their carbon-footprint.
AWARENESS
ANXIETY LEVEL
CURIOSITY
KEY NEED:
The solution they need should inform them in an engaging way so they can keep focusing. They also need this solution to be engaging enough to attract their kid's attention so he can contribute to their efforts.
How Might We create a solution which not only tracks Residential data, but also attracts peoples' attention, encourages collaborative learning to enable behavioral change towards Sustainability.
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
Data Processing
- Track Consumption
- Collect & Analyze Data
Interacting
- Communicate the Analysis with the Users.
- Attract their attention while showing the data.
Behavioral Change
- Encourage every member to contribute to Environmentalist efforts.
- Support collaborative learning.
- Motivating & Rewarding
- Include Community
3 Pillars of the Concept
Interacting
"A data physicalization (or simply physicalization) is a physical artifact whose geometry or material properties encode data."
Yvonne Jansen - Physical and Tangible Information Visualization
According to a research, Physicalizations can support cognition, communication, learning, problem solving, and decision making.
Behavioral Change
"......To count as a mere nudge, the intervention must be easy and cheap to avoid. Nudges are not mandates. Putting fruit at eye level counts as a nudge. Banning junk food does not.”
Richard H Thaler & Cass R Sunstein - Nudge
Nudge theory is a flexible and modern concept for:
- Helping people improve their thinking and decisions,
- Managing change of all sorts, and
- Identifying and modifying existing unhelpful influences on people.
2015 – LAKE BRITE: Ecological Data
2014 – DYNAMIC PHYSICAL CHARTS
Lake Brite is a data visualization project
which allows the public to learn about
Lake Champlain through a display of
7,500 LED’s.
David Sweeney from Microsoft Research designed mechanically-driven physical charts to communicate data as a part of a research project to explore what is the general public’s understanding of data.
In 2009, Amsterdam Airport had installed small fly shaped stickersin the urinals. Men now had something to aim for, even subconsciously,spillages were reduced by %80.
According to what I've found out during Secondary Research, I am convinced to build my concept around Physicalization and Nudging.
IDEATION
Title: DataMill
Subtitle: Win-Win Environmentalism
Inspired by WindMills. How a WindMill generates energy from wind; DataMill generates benefits from positive data.
Logo:
Win-Win Environmentalism
USER JOURNEY
TOUCHPOINTS
Smart Tracker
The Smart Tracker is called BLOB. It tracks, measures, analyzes and finally communicates the data in a physical way and so attracts the users' attention.
Mobile App
Mobile App is the center of the system. Blob is the physical representation of the data and the app is the digital one, where you can see the data and get notifications.
Smart TV App
Smart TV App is essential for Collaborative Learning. Family sits together and discusses the results. They may change together.
Smart Tracker - Blob
During Exploration of the physical design of Blob, I decided to give a very simple and intuitive shape to it. It should clearly communicate the data. I thought to group the data and separate it as Electricity, Gas and Water that is why Blob has 3 changing bumps changing with the data.
Initial design should consist of PCB, motors, gears, racks, etc..
Mobile APP
I tried to design the simplest experience on mobile as intuitiveness encourages the users to stay engaged so we can achieve behavioral change.
USER FLOWS
Setup
After explored possible user experience wireframes by sketching, I conducted a User Flow of setting up Blob and DataMill application.
Interacting
This is a User Flow of the user navigating in the app and interacting with the features. In this reference flow, user is going through Electricity.
Nudging
This flow is for Offers section of the app. A good experience of the app needs to enable the user go through all the offers existing in DataMill community, see the details and set an offer as their new challenge to achieve.
INTERACTION FLOWS & PROTOTYPES
Setup
Interacting
Nudging
