Project A
Circle of Life - Critical reflection
The Circle of life project is my design solution to the RSA
brief “Something for everyone” and its aim was “to design a coherent solution
that addresses the need for greater intergenerational links resulting in the
fuller integration of older and younger people into the community” (RSA
Projects, 2011, p.8). As part of my project I have used findings of primary and
secondary research. The scenario of bringing generations closer especially the
elderly that these days are facing loneliness, is very current all over the
world. “Lonely older people are as different as any other individuals, and have
different needs and expectations” (Cattan, 2011)
They miss a lot of things, one of them and most important is
love, care of their siblings and relatives and of course their mutual
communication. “Depression affects 22% of men and 28% of women aged 65 or over.
This would be just over 2 million people aged 65+ in England”. (Age UK, 2011).
As part of my primary research I have created 3 types of questionnaires with
which I started to contact people of my focus groups from my family and
neighborhood, researching locally and approaching different organizations. During the research I have passed through different
prepositions, from intergenerational days to some workshops and drama ideas. I
have also contacted and made interviews with people and organizations,
approaching them for my project. Some of them were cooperative answering my
questions or directing me to more competent people.I have created contacts with Mr. Ben Long, the person in
charge for intergenerational relationships at Age Concern. He provided me with
some really useful answers and explained me how he liked the idea and told me
that it works because they already did something like that. They do it every
year and it is called Acting up.
This was one of the important moments of my research stage
which lead me to some new territories
combining their insights with my in depth secondary research, examining
mostly online resources and redefining and simplifying my concept to an idea of
an interactive storytelling game. During my visit to Science museum, I have
found very inspiring some digital interactive round table games and throughout
the discussions with my tutor I came up with an idea of interactive mechanic
table game, which is more user friendly for the elderly and interesting for
youngsters.Expanding my research at a further stage I have passed
through some types of expandable tables, which was fundamental to my general
idea of moving layered table. The idea is to create an activity similar to a game
involving the young people and the elderly around a table where they can share
their experiences from their past while telling stories which can be recorded
and showing photos which if agreed can remain as an archive of the host
organization and then used for certain purposes, egg. monographs, exhibitions
and documentaries.
It will work if
at least monthly such a event or activity would be held at different
organizations that deals with age concerns, with different age people that have
chance to meet each other from different generations, especially the elderly.
“It's important to look not only at what older adults need, but also what they
can give. Young and old can give to each other; it's a two-way relationship”
(Bosak, 2001). After additional presentations of my concept for a roundtable
game divided by topics and first feedback's, there were refining possibilities
identified, for instance adding story-subtopics and re-organizing the timing of
the game. To test my game I have made a simple small-scale model,
played and discussed it with people of my focus groups, my family and friends.
The idea was well received and playing with it was fun and entertaining. With
new features like timing, subtopics and design development it became more
interesting. Also, the idea of collecting their stories for a documentary has
attracted attention.
After that channels to communicate with the audience were
chosen and material was designed and redesigned again after consultations with
my tutor that led me to the final solution. One of my first proposals was to
include a partial view of the table-game with its mask in motion in the posters
and other communication channels but after the review and feedback I realized
that the mixture of different styles of design was very complex and confusing. I came up with a very simple solution and it was one of the
strengths of the project as advised, and it was also used as a style of
presenting the topics in the game. Pushing the idea forward and simplifying
design elements of communication was one of the most important moments of the
project. The shape of arrow designed with different typefaces of topics and
subtopics at the table-game has given the project a modern and unique identity.
Also, the “Circle of life” final logo solution relates to the typographic arrow
style used in other elements, where the name and strap line form an arrow too.
The arrow shape made of simple typography of storytelling topics is used in all
the material from flyers to t-shirts.
Overall, I am satisfied with the outcome of the project .The
process of design development throughout the time was well organized and with a
lot of time for all stages. However I think that research phase took me to long
but it was reasonable taking into account that here in UK is done a lot in this
direction which positively surprised me in comparison to what is done in my
country and In-depth research helped me to better understand the problem and as
a final result come up with a stronger solution. If I had the chance to redo
this project, I would like to have planned my time and manage it more
reasonably making my research better structured, particularly on the conceptual
stage of this project. Also, I wish I would have a chance to produce the real
prototype and test how it actually works.
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