Tuesday 9 December 2008
now AT LAST!
This project concise of design not as an output not as a product but it is a process, a way of thinking about the world, a service a set of interaction! This brief is more into a journey than into the destination.
By 2020 half the adult population of Britain are going to be over 50, and they going to be living for greater ages! For lot of older people they suffer from loneliness from isolation and from vulnerability. So as designer I have created a service that helps this social group to be more connected to be less vulnerable to be less lonely to be less isolated.
I started by really analyzing the problem! Since there is a lot of different types of older people in that mix in different situations! I focused down the issue, by going out and really meeting with older people, to have their opinion and there point of view in order to have a clearer vision of the problem!
The main challenge was to get the older people involved in my work!
In order to understand what is like living an older person’s life, what do they do during the day! what experiences do they have, feelings perceptions references belong to them as a group rather than you, I started interviewing couple of older people.
The second important thing is that I had to design with them, rather than for them, which is very tricky to do, and the best way to that is invite them to give you ideas, so for you to see the scene quite clearly, explore their ideas,, and your job to build on them, introduce others, and then I moved out of the brief, so I came out with new potential solutions.
I realized that elderly living happily are those who still have daily contact with their family. So I mainly concentrated on bridging the generation gap, which is a very important factor, since the model of extended family living together has now almost vanished in the United Kingdom. In fact increased mobility makes it is less likely that generations of the same family will even live in the same geographical area.
The weakening of these ties results in older people and more vulnerable people in particular, falling outside the care and responsibility of their families. And in this service the younger generation will be the main key in creating relationships for the old people.
And I am Lebanese, living in an environment which provides another perspective; more or less a greater poverty levels, but still having a strong family and a Religious support and network. So I have created a service “get together” which will bring "Larry" (an older person) and "Steve" (a younger person) together and get them both involved! By using Steve’s energy for Larry’s daily need so it will be an exchange for both individuals.
What was really important is that I tested them back with people constantly, in order to get feedback! Not only to the old people themselves but the people around them! Because they have a different perspective!
At last, this project made me look at design not as finished pieces, but to the process itself!
I have read a quote by Paul Arden “You don’t have to be creative to be creative” which I found really true, and similar to the case here, your research and your findings may lead you to greater solutions.
Monday 8 December 2008
Graphic Authorship!
Graphic Authorship!
What does it mean to call for a graphic designer to be an author!
What is an Author?!
An Author is defined both as “the person who or originates or gives existence to anything” and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. The second entry goes on to clarify that, when using the term author, the “anything is created is most usually associated with written work.
What is a Graphic Designer?!
A graphic designer is someone how is always making sense of his material, and mediating it through the forms and codes of visual language!
Self-authored graphic design is a dance between two central partners with varying degrees of differentiation: the designer as self and the content. The designer as self is recognition of the central presence of the designer as a voice and a vision in the process of form-creation and message-formulation. As an individual who balances emotional and expressive qualities with cognitive concerns, the designer’s personal views and convictions are integral ingredients to the definition of self-authored graphic design. Having a point of view from the vantage point of self is crucial.
Examples:
Ken Garland
http://www.kengarland.co.uk/
J Abbot Miller
Alan Fletcher
What does it mean to call for a graphic designer to be an author!
What is an Author?!
An Author is defined both as “the person who or originates or gives existence to anything” and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. The second entry goes on to clarify that, when using the term author, the “anything is created is most usually associated with written work.
What is a Graphic Designer?!
A graphic designer is someone how is always making sense of his material, and mediating it through the forms and codes of visual language!
Self-authored graphic design is a dance between two central partners with varying degrees of differentiation: the designer as self and the content. The designer as self is recognition of the central presence of the designer as a voice and a vision in the process of form-creation and message-formulation. As an individual who balances emotional and expressive qualities with cognitive concerns, the designer’s personal views and convictions are integral ingredients to the definition of self-authored graphic design. Having a point of view from the vantage point of self is crucial.
Examples:
Ken Garland
http://www.kengarland.co.uk/
J Abbot Miller
Alan Fletcher
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Friday 28 November 2008
Finalising the executive summary RSA
old people = Larry
young people =Steve
Nowadays, we expect that many people can live beyond 85 years of age than ever before, but social isolation and loneliness amongst this group is emerging as one of the major issues facing society.
Designing a service, a set of interaction for the elderly group in society that is likely to be outside my immediate and everyday experience, that helps giving them a sense of purpose, build relationships, & improving their health and well-being.
Based on my research, I realized that elderly living happily are those who still have daily contact with their family. So I will mainly concentrate on bridging the generational gap which is a very important factor, since the model of extended family living together has now almost vanished in the United Kingdom. In fact increased mobility makes it is less likely that generations of the same family will even live in the same geographical area.
The weakening of these ties results in "Larry" and more vulnerable people in particular, falling outside the care and responsibility of their families.
And ME as a Lebanese, living in an environment which provide another perspective; more or less a greater poverty levels, but still having a strong family & Religious support and networks, so ME will create a service “get together” which will bring "Larry" and "Steve" together and get them both involved! By using Steve’s energy for Larry’s daily need so it will be an exchange for both groups:
Steve will help Larry in:
>going out, attending other service’s events, shopping, gardening, helping in his daily house work, having company(providing enjoyment and friendship), and in having a comfortable environment.
Larry will help Steve in:
>having a clear vision on the elderly' daily experiences, and the difficulties of being in this social group, what brings "Steve" to think more of his own parents what will hopefully lead him to appreciate the family connections, (solving the problem from its roots; the brake down of a family). And since "Larry" is a mine of information and experiences, "Steve" will be getting advices and listening to precious stories.
This will provide a comfortable environment for "Larry", and will get to "Steve" the chance of giving, helping, making someone happy, knowing much better about "Larry's" daily experiences.
young people =Steve
Nowadays, we expect that many people can live beyond 85 years of age than ever before, but social isolation and loneliness amongst this group is emerging as one of the major issues facing society.
Designing a service, a set of interaction for the elderly group in society that is likely to be outside my immediate and everyday experience, that helps giving them a sense of purpose, build relationships, & improving their health and well-being.
Based on my research, I realized that elderly living happily are those who still have daily contact with their family. So I will mainly concentrate on bridging the generational gap which is a very important factor, since the model of extended family living together has now almost vanished in the United Kingdom. In fact increased mobility makes it is less likely that generations of the same family will even live in the same geographical area.
The weakening of these ties results in "Larry" and more vulnerable people in particular, falling outside the care and responsibility of their families.
And ME as a Lebanese, living in an environment which provide another perspective; more or less a greater poverty levels, but still having a strong family & Religious support and networks, so ME will create a service “get together” which will bring "Larry" and "Steve" together and get them both involved! By using Steve’s energy for Larry’s daily need so it will be an exchange for both groups:
Steve will help Larry in:
>going out, attending other service’s events, shopping, gardening, helping in his daily house work, having company(providing enjoyment and friendship), and in having a comfortable environment.
Larry will help Steve in:
>having a clear vision on the elderly' daily experiences, and the difficulties of being in this social group, what brings "Steve" to think more of his own parents what will hopefully lead him to appreciate the family connections, (solving the problem from its roots; the brake down of a family). And since "Larry" is a mine of information and experiences, "Steve" will be getting advices and listening to precious stories.
This will provide a comfortable environment for "Larry", and will get to "Steve" the chance of giving, helping, making someone happy, knowing much better about "Larry's" daily experiences.
Wednesday 19 November 2008
The V&A and the Design Museum visit
For me going to new places is enough to be exposed to new visuals and new perspectives. and these two were quit inspiring in terms of historical knowledge, which is a necessity for designers to have. The V&A was massively informative; exploring how the politics of the Cold War shaped architecture and design. Reassessing ‘classic’ designs and introducing many little- known objects, this is an original perspective on an era of high tension and creativity.
These are some of my favorite:
Poster: Glory to Soviet Science! Glory to a Soviet Man - the First Cosmonaut!
Poster: Hail to the Red Army - Protectors of the new world
Poster: The police Speak to you every evening at 8pm
Poster: we Will win, venceremos Printed student Poster Mexico, about 1970
Poster: Stop nuclear suicide F.H.K Henrion, issued by the CND Britian, 1963
Storyboard for the bomb release sequence: in Dr Strangelove kenneth Adam (born 1921)
Poster: Olivietti 'Lexikon' Giovanni Pintori, (born 1912) Colour offset print. Designed for Olivetti Spa, Ivrea Italy, 1953.Thursday 13 November 2008
100 words (i mean 200) for my RSA project!
old people= Larry
young people=Steve
Designing a service, a set of interaction for the elder group in society that is likely to be outside my immediate and everyday experience, that helps giving them a sense of purpose, build relationships, & improving their health and wellbeing.
Will mainly concentrate on bridging the generational gap which is a very important factor, since the model of extended family living together has now almost vanished in the United Kingdom. In fact increased mobility makes it is less likely that generations of the same family will even live in the same geographical area.
The weakening of these ties results in "Larry" and more vulnerable people in particular, falling outside the care and responsibility of their families.
Designing a service that will bring "Larry" and "Steve" together. And ME as a Lebanese, living in an environment which provide another perspective; more or less a greater poverty levels, but still having a strong family & Religious support and networks, so ME will create a service “get together” which will get "Larry" and "Steve" involved!
What is important in this set of interactions is an exchange for both groups. Will provide a comfortable environment for "Larry", and will get to "Steve" the chance of giving, helping, making someone happy, knowing much better about "Larry's" daily experiences, what will hopefully lead him to appreciate the family connections.
This service will not only help bridging the generational gap, and build relationships for lonely "Larry", but also gets the family together by making "Steve" involved in familial events.
Wednesday 5 November 2008
Wednesday 29 October 2008
RSA designDIRECTIONS 2008-09 (INTERVIEWS)
01 - NO NAME, NO AGE, ONLY A PICTURE!
Met her at cafe nero, harrow,
No name, no age only a picture!!
She meets her friend over a coffe, She feels old only when she looks at her mirror.
She does not feel lonely, she said she is so lucky because her daughter lives 5 min away from her.
So she sees her granddaughter everyday, and helps her daughter a lot.
She is stilling teaching private lessons, and she paints.
She thinks that the brake down of a family is the major issue for loneliness.
And this new generations have to work harder, specially single moms.
WHAT I THINK is that
We should solve the problem (family brake u) from its root!
Loneliness is not a suddent feeling that come to old people in certain age! this feeling was shaped in other ways their lifes due to living without the member of your family, and take the real shape of loneliness when the person is retired.
Elder people prefer to spend time with their own family.
02 - Jeanette Nakhle Ziadeh (LEANON)
Born in 1933 in Rass Beirut. She is the elder in a Lebanese Christian family of two daughters. She got married at the age of 15 and had her first son at the age of 16. By her 23rd year her family was made of four kids, two sons and two daughters. Today, she is 75 years old and has 9 grand children and 3 grand grand children. She became a widow 3 years ago and lives since then in her own house next to her children.
In what area did you excel?
"Being a successful housewife and mother and grand mother. Despite the hard financial situation that marked my life, I used patience and good will to overcome any obstacle."
After reaching the age of 60, did u feel lonely?
"I do feel lonely indeed only after I lost my husband 3 years ago."
Do you find entertainment with elder people like you?
"I prefer the company of my own family rather than spending time with neighbors or friends. I also enjoy spending time alone in my house.
What are your hobbies?
"Housework, reading and praying, watching soap operas and television series, visiting Sunday mass, gardening, baby sitting."
Why did you quit smoking?
"I realized that smoking is harmful to my health at this age so I quitted although I felt it was a step that should have been taken even earlier."
What about your monthly income?
"I survive from my monthly rent revenue as I inherited my parents house in my native village."
How is your health status?
"Comparing to elder from my age, I am healthy and strong and active. I start my day at 5am and eat healthy food avoiding any fat. Nevertheless I have back pain and weak eyes due to an old car accident, but since my children and grand children are always around I worry nothing."
Met her at cafe nero, harrow,
No name, no age only a picture!!
She meets her friend over a coffe, She feels old only when she looks at her mirror.
She does not feel lonely, she said she is so lucky because her daughter lives 5 min away from her.
So she sees her granddaughter everyday, and helps her daughter a lot.
She is stilling teaching private lessons, and she paints.
She thinks that the brake down of a family is the major issue for loneliness.
And this new generations have to work harder, specially single moms.
WHAT I THINK is thatWe should solve the problem (family brake u) from its root!
Loneliness is not a suddent feeling that come to old people in certain age! this feeling was shaped in other ways their lifes due to living without the member of your family, and take the real shape of loneliness when the person is retired.
Elder people prefer to spend time with their own family.
02 - Jeanette Nakhle Ziadeh (LEANON)
Born in 1933 in Rass Beirut. She is the elder in a Lebanese Christian family of two daughters. She got married at the age of 15 and had her first son at the age of 16. By her 23rd year her family was made of four kids, two sons and two daughters. Today, she is 75 years old and has 9 grand children and 3 grand grand children. She became a widow 3 years ago and lives since then in her own house next to her children.
In what area did you excel?
"Being a successful housewife and mother and grand mother. Despite the hard financial situation that marked my life, I used patience and good will to overcome any obstacle."
After reaching the age of 60, did u feel lonely?
"I do feel lonely indeed only after I lost my husband 3 years ago."
Do you find entertainment with elder people like you?
"I prefer the company of my own family rather than spending time with neighbors or friends. I also enjoy spending time alone in my house.
What are your hobbies?
"Housework, reading and praying, watching soap operas and television series, visiting Sunday mass, gardening, baby sitting."
Why did you quit smoking?
"I realized that smoking is harmful to my health at this age so I quitted although I felt it was a step that should have been taken even earlier."
What about your monthly income?
"I survive from my monthly rent revenue as I inherited my parents house in my native village."
How is your health status?
"Comparing to elder from my age, I am healthy and strong and active. I start my day at 5am and eat healthy food avoiding any fat. Nevertheless I have back pain and weak eyes due to an old car accident, but since my children and grand children are always around I worry nothing."
Wednesday 22 October 2008
RSA designDIRECTIONS 2008-09
Action for age
designing a better future
A new way of thinking about the world.
In this project we should be more interested in the journey than in the destination.This is a brief which concise of design not as an output not as a product but as a way of thinking about the world; a service, a set of interaction. By 2020 half the adult population in Britain are gonna be over 50.
For lot of old people, they suffer from loneliness, from isolation. How can you as a young designer help this social group to be more connected, to be less lonely, less isolated???
PROCESS:
01. Reading and analyzing
02. Decoding the brief
03. Identifying and analyzing the problem: Isolation and loneliness to old people
04. What is that problem a result of?
05. How can designers be brought into this mix?
• How can designers address some of the social factors
• How do we start as designers
06. This problem might be divided into two groups:
• Social isolation (which is a very low number of social contacts)
• Loneliness (which is actually something else)
07. Decide on which group am I going really to concentrate
08. Involve other people in my work
• It s not designing from our own point of view, it s really important is to understand what is like to be living as older people’s life
• As a designer, I should design with those people rather than for them, invite them to give me ideas so I can set out the scene quit clearly.
• Ask them questions
• Get their ideas
09. Build on previous interviews with the group, and introduce others
10. Moving forward through out the brief
11. Coming out with new potential solutions
12. Test my ideas back with people constantly
13. Who will deliver the service?
• Get the provider’s point of view (that might give other opportunities that I didn’t think about)
14. Finding the means, the media, the best way of bringing these lives and make them real, make these experiences come alive.
Resources:
The Oxford Institute of Ageing
The Oxford Institute of Ageing is a multi-disciplinary research institute committed to high quality, strategic research, informed by good policy and practice, leading to a greater understanding of societies as they age.
The brochure contains information participants may find useful as part of their research
Age Concern
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/
Age Concern is the UK's largest charity working with and for older people.
The following link allows you to find your nearest Age Concern office:
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/local.asp
The following are Age Concern publications aimed at supporting older people and which may be useful to stimulate thinking around new services and networks:
The Journey to the Interface: how public service design can connect users to reform
A pamphlet for DEMOS by Sophia Parker and Joe Heapy
This pamphlet brings together what DEMOS (a think tank) and Engine (a service deign company) have learned about working with service organisations. It draws on the principles and practices of the emerging discipline of service design and argues that service design can offer policy makers and practitioners a vision for the transformation of public services. Contains useful and interesting case studies.
Friday 17 October 2008
Wednesday 15 October 2008
twoDESIGNERS
01 Tarek Atrissi www.atrissi.com
Born in Beirut, Tarek Atrissi has worked and studied in Lebanon, The Netherlands, Qatar, Dubai and the United States. He Holds a BA in Graphic Design with distinction from the American University of Beirut; a Masters of Arts in Interactive Multimedia from the Utrecht School of the Arts in Holland and an MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York- where he studied under people like Steven Heller, Paula Scher and Stefan Sagmeister.
I have chosen Tarek because I am interested in the Arabic and Latin combination, and since type is on of the designer/s main considerations. So every designer is expected to choose the proper type from an enormous range of available Arabic and Latin types.
Since the visual appearance of typefaces depends to a large extent on the relative measurements of their proportions, Tarek has designed a wide range of Arabic typeface, which are carefully studied.
Born in Beirut, Tarek Atrissi has worked and studied in Lebanon, The Netherlands, Qatar, Dubai and the United States. He Holds a BA in Graphic Design with distinction from the American University of Beirut; a Masters of Arts in Interactive Multimedia from the Utrecht School of the Arts in Holland and an MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York- where he studied under people like Steven Heller, Paula Scher and Stefan Sagmeister.
I have chosen Tarek because I am interested in the Arabic and Latin combination, and since type is on of the designer/s main considerations. So every designer is expected to choose the proper type from an enormous range of available Arabic and Latin types.
Since the visual appearance of typefaces depends to a large extent on the relative measurements of their proportions, Tarek has designed a wide range of Arabic typeface, which are carefully studied.
02 Si Scott www.siscottstudio.com
I have chosen Si Scott because I like ornaments, swirling, wet, flourished typographic illustration, and he is an extraordinaire typographic illustrator. I think he is a trick typographer with a really distinctive style.
Tuesday 14 October 2008
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