Presentation Feedback

Today we presented our final deliverable to Derek and Emma along with the rest of the design thinking class. We where fortunate enough to have some outside guest who seemed to really enjoy the project we have worked on throughout the quarter.

For our presentation we opened up with a brief background talking about Freshwise and Foodlinks goal and the task that we were asked to do by Freshwise. Today was the day we were able to showcase all the hard work with performed throughout the quarter parenting a video from our visits, our full sized prototype of the soil wall, and lastly tieing everything up with a walk-through of our 3d model of the classroom space we designed.

After completing our short presentation we opened it up to the floor for comments and feedback. I found it very interesting to see just how everyone supported the educational programs that Freshwise currently has. They provided use with ideas on how this type of environment might be extremely beneficial to youth today due the fact that the educational system have shifted away from trades to a more standard academia based teaching.

One comment talked about the need to advertise this idea so parents. Parents need to realize that these types of educational experiences are no longer seen at a young age because achademia has changed. Today their really is a decrease in vocational educational experiences avalible to students these days and Freshwise could possibly take advantage of this untapped opportunity.

The Golden Circle: Creating Reason to Your Actions

Simon Sinek talks about a very interesting concept called the golden circle in his ted talk. Basically Sinek challenges entrepreneurs/ designers to think differently and asks why they are doing what they are doing.

Traditionally we are trained to look at products/ ideas from an external to internal mind process.

What > How> Why

Sinek believes that this process is an ineffective process to communicate an idea to someone. He gave an example regarding dell computers.

Dell creates personal computers > that are simple to use > want to buy one?
(what) (how) (why)

The idea behind this method for communication which is used by the majority of companies today basically says, what we do, how we do it different, and we expect some sort of behavior maybe in the form of a purchase from consumers. This thinking from the outside in is how most people think and in many cases it can successfully communicate a message. However is that message truly meaningful, does it strike a nerve; does it invoke a response or behavior? Sinek say no.

Instead Sinek believe that thinking from the inside out, having a belief that you express first then apply to the how and what creates a message that is much more effective in creating a behavior response.

For this idea he uses apple as an example

Everything we do we believe in thinking differently, challenge the status quota> the way we challenge the status quota is we make our products beautifully designed, user friendly, and simple to use > we just happen to make great computers want to buy one?

(Why) > (How)> (What)

By thinking this way you express your beliefs throughout your products and ideas, which show that your ideas have an overall meaning or goal. Apple wants to challenge the status quota and think differently, they achieve this through their product designs, which show their mission in a sense. Their products showcase this reason and create a behavioral response in consumers that is more meaningful than a message that is focused from the outside in.

http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html

The Importance of Point of View

The importance of point of view is seeing the solution to a problem from different perspectives. The POV analysis that we performed in class was useful because it allowed us to think just how different people would view our projects. Our group created a few different madlibs representing a few different types of people that may visit the farm. It is important to see think of these different point of views because they can sometime uncover new needs for the project and allow you to ideate possibly expanding on ideas creating new concepts that could be applied to the project. After performing the POV exercise we identified some interesting perspectives about the project in terms of what types of goal we wanted to achieve with the classroom space and how our objective either fell within or without the needs of various POV’s. If we had all the time in the world I would have loved to be able to observe all type of clientele that the farm receives possibly seeing there POV of the educational process at Freshwise farms.

Critique Day

Today In class we held class presentations. After each group presented the class critiqued there presentation, and prototypes providing them with constructive criticism that the group could use to further develop there project. We learned in class that there were a series of rules associated with effective critiques. I found it very interesting because I had no idea how to provide this type of criticism. Some of the the rules associated with a successful critique included sharing your ideas to the presenting group in a positive, meaningful,and constructive way. Everyone needs to participate because each person thinks in a very different way and might see a solution to a problem differently than the group. Along with this these ideas and questions in a sense show the group what they should cover or explain better in terms of their boards or prototypes.

It was interesting to hear the feedback from our classmates as well as there recommendations to how we could better our goal to created an effective classroom space for Freshwise Farms that meets all there needs. We gained a lot of good feed back but perhaps two that stood out to us the most were people wanted to see the room incorporate a process or flow. They recommended incorporate activities that visitors at Freshwise might perform. They utilizing the space incorporate all aspects of agriculture, from the growing process, to preparation, to eating. Along with this we also received feedback about the designs we created. The class really liked the floor tile planters box and incorporating vegetation into the classroom. They provided us with questions to ask for these prototypes as well including how will you water the plants or provide them with sunlight if there in a classroom space? We will definitely have to further develop this idea so we don't have dead plants in our tiles. The class also recommended making things not only catered towards kids but to people of all ages

Prototyping

Today in class we started creating our first prototypes. Although these were rough prototypes of the final design we successfully created a few different items. The first prototype that we created was one of the overall design of the room. Although this prototype was not to scale or reflects the final floor plan it allowed us to brainstorm and actually see some of our ideas in physical form.

Here is our prototype of the room.

This prototype shows a few attributes that we would like to implement in our design including large windows, the roof pillars, the projector screen, a mock table, and bean bag chairs.

We also created a prototype of the planters box floor tiles we where thinking of having throughout the classroom.

This specific prototype shows how Freshwise might water or replace a plant in the box.

As we created the prototypes we also revised our idea board. Getting rid of ideas that we had identified as not relevant to the overall goal of the project. We also reorganized the board to incorporate our sketches and will be presenting it to the class tomorrow.

Design Phase

So last class we brainstormed and set up a schedule for the next two weeks. Our group is finally moving into the design phase and each group member has been assigned a section of the class room to design. Our assignment for the second class of week 5 was to start sketching designs for items that will eventually build into prototypes. Our group has also determined by week 6 we would like to have a 3d model of what the class room would look like. As we gather materials and designs for Thursday we look forward to finally building some of our ideas.

My task for the second class was to design the walls of the classroom. I came up with two different designs one that is a enclosed class room featuring large windows that look out into the green house and provide a room separate from the green house.

The second design I created was a completely open design that I feel really allows the classroom to feel as if it were a part of the greenhouse. This design has no physical windows just openings to the green house, it also features wooden mesh walls that should allow vegetation to grow along the was further immersing the classroom with the green house.

Another feature that I would like to possibly see in the class room design is a soil wall. This soil wall will act mainly as an education tool by allowing Freshwise to plant various vegetables and show to there visitors just how they grow by showing the routes,submerged vegetables etc.

Lastly the group has decided that the first prototype we are going to tackle will be the vegetation floor tiles which will essentially be placed in the floor of the class room. These tiles will allow Freshwise to grow herbs or lettuce via hydroponics within the classroom in the enclosed space and it will be fully functional in providing water and light to the plants. We though that this idea was interesting because it will entice the visitors as well as allowing Freshwise to show visitors how they use hydroponics.

RIT Local Food Potluck!

Today our design thinking class took part of a local food Potluck. Each team prepared two dishes that would be created using local ingredients allowing our group to gain the experience of buying local produce and preparing it to be presented to the other members of the potluck. Our group created two dishes the first was a organic salad made with NY state spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and carrots. The second dish was mash Collie flower with potatoes.

We started the morning by meeting with Derek from Freshwise at the Rochester Public Market. I really liked our group’s plan to get ingredients from the public market it was also my first time to the Rochester Public Market and I really had no idea what to expect. We arrived at the market in search for locally grown food as well as to just walk around and see how various vendors sell their products.

After we did some shopping we took our ingredients and made our dishes. The Freshwise team prepared a carrot and beat salad that was really good. When we got to the potluck there was an assortment of various foods that showcased locally grown NY products, created by people who prided eating locally. Along with the amazing food we had a networking table where people could meet and connect with one another as well as a section where we were able to showcase our brainstorming ideas with our clients. I liked the idea of having our projects displayed during the potluck because it allows those not associated with the group to see just what we are trying to do and possibly connect with any of our three clients. I wish however that there was some sort of formal presentation that allowed the groups to present there projects to general audience. I wonder if we were to do such a presentation might the groups gotten feedback from not only the other clients attending the potluck but feedback and ideas from the audience that could be used towards each groups project.

There were alot of great dishes. Two dishes that I found to be pretty cool were the apple salad made by RIT catering and the assortment of vegetables provided from the RIT community garden. It was pretty interesting to see that two of the dishes at the potluck were dishes created through the institute to promote locally grown foods. I also found it interesting to learn that RIT actually sources a good amount of there food and produce from local farms in NY. Overall I had a blast at the local food potluck. Preparing my dish really showed me just how to look for product and wonder "is that locally grown? is that organic?"This experience has also shown me just how cool the public market is and I will definitely be making more trips to the market in the future.