Team: Gabrielle Bennett/ Moxue Jia/ Sebastian Ervi/ Zhaolu Song
Brief: Using the taxonomy of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) design a digital system that encourages behaviour change.
Time: 25.02.2021-04.03.2021
This week we will generate ideas in different stages of the food process based on previous research and select one main idea to develop.
Redefine the Behaviour
Last week, we decided to change the behavior of overconsumption focusing on food waste. However, with further practical research, we were confused that whether wasting food is a behavior or a consequence of a behavior. After a lot of discussions, we reached a unified understanding that wasting food is a behavior that resulted from different behaviors, and we divided these behaviors into four different stages: buying, cooking, storing and reusing.
In order to generate more ideas, our group decided we won’t just focus on one stage and each one can think about ideas in all stages based on previous research.
Secret Cupboard Inspection
Based on the previous interview outcome that people don’t check the expiration date of the long-term food, I did a secret cupboard inspection and found the cupboard is so full and can’t even see all the food inside. And then, I checked some food in the deeper place (can’t be seen) and found that some are already out of date for a long time and some even expired 8 years!
Cupboard and expired food. Photos by me.
Thinking of the shopping behavior mapping that Sebastian did, I found that the food that he bought not on the shopping list is exactly long-term food! Therefore, I came to the conclusion that people are more likely to overconsumption on long-term food.
Shopping behavior mapping. Mapping by Sebastian.
"Cupboard Pal"
So, I came up with the idea that “Cupboard Pal”, which aims to encourage less storage and remind people to consume what food they have before the expiration date to limit food overconsumption and reduce food waste.
Cupboard Pal. Sketch by me.
I also came up with some ideas about other stages.
“Before throw away” table. Sketch by me.
Smart Plate. Sketch by me.
Food hourglass. Sketch by me.
Different Stages
Each one of us shared our own ideas and we found that we all focused on different stages of food wasting. Moxue focused on reusing, Gabrielle focused on cooking, Sebastian focused on storing and I focused on buying. For the next step, John suggested that synthesize and categorize our ideas, find the interesting and achievable ones and think about the connection within them.
My Reflection about Collaboration
A big problem in our group was decision-making. Our group generated many good ideas in different stages quickly, but we spent more time on decision-making.
At first, we thought no constraints on stages would be good for us to generate more ideas. However, we neglected this project is quite intense and not long enough to develop every idea deeply. Without thinking from a bigger picture, our group properly made an inappropriate decision. Besides, we can’t reach an agreement on which idea, so we failed to make progress efficiently. Less listening is the main reason that we can’t accept others’ ideas.
In the next blog, I will describe how we conquer these problems we faced, make decisions and design prototypes.
Kommentarer