Catalyst: Phase 01

Case Study One — This Is My Story @ University of Malawi

Primary source: https://academic.oup.com/her/article/29/4/554/633088

• Why this project now?

This Is My Story was a project at the University of Malawi focused on using a specific process to engage dialog within local community about combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharn Africa. The project was extremely timely and relevant due to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS in that region and alarming statistics. According to a study published about the project, condom use among university students was extremely low, while students had a high prevalence of HIV (10.6 percent among young people in Malawi). Contributing to these statistics was an identified social factor of the stigmatization of HIV.

• What was their concept? Who were the key partners?

The project/study aimed to use a specific approach to engage the local student community called PACED, which stands for Process and Collaboration for Empowerment and Discussion, which is described as “an arts-based approach that places artists and people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in an intense process focused on community participation, trust building and the structural and cultural barriers to HIV prevention.” The specific arts-based approach used in this project was theatre/drama.

The key partners were students at both UCLA (California) and Chancellor College (University of Malawi), artists and people from the greater community who teamed up to hold a five-week workshop which culminated in a theater performance.

• Moments/phases in their process that were pivotal?

Some pivotal moments included a session where participants shared their own personal stories regarding HIV/AIDS, which helped break down personal barriers and build sympathy/empathy. They also participated in other specific acting exercises to play out social situations and to confront their personal biases and stigmas.

• Was this project lead by design?

I think this project was led by what some may describe as a design process. It was throughly planned in phases from start to finish. In the end however, because the project was used for a published study, it seems like the project was led by science and math.

• How was it applied?

It was applied through intense community engagement with resulted in a theater piece that was created as a collaborative effort.

• How much did it cost?

Unknown.

• How was the impact measured?

Because this project was turned into a published study, the entire process was rigorously documented and studied. Impact was measured through an extensive interview process with both the participants and audience members who viewed the final theater piece. For example, they found that 81.2% of audience members spoke to someone else about the performance and were able to still recall themes of the performance a year later. In addition to quantitative data, the study also includes highlighted quotes that highlight individual perspectives that contribute to the study. In the end, researchers found that the performance greatly helped to destigmatize HIV for those who attended the performance. They also quizzed participants on their sexual health knowledge during the beginning of the 5-week experience to evaluate potential gaps in knowledge from both HIV negative and positive people.

A year after the experience, participants were asked if they had experienced any changes in their own personal advocacy for HIV/AIDS-related causes. 90.9% of student participants said it did.

• Did they define it as social innovation? Do you agree?

In the conclusion of the study, they state that the PACED method successfully generated greater discussion and awareness throughout the campus community, and that participants reported a greater sense of empowerment. However, they do state that the PACED method is just one of many tools that should/can be used to create HIV/AIDS advocacy. In the end, I agree with the general scope and conclusion of the study and applaud the organizers and participants. However, a theater performance is simply just that: a performance. It’s not an on-the-ground frontline approach to the HIV/AIDS problem, but I think the study is aware of that.

• Why is this case study/research relevant to your project?

I chose this study because I felt that it was relevant due its focus on a college campus and a difficult topic. It also established that many students on the campus were indifferent or felt that the HIV/AIDS issue didn’t really apply to them, even if they were sexually active. It’ll be interesting to see if we’ll find a similar approach to how students feel about financial literacy. I also liked how rigorously this project measured its impact; perhaps we can borrow from that.

Case Study Two— Taiwanese Village

Primary source: https://doi.org/10.1080/17547075.2015.1105704

• Why this project now?

Industrial design students from National United University in Taiwan used social design thinking to develop innovative and diverse rush-woven products to help preserve gradually disappearing traditional handicraft culture in Foothills Community in Yuanli. This project is timely and relevant due to the Taiwanese economic transition, which prompted women to work in factories which led to the decline of talented rush weavers. Also, a substantial outflow of a younger generation from the Yuanli village left only a few to continue the rush-weaving tasks.

• What was their concept? Who were the key partners?

Sinch their project intended to co-create a series of activities and improve the condition of the community to develop different ways to innovate the rush-woven product while preserving the traditional making process. The key partners were connecting the elder rush-woven making generation and the new generation who are interested in learning and continuing traditional handicraft skills of cultural products. Thus the design process focused on understanding key partners’ current experience and empathize with them.

Moments/phases in their process that were pivotal?

There was not a big pivoting moment but, through the interviewing process designers realized that older generations have a hard time understanding the new ideas proposed for new shapes or patterns of weaving. Since elder rush-woven makers are used to creating familiar products, it was a challenge for design students to visualize their reasoning behind proposing new products and explain the impact of their plan.

• Was this project lead by design?

This project was led by design from end to end. In the initial stage, industrial design students used user experience research skills by interviewing the community members. Through the interview insight, students could successfully implement a practical design solution for the community.

• How was it applied?

It was applied through innovative new design products that were led from a active community engagement that drew a community-centered product through the collaboration effort.

• How much did it cost?

Unknown.

• How was the impact measured?

The industrial design product won several awards in international design awards as the product itself leading to the reestablishment of popularity among the consumers in the market. But what’s more significant was that the students’ efforts prompted the government to pay more attention to the cultural tradition heritage of rush weaving.

• Did they define it as social innovation? Do you agree?

In the conclusion of the study, the new handcrafted product definitely stimulated the interest from the market and sparked an active communication among the generations. Within the community, after several weeks of design students stay, they have realized the importance of understanding that the generation gap is inevitable but it could be resolved and cherished in other ways.

• Why is this case study/research relevant to your project?

I chose this study because I felt like those industrial design students had to experience a similar situation as we are about to embark. The social design problems are wicked in a way that the key to solving those issues is approaching by truly understand the people in the problem space and identifying the need within the community. After reading this, I’d like to focus on emphatic design for our community project and develop a design solution that is applicable and relable to students in regards to financial literacy.

Case Study Three — Waste to Wealth

Primary source: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/54cf/2b2d560f52ef1e4f29c1e3a0509f97346e47.pdf

• Why this project now?

Waste to Wealth was a project conducted by the Ondo State Integrated Wastes Recycling and Treatment Project (OSIWRTP). The project transformed the waste generated in Ondo State to various valuable products. This project is up-to-date and significant due to the serious solid waste disposal problem in Nigeria. Due to the severe increasing population growth rate with increasing urbanization and industrialization in Nigeria, there has been a phenomenal increase in the volume of wastes generated daily in the country. In addition, Nigeria has a lack of effective waste management systems.

• What was their concept? Who were the key partners?

The project mainly aimed to create effective waste management systems in Nigeria. The project promoted the possible profitable and safe handling and recycling of every type of waste generated within the Ondo State. This authorization involved designing and promoting policies and programs including the development of pilot schemes to encourage and promote waste recycling, the building of local/national markets for recycled products, and collaboration with other appropriate government agencies to regulate the safe handling, disposal and treatment of different waste within the State. The result expected was to mitigate soil, water and air pollution that is usually associated with the improper handling and disposal of wastes.

As it says in the previous paragraph, the key partners were local/national markets and other government agencies. Also, as the project promoted policies and programs across the state, many different universities in Nigeria also conducted studies and projects related to this project and recycling, collaborating with OSIWRTP.

• Moments/phases in their process that were pivotal?

There were no big pivotal moments. However, there were some problems occurred during the process of collecting household dumps for the waste to wealth activities. However, at the time, each household was expected to carry its refuse to a dumping area, where the refuse was burnt or collected for disposal. Therefore, the door-to-door collection using government-supplied storage facilities or dustbins were needed to be operated to avoid the problems. Also, the project is the beginning process to build the effective waste management system. The project would be later spread into programs to educate individuals in Nigeria to understand the issue and make them educated on waste minimization techniques at home.

• Was this project lead by design?

As it is explained for the concept of this project, the project involved designing as a method to promote waste recycling and later re-organized the waste management system in Nigeria. However, because the project was one of the government lead projects, the project was not led by design.

• How was it applied?

The project mainly targeted a specific city in the state, Akure, where has the worst waste management according to research. The project basically conducted a solid waste collection practice and recycling (waste to wealth) activities in the city. It was applied through intense community engagement which resulted in a massive change in wasting management.

• How much did it cost?

Unknown.

• How was the impact measured?

Pollution abatement, energy-saving, social benefits, and economic benefits are the primary indices that measured the advantages of the waste to wealth activities of the project. The project also provided working opportunities for people in the city.

• Did they define it as social innovation? Do you agree?

In conclusion, the project established the important role play in solid waste management and in the generation of wealth for the state. The project has not only made the project area Akure environmentally friendly but has created employment for operators. I agree with the project’s conclusion to recommend better behaviors of people on wastes for better operation in the future.

• Why is this case study/research relevant to your project?

The reason why I chose this study is that the main goal of the project is to educate people on environmental literacy. The project’s main approach described in the paper was to re-design the waste management system in Nigeria. Also, because the project is government-funded and not led by design, the project seemed not very related to our project. However, because the project attempted to create a better system of recycling and re-using wastes for people to easily adapt to their household throughout one on one campaign about waste management awareness, I thought there are some similarities to our project. I think designing an effective system that everyone can understand and use is a very important approach to bring changes on the serious social problem.