Beginning Thoughts

Apr. 3rd, 2018

Main Points from Class Discussion:

Schema: Generalized knowledge of world; generated or based on past experience

Illustrative role: How society shapes design

Formative role: How society is shaped by design

Stereotype: Strong schema, over-simplified

Prototype: Best example of something

Project Audience Initial Brainstorm:

College Freshmen: New to college, balance between social life and school work

College Seniors: Need to put time into job search/application or apply for grad-school or think about one’s future after college

April 6th, 2018

Who are you designing for? Why?

We are considering designing for college freshmen because we feel that it definitely takes time for people to get used to a new environment. As CMU has many extracurricular activities that students are able to participate in, time management between studying, participating in activities, socializing with friends, exercising, sleeping, etc, is an important part of students’ college life.

freshmen behavior/mindset?

What do you want to convey? Why?

We hope to convey the importance of managing one’s time wisely and that students should definitely leave an adequate amount of time for exercise, rest, and sleep in their busy schedules. We want to highlight how time management can be a valuable skill and how it is not an impossible thing to do.

We are interested in creating a persuasive story around how time management is beneficial, but more importantly attainable for everyone. This is an important point we want to convey because time management is often considered to be a characteristic you either have or don’t have. Through this open discussion on time management we hope to dismantle those beliefs and reinforce good time management behavior.

What do you want your audience to do? Why?

We hope our audience can take specific steps to plan out their days/weeks, so that they won’t, for example, end up procrastinating the night before a project deadline. Also, we hope that our audience can incorporate time for rest and exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle since it is evident that many students overlook the importance of health.

We hope that what we design helps student create healthy planning habits.

What contexts do you think would be effective for your messaging? Why?

• Within the university environment where students are working (eg. library, dorm, cafe). These areas are places were students often face the struggle of poor time management. Perhaps circulating good time management behavior in these areas with encourage students to begin being more proactive about how they plan out their own time.
• Places where students might be looking for guidance with time management habits (eg. counseling center, job center…)
• Digital Environments like social media (facebook feed) or email.

What contents do you think would be effective for your messaging? Why?

• Research on the average amount of sleep and exercise college students need to keep their body healthy.
• Research on average amount of time college students spend on looking at laptop/phone screens and advocate the necessity of taking better care of our eyes.
• The benefits of keeping a schedule and how it can actually increase work efficiency.
• How to mange one’s time. What steps need to be taken in order to manage time.

What mediums do you think would be effective for your messaging? Why?

• Interactive app in which people can enter the amount of time they spend on each category of things daily and the app can provide suggestions on advising how the student should adjust their use of time to help them maintain a healthy body.
• A paper and pencil scheduler that allows students to plan out their time. Perhaps a planner or checklist to help create healthy habits of creating deadlines that are kept and “checked off”
• A poster that is meant to be placed around someone’s room or place of work that reminds them of healthy time management habits
• Motivational/tip note cards or booklet
• Informational video about time management
• Trinkets like keychains or bracelet with slogan on it
• Stickers

Large Scale, Flat Communication Piece:

• Calendar
• Poster Path **
• infographic (interactive?)
• White board interactive wall ??
• Poster (possibly a series)

A Digital Communication Piece:

• camera based app (like Pokemon Go) — photo journal??
• Social Media — help each other with time management or competition based
• avatar game
• informational graphic-based video
• app

Hand-held Physical:

• motivational/tip cards
• stickers
• a pack of trinkets/things that reminds the user to be more aware of time management (sticker & to-do/motivational planner)
• screen-printed tote bag/shirt
• small booklet
• progress tracker through physical objects??