Early Idea Exploration
Ideation: 5 Ideas Sheets
The first ideas I brought into class are around sex ed, environmental impact, grief, culture, and mental health services. These are all topics that I am passionate about and would like to work towards for my senior project. These spaces interest me due to how they affect me now and I want to see if there’s a way to improve the experience of any of these topics.
Initial ideas brought into class:
Accessible, safe information about sex and reproductive health
Designing how we make decisions that impact the environment
A safe helpful, experience for those grieving/mourning
Bring more appreciation for Korean culture/traditions
Access and reduce the stigma around mental/emotional health services
Session 1: Ideation Process
During class session, we were asked to brainstorm ideas under 3 categories: technologies, industries, and social impacts. After doing so, we were asked to choose 1 from each category and see if an interesting topic arises.
“I’m exploring how technology in industry/community can help social impact.”
“I’m exploring how ______ in/for______ can help______.”
By following this template and mixing words with topics I wouldn’t expect, interest opportunity statements appeared and led to more possibilities.
During class, the exercise was a bit confusing as I was unsure to put under each of the categories. After looking at the terms afterwards, and listening to my peers’ examples, I knew I wanted to retry this type of ideation.
For the new session I did when I went back home, I was more mindful about what I put under technologies, industries, and social impacts. These topics better reflected what I was passionate about, and it felt better to look at the new opportunity statements.
Choice of Concept Direction
Top picks:
“I’m exploring how DATA in/for WOMEN can help EMOTIONAL HEALTH.”
“I’m exploring how SERVICES in/for PEOPLE GRIEVING can help EMOTIONAL HEALTH.”
“I’m exploring how SERVICES in/for PEOPLE GRIEVING can help (improve) COMMUNICATION.”
“I’m exploring how SMART PRODUCTS in/for HEALTHCARE can help (with) LOSS.”
“I’m exploring how DATA in/for STUDENTS can help (with) LOSS.”
I chose the concept “I’m exploring how service for people grieving can help improve communication.” because I’m interested in exploring the space of grief/loss and memory. After experiencing it and struggling through grief and realizing how difficult and complex it is, I wanted to help others in similar situations. It’s a narrow enough space where I can hone in my research and figure out who to talk to, but it’s broad enough where I don’t know what I want the final outcome to be yet. It’s exciting to know that I still have a lot to learn in this problem space.
Next Steps in Research
For the next steps in my research, I want to learn more about what resources currently exist for those who have experienced loss. Additionally, more research needs to be done on the topic of grief overall and why/how it affects people.
Questions I’m thinking about:
How is loss/mourning/grief perceived by those who have experienced it versus those who haven’t?
What resources are available to people? What resources do people find most helpful?
How do people communicate their feelings? Why? What’s effective?
Perspectives from specialists?
Process Reflection
From this process, I learned a new ideation tool of breaking down topics and mixing them up. It was new way to see how we see ideas and ideate new ones without burning out. I also learned what topics I was naturally drawn towards. By doing the 2nd session of ideation I had a better sense of what terms fit under the categories of Technologies, Industries/Categories, and Social Impacts. I think the more I do this type of exercise, the better I’ll get at it and get more detailed/complex ideas. Next time I might try out different sentence structures or slightly different words in between to get a more cohesive sentence.