What
Facilitation of a co-creation workshop with six interdisciplinary teams on the future of cross-generational bathrooms
Facilitation of a co-creation workshop with six interdisciplinary teams on the future of cross-generational bathrooms
Where
Burgbad AG, a german bathroom furniture manufacturer
Burgbad AG, a german bathroom furniture manufacturer
„we use co-design […] to refer to the creativity of designers and people not trained in design working together in the design development process“
Sanders, E., Stappers, P. J.; Convivial Toolbox: Generative Research for the front end of design, 2012, p. 25
A day-long workshop at the bathroom furniture manufacturer Burgbad's production site was organized. This workshop was a cooperation of the Chair of Industrial Design at TUM and the Institute for Universal Design with Burgbad. Within this project it was my task to plan and moderate the workshop. The workshop focused on finding new concepts for flexible bathroom furniture which is equally suited for all generations. In each group of the co-design workshop the following stakeholders could be found: elderly users, designers, engineers and business developers, with all of them participating equally in the ideation and prototyping process. Several methods were applied, such as Insights Sorting, User Journey Map, Role Playing or Rapid Prototyping.
Planning
Preceding the execution of the workshop I conducted research on the following topics: the manufacturer Burgbad, their product line "Flex", current trends in bathroom solutions, accessibility in bathrooms, sales channels of bathroom furniture, competitors in the field and Universal Design principles. Having summarized the collected data I went into further desk research, reading books and articles on design methodology. Sorting through a huge amount of methods I finally set up a workshop guideline with rigid milestones as well as time slot for individual creativity in between, all accompanied by methods corresponding to the current phase of the workshop.
Execution
The workshop started out with a commonly known introduction and conversation starters over coffee and cake. The participants where then divided into six groups keeping in mind a mix of disciplines and age. We started out into the topic by Sharing Inspiring Stories, followed by Brainstorming. The initial ideas were clustered while applying Insights Sorting or ERAF Systems Diagram. The group I participated in developed a concept, based on the common insight that one spends the fewest time in the bathroom in comparison to all the other rooms. We came up with a concept idea to tackle this potential by using the bathroom not just for hygienic purposes but also for physical exercises.
Using Role Playing we went into a bathroom and tried out all possible ways of using bathroom furniture in a sportive way. We tried to think form a child's perspective, our own and an elderly user's. We saw a lot of potential in bathroom radiators since the bars could be used for support during workouts. While leading the group methodically I still tried to be an active participant in the ideation and prototyping phase. This proved to be a challenging part since I had to remember the overall structure and timetable while still being creative and empathetic. Having built a rapid prototype all the groups presented their results in the end accompanied by enriching discussions.
Lessons Learned
„Direct solutions for problems are rarely innovative, let alone desirable. Only if obtained insights are transferred, expedient solutions can arise."
Hirsch, Sandra, Gestaltung und Umbruch:
Industrie Design als Mittel sozioökonomischer Wertschöpfung, 2014, p. 127
Industrie Design als Mittel sozioökonomischer Wertschöpfung, 2014, p. 127
The workshop itself went smoothly and the participants greatly enjoyed themselves. The selection of methods had been appropriate although not all methods were applied in every group. The overall desirability of the concepts was rather questionable, but nonetheless interesting and thought-provoking, meaning that the outcome of the workshop must not be regarded as finished concepts, but much rather as a base for further ideation in the light of the brand Burgbad and their product portfolio. Nevertheless the workshop was seen as a great success from both the participants' and the firm's perspective. They enjoyed thinking unconventionally and getting creative together.
My Role
Choosing appropriate design methods
Defining the agenda, setup and the required tools
Facilitating the workshop
Evaluating the outcome in a documentation
Choosing appropriate design methods
Defining the agenda, setup and the required tools
Facilitating the workshop
Evaluating the outcome in a documentation
