F.C. Wijshoff

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Master thesis (1)

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Gardening together

Enhancing the shared experience of gardening through designing with dilemmas

Master thesis (2024) - F.C. Wijshoff Wijshoff (author) , H. Xue Xue (mentor) , D. Özkaramanlı Ozkaramanli (graduation committee member)

Within this report, we explore the opportunities of the enhancement of well-being among hobby gardeners in the Netherlands using the principles of Positive Design realized through the methodology of Dilemma-Driven Design. Data was collected through qualitative in-depth interviews involving 12 participants who all engaged in either home, community or pot gardening. These interviews primarily focused on the exploration of the emotional landscape and pinpointing the underlying dilemmas experienced within the corresponding gardening context.
The research process involved thorough analysis of interview results which led to dilemmas which offered a base to the ideation process employed within this project. Through ideation and iteration, a creative solution could be generated that holds promise for fostering human flourishing. In lines with the principles of Positive Design, this condition is key for enhancing subjective well-being and offers an insight on the potential of design to contributing to this within the domain of gardening.

Prior to the field research, extensive desk research and a literature review was conducted, where the existing sources between well-being and gardening were explored. Additionally, the role of gardening tools within the aspect of how they contribute to well-being was explored, given the collaborative nature of this project with the company Talen Tools, renowned for its high quality gardening tool craftsmanship.

As a final result, this project offers a new perspective on how designers can harness Dilemma-Driven Design to actively contribute to Positive Design, embodied through the design of the “PocketHelp”, a device that aims to overcome the dilemma of desiring help from fellow gardeners without seeming helpless, which is a dilemma commonly faced by community gardeners within the gardening complex Delftse Hout. The project offers insights into various design strategies which can be utilized to the enhancement of subjective well-being, in this case particularly within the context of communal gardening.