JH
J.W. Hoftijzer
info
Please Note
<p>This page displays the records of the person named above and is not linked to a unique person identifier. This record may need to be merged to a profile.</p>
23 records found
1
Most people with a spinal cord injury (SCI) depend on a manual wheelchair for independent daily mobility. Compared to the average wheelchair user, SCI wheelchair users are relatively young and active. For these users, good design of the wheelchair is critical. A custom frame is made using the body dimensions of the user. This improves the user’s posture and propulsion efficiency. Custom wheelchair frames are also very rigid which is beneficial for seating stability and the durability of the wheelchair. There are two types of custom frame constructions available but they require a trade-off between rigidity and transportability. Open frames are easier to transport, whereas Box frames provide higher rigidity. This thesis explores whether these advantages can be combined in a single frame design.
The goal was to design a custom active wheelchair frame for users with a spinal cord injury between the C6 and L2 segments. The frame had to combine the rigidity of the Box frame with improved transportability similar to the Open frame, while remaining feasible to manufacture using the available production methods of the wheelchair factory. The analysis consisted of literature research, interviews. The analyses explored use scenarios, stakeholder interactions, market research, ergonomics, manufacturing methods, material selection and existing frame constructions were analysed through simulations in SolidWorks. The findings were translated into design requirements.
The proposed frame design replaces the conventional construction of the Box frame with a much more space efficient alternative which improves its transportability. The frame is titled the ‘Cross-Over’ frame. It was designed to minimise the bending complexity of the components to make manufacturing more efficient which could lower the production cost. The performance of the Cross-Over frame was evaluated using SolidWorks simulations and indicate a comparable stress performance to the Box frame. In addition, the frame is approximately 8.5% lighter than the reference Box frame and its shape is easier to transport by car, which was evaluated using a 1:1 PVC prototype. Although more physical testing is required to validate these findings, the results indicate that the new frame design improves transportability while maintaining the rigidity required for active daily use. ...
The goal was to design a custom active wheelchair frame for users with a spinal cord injury between the C6 and L2 segments. The frame had to combine the rigidity of the Box frame with improved transportability similar to the Open frame, while remaining feasible to manufacture using the available production methods of the wheelchair factory. The analysis consisted of literature research, interviews. The analyses explored use scenarios, stakeholder interactions, market research, ergonomics, manufacturing methods, material selection and existing frame constructions were analysed through simulations in SolidWorks. The findings were translated into design requirements.
The proposed frame design replaces the conventional construction of the Box frame with a much more space efficient alternative which improves its transportability. The frame is titled the ‘Cross-Over’ frame. It was designed to minimise the bending complexity of the components to make manufacturing more efficient which could lower the production cost. The performance of the Cross-Over frame was evaluated using SolidWorks simulations and indicate a comparable stress performance to the Box frame. In addition, the frame is approximately 8.5% lighter than the reference Box frame and its shape is easier to transport by car, which was evaluated using a 1:1 PVC prototype. Although more physical testing is required to validate these findings, the results indicate that the new frame design improves transportability while maintaining the rigidity required for active daily use. ...
Most people with a spinal cord injury (SCI) depend on a manual wheelchair for independent daily mobility. Compared to the average wheelchair user, SCI wheelchair users are relatively young and active. For these users, good design of the wheelchair is critical. A custom frame is made using the body dimensions of the user. This improves the user’s posture and propulsion efficiency. Custom wheelchair frames are also very rigid which is beneficial for seating stability and the durability of the wheelchair. There are two types of custom frame constructions available but they require a trade-off between rigidity and transportability. Open frames are easier to transport, whereas Box frames provide higher rigidity. This thesis explores whether these advantages can be combined in a single frame design.
The goal was to design a custom active wheelchair frame for users with a spinal cord injury between the C6 and L2 segments. The frame had to combine the rigidity of the Box frame with improved transportability similar to the Open frame, while remaining feasible to manufacture using the available production methods of the wheelchair factory. The analysis consisted of literature research, interviews. The analyses explored use scenarios, stakeholder interactions, market research, ergonomics, manufacturing methods, material selection and existing frame constructions were analysed through simulations in SolidWorks. The findings were translated into design requirements.
The proposed frame design replaces the conventional construction of the Box frame with a much more space efficient alternative which improves its transportability. The frame is titled the ‘Cross-Over’ frame. It was designed to minimise the bending complexity of the components to make manufacturing more efficient which could lower the production cost. The performance of the Cross-Over frame was evaluated using SolidWorks simulations and indicate a comparable stress performance to the Box frame. In addition, the frame is approximately 8.5% lighter than the reference Box frame and its shape is easier to transport by car, which was evaluated using a 1:1 PVC prototype. Although more physical testing is required to validate these findings, the results indicate that the new frame design improves transportability while maintaining the rigidity required for active daily use.
The goal was to design a custom active wheelchair frame for users with a spinal cord injury between the C6 and L2 segments. The frame had to combine the rigidity of the Box frame with improved transportability similar to the Open frame, while remaining feasible to manufacture using the available production methods of the wheelchair factory. The analysis consisted of literature research, interviews. The analyses explored use scenarios, stakeholder interactions, market research, ergonomics, manufacturing methods, material selection and existing frame constructions were analysed through simulations in SolidWorks. The findings were translated into design requirements.
The proposed frame design replaces the conventional construction of the Box frame with a much more space efficient alternative which improves its transportability. The frame is titled the ‘Cross-Over’ frame. It was designed to minimise the bending complexity of the components to make manufacturing more efficient which could lower the production cost. The performance of the Cross-Over frame was evaluated using SolidWorks simulations and indicate a comparable stress performance to the Box frame. In addition, the frame is approximately 8.5% lighter than the reference Box frame and its shape is easier to transport by car, which was evaluated using a 1:1 PVC prototype. Although more physical testing is required to validate these findings, the results indicate that the new frame design improves transportability while maintaining the rigidity required for active daily use.
DIY Practices in the Cosmetics Industry
Self-Making as a Response to Industrialized Beauty
This thesis investigates how do-it-yourself (DIY) cosmetic practices can support more conscious, participatory, and sustainable relationships with beauty products. Situating DIY cosmetics within a historical context of self-making, apothecary practices, and embodied material knowledge, the research explores how cosmetic production has shifted from localized, skill-based making to increasingly industrialized, consumer-driven systems, creating a growing gap between consumers and production.
The research combines historical analysis, literature review, semi-structured interviews, workshop-based prototyping, and participant co-creation to explore the opportunities and challenges of DIY cosmetics. Drawing on theories of design, prosumption, consumer behavior, sustainability, and DIY, it examines how tensions between convenience and autonomy, personalization and standardization, and self-expression and overconsumption shape contemporary beauty consumption.
Insights from the interviews informed the design of two hands-on workshop interventions that enable participants to formulate their own cosmetic products while engaging directly with ingredients, packaging, and production processes. Findings suggest that DIY cosmetic making can strengthen curiosity, confidence, creativity, and agency while increasing awareness of ingredients, formulation, and product lifecycle considerations. Participants particularly valued opportunities for personalization, social learning, and guided knowledge transfer.
The thesis concludes that DIY cosmetics are not a replacement for industrial production but a alternative practice that restores participation, knowledge, and choice within contemporary beauty systems. By framing users as active creators rather than passive consumers, the research proposes a Design-for-DIY approach through a self-making intervention supported by a viable business model that positions designers as facilitators of accessible, safe, and meaningful making experiences. In doing so, it contributes to broader discussions on sustainable consumption, democratized design, and active participation within the beauty industry. ...
The research combines historical analysis, literature review, semi-structured interviews, workshop-based prototyping, and participant co-creation to explore the opportunities and challenges of DIY cosmetics. Drawing on theories of design, prosumption, consumer behavior, sustainability, and DIY, it examines how tensions between convenience and autonomy, personalization and standardization, and self-expression and overconsumption shape contemporary beauty consumption.
Insights from the interviews informed the design of two hands-on workshop interventions that enable participants to formulate their own cosmetic products while engaging directly with ingredients, packaging, and production processes. Findings suggest that DIY cosmetic making can strengthen curiosity, confidence, creativity, and agency while increasing awareness of ingredients, formulation, and product lifecycle considerations. Participants particularly valued opportunities for personalization, social learning, and guided knowledge transfer.
The thesis concludes that DIY cosmetics are not a replacement for industrial production but a alternative practice that restores participation, knowledge, and choice within contemporary beauty systems. By framing users as active creators rather than passive consumers, the research proposes a Design-for-DIY approach through a self-making intervention supported by a viable business model that positions designers as facilitators of accessible, safe, and meaningful making experiences. In doing so, it contributes to broader discussions on sustainable consumption, democratized design, and active participation within the beauty industry. ...
This thesis investigates how do-it-yourself (DIY) cosmetic practices can support more conscious, participatory, and sustainable relationships with beauty products. Situating DIY cosmetics within a historical context of self-making, apothecary practices, and embodied material knowledge, the research explores how cosmetic production has shifted from localized, skill-based making to increasingly industrialized, consumer-driven systems, creating a growing gap between consumers and production.
The research combines historical analysis, literature review, semi-structured interviews, workshop-based prototyping, and participant co-creation to explore the opportunities and challenges of DIY cosmetics. Drawing on theories of design, prosumption, consumer behavior, sustainability, and DIY, it examines how tensions between convenience and autonomy, personalization and standardization, and self-expression and overconsumption shape contemporary beauty consumption.
Insights from the interviews informed the design of two hands-on workshop interventions that enable participants to formulate their own cosmetic products while engaging directly with ingredients, packaging, and production processes. Findings suggest that DIY cosmetic making can strengthen curiosity, confidence, creativity, and agency while increasing awareness of ingredients, formulation, and product lifecycle considerations. Participants particularly valued opportunities for personalization, social learning, and guided knowledge transfer.
The thesis concludes that DIY cosmetics are not a replacement for industrial production but a alternative practice that restores participation, knowledge, and choice within contemporary beauty systems. By framing users as active creators rather than passive consumers, the research proposes a Design-for-DIY approach through a self-making intervention supported by a viable business model that positions designers as facilitators of accessible, safe, and meaningful making experiences. In doing so, it contributes to broader discussions on sustainable consumption, democratized design, and active participation within the beauty industry.
The research combines historical analysis, literature review, semi-structured interviews, workshop-based prototyping, and participant co-creation to explore the opportunities and challenges of DIY cosmetics. Drawing on theories of design, prosumption, consumer behavior, sustainability, and DIY, it examines how tensions between convenience and autonomy, personalization and standardization, and self-expression and overconsumption shape contemporary beauty consumption.
Insights from the interviews informed the design of two hands-on workshop interventions that enable participants to formulate their own cosmetic products while engaging directly with ingredients, packaging, and production processes. Findings suggest that DIY cosmetic making can strengthen curiosity, confidence, creativity, and agency while increasing awareness of ingredients, formulation, and product lifecycle considerations. Participants particularly valued opportunities for personalization, social learning, and guided knowledge transfer.
The thesis concludes that DIY cosmetics are not a replacement for industrial production but a alternative practice that restores participation, knowledge, and choice within contemporary beauty systems. By framing users as active creators rather than passive consumers, the research proposes a Design-for-DIY approach through a self-making intervention supported by a viable business model that positions designers as facilitators of accessible, safe, and meaningful making experiences. In doing so, it contributes to broader discussions on sustainable consumption, democratized design, and active participation within the beauty industry.
Democratising design for Down Syndrome
A DfDIY buildkit for makers with Down syndrome
This thesis explores how the Design for Do-It-Yourself (DfDIY) framework can be adapted to develop a toolkit that facilitates independence, skill acquisition and fosters a sense of pride of authorship for young adults with Down syndrome, advancing the democratisation of design.
The DfDIY framework, developed by Hoftijzer (2024), argues that designers should shift from creators of finished products to facilitators who enable others to make, modify and take ownership of what they build. However, the framework implicitly assumes a ‘layperson’ with neurotypical cognitive abilities and standard physical dexterity. This restricts the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in maker environments. This project identifies that gap and addresses it through the development of an inclusive DfDIY buildkit specifically designed for young adults with Down syndrome.
A literature review across five sub-research questions examined the current state of DIY for people with intellectual disabilities, the physical and cognitive barriers specific to Down syndrome, relevant pedagogical frameworks from special education, the concept of pride of authorship for this demographic and methods for evaluating toolkit effectiveness. The findings informed a set of eighteen design guidelines for an inclusive DfDIY toolkit, covering accessible components, embedded and visual instructions, scaffolded independence, errorless learning, co-creation through tangible choice systems and aesthetic scaffolding.
These findings were translated into a set of requirements and design guidelines that informed the development of Down to Make. Down to make is a brand that develops buildkits for young adults with Down syndrome, each enabling users to independently learn new cognitive or physical making skills, experience a sense of pride of authorship and participate as active makers in the design process. The screen-printing kit described in this thesis is the first kit in the Down to Make range and served as the case study through which the core methodology was developed and tested. The kit includes a layered instructional system combining a full instructional video, a laminated step-by-step booklet and physical cues embedded directly into the components. A colour-coded choice card system placed on a placemat gives users creative agency over what they make, what colour they use and what design they print. The kit was developed by research through design, an expert review and two rounds of user testing with fifteen young adults with Down syndrome aged seventeen to twenty-five.
The testing confirmed that when the instructional system, physical components and choice architecture are designed to remove barriers rather than compensate for them, participants engage independently with a (complex) making task and produce results they are genuinely proud of. Facilitator interventions dropped significantly between iterations and participants consistently demonstrated more independence than their teachers and caregivers had expected. Every participant across both rounds wanted to show their finished object to someone, a clear and consistent indicator of pride of authorship.
The thesis concludes with a set of thirty-eight design guidelines for future designers who want to develop similar kits, covering activity selection, kit design, facilitation and evaluation. These guidelines are intended to be applicable across a wide range of making techniques and to serve as a starting point for extending the democracy of design to people with Down Syndrome and possibly other cognitive disabilities.
...
The DfDIY framework, developed by Hoftijzer (2024), argues that designers should shift from creators of finished products to facilitators who enable others to make, modify and take ownership of what they build. However, the framework implicitly assumes a ‘layperson’ with neurotypical cognitive abilities and standard physical dexterity. This restricts the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in maker environments. This project identifies that gap and addresses it through the development of an inclusive DfDIY buildkit specifically designed for young adults with Down syndrome.
A literature review across five sub-research questions examined the current state of DIY for people with intellectual disabilities, the physical and cognitive barriers specific to Down syndrome, relevant pedagogical frameworks from special education, the concept of pride of authorship for this demographic and methods for evaluating toolkit effectiveness. The findings informed a set of eighteen design guidelines for an inclusive DfDIY toolkit, covering accessible components, embedded and visual instructions, scaffolded independence, errorless learning, co-creation through tangible choice systems and aesthetic scaffolding.
These findings were translated into a set of requirements and design guidelines that informed the development of Down to Make. Down to make is a brand that develops buildkits for young adults with Down syndrome, each enabling users to independently learn new cognitive or physical making skills, experience a sense of pride of authorship and participate as active makers in the design process. The screen-printing kit described in this thesis is the first kit in the Down to Make range and served as the case study through which the core methodology was developed and tested. The kit includes a layered instructional system combining a full instructional video, a laminated step-by-step booklet and physical cues embedded directly into the components. A colour-coded choice card system placed on a placemat gives users creative agency over what they make, what colour they use and what design they print. The kit was developed by research through design, an expert review and two rounds of user testing with fifteen young adults with Down syndrome aged seventeen to twenty-five.
The testing confirmed that when the instructional system, physical components and choice architecture are designed to remove barriers rather than compensate for them, participants engage independently with a (complex) making task and produce results they are genuinely proud of. Facilitator interventions dropped significantly between iterations and participants consistently demonstrated more independence than their teachers and caregivers had expected. Every participant across both rounds wanted to show their finished object to someone, a clear and consistent indicator of pride of authorship.
The thesis concludes with a set of thirty-eight design guidelines for future designers who want to develop similar kits, covering activity selection, kit design, facilitation and evaluation. These guidelines are intended to be applicable across a wide range of making techniques and to serve as a starting point for extending the democracy of design to people with Down Syndrome and possibly other cognitive disabilities.
...
This thesis explores how the Design for Do-It-Yourself (DfDIY) framework can be adapted to develop a toolkit that facilitates independence, skill acquisition and fosters a sense of pride of authorship for young adults with Down syndrome, advancing the democratisation of design.
The DfDIY framework, developed by Hoftijzer (2024), argues that designers should shift from creators of finished products to facilitators who enable others to make, modify and take ownership of what they build. However, the framework implicitly assumes a ‘layperson’ with neurotypical cognitive abilities and standard physical dexterity. This restricts the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in maker environments. This project identifies that gap and addresses it through the development of an inclusive DfDIY buildkit specifically designed for young adults with Down syndrome.
A literature review across five sub-research questions examined the current state of DIY for people with intellectual disabilities, the physical and cognitive barriers specific to Down syndrome, relevant pedagogical frameworks from special education, the concept of pride of authorship for this demographic and methods for evaluating toolkit effectiveness. The findings informed a set of eighteen design guidelines for an inclusive DfDIY toolkit, covering accessible components, embedded and visual instructions, scaffolded independence, errorless learning, co-creation through tangible choice systems and aesthetic scaffolding.
These findings were translated into a set of requirements and design guidelines that informed the development of Down to Make. Down to make is a brand that develops buildkits for young adults with Down syndrome, each enabling users to independently learn new cognitive or physical making skills, experience a sense of pride of authorship and participate as active makers in the design process. The screen-printing kit described in this thesis is the first kit in the Down to Make range and served as the case study through which the core methodology was developed and tested. The kit includes a layered instructional system combining a full instructional video, a laminated step-by-step booklet and physical cues embedded directly into the components. A colour-coded choice card system placed on a placemat gives users creative agency over what they make, what colour they use and what design they print. The kit was developed by research through design, an expert review and two rounds of user testing with fifteen young adults with Down syndrome aged seventeen to twenty-five.
The testing confirmed that when the instructional system, physical components and choice architecture are designed to remove barriers rather than compensate for them, participants engage independently with a (complex) making task and produce results they are genuinely proud of. Facilitator interventions dropped significantly between iterations and participants consistently demonstrated more independence than their teachers and caregivers had expected. Every participant across both rounds wanted to show their finished object to someone, a clear and consistent indicator of pride of authorship.
The thesis concludes with a set of thirty-eight design guidelines for future designers who want to develop similar kits, covering activity selection, kit design, facilitation and evaluation. These guidelines are intended to be applicable across a wide range of making techniques and to serve as a starting point for extending the democracy of design to people with Down Syndrome and possibly other cognitive disabilities.
The DfDIY framework, developed by Hoftijzer (2024), argues that designers should shift from creators of finished products to facilitators who enable others to make, modify and take ownership of what they build. However, the framework implicitly assumes a ‘layperson’ with neurotypical cognitive abilities and standard physical dexterity. This restricts the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in maker environments. This project identifies that gap and addresses it through the development of an inclusive DfDIY buildkit specifically designed for young adults with Down syndrome.
A literature review across five sub-research questions examined the current state of DIY for people with intellectual disabilities, the physical and cognitive barriers specific to Down syndrome, relevant pedagogical frameworks from special education, the concept of pride of authorship for this demographic and methods for evaluating toolkit effectiveness. The findings informed a set of eighteen design guidelines for an inclusive DfDIY toolkit, covering accessible components, embedded and visual instructions, scaffolded independence, errorless learning, co-creation through tangible choice systems and aesthetic scaffolding.
These findings were translated into a set of requirements and design guidelines that informed the development of Down to Make. Down to make is a brand that develops buildkits for young adults with Down syndrome, each enabling users to independently learn new cognitive or physical making skills, experience a sense of pride of authorship and participate as active makers in the design process. The screen-printing kit described in this thesis is the first kit in the Down to Make range and served as the case study through which the core methodology was developed and tested. The kit includes a layered instructional system combining a full instructional video, a laminated step-by-step booklet and physical cues embedded directly into the components. A colour-coded choice card system placed on a placemat gives users creative agency over what they make, what colour they use and what design they print. The kit was developed by research through design, an expert review and two rounds of user testing with fifteen young adults with Down syndrome aged seventeen to twenty-five.
The testing confirmed that when the instructional system, physical components and choice architecture are designed to remove barriers rather than compensate for them, participants engage independently with a (complex) making task and produce results they are genuinely proud of. Facilitator interventions dropped significantly between iterations and participants consistently demonstrated more independence than their teachers and caregivers had expected. Every participant across both rounds wanted to show their finished object to someone, a clear and consistent indicator of pride of authorship.
The thesis concludes with a set of thirty-eight design guidelines for future designers who want to develop similar kits, covering activity selection, kit design, facilitation and evaluation. These guidelines are intended to be applicable across a wide range of making techniques and to serve as a starting point for extending the democracy of design to people with Down Syndrome and possibly other cognitive disabilities.
Leveraging Design Expertise in Open-Source 3D Software Organizations
Building Design Capacity through a Workflow-Integrated Design System - A Case Study of Blender
This thesis investigates the challenge of leveraging design expertise in the development processes of a large-scale open-source 3D software organization, using Blender as a case study. While open-source projects like Blender thrive on community-driven and very technical contributions, they often lack approaches to integrate or leverage design expertise, leading to a "chronic scarcity of design expertise" at Blender. This research identifies the root of this challenge in a historically technology-first culture, which creates friction in designer-developer collaboration, results in inaccessible design knowledge, and hinders the leveraging of external design contributions.
To provide a more fitting analytical lens for this unique open-source environment, the thesis introduces the concept of Design Capacity: a measure of an ecosystem's systemic infrastructure and ability to effectively integrate and leverage design potential. Through stakeholder interviews, literature reviews, and participation, the thesis identifies a deficit in Blender's organizational design capacity, creating challenges. The central research question explores how practical interventions can improve the design workflow of the core Blender team to increase the ability to leverage their design expertise.
The findings suggest implementing a design system. This system is presented as a tactical intervention designed to bridge the gap between designers and developers. By creating a shared language and a single source of truth for design, the proposed design system aims to resolve the identified challenges, improve collaboration, and ultimately build Blender's long-term Design Capacity to create more value for its entire ecosystem. ...
To provide a more fitting analytical lens for this unique open-source environment, the thesis introduces the concept of Design Capacity: a measure of an ecosystem's systemic infrastructure and ability to effectively integrate and leverage design potential. Through stakeholder interviews, literature reviews, and participation, the thesis identifies a deficit in Blender's organizational design capacity, creating challenges. The central research question explores how practical interventions can improve the design workflow of the core Blender team to increase the ability to leverage their design expertise.
The findings suggest implementing a design system. This system is presented as a tactical intervention designed to bridge the gap between designers and developers. By creating a shared language and a single source of truth for design, the proposed design system aims to resolve the identified challenges, improve collaboration, and ultimately build Blender's long-term Design Capacity to create more value for its entire ecosystem. ...
This thesis investigates the challenge of leveraging design expertise in the development processes of a large-scale open-source 3D software organization, using Blender as a case study. While open-source projects like Blender thrive on community-driven and very technical contributions, they often lack approaches to integrate or leverage design expertise, leading to a "chronic scarcity of design expertise" at Blender. This research identifies the root of this challenge in a historically technology-first culture, which creates friction in designer-developer collaboration, results in inaccessible design knowledge, and hinders the leveraging of external design contributions.
To provide a more fitting analytical lens for this unique open-source environment, the thesis introduces the concept of Design Capacity: a measure of an ecosystem's systemic infrastructure and ability to effectively integrate and leverage design potential. Through stakeholder interviews, literature reviews, and participation, the thesis identifies a deficit in Blender's organizational design capacity, creating challenges. The central research question explores how practical interventions can improve the design workflow of the core Blender team to increase the ability to leverage their design expertise.
The findings suggest implementing a design system. This system is presented as a tactical intervention designed to bridge the gap between designers and developers. By creating a shared language and a single source of truth for design, the proposed design system aims to resolve the identified challenges, improve collaboration, and ultimately build Blender's long-term Design Capacity to create more value for its entire ecosystem.
To provide a more fitting analytical lens for this unique open-source environment, the thesis introduces the concept of Design Capacity: a measure of an ecosystem's systemic infrastructure and ability to effectively integrate and leverage design potential. Through stakeholder interviews, literature reviews, and participation, the thesis identifies a deficit in Blender's organizational design capacity, creating challenges. The central research question explores how practical interventions can improve the design workflow of the core Blender team to increase the ability to leverage their design expertise.
The findings suggest implementing a design system. This system is presented as a tactical intervention designed to bridge the gap between designers and developers. By creating a shared language and a single source of truth for design, the proposed design system aims to resolve the identified challenges, improve collaboration, and ultimately build Blender's long-term Design Capacity to create more value for its entire ecosystem.
Diplora, the client of this project, is developing a product service system that improves the quality of life for patients that require (preventative), at home, heart monitoring whilst maintaining high diagnostic capabilities. The objective of this thesis is to design a comfortable, sustainable and viable monitoring product solution that integrates into this developing product service system.
As a true testament to comfort, freedom-of-movement and mobility, the device was developed to endure sportive activities. Ergonomically relevant requirements were found and then implemented in the final design proposal.
The result of this thesis is a product vision consisting of a modular ECG device that attaches to a custom electrode patch. The device is optimized for small scale production and initial clinical testing. It is waterproof, durable and designed with minimal need for adhesives, fasteners and production steps to keep cost down whilst not compromising on sustainability, aesthetics or performance. ...
As a true testament to comfort, freedom-of-movement and mobility, the device was developed to endure sportive activities. Ergonomically relevant requirements were found and then implemented in the final design proposal.
The result of this thesis is a product vision consisting of a modular ECG device that attaches to a custom electrode patch. The device is optimized for small scale production and initial clinical testing. It is waterproof, durable and designed with minimal need for adhesives, fasteners and production steps to keep cost down whilst not compromising on sustainability, aesthetics or performance. ...
Diplora, the client of this project, is developing a product service system that improves the quality of life for patients that require (preventative), at home, heart monitoring whilst maintaining high diagnostic capabilities. The objective of this thesis is to design a comfortable, sustainable and viable monitoring product solution that integrates into this developing product service system.
As a true testament to comfort, freedom-of-movement and mobility, the device was developed to endure sportive activities. Ergonomically relevant requirements were found and then implemented in the final design proposal.
The result of this thesis is a product vision consisting of a modular ECG device that attaches to a custom electrode patch. The device is optimized for small scale production and initial clinical testing. It is waterproof, durable and designed with minimal need for adhesives, fasteners and production steps to keep cost down whilst not compromising on sustainability, aesthetics or performance.
As a true testament to comfort, freedom-of-movement and mobility, the device was developed to endure sportive activities. Ergonomically relevant requirements were found and then implemented in the final design proposal.
The result of this thesis is a product vision consisting of a modular ECG device that attaches to a custom electrode patch. The device is optimized for small scale production and initial clinical testing. It is waterproof, durable and designed with minimal need for adhesives, fasteners and production steps to keep cost down whilst not compromising on sustainability, aesthetics or performance.
Small-scale farms are vital to Europe’s food sovereignty, biodiversity, and ecological resilience. Yet, they are vanishing at an alarming rate. While industrialised agriculture has introduced certain efficiencies, it has also resulted in monocultures, the decline of rural communities, and widespread ecological degradation. Despite various policy efforts, smallholders continue to encounter increasing systemic pressures. This thesis explores the role of Precision Agriculture Technologies (PATs) in this context - not merely as tools for efficiency, but as potential enablers of smallholder autonomy, resilience, and sustainability. It evaluates both the benefits and the limitations of their adoption.
This research challenges the dominant techno-solutionist narrative, arguing that current implementations of PATs often reinforce the very structural inequalities they aim to address. These technologies tend to favour large agribusinesses, often putting farmers at a disadvantage by establishing new dependencies. By emphasising the gap between technological design and the everyday experiences of smallholders, the study reconsiders innovation as a social and systemic problem, rather than merely a technical one.
This thesis investigates how PATs can be reimagined to truly assist small-scale agriculture, drawing on thorough fieldwork and collaboration with farmers. The outcome is CropKit, a modular, open-source agricultural technology ecosystem tailored to meet the unique needs of smallholders. Central to this system is the CropKit Base, a lightweight and compact micro-tractor designed for flexibility and ease of use across various farming conditions. Functioning like a two-wheel tractor, the Base features three levels of autonomous control, allowing farmers to choose the most suitable interface for each task. Its functionality is further enhanced by a variety of modular attachments, which boost its adaptability. Collectively, these elements create a versatile system that integrates physical usability with digital insights, enabling gradual, accessible adoption while empowering farmers to remain autonomous stewards of their land.
Ultimately, this thesis calls for a radical rethinking of how agricultural technologies are conceived and implemented - not as top-down solutions, but as collaborative tools for systemic change. In the face of ecological crisis, it advocates for technologies that serve farmers, not the other way around, and places small-scale farms at the centre of a resilient and sustainable agricultural future. ...
This research challenges the dominant techno-solutionist narrative, arguing that current implementations of PATs often reinforce the very structural inequalities they aim to address. These technologies tend to favour large agribusinesses, often putting farmers at a disadvantage by establishing new dependencies. By emphasising the gap between technological design and the everyday experiences of smallholders, the study reconsiders innovation as a social and systemic problem, rather than merely a technical one.
This thesis investigates how PATs can be reimagined to truly assist small-scale agriculture, drawing on thorough fieldwork and collaboration with farmers. The outcome is CropKit, a modular, open-source agricultural technology ecosystem tailored to meet the unique needs of smallholders. Central to this system is the CropKit Base, a lightweight and compact micro-tractor designed for flexibility and ease of use across various farming conditions. Functioning like a two-wheel tractor, the Base features three levels of autonomous control, allowing farmers to choose the most suitable interface for each task. Its functionality is further enhanced by a variety of modular attachments, which boost its adaptability. Collectively, these elements create a versatile system that integrates physical usability with digital insights, enabling gradual, accessible adoption while empowering farmers to remain autonomous stewards of their land.
Ultimately, this thesis calls for a radical rethinking of how agricultural technologies are conceived and implemented - not as top-down solutions, but as collaborative tools for systemic change. In the face of ecological crisis, it advocates for technologies that serve farmers, not the other way around, and places small-scale farms at the centre of a resilient and sustainable agricultural future. ...
Small-scale farms are vital to Europe’s food sovereignty, biodiversity, and ecological resilience. Yet, they are vanishing at an alarming rate. While industrialised agriculture has introduced certain efficiencies, it has also resulted in monocultures, the decline of rural communities, and widespread ecological degradation. Despite various policy efforts, smallholders continue to encounter increasing systemic pressures. This thesis explores the role of Precision Agriculture Technologies (PATs) in this context - not merely as tools for efficiency, but as potential enablers of smallholder autonomy, resilience, and sustainability. It evaluates both the benefits and the limitations of their adoption.
This research challenges the dominant techno-solutionist narrative, arguing that current implementations of PATs often reinforce the very structural inequalities they aim to address. These technologies tend to favour large agribusinesses, often putting farmers at a disadvantage by establishing new dependencies. By emphasising the gap between technological design and the everyday experiences of smallholders, the study reconsiders innovation as a social and systemic problem, rather than merely a technical one.
This thesis investigates how PATs can be reimagined to truly assist small-scale agriculture, drawing on thorough fieldwork and collaboration with farmers. The outcome is CropKit, a modular, open-source agricultural technology ecosystem tailored to meet the unique needs of smallholders. Central to this system is the CropKit Base, a lightweight and compact micro-tractor designed for flexibility and ease of use across various farming conditions. Functioning like a two-wheel tractor, the Base features three levels of autonomous control, allowing farmers to choose the most suitable interface for each task. Its functionality is further enhanced by a variety of modular attachments, which boost its adaptability. Collectively, these elements create a versatile system that integrates physical usability with digital insights, enabling gradual, accessible adoption while empowering farmers to remain autonomous stewards of their land.
Ultimately, this thesis calls for a radical rethinking of how agricultural technologies are conceived and implemented - not as top-down solutions, but as collaborative tools for systemic change. In the face of ecological crisis, it advocates for technologies that serve farmers, not the other way around, and places small-scale farms at the centre of a resilient and sustainable agricultural future.
This research challenges the dominant techno-solutionist narrative, arguing that current implementations of PATs often reinforce the very structural inequalities they aim to address. These technologies tend to favour large agribusinesses, often putting farmers at a disadvantage by establishing new dependencies. By emphasising the gap between technological design and the everyday experiences of smallholders, the study reconsiders innovation as a social and systemic problem, rather than merely a technical one.
This thesis investigates how PATs can be reimagined to truly assist small-scale agriculture, drawing on thorough fieldwork and collaboration with farmers. The outcome is CropKit, a modular, open-source agricultural technology ecosystem tailored to meet the unique needs of smallholders. Central to this system is the CropKit Base, a lightweight and compact micro-tractor designed for flexibility and ease of use across various farming conditions. Functioning like a two-wheel tractor, the Base features three levels of autonomous control, allowing farmers to choose the most suitable interface for each task. Its functionality is further enhanced by a variety of modular attachments, which boost its adaptability. Collectively, these elements create a versatile system that integrates physical usability with digital insights, enabling gradual, accessible adoption while empowering farmers to remain autonomous stewards of their land.
Ultimately, this thesis calls for a radical rethinking of how agricultural technologies are conceived and implemented - not as top-down solutions, but as collaborative tools for systemic change. In the face of ecological crisis, it advocates for technologies that serve farmers, not the other way around, and places small-scale farms at the centre of a resilient and sustainable agricultural future.
The Future of Urban Distribution Trucking
A New Concept and Vision for DAF Trucks
Globally, an urbanisation trend is underway that is creating a rising urban demand for goods and services. Especially in the Netherlands, with its limited geographical area, cities will be more densely populated by the year 2040. This will lead to an increase in the frequency and volume of urban deliveries. However, this increase in urban deliveries clashes with the lives of city inhabitants. Today's distribution vehicles disrupt the urban environment by congesting streets, increasing urban noise and polluting the air. Deliveries in the city are done with large trucks or lorries that are a direct burden to the city. Municipalities advocate for a liveable environment by imposing restrictions on heavy vehicles and strive for a truck-free city centre. However, there is no doubt that distribution vehicles will still be needed in the future urban landscape and will therefore have to adapt to contribute to a liveable environment. Aware of the changing urban landscape and future municipal and environmental requirements, leading Dutch truck brand DAF wants to offer a solution to this new urban context.
To realise the ideal urban distribution vehicle for the year 2040, the vehicle must meet the needs of the immediate stakeholders: the driver and the city inhabitants. After research on both stakeholder groups, the problems could be identified and a design vision established. The vision shows how DAF can set a new standard for how an urban distribution vehicle can be designed to integrate seamlessly into the future urban fabric. A concept has been developed that focuses on reducing the vehicle's area-time by offering a new unloading system that increases the efficiency of the unloading system, as well as increasing safety and acceptance levels for city inhabitants. In addition, the design proposal includes a recommendation on how the vehicle should be logistically deployed to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of the distribution network. Designing urban delivery vehicles in the proposed manner could ensure a future where distribution vehicles are accepted in cities and can safely share the streets with other road users. ...
To realise the ideal urban distribution vehicle for the year 2040, the vehicle must meet the needs of the immediate stakeholders: the driver and the city inhabitants. After research on both stakeholder groups, the problems could be identified and a design vision established. The vision shows how DAF can set a new standard for how an urban distribution vehicle can be designed to integrate seamlessly into the future urban fabric. A concept has been developed that focuses on reducing the vehicle's area-time by offering a new unloading system that increases the efficiency of the unloading system, as well as increasing safety and acceptance levels for city inhabitants. In addition, the design proposal includes a recommendation on how the vehicle should be logistically deployed to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of the distribution network. Designing urban delivery vehicles in the proposed manner could ensure a future where distribution vehicles are accepted in cities and can safely share the streets with other road users. ...
Globally, an urbanisation trend is underway that is creating a rising urban demand for goods and services. Especially in the Netherlands, with its limited geographical area, cities will be more densely populated by the year 2040. This will lead to an increase in the frequency and volume of urban deliveries. However, this increase in urban deliveries clashes with the lives of city inhabitants. Today's distribution vehicles disrupt the urban environment by congesting streets, increasing urban noise and polluting the air. Deliveries in the city are done with large trucks or lorries that are a direct burden to the city. Municipalities advocate for a liveable environment by imposing restrictions on heavy vehicles and strive for a truck-free city centre. However, there is no doubt that distribution vehicles will still be needed in the future urban landscape and will therefore have to adapt to contribute to a liveable environment. Aware of the changing urban landscape and future municipal and environmental requirements, leading Dutch truck brand DAF wants to offer a solution to this new urban context.
To realise the ideal urban distribution vehicle for the year 2040, the vehicle must meet the needs of the immediate stakeholders: the driver and the city inhabitants. After research on both stakeholder groups, the problems could be identified and a design vision established. The vision shows how DAF can set a new standard for how an urban distribution vehicle can be designed to integrate seamlessly into the future urban fabric. A concept has been developed that focuses on reducing the vehicle's area-time by offering a new unloading system that increases the efficiency of the unloading system, as well as increasing safety and acceptance levels for city inhabitants. In addition, the design proposal includes a recommendation on how the vehicle should be logistically deployed to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of the distribution network. Designing urban delivery vehicles in the proposed manner could ensure a future where distribution vehicles are accepted in cities and can safely share the streets with other road users.
To realise the ideal urban distribution vehicle for the year 2040, the vehicle must meet the needs of the immediate stakeholders: the driver and the city inhabitants. After research on both stakeholder groups, the problems could be identified and a design vision established. The vision shows how DAF can set a new standard for how an urban distribution vehicle can be designed to integrate seamlessly into the future urban fabric. A concept has been developed that focuses on reducing the vehicle's area-time by offering a new unloading system that increases the efficiency of the unloading system, as well as increasing safety and acceptance levels for city inhabitants. In addition, the design proposal includes a recommendation on how the vehicle should be logistically deployed to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of the distribution network. Designing urban delivery vehicles in the proposed manner could ensure a future where distribution vehicles are accepted in cities and can safely share the streets with other road users.
This thesis project aims to answer the following research question: “What was and is exactly the agency of design sketching with its affordances in the past, in the present and probably in the future?” To answer this question, the various roles of sketching in different design phases are studied, taking both a theoretical and practical perspective.
Following a general introduction to the themes, definitions and scope of the project, chapter 4 begins with a review of the literature to produce a cohesive theoretical foundation for the role of sketching in the design process. Existing literature in the field of design sketching often lacks a wider view on the human perception of pictorial representations in general. However, the perception of sketches by non-designers, such as clients, is increasingly important. Therefore, the rest of chapter 4 zooms out to provide a perspective beyond ‘design sketching’: the human psychology behind the perception of sketches and paintings. This leads to a better understanding of the interactive human role that is involved concerning the agency of design sketching.
Chapter 5 focuses on design sketching in practice. Firstly, it analyzes the development of design sketching from the twentieth century till now. Thereafter, to gain insights on design sketching in modern times, the results of interviews with five designers are presented. This offers crucial insights into the contemporary context of design sketching as well as knowledge of current approaches to upcoming trends
that are appearing in this field and might shape the agency of sketching.
The interviews provide two observations. Firstly, there appears to be a decline in the sketching skills of young designers entering the work field. Secondly, designers tend to increasingly pay attention to the affordances of drawing with regard to outwards communication, rather than a focus on internal affordances. This might lead to an unbalanced practice of design sketching, in which some core affordances with regards to the design process are lost.
Hence, the situation calls for increased recognition of the significance of sketching in design. Chapter 6 aims to explain the key aspects of sketching for designers. The essential theoretical affordances of sketching are captured in a framework that reveals the agency of design sketching.
The Framework for the Agency of Sketching should be applicable in practice, with the following goal: to let designers rediscover design sketching as an agency and unlock its benefits. Therefore, chapter 7 provides a vision on realizing this. So, while the primary focus of this thesis project revolves around the development of the theoretical framework, its possible application in practice is briefly explored, leading to the proposal of two concept directions.
...
Following a general introduction to the themes, definitions and scope of the project, chapter 4 begins with a review of the literature to produce a cohesive theoretical foundation for the role of sketching in the design process. Existing literature in the field of design sketching often lacks a wider view on the human perception of pictorial representations in general. However, the perception of sketches by non-designers, such as clients, is increasingly important. Therefore, the rest of chapter 4 zooms out to provide a perspective beyond ‘design sketching’: the human psychology behind the perception of sketches and paintings. This leads to a better understanding of the interactive human role that is involved concerning the agency of design sketching.
Chapter 5 focuses on design sketching in practice. Firstly, it analyzes the development of design sketching from the twentieth century till now. Thereafter, to gain insights on design sketching in modern times, the results of interviews with five designers are presented. This offers crucial insights into the contemporary context of design sketching as well as knowledge of current approaches to upcoming trends
that are appearing in this field and might shape the agency of sketching.
The interviews provide two observations. Firstly, there appears to be a decline in the sketching skills of young designers entering the work field. Secondly, designers tend to increasingly pay attention to the affordances of drawing with regard to outwards communication, rather than a focus on internal affordances. This might lead to an unbalanced practice of design sketching, in which some core affordances with regards to the design process are lost.
Hence, the situation calls for increased recognition of the significance of sketching in design. Chapter 6 aims to explain the key aspects of sketching for designers. The essential theoretical affordances of sketching are captured in a framework that reveals the agency of design sketching.
The Framework for the Agency of Sketching should be applicable in practice, with the following goal: to let designers rediscover design sketching as an agency and unlock its benefits. Therefore, chapter 7 provides a vision on realizing this. So, while the primary focus of this thesis project revolves around the development of the theoretical framework, its possible application in practice is briefly explored, leading to the proposal of two concept directions.
...
This thesis project aims to answer the following research question: “What was and is exactly the agency of design sketching with its affordances in the past, in the present and probably in the future?” To answer this question, the various roles of sketching in different design phases are studied, taking both a theoretical and practical perspective.
Following a general introduction to the themes, definitions and scope of the project, chapter 4 begins with a review of the literature to produce a cohesive theoretical foundation for the role of sketching in the design process. Existing literature in the field of design sketching often lacks a wider view on the human perception of pictorial representations in general. However, the perception of sketches by non-designers, such as clients, is increasingly important. Therefore, the rest of chapter 4 zooms out to provide a perspective beyond ‘design sketching’: the human psychology behind the perception of sketches and paintings. This leads to a better understanding of the interactive human role that is involved concerning the agency of design sketching.
Chapter 5 focuses on design sketching in practice. Firstly, it analyzes the development of design sketching from the twentieth century till now. Thereafter, to gain insights on design sketching in modern times, the results of interviews with five designers are presented. This offers crucial insights into the contemporary context of design sketching as well as knowledge of current approaches to upcoming trends
that are appearing in this field and might shape the agency of sketching.
The interviews provide two observations. Firstly, there appears to be a decline in the sketching skills of young designers entering the work field. Secondly, designers tend to increasingly pay attention to the affordances of drawing with regard to outwards communication, rather than a focus on internal affordances. This might lead to an unbalanced practice of design sketching, in which some core affordances with regards to the design process are lost.
Hence, the situation calls for increased recognition of the significance of sketching in design. Chapter 6 aims to explain the key aspects of sketching for designers. The essential theoretical affordances of sketching are captured in a framework that reveals the agency of design sketching.
The Framework for the Agency of Sketching should be applicable in practice, with the following goal: to let designers rediscover design sketching as an agency and unlock its benefits. Therefore, chapter 7 provides a vision on realizing this. So, while the primary focus of this thesis project revolves around the development of the theoretical framework, its possible application in practice is briefly explored, leading to the proposal of two concept directions.
Following a general introduction to the themes, definitions and scope of the project, chapter 4 begins with a review of the literature to produce a cohesive theoretical foundation for the role of sketching in the design process. Existing literature in the field of design sketching often lacks a wider view on the human perception of pictorial representations in general. However, the perception of sketches by non-designers, such as clients, is increasingly important. Therefore, the rest of chapter 4 zooms out to provide a perspective beyond ‘design sketching’: the human psychology behind the perception of sketches and paintings. This leads to a better understanding of the interactive human role that is involved concerning the agency of design sketching.
Chapter 5 focuses on design sketching in practice. Firstly, it analyzes the development of design sketching from the twentieth century till now. Thereafter, to gain insights on design sketching in modern times, the results of interviews with five designers are presented. This offers crucial insights into the contemporary context of design sketching as well as knowledge of current approaches to upcoming trends
that are appearing in this field and might shape the agency of sketching.
The interviews provide two observations. Firstly, there appears to be a decline in the sketching skills of young designers entering the work field. Secondly, designers tend to increasingly pay attention to the affordances of drawing with regard to outwards communication, rather than a focus on internal affordances. This might lead to an unbalanced practice of design sketching, in which some core affordances with regards to the design process are lost.
Hence, the situation calls for increased recognition of the significance of sketching in design. Chapter 6 aims to explain the key aspects of sketching for designers. The essential theoretical affordances of sketching are captured in a framework that reveals the agency of design sketching.
The Framework for the Agency of Sketching should be applicable in practice, with the following goal: to let designers rediscover design sketching as an agency and unlock its benefits. Therefore, chapter 7 provides a vision on realizing this. So, while the primary focus of this thesis project revolves around the development of the theoretical framework, its possible application in practice is briefly explored, leading to the proposal of two concept directions.
Visualization for Better Stakeholder Communication
Design of a visualization strategy tool and an empowering visual tool for multi-stakeholder projects
Contemporary societal and business projects increasingly involve complex networks of stakeholders with diverse professional backgrounds, knowledge bases, and interests. In such multi-stakeholder environments, effective communication becomes a significant challenge. Differences in expertise, terminology, and perspectives often create barriers that hinder collaboration and shared understanding. Visualization has long been recognized as a promising approach to bridging communication gaps by translating complex ideas into accessible visual representations. However, despite its recognized potential, the practical application of visualization in multi-stakeholder communication remains underdeveloped. Both theoretical fragmentation within visualization research and practical challenges in stakeholder engagement limit the effectiveness of visual communication strategies.
This research investigates how visualization can be systematically applied to facilitate communication and collaboration in multi-stakeholder projects. The study addresses both theoretical and practical challenges. From a theoretical perspective, the field of visualization spans multiple disciplines, including design, information science, communication studies, and cognitive science. As a result, the field lacks a unified theoretical framework and even a commonly accepted definition of visualization. To address this issue, the research begins with a literature review aimed at redefining visualization in a way that supports its application as a communication tool within multi-stakeholder design contexts. This conceptual clarification provides the foundation for the development of practical visualization methods.
From a practical perspective, the research was conducted through a series of visualization sub-projects within the context of the LIFE project. These projects provided opportunities to test visualization methods in real-world stakeholder settings. Despite the acknowledged potential of visualization, the implementation process revealed several barriers. One significant challenge was the widespread perception that visualization is primarily a skill reserved for designers or artists. This perception discouraged non-design stakeholders from expressing their ideas visually and led many participants to rely heavily on graphic designers rather than actively engaging in visual thinking themselves. As a result, stakeholders often underestimated their ability to contribute to visual communication processes.
To address these challenges, two visualization tools were developed: the Empowering Visual Tool (EVT) and the Visualization Strategy Tool (VST). The EVT was designed to encourage stakeholders—particularly non-designers—to express their ideas visually and participate more actively in co-creation processes. The tool was initially tested in workshops with residents of Amsterdam Southeast, where it helped participants visualize their ideas about the future of their city. Through iterative development, the EVT evolved into the Strategic Empowering Visual Tool (SEVT), which supports the visualization of more complex information within multi-stakeholder contexts. SEVT was successfully applied in workshops to promote inclusive participation and facilitate the collection of structured visual feedback.
The Visualization Strategy Tool (VST) was developed to support the strategic planning of visual communication materials. It helps project stakeholders collaboratively define key elements such as the target audience, core message, and interpretation strategies for complex visual outputs. The tool was applied in two projects involving the creation of promotional visual materials, where it successfully engaged stakeholders in the development of visual communication strategies.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that visualization tools can significantly improve communication and participation in multi-stakeholder projects when stakeholders are empowered to use visualization themselves. However, further testing is required to validate the tools across different project contexts. The research concludes with general guidelines for adapting the SEVT and VST to other multi-stakeholder environments, offering a foundation for future research and practical implementation of visualization-based communication strategies. ...
This research investigates how visualization can be systematically applied to facilitate communication and collaboration in multi-stakeholder projects. The study addresses both theoretical and practical challenges. From a theoretical perspective, the field of visualization spans multiple disciplines, including design, information science, communication studies, and cognitive science. As a result, the field lacks a unified theoretical framework and even a commonly accepted definition of visualization. To address this issue, the research begins with a literature review aimed at redefining visualization in a way that supports its application as a communication tool within multi-stakeholder design contexts. This conceptual clarification provides the foundation for the development of practical visualization methods.
From a practical perspective, the research was conducted through a series of visualization sub-projects within the context of the LIFE project. These projects provided opportunities to test visualization methods in real-world stakeholder settings. Despite the acknowledged potential of visualization, the implementation process revealed several barriers. One significant challenge was the widespread perception that visualization is primarily a skill reserved for designers or artists. This perception discouraged non-design stakeholders from expressing their ideas visually and led many participants to rely heavily on graphic designers rather than actively engaging in visual thinking themselves. As a result, stakeholders often underestimated their ability to contribute to visual communication processes.
To address these challenges, two visualization tools were developed: the Empowering Visual Tool (EVT) and the Visualization Strategy Tool (VST). The EVT was designed to encourage stakeholders—particularly non-designers—to express their ideas visually and participate more actively in co-creation processes. The tool was initially tested in workshops with residents of Amsterdam Southeast, where it helped participants visualize their ideas about the future of their city. Through iterative development, the EVT evolved into the Strategic Empowering Visual Tool (SEVT), which supports the visualization of more complex information within multi-stakeholder contexts. SEVT was successfully applied in workshops to promote inclusive participation and facilitate the collection of structured visual feedback.
The Visualization Strategy Tool (VST) was developed to support the strategic planning of visual communication materials. It helps project stakeholders collaboratively define key elements such as the target audience, core message, and interpretation strategies for complex visual outputs. The tool was applied in two projects involving the creation of promotional visual materials, where it successfully engaged stakeholders in the development of visual communication strategies.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that visualization tools can significantly improve communication and participation in multi-stakeholder projects when stakeholders are empowered to use visualization themselves. However, further testing is required to validate the tools across different project contexts. The research concludes with general guidelines for adapting the SEVT and VST to other multi-stakeholder environments, offering a foundation for future research and practical implementation of visualization-based communication strategies. ...
Contemporary societal and business projects increasingly involve complex networks of stakeholders with diverse professional backgrounds, knowledge bases, and interests. In such multi-stakeholder environments, effective communication becomes a significant challenge. Differences in expertise, terminology, and perspectives often create barriers that hinder collaboration and shared understanding. Visualization has long been recognized as a promising approach to bridging communication gaps by translating complex ideas into accessible visual representations. However, despite its recognized potential, the practical application of visualization in multi-stakeholder communication remains underdeveloped. Both theoretical fragmentation within visualization research and practical challenges in stakeholder engagement limit the effectiveness of visual communication strategies.
This research investigates how visualization can be systematically applied to facilitate communication and collaboration in multi-stakeholder projects. The study addresses both theoretical and practical challenges. From a theoretical perspective, the field of visualization spans multiple disciplines, including design, information science, communication studies, and cognitive science. As a result, the field lacks a unified theoretical framework and even a commonly accepted definition of visualization. To address this issue, the research begins with a literature review aimed at redefining visualization in a way that supports its application as a communication tool within multi-stakeholder design contexts. This conceptual clarification provides the foundation for the development of practical visualization methods.
From a practical perspective, the research was conducted through a series of visualization sub-projects within the context of the LIFE project. These projects provided opportunities to test visualization methods in real-world stakeholder settings. Despite the acknowledged potential of visualization, the implementation process revealed several barriers. One significant challenge was the widespread perception that visualization is primarily a skill reserved for designers or artists. This perception discouraged non-design stakeholders from expressing their ideas visually and led many participants to rely heavily on graphic designers rather than actively engaging in visual thinking themselves. As a result, stakeholders often underestimated their ability to contribute to visual communication processes.
To address these challenges, two visualization tools were developed: the Empowering Visual Tool (EVT) and the Visualization Strategy Tool (VST). The EVT was designed to encourage stakeholders—particularly non-designers—to express their ideas visually and participate more actively in co-creation processes. The tool was initially tested in workshops with residents of Amsterdam Southeast, where it helped participants visualize their ideas about the future of their city. Through iterative development, the EVT evolved into the Strategic Empowering Visual Tool (SEVT), which supports the visualization of more complex information within multi-stakeholder contexts. SEVT was successfully applied in workshops to promote inclusive participation and facilitate the collection of structured visual feedback.
The Visualization Strategy Tool (VST) was developed to support the strategic planning of visual communication materials. It helps project stakeholders collaboratively define key elements such as the target audience, core message, and interpretation strategies for complex visual outputs. The tool was applied in two projects involving the creation of promotional visual materials, where it successfully engaged stakeholders in the development of visual communication strategies.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that visualization tools can significantly improve communication and participation in multi-stakeholder projects when stakeholders are empowered to use visualization themselves. However, further testing is required to validate the tools across different project contexts. The research concludes with general guidelines for adapting the SEVT and VST to other multi-stakeholder environments, offering a foundation for future research and practical implementation of visualization-based communication strategies.
This research investigates how visualization can be systematically applied to facilitate communication and collaboration in multi-stakeholder projects. The study addresses both theoretical and practical challenges. From a theoretical perspective, the field of visualization spans multiple disciplines, including design, information science, communication studies, and cognitive science. As a result, the field lacks a unified theoretical framework and even a commonly accepted definition of visualization. To address this issue, the research begins with a literature review aimed at redefining visualization in a way that supports its application as a communication tool within multi-stakeholder design contexts. This conceptual clarification provides the foundation for the development of practical visualization methods.
From a practical perspective, the research was conducted through a series of visualization sub-projects within the context of the LIFE project. These projects provided opportunities to test visualization methods in real-world stakeholder settings. Despite the acknowledged potential of visualization, the implementation process revealed several barriers. One significant challenge was the widespread perception that visualization is primarily a skill reserved for designers or artists. This perception discouraged non-design stakeholders from expressing their ideas visually and led many participants to rely heavily on graphic designers rather than actively engaging in visual thinking themselves. As a result, stakeholders often underestimated their ability to contribute to visual communication processes.
To address these challenges, two visualization tools were developed: the Empowering Visual Tool (EVT) and the Visualization Strategy Tool (VST). The EVT was designed to encourage stakeholders—particularly non-designers—to express their ideas visually and participate more actively in co-creation processes. The tool was initially tested in workshops with residents of Amsterdam Southeast, where it helped participants visualize their ideas about the future of their city. Through iterative development, the EVT evolved into the Strategic Empowering Visual Tool (SEVT), which supports the visualization of more complex information within multi-stakeholder contexts. SEVT was successfully applied in workshops to promote inclusive participation and facilitate the collection of structured visual feedback.
The Visualization Strategy Tool (VST) was developed to support the strategic planning of visual communication materials. It helps project stakeholders collaboratively define key elements such as the target audience, core message, and interpretation strategies for complex visual outputs. The tool was applied in two projects involving the creation of promotional visual materials, where it successfully engaged stakeholders in the development of visual communication strategies.
Overall, the findings demonstrate that visualization tools can significantly improve communication and participation in multi-stakeholder projects when stakeholders are empowered to use visualization themselves. However, further testing is required to validate the tools across different project contexts. The research concludes with general guidelines for adapting the SEVT and VST to other multi-stakeholder environments, offering a foundation for future research and practical implementation of visualization-based communication strategies.
Personal Air Filter
A purpose-designed air purifier to reduce the spread of airborne transmissive diseases in offices
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of indoor air quality in preventing the spread of airborne transmissive diseases. Offices are some of the largest hotspots for disease transmission. To address this issue, a joint venture between FLEX/design and Euromate, called ‘X-Lair,’ aims to design an air purifier specifically targeting the reduction of airborne disease transmission.
This project focuses on developing an air purifier solution that not only effectively reduces the spread of airborne diseases but also considers user experience and implementation in office environments. While primarily designed for placement above desks, the proposed solution has the potential to be applicable in various contexts.
Extensive literature research, user tests, empirical studies, interviews, and mind- mapping techniques have been employed to explore the research domain, identify design drivers, and establish a list of requirements. An iterative design approach, including tests with smoke and computational fluid dynamic analysis, have guided key design decisions. Additional tools such as Midjourney and virtual reality have facilitated the elaboration and visualization of ideas in their intended environment.
The final design proposal of the Personal Air Filter features a suspended configuration above desks, providing a large capture area to effectively filter the user’s breath. Plume propagation is considered by locating the air intake at the edge of the hood. An integrated lamp ensures comfortable ambient lighting, enhancing the device’s aesthetic appeal in office settings and improving employee well-being. A user interface, including a smartphone application, allows for convenient control of ventilation speed and lighting intensity. Smart features like the ‘smart mode’ enable autonomous operation, while interconnectivity between multiple devices enhances overall effectiveness and reduces noise.
A functional prototype was developed to validate the device’s efficacy and user experience. Smoke tests demonstrated the Personal Air Filter’s effective smoke capture at both 100 and 200 m3/h, indicating the potential for downsizing the device without compromising its performance. Special attention should be paid, however, to ensure that the Personal Air Filter operates at an acceptable noise level below 45 dB, taking into consideration the need for a quiet and comfortable office environment. Furthermore, user tests emphasized the need for a smartphone application and adjustable height for the Personal Air Filter.
In summary, the design of the Personal Air Filter represents a significant advancement in improving indoor air quality and promoting the well-being of office employees. The Personal Air Filter has the potential to become a unique and effective solution for mitigating the spread of airborne transmissive diseases. ...
This project focuses on developing an air purifier solution that not only effectively reduces the spread of airborne diseases but also considers user experience and implementation in office environments. While primarily designed for placement above desks, the proposed solution has the potential to be applicable in various contexts.
Extensive literature research, user tests, empirical studies, interviews, and mind- mapping techniques have been employed to explore the research domain, identify design drivers, and establish a list of requirements. An iterative design approach, including tests with smoke and computational fluid dynamic analysis, have guided key design decisions. Additional tools such as Midjourney and virtual reality have facilitated the elaboration and visualization of ideas in their intended environment.
The final design proposal of the Personal Air Filter features a suspended configuration above desks, providing a large capture area to effectively filter the user’s breath. Plume propagation is considered by locating the air intake at the edge of the hood. An integrated lamp ensures comfortable ambient lighting, enhancing the device’s aesthetic appeal in office settings and improving employee well-being. A user interface, including a smartphone application, allows for convenient control of ventilation speed and lighting intensity. Smart features like the ‘smart mode’ enable autonomous operation, while interconnectivity between multiple devices enhances overall effectiveness and reduces noise.
A functional prototype was developed to validate the device’s efficacy and user experience. Smoke tests demonstrated the Personal Air Filter’s effective smoke capture at both 100 and 200 m3/h, indicating the potential for downsizing the device without compromising its performance. Special attention should be paid, however, to ensure that the Personal Air Filter operates at an acceptable noise level below 45 dB, taking into consideration the need for a quiet and comfortable office environment. Furthermore, user tests emphasized the need for a smartphone application and adjustable height for the Personal Air Filter.
In summary, the design of the Personal Air Filter represents a significant advancement in improving indoor air quality and promoting the well-being of office employees. The Personal Air Filter has the potential to become a unique and effective solution for mitigating the spread of airborne transmissive diseases. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of indoor air quality in preventing the spread of airborne transmissive diseases. Offices are some of the largest hotspots for disease transmission. To address this issue, a joint venture between FLEX/design and Euromate, called ‘X-Lair,’ aims to design an air purifier specifically targeting the reduction of airborne disease transmission.
This project focuses on developing an air purifier solution that not only effectively reduces the spread of airborne diseases but also considers user experience and implementation in office environments. While primarily designed for placement above desks, the proposed solution has the potential to be applicable in various contexts.
Extensive literature research, user tests, empirical studies, interviews, and mind- mapping techniques have been employed to explore the research domain, identify design drivers, and establish a list of requirements. An iterative design approach, including tests with smoke and computational fluid dynamic analysis, have guided key design decisions. Additional tools such as Midjourney and virtual reality have facilitated the elaboration and visualization of ideas in their intended environment.
The final design proposal of the Personal Air Filter features a suspended configuration above desks, providing a large capture area to effectively filter the user’s breath. Plume propagation is considered by locating the air intake at the edge of the hood. An integrated lamp ensures comfortable ambient lighting, enhancing the device’s aesthetic appeal in office settings and improving employee well-being. A user interface, including a smartphone application, allows for convenient control of ventilation speed and lighting intensity. Smart features like the ‘smart mode’ enable autonomous operation, while interconnectivity between multiple devices enhances overall effectiveness and reduces noise.
A functional prototype was developed to validate the device’s efficacy and user experience. Smoke tests demonstrated the Personal Air Filter’s effective smoke capture at both 100 and 200 m3/h, indicating the potential for downsizing the device without compromising its performance. Special attention should be paid, however, to ensure that the Personal Air Filter operates at an acceptable noise level below 45 dB, taking into consideration the need for a quiet and comfortable office environment. Furthermore, user tests emphasized the need for a smartphone application and adjustable height for the Personal Air Filter.
In summary, the design of the Personal Air Filter represents a significant advancement in improving indoor air quality and promoting the well-being of office employees. The Personal Air Filter has the potential to become a unique and effective solution for mitigating the spread of airborne transmissive diseases.
This project focuses on developing an air purifier solution that not only effectively reduces the spread of airborne diseases but also considers user experience and implementation in office environments. While primarily designed for placement above desks, the proposed solution has the potential to be applicable in various contexts.
Extensive literature research, user tests, empirical studies, interviews, and mind- mapping techniques have been employed to explore the research domain, identify design drivers, and establish a list of requirements. An iterative design approach, including tests with smoke and computational fluid dynamic analysis, have guided key design decisions. Additional tools such as Midjourney and virtual reality have facilitated the elaboration and visualization of ideas in their intended environment.
The final design proposal of the Personal Air Filter features a suspended configuration above desks, providing a large capture area to effectively filter the user’s breath. Plume propagation is considered by locating the air intake at the edge of the hood. An integrated lamp ensures comfortable ambient lighting, enhancing the device’s aesthetic appeal in office settings and improving employee well-being. A user interface, including a smartphone application, allows for convenient control of ventilation speed and lighting intensity. Smart features like the ‘smart mode’ enable autonomous operation, while interconnectivity between multiple devices enhances overall effectiveness and reduces noise.
A functional prototype was developed to validate the device’s efficacy and user experience. Smoke tests demonstrated the Personal Air Filter’s effective smoke capture at both 100 and 200 m3/h, indicating the potential for downsizing the device without compromising its performance. Special attention should be paid, however, to ensure that the Personal Air Filter operates at an acceptable noise level below 45 dB, taking into consideration the need for a quiet and comfortable office environment. Furthermore, user tests emphasized the need for a smartphone application and adjustable height for the Personal Air Filter.
In summary, the design of the Personal Air Filter represents a significant advancement in improving indoor air quality and promoting the well-being of office employees. The Personal Air Filter has the potential to become a unique and effective solution for mitigating the spread of airborne transmissive diseases.
Balancing Autonomy in a Shared World
An Urban Mobility Concept for Cortina in 2035
The mobility world is changing due to demographic transformations, sustainability challenges, and technological advancements. Consumers and governments seek sustainable and inclusive mobility solutions that cause less environmental strain, less noise pollution, and safer traffic. The mobility solutions must combine into a coherent platform for convenient and comprehensible communication towards future users through innovations such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and mobility hubs. This report proposes a strategy for Dutch bicycle brand Cortina to navigate the future mobility world. Cortina is the second-largest seller of city bikes in the Netherlands and is mainly known for its bicycles featuring front carriers.
A trend analysis about cities, mobility, and cycling in 2035 served as input for constructing a future worldview, described by the disappearance of private possessions and the rise in shared mobility, resulting in a decreased feeling of responsibility and autonomy. The design statement 'enabling people to feel like a part of something bigger without losing autonomy so they can be their authentic selves' was created in response. The statement is reinforced by an analogy describing the envisioned interaction between future user and context, forming the design vision of the graduation project.
The design insights gathered in the discovery stage form a design brief categorized by the pillars of the user-centred design described in the Delft Design Guide; desirability, feasibility, viability and responsibility.
The proposed future strategy for Cortina encompasses a café, bicycle, and roadmap. The Cortina café will be located at future mobility hubs, serving as a location where travellers can repair their bicycles, buy refreshments, or meet up with someone else. The café concept is accompanied by the Cortina Endurance bicycle, designed for durability, personalization, transport, and easy repair, capitalizing on expected right-to-repair legislation and providing Cortina with a first step towards the project's final vision within its area of expertise.
The strategy created for Cortina leads to the design vision through three stages, as described by a roadmap. The first stage encompasses reinforcing Cortina’s existing knowledge by designing a bicycle while seeking collaboration. The second horizon is expansion and experimentation, in which multiple pilots will test the concept of the Cortina Café. The third horizon describes integration and disruption, which will be the launch and growth of the Cortina Café. All these activities will eventually lead up to the future vision of 2035: creating an interaction that elicits autonomy, responsibility, trust, and cohesion.
The report's final design's value proposition includes autonomy, sustainability, social cohesion, and education. The Cortina Café enables users to be in charge of their mobility and reduces private car usage. The café serves as an educational platform, promoting repairing over replacing among younger generations.
The result of this graduation project should be treated as a visionary proposal that aims to inspire and guide society to a better world. Mobility players should work towards a joint visionary long-term worldview, as today's decisions will influence society's future.
...
A trend analysis about cities, mobility, and cycling in 2035 served as input for constructing a future worldview, described by the disappearance of private possessions and the rise in shared mobility, resulting in a decreased feeling of responsibility and autonomy. The design statement 'enabling people to feel like a part of something bigger without losing autonomy so they can be their authentic selves' was created in response. The statement is reinforced by an analogy describing the envisioned interaction between future user and context, forming the design vision of the graduation project.
The design insights gathered in the discovery stage form a design brief categorized by the pillars of the user-centred design described in the Delft Design Guide; desirability, feasibility, viability and responsibility.
The proposed future strategy for Cortina encompasses a café, bicycle, and roadmap. The Cortina café will be located at future mobility hubs, serving as a location where travellers can repair their bicycles, buy refreshments, or meet up with someone else. The café concept is accompanied by the Cortina Endurance bicycle, designed for durability, personalization, transport, and easy repair, capitalizing on expected right-to-repair legislation and providing Cortina with a first step towards the project's final vision within its area of expertise.
The strategy created for Cortina leads to the design vision through three stages, as described by a roadmap. The first stage encompasses reinforcing Cortina’s existing knowledge by designing a bicycle while seeking collaboration. The second horizon is expansion and experimentation, in which multiple pilots will test the concept of the Cortina Café. The third horizon describes integration and disruption, which will be the launch and growth of the Cortina Café. All these activities will eventually lead up to the future vision of 2035: creating an interaction that elicits autonomy, responsibility, trust, and cohesion.
The report's final design's value proposition includes autonomy, sustainability, social cohesion, and education. The Cortina Café enables users to be in charge of their mobility and reduces private car usage. The café serves as an educational platform, promoting repairing over replacing among younger generations.
The result of this graduation project should be treated as a visionary proposal that aims to inspire and guide society to a better world. Mobility players should work towards a joint visionary long-term worldview, as today's decisions will influence society's future.
...
The mobility world is changing due to demographic transformations, sustainability challenges, and technological advancements. Consumers and governments seek sustainable and inclusive mobility solutions that cause less environmental strain, less noise pollution, and safer traffic. The mobility solutions must combine into a coherent platform for convenient and comprehensible communication towards future users through innovations such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and mobility hubs. This report proposes a strategy for Dutch bicycle brand Cortina to navigate the future mobility world. Cortina is the second-largest seller of city bikes in the Netherlands and is mainly known for its bicycles featuring front carriers.
A trend analysis about cities, mobility, and cycling in 2035 served as input for constructing a future worldview, described by the disappearance of private possessions and the rise in shared mobility, resulting in a decreased feeling of responsibility and autonomy. The design statement 'enabling people to feel like a part of something bigger without losing autonomy so they can be their authentic selves' was created in response. The statement is reinforced by an analogy describing the envisioned interaction between future user and context, forming the design vision of the graduation project.
The design insights gathered in the discovery stage form a design brief categorized by the pillars of the user-centred design described in the Delft Design Guide; desirability, feasibility, viability and responsibility.
The proposed future strategy for Cortina encompasses a café, bicycle, and roadmap. The Cortina café will be located at future mobility hubs, serving as a location where travellers can repair their bicycles, buy refreshments, or meet up with someone else. The café concept is accompanied by the Cortina Endurance bicycle, designed for durability, personalization, transport, and easy repair, capitalizing on expected right-to-repair legislation and providing Cortina with a first step towards the project's final vision within its area of expertise.
The strategy created for Cortina leads to the design vision through three stages, as described by a roadmap. The first stage encompasses reinforcing Cortina’s existing knowledge by designing a bicycle while seeking collaboration. The second horizon is expansion and experimentation, in which multiple pilots will test the concept of the Cortina Café. The third horizon describes integration and disruption, which will be the launch and growth of the Cortina Café. All these activities will eventually lead up to the future vision of 2035: creating an interaction that elicits autonomy, responsibility, trust, and cohesion.
The report's final design's value proposition includes autonomy, sustainability, social cohesion, and education. The Cortina Café enables users to be in charge of their mobility and reduces private car usage. The café serves as an educational platform, promoting repairing over replacing among younger generations.
The result of this graduation project should be treated as a visionary proposal that aims to inspire and guide society to a better world. Mobility players should work towards a joint visionary long-term worldview, as today's decisions will influence society's future.
A trend analysis about cities, mobility, and cycling in 2035 served as input for constructing a future worldview, described by the disappearance of private possessions and the rise in shared mobility, resulting in a decreased feeling of responsibility and autonomy. The design statement 'enabling people to feel like a part of something bigger without losing autonomy so they can be their authentic selves' was created in response. The statement is reinforced by an analogy describing the envisioned interaction between future user and context, forming the design vision of the graduation project.
The design insights gathered in the discovery stage form a design brief categorized by the pillars of the user-centred design described in the Delft Design Guide; desirability, feasibility, viability and responsibility.
The proposed future strategy for Cortina encompasses a café, bicycle, and roadmap. The Cortina café will be located at future mobility hubs, serving as a location where travellers can repair their bicycles, buy refreshments, or meet up with someone else. The café concept is accompanied by the Cortina Endurance bicycle, designed for durability, personalization, transport, and easy repair, capitalizing on expected right-to-repair legislation and providing Cortina with a first step towards the project's final vision within its area of expertise.
The strategy created for Cortina leads to the design vision through three stages, as described by a roadmap. The first stage encompasses reinforcing Cortina’s existing knowledge by designing a bicycle while seeking collaboration. The second horizon is expansion and experimentation, in which multiple pilots will test the concept of the Cortina Café. The third horizon describes integration and disruption, which will be the launch and growth of the Cortina Café. All these activities will eventually lead up to the future vision of 2035: creating an interaction that elicits autonomy, responsibility, trust, and cohesion.
The report's final design's value proposition includes autonomy, sustainability, social cohesion, and education. The Cortina Café enables users to be in charge of their mobility and reduces private car usage. The café serves as an educational platform, promoting repairing over replacing among younger generations.
The result of this graduation project should be treated as a visionary proposal that aims to inspire and guide society to a better world. Mobility players should work towards a joint visionary long-term worldview, as today's decisions will influence society's future.
The ideal daycare
An interior redesign process for Erasmus MC Sophia
This thesis describes the design process of the ideal daycare for Sophia Kinderziekenhuis as part of Erasmus MC. The hospital finds itself at the start of a renovation process that will possibly give Sophia an entirely new space. This new building will only be ready in 7 years, which is why the result of this project is twofold; a design proposal for an ideal situation in a new building and a shortlist of recommendations to improve the current situation in the short term.
The report is structured according to the double diamond process. The discovery will elaborate on the interior design process itself, the current situation at WKZ and SKZ, brainstorm sessions with the staff and interviews with the parents and children. It shows the daycare is extremely noisy, insensitive to privacy, inconveniently arranged, boring, outdated and not stress relieving for any of the users involved.
The insights of the discovery are condensed into 6 persona’s and 3 design drivers, which combined form the design vision of the ideal daycare. There are 2 parent-persona’s: Matt and Julie, with a distinction in time spent at the daycare. There are 3 children-persona’s: Ethan, Olivia and Jackie, with a distinction in tolerance for external stimuli. Finally there is a single staff-persona: Sarah, because there are no clear distinctions in value sets between different staff members. The 3 design drivers are defined as privacy, routine and atmosphere, and each of the three user groups has a different view on each of these drivers. These views combined will form a definition of what the ideal daycare means to them.
The development describes three iterations, each one pushing the design forwards in a different way and concluded by a simulation with one of the stakeholders. The first one was about creating maximum improvement with minimal change, which invoked a pivot in the project after the simulation with the architect. The second iteration revolved around ideating on the ideal arrangement of all the spaces, which was simulated with managing partners of the department. The third round focussed on developing different design solutions for each of the area’s, so that they could be combined into concept arrangements for the ideal daycare. These concepts were used for simulation with the daycare staff, who gave feedback on the designs and then made an ideal version of their own.
The delivery focuses on the visualisation of a final design proposal. It shows several impressions from an eye-level perspective of what the modern future of Sophia could look like. It applies a nature theme with a large tree that anchors the space, symbolizes health, growth and serenity, and is functional as sound isolation, table and play area. There is a central coffeecounter for the parents, secluded beds for enough rest and a separated staff area.The project is concluded with a set of recommendations for short term improvement. The hospital should invest in - amongst other things - a daily food service, freeing up spaces for an extra treatment room, better chairs, a proper break room with comfortable couches, and sound absorbing furniture.
...
The report is structured according to the double diamond process. The discovery will elaborate on the interior design process itself, the current situation at WKZ and SKZ, brainstorm sessions with the staff and interviews with the parents and children. It shows the daycare is extremely noisy, insensitive to privacy, inconveniently arranged, boring, outdated and not stress relieving for any of the users involved.
The insights of the discovery are condensed into 6 persona’s and 3 design drivers, which combined form the design vision of the ideal daycare. There are 2 parent-persona’s: Matt and Julie, with a distinction in time spent at the daycare. There are 3 children-persona’s: Ethan, Olivia and Jackie, with a distinction in tolerance for external stimuli. Finally there is a single staff-persona: Sarah, because there are no clear distinctions in value sets between different staff members. The 3 design drivers are defined as privacy, routine and atmosphere, and each of the three user groups has a different view on each of these drivers. These views combined will form a definition of what the ideal daycare means to them.
The development describes three iterations, each one pushing the design forwards in a different way and concluded by a simulation with one of the stakeholders. The first one was about creating maximum improvement with minimal change, which invoked a pivot in the project after the simulation with the architect. The second iteration revolved around ideating on the ideal arrangement of all the spaces, which was simulated with managing partners of the department. The third round focussed on developing different design solutions for each of the area’s, so that they could be combined into concept arrangements for the ideal daycare. These concepts were used for simulation with the daycare staff, who gave feedback on the designs and then made an ideal version of their own.
The delivery focuses on the visualisation of a final design proposal. It shows several impressions from an eye-level perspective of what the modern future of Sophia could look like. It applies a nature theme with a large tree that anchors the space, symbolizes health, growth and serenity, and is functional as sound isolation, table and play area. There is a central coffeecounter for the parents, secluded beds for enough rest and a separated staff area.The project is concluded with a set of recommendations for short term improvement. The hospital should invest in - amongst other things - a daily food service, freeing up spaces for an extra treatment room, better chairs, a proper break room with comfortable couches, and sound absorbing furniture.
...
This thesis describes the design process of the ideal daycare for Sophia Kinderziekenhuis as part of Erasmus MC. The hospital finds itself at the start of a renovation process that will possibly give Sophia an entirely new space. This new building will only be ready in 7 years, which is why the result of this project is twofold; a design proposal for an ideal situation in a new building and a shortlist of recommendations to improve the current situation in the short term.
The report is structured according to the double diamond process. The discovery will elaborate on the interior design process itself, the current situation at WKZ and SKZ, brainstorm sessions with the staff and interviews with the parents and children. It shows the daycare is extremely noisy, insensitive to privacy, inconveniently arranged, boring, outdated and not stress relieving for any of the users involved.
The insights of the discovery are condensed into 6 persona’s and 3 design drivers, which combined form the design vision of the ideal daycare. There are 2 parent-persona’s: Matt and Julie, with a distinction in time spent at the daycare. There are 3 children-persona’s: Ethan, Olivia and Jackie, with a distinction in tolerance for external stimuli. Finally there is a single staff-persona: Sarah, because there are no clear distinctions in value sets between different staff members. The 3 design drivers are defined as privacy, routine and atmosphere, and each of the three user groups has a different view on each of these drivers. These views combined will form a definition of what the ideal daycare means to them.
The development describes three iterations, each one pushing the design forwards in a different way and concluded by a simulation with one of the stakeholders. The first one was about creating maximum improvement with minimal change, which invoked a pivot in the project after the simulation with the architect. The second iteration revolved around ideating on the ideal arrangement of all the spaces, which was simulated with managing partners of the department. The third round focussed on developing different design solutions for each of the area’s, so that they could be combined into concept arrangements for the ideal daycare. These concepts were used for simulation with the daycare staff, who gave feedback on the designs and then made an ideal version of their own.
The delivery focuses on the visualisation of a final design proposal. It shows several impressions from an eye-level perspective of what the modern future of Sophia could look like. It applies a nature theme with a large tree that anchors the space, symbolizes health, growth and serenity, and is functional as sound isolation, table and play area. There is a central coffeecounter for the parents, secluded beds for enough rest and a separated staff area.The project is concluded with a set of recommendations for short term improvement. The hospital should invest in - amongst other things - a daily food service, freeing up spaces for an extra treatment room, better chairs, a proper break room with comfortable couches, and sound absorbing furniture.
The report is structured according to the double diamond process. The discovery will elaborate on the interior design process itself, the current situation at WKZ and SKZ, brainstorm sessions with the staff and interviews with the parents and children. It shows the daycare is extremely noisy, insensitive to privacy, inconveniently arranged, boring, outdated and not stress relieving for any of the users involved.
The insights of the discovery are condensed into 6 persona’s and 3 design drivers, which combined form the design vision of the ideal daycare. There are 2 parent-persona’s: Matt and Julie, with a distinction in time spent at the daycare. There are 3 children-persona’s: Ethan, Olivia and Jackie, with a distinction in tolerance for external stimuli. Finally there is a single staff-persona: Sarah, because there are no clear distinctions in value sets between different staff members. The 3 design drivers are defined as privacy, routine and atmosphere, and each of the three user groups has a different view on each of these drivers. These views combined will form a definition of what the ideal daycare means to them.
The development describes three iterations, each one pushing the design forwards in a different way and concluded by a simulation with one of the stakeholders. The first one was about creating maximum improvement with minimal change, which invoked a pivot in the project after the simulation with the architect. The second iteration revolved around ideating on the ideal arrangement of all the spaces, which was simulated with managing partners of the department. The third round focussed on developing different design solutions for each of the area’s, so that they could be combined into concept arrangements for the ideal daycare. These concepts were used for simulation with the daycare staff, who gave feedback on the designs and then made an ideal version of their own.
The delivery focuses on the visualisation of a final design proposal. It shows several impressions from an eye-level perspective of what the modern future of Sophia could look like. It applies a nature theme with a large tree that anchors the space, symbolizes health, growth and serenity, and is functional as sound isolation, table and play area. There is a central coffeecounter for the parents, secluded beds for enough rest and a separated staff area.The project is concluded with a set of recommendations for short term improvement. The hospital should invest in - amongst other things - a daily food service, freeing up spaces for an extra treatment room, better chairs, a proper break room with comfortable couches, and sound absorbing furniture.
This report contains a future vision for sailing yachts. It differs from many other visions as technology is not used as the basis for development, but behavioural change. The starting point is chosen as the upcoming Digital Nomad culture: Working from anywhere in the world. The thesis is done in cooperation with Contest Yachts, a sailing yacht builder from the Netherlands.
The analysis is done in two parts, which meet at the conclusion of the chapter. It consists of a brand analysis and a future use study.
Contest as a brand has three important values to cherish in the future to remain true to their current brand identity. These values are safety, quality and comfort and innovation. There is also a foreseen change, to make their current semi-custom approach more manageable in the future.
With the use of the ViP-method, future behaviour is predicted and separated in four different quadrants, each characterised by multiple habits. From these four, one is chosen to design for: The Trusting Tribe. With a strong focus on community and an inherent drive to be in nature, these people are interesting for Contest to build a new model around. The following vision is formulated: “We want people to uninterruptedly explore themselves and the planet through an open and flexible yacht.”
The starting point for the ideation is shared ownership in combination with the tribe analogy. As the model of sharing is getting increased attention in the yachting business, also noticed by Contest. Within this system, it is important that the sailor still has a feeling of responsibility. The result is the Florence CS. She is a combination of a lease service in combination with ownership. The yacht exists of a fully functional interior and two empty private modules with their own heads. The shared space holds a galley, lounge area and workstation.
Future Tribe members can lease a yacht on one of the seven Contest harbours (Seen in step 1.) with friends, family or strangers. The local Contest crew fits the interior and prepares the yacht for departure (step 2). Contest provides a full and careless sailing experience to their future members (step 3). After the trip, the Contest crew removes the interiors and store them in local warehouses (step 4). The ship is checked, serviced and prepared for the next group of nomads to use.
The final proposal disrupts the current yachting market. It introduces a new business model for Contest in the shape of a lease service. Also, it includes shared ownership.
For future developments and innovations, it is up to Contest to make further work of this. Possible next steps are: redoing this project with another graduate student; developing it into a case study and share it with more experts and enthusiasts; organising a creative day for employees and let them share their thoughts and expertise.
As innovation is embedded in Contest, the above-named options should be within reach. Outcomes of these options can help to make Contest future-proof as well as to make the brand the booster the yachting world. ...
The analysis is done in two parts, which meet at the conclusion of the chapter. It consists of a brand analysis and a future use study.
Contest as a brand has three important values to cherish in the future to remain true to their current brand identity. These values are safety, quality and comfort and innovation. There is also a foreseen change, to make their current semi-custom approach more manageable in the future.
With the use of the ViP-method, future behaviour is predicted and separated in four different quadrants, each characterised by multiple habits. From these four, one is chosen to design for: The Trusting Tribe. With a strong focus on community and an inherent drive to be in nature, these people are interesting for Contest to build a new model around. The following vision is formulated: “We want people to uninterruptedly explore themselves and the planet through an open and flexible yacht.”
The starting point for the ideation is shared ownership in combination with the tribe analogy. As the model of sharing is getting increased attention in the yachting business, also noticed by Contest. Within this system, it is important that the sailor still has a feeling of responsibility. The result is the Florence CS. She is a combination of a lease service in combination with ownership. The yacht exists of a fully functional interior and two empty private modules with their own heads. The shared space holds a galley, lounge area and workstation.
Future Tribe members can lease a yacht on one of the seven Contest harbours (Seen in step 1.) with friends, family or strangers. The local Contest crew fits the interior and prepares the yacht for departure (step 2). Contest provides a full and careless sailing experience to their future members (step 3). After the trip, the Contest crew removes the interiors and store them in local warehouses (step 4). The ship is checked, serviced and prepared for the next group of nomads to use.
The final proposal disrupts the current yachting market. It introduces a new business model for Contest in the shape of a lease service. Also, it includes shared ownership.
For future developments and innovations, it is up to Contest to make further work of this. Possible next steps are: redoing this project with another graduate student; developing it into a case study and share it with more experts and enthusiasts; organising a creative day for employees and let them share their thoughts and expertise.
As innovation is embedded in Contest, the above-named options should be within reach. Outcomes of these options can help to make Contest future-proof as well as to make the brand the booster the yachting world. ...
This report contains a future vision for sailing yachts. It differs from many other visions as technology is not used as the basis for development, but behavioural change. The starting point is chosen as the upcoming Digital Nomad culture: Working from anywhere in the world. The thesis is done in cooperation with Contest Yachts, a sailing yacht builder from the Netherlands.
The analysis is done in two parts, which meet at the conclusion of the chapter. It consists of a brand analysis and a future use study.
Contest as a brand has three important values to cherish in the future to remain true to their current brand identity. These values are safety, quality and comfort and innovation. There is also a foreseen change, to make their current semi-custom approach more manageable in the future.
With the use of the ViP-method, future behaviour is predicted and separated in four different quadrants, each characterised by multiple habits. From these four, one is chosen to design for: The Trusting Tribe. With a strong focus on community and an inherent drive to be in nature, these people are interesting for Contest to build a new model around. The following vision is formulated: “We want people to uninterruptedly explore themselves and the planet through an open and flexible yacht.”
The starting point for the ideation is shared ownership in combination with the tribe analogy. As the model of sharing is getting increased attention in the yachting business, also noticed by Contest. Within this system, it is important that the sailor still has a feeling of responsibility. The result is the Florence CS. She is a combination of a lease service in combination with ownership. The yacht exists of a fully functional interior and two empty private modules with their own heads. The shared space holds a galley, lounge area and workstation.
Future Tribe members can lease a yacht on one of the seven Contest harbours (Seen in step 1.) with friends, family or strangers. The local Contest crew fits the interior and prepares the yacht for departure (step 2). Contest provides a full and careless sailing experience to their future members (step 3). After the trip, the Contest crew removes the interiors and store them in local warehouses (step 4). The ship is checked, serviced and prepared for the next group of nomads to use.
The final proposal disrupts the current yachting market. It introduces a new business model for Contest in the shape of a lease service. Also, it includes shared ownership.
For future developments and innovations, it is up to Contest to make further work of this. Possible next steps are: redoing this project with another graduate student; developing it into a case study and share it with more experts and enthusiasts; organising a creative day for employees and let them share their thoughts and expertise.
As innovation is embedded in Contest, the above-named options should be within reach. Outcomes of these options can help to make Contest future-proof as well as to make the brand the booster the yachting world.
The analysis is done in two parts, which meet at the conclusion of the chapter. It consists of a brand analysis and a future use study.
Contest as a brand has three important values to cherish in the future to remain true to their current brand identity. These values are safety, quality and comfort and innovation. There is also a foreseen change, to make their current semi-custom approach more manageable in the future.
With the use of the ViP-method, future behaviour is predicted and separated in four different quadrants, each characterised by multiple habits. From these four, one is chosen to design for: The Trusting Tribe. With a strong focus on community and an inherent drive to be in nature, these people are interesting for Contest to build a new model around. The following vision is formulated: “We want people to uninterruptedly explore themselves and the planet through an open and flexible yacht.”
The starting point for the ideation is shared ownership in combination with the tribe analogy. As the model of sharing is getting increased attention in the yachting business, also noticed by Contest. Within this system, it is important that the sailor still has a feeling of responsibility. The result is the Florence CS. She is a combination of a lease service in combination with ownership. The yacht exists of a fully functional interior and two empty private modules with their own heads. The shared space holds a galley, lounge area and workstation.
Future Tribe members can lease a yacht on one of the seven Contest harbours (Seen in step 1.) with friends, family or strangers. The local Contest crew fits the interior and prepares the yacht for departure (step 2). Contest provides a full and careless sailing experience to their future members (step 3). After the trip, the Contest crew removes the interiors and store them in local warehouses (step 4). The ship is checked, serviced and prepared for the next group of nomads to use.
The final proposal disrupts the current yachting market. It introduces a new business model for Contest in the shape of a lease service. Also, it includes shared ownership.
For future developments and innovations, it is up to Contest to make further work of this. Possible next steps are: redoing this project with another graduate student; developing it into a case study and share it with more experts and enthusiasts; organising a creative day for employees and let them share their thoughts and expertise.
As innovation is embedded in Contest, the above-named options should be within reach. Outcomes of these options can help to make Contest future-proof as well as to make the brand the booster the yachting world.
Ambulance drones in The Netherlands
A vision + concept design for 2035
In the previous decade, a new type of air travel has seen a surge of interest from established and start-up companies alike: Air Mobility, a type of short range air travel as an alternative to taking the train or the car. Part of air mobility are a new type of aircraft, called Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing vehicles (eVTOLs), which hold potential for many new use cases.
Design agency Modyn wants to profile themselves within the field of air mobility through a vision concept for an ambulance drone. This use case, they reckoned, would be a good starting point for Air Mobility and eVTOLs, as it attracts more public acceptance than commercial use cases, such as an air-taxi service.
Modyn’s vision project was turned into this graduation thesis: an ambulance drone concept for the scope of 2035. Far enough in the future to capture the imagination, but near enough for it to relate to our present day reality in 2021.
Keeping the project grounded was one of the main challenges. It required a good understanding of the current ambulance system in The Netherlands. Which was the first research subject. A visit to ambulance station Delft and interviews with people from the field were all valuable input.
After establishing the current status quo, a look into the future was taken. Here, plans towards Air Mobility were investigated, in order to see how much The Netherlands is interested in this idea. The influence of technological and societal developments that relate to Air Mobility were plotted on a timeline, creating a roadmap towards 2035. This roadmap would create an input for the technical architecture of the ambulance drone.
Having a good picture of the present and a potential future, the research was distilled into a vision and a mission. The focus now clearly went towards using ambulance drones to replace the current ambulance helicopters. Also, the design challenges were identified and a program of requirements was compiled.
The design phase started off with the ideation, in which Virtual Reality was used to generate interior layouts. The interior is the most fundamental part of the design, as it is responsible for 90% of the interactions that the users have with the ambulance drone. An inside-out design approach was therefore the most sensible.
From the VR based ideation, the most promising interior layouts were translated into concepts. The direction was still rather open at this point, so in order to converge towards the final concept, a lot of experts were consulted for feedback on the concepts and the direction of the project.
This led to the creation of the final design, which was loosely based on two of the concepts. Thanks to the feedback from experts, the final design underwent quite a metamorphosis compared to the concepts.
The result is an ambulance drone concept with novel features and interesting ideas regarding the interior layout. The final concept has a recognisable, yet unique identity from a visual standpoint, being professional and approachable at the same time. ...
Design agency Modyn wants to profile themselves within the field of air mobility through a vision concept for an ambulance drone. This use case, they reckoned, would be a good starting point for Air Mobility and eVTOLs, as it attracts more public acceptance than commercial use cases, such as an air-taxi service.
Modyn’s vision project was turned into this graduation thesis: an ambulance drone concept for the scope of 2035. Far enough in the future to capture the imagination, but near enough for it to relate to our present day reality in 2021.
Keeping the project grounded was one of the main challenges. It required a good understanding of the current ambulance system in The Netherlands. Which was the first research subject. A visit to ambulance station Delft and interviews with people from the field were all valuable input.
After establishing the current status quo, a look into the future was taken. Here, plans towards Air Mobility were investigated, in order to see how much The Netherlands is interested in this idea. The influence of technological and societal developments that relate to Air Mobility were plotted on a timeline, creating a roadmap towards 2035. This roadmap would create an input for the technical architecture of the ambulance drone.
Having a good picture of the present and a potential future, the research was distilled into a vision and a mission. The focus now clearly went towards using ambulance drones to replace the current ambulance helicopters. Also, the design challenges were identified and a program of requirements was compiled.
The design phase started off with the ideation, in which Virtual Reality was used to generate interior layouts. The interior is the most fundamental part of the design, as it is responsible for 90% of the interactions that the users have with the ambulance drone. An inside-out design approach was therefore the most sensible.
From the VR based ideation, the most promising interior layouts were translated into concepts. The direction was still rather open at this point, so in order to converge towards the final concept, a lot of experts were consulted for feedback on the concepts and the direction of the project.
This led to the creation of the final design, which was loosely based on two of the concepts. Thanks to the feedback from experts, the final design underwent quite a metamorphosis compared to the concepts.
The result is an ambulance drone concept with novel features and interesting ideas regarding the interior layout. The final concept has a recognisable, yet unique identity from a visual standpoint, being professional and approachable at the same time. ...
In the previous decade, a new type of air travel has seen a surge of interest from established and start-up companies alike: Air Mobility, a type of short range air travel as an alternative to taking the train or the car. Part of air mobility are a new type of aircraft, called Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing vehicles (eVTOLs), which hold potential for many new use cases.
Design agency Modyn wants to profile themselves within the field of air mobility through a vision concept for an ambulance drone. This use case, they reckoned, would be a good starting point for Air Mobility and eVTOLs, as it attracts more public acceptance than commercial use cases, such as an air-taxi service.
Modyn’s vision project was turned into this graduation thesis: an ambulance drone concept for the scope of 2035. Far enough in the future to capture the imagination, but near enough for it to relate to our present day reality in 2021.
Keeping the project grounded was one of the main challenges. It required a good understanding of the current ambulance system in The Netherlands. Which was the first research subject. A visit to ambulance station Delft and interviews with people from the field were all valuable input.
After establishing the current status quo, a look into the future was taken. Here, plans towards Air Mobility were investigated, in order to see how much The Netherlands is interested in this idea. The influence of technological and societal developments that relate to Air Mobility were plotted on a timeline, creating a roadmap towards 2035. This roadmap would create an input for the technical architecture of the ambulance drone.
Having a good picture of the present and a potential future, the research was distilled into a vision and a mission. The focus now clearly went towards using ambulance drones to replace the current ambulance helicopters. Also, the design challenges were identified and a program of requirements was compiled.
The design phase started off with the ideation, in which Virtual Reality was used to generate interior layouts. The interior is the most fundamental part of the design, as it is responsible for 90% of the interactions that the users have with the ambulance drone. An inside-out design approach was therefore the most sensible.
From the VR based ideation, the most promising interior layouts were translated into concepts. The direction was still rather open at this point, so in order to converge towards the final concept, a lot of experts were consulted for feedback on the concepts and the direction of the project.
This led to the creation of the final design, which was loosely based on two of the concepts. Thanks to the feedback from experts, the final design underwent quite a metamorphosis compared to the concepts.
The result is an ambulance drone concept with novel features and interesting ideas regarding the interior layout. The final concept has a recognisable, yet unique identity from a visual standpoint, being professional and approachable at the same time.
Design agency Modyn wants to profile themselves within the field of air mobility through a vision concept for an ambulance drone. This use case, they reckoned, would be a good starting point for Air Mobility and eVTOLs, as it attracts more public acceptance than commercial use cases, such as an air-taxi service.
Modyn’s vision project was turned into this graduation thesis: an ambulance drone concept for the scope of 2035. Far enough in the future to capture the imagination, but near enough for it to relate to our present day reality in 2021.
Keeping the project grounded was one of the main challenges. It required a good understanding of the current ambulance system in The Netherlands. Which was the first research subject. A visit to ambulance station Delft and interviews with people from the field were all valuable input.
After establishing the current status quo, a look into the future was taken. Here, plans towards Air Mobility were investigated, in order to see how much The Netherlands is interested in this idea. The influence of technological and societal developments that relate to Air Mobility were plotted on a timeline, creating a roadmap towards 2035. This roadmap would create an input for the technical architecture of the ambulance drone.
Having a good picture of the present and a potential future, the research was distilled into a vision and a mission. The focus now clearly went towards using ambulance drones to replace the current ambulance helicopters. Also, the design challenges were identified and a program of requirements was compiled.
The design phase started off with the ideation, in which Virtual Reality was used to generate interior layouts. The interior is the most fundamental part of the design, as it is responsible for 90% of the interactions that the users have with the ambulance drone. An inside-out design approach was therefore the most sensible.
From the VR based ideation, the most promising interior layouts were translated into concepts. The direction was still rather open at this point, so in order to converge towards the final concept, a lot of experts were consulted for feedback on the concepts and the direction of the project.
This led to the creation of the final design, which was loosely based on two of the concepts. Thanks to the feedback from experts, the final design underwent quite a metamorphosis compared to the concepts.
The result is an ambulance drone concept with novel features and interesting ideas regarding the interior layout. The final concept has a recognisable, yet unique identity from a visual standpoint, being professional and approachable at the same time.
Hardt Digital Lab
Virtual Reality Design Review tool for Hyperloop Development
Due to the increase in flight demand and pollution impact that it has, the idea of the hyperloop concept has gained relevance in our society. Even though the hyperloop concept is still in a conceptual phase, there are already several companies working on it. Here in the Netherlands, Hardt Hyperloop is developing its vision. The hyperloop is a new mode of transportation that requires a lot of public-private collaboration from diverse sectors, generating an ecosystem. Hardt is a very technical focus company that has problems communicating its vision concerning the hyperloop. Without a good communication strategy between Hardt and the stakeholders, the hyperloop ecosystem will not reach its full potential. Good communication is required internally between members, but also externally with the stakeholders. Due to COVID-19, Hardt is facing how to keep alive the ecosystem with a working-from-home situation. Remote meetings are not as engaging as face-to-face meetings. Onboarding new stakeholders through virtual conferences, instead of visits to the Head Quarters, was not effective at all. The communication through text with other stakeholders who were already part of the ecosystem was not fluent. Hardt with the pandemic situation started to have difficulties reaching their milestones. This could affect the development of the hyperloop. Currently, the video conference tools used are obsolete (Teams and Zoom). As an alternative, a virtual environment where to showcase virtual prototypes was proposed. The concept is called Hardt Digital Lab. It is a multi-user review platform that can be accessed from the web browser, avoiding installations for those who want to participate in the design process. The platform can be accessed with PC and smartphone. Virtual Reality is also a possibility but cannot be used through the web browser. Communication with interactive visualizations improves significantly. A prototype was developed with Unreal Engine 4 to prove this concept. The project was evaluated by Hardt members with positive feedback. Even though they considered the environment to had simple but effective functions, they thought it could have promising features in the future. The main concern was to adapt the environment visualization to the workflow of the company.
...
Due to the increase in flight demand and pollution impact that it has, the idea of the hyperloop concept has gained relevance in our society. Even though the hyperloop concept is still in a conceptual phase, there are already several companies working on it. Here in the Netherlands, Hardt Hyperloop is developing its vision. The hyperloop is a new mode of transportation that requires a lot of public-private collaboration from diverse sectors, generating an ecosystem. Hardt is a very technical focus company that has problems communicating its vision concerning the hyperloop. Without a good communication strategy between Hardt and the stakeholders, the hyperloop ecosystem will not reach its full potential. Good communication is required internally between members, but also externally with the stakeholders. Due to COVID-19, Hardt is facing how to keep alive the ecosystem with a working-from-home situation. Remote meetings are not as engaging as face-to-face meetings. Onboarding new stakeholders through virtual conferences, instead of visits to the Head Quarters, was not effective at all. The communication through text with other stakeholders who were already part of the ecosystem was not fluent. Hardt with the pandemic situation started to have difficulties reaching their milestones. This could affect the development of the hyperloop. Currently, the video conference tools used are obsolete (Teams and Zoom). As an alternative, a virtual environment where to showcase virtual prototypes was proposed. The concept is called Hardt Digital Lab. It is a multi-user review platform that can be accessed from the web browser, avoiding installations for those who want to participate in the design process. The platform can be accessed with PC and smartphone. Virtual Reality is also a possibility but cannot be used through the web browser. Communication with interactive visualizations improves significantly. A prototype was developed with Unreal Engine 4 to prove this concept. The project was evaluated by Hardt members with positive feedback. Even though they considered the environment to had simple but effective functions, they thought it could have promising features in the future. The main concern was to adapt the environment visualization to the workflow of the company.
Genesis Symbiosis
Luxury mobility reimagined for a more sustainability-oriented future
The main finding of this thesis is that sustainability does not have to be a compromise for luxury (or vice versa). In fact: it can be a starting point for experiencing luxury mobility in new ways that are more beneficial to the environment, the user and the brand - in this case Genesis, the luxury brand of Hyundai. Based on this, a vehicle interior design proposal was developed for a sustainability-oriented future Europe (2035).
Problem
The automotive industry is under increased pressure to become more sustainable and has responded to this with electrification and new mobility services. However, there has been less focus on the interior design, especially in the luxury segment. The underlying problem is that luxury and sustainability do not easily seem compatible, resulting in sustainability efforts that are mostly limited to the trim and decoration of the product. The aim was to go one level deeper (the interaction level) by envisioning a new and more responsible interpretation of luxury mobility.
Analysis
Using the ViP-method, the three pillars of the project - the brand, luxury and sustainability - were deconstructed. This led to the conclusion that traditional luxury is 'ego-focussed'. Conversely, sustainability means looking beyond the ego, namely balancing the needs between users and the environment. This could be achieved with a circular approach to products and reinforcing human-nature connections in interactions. To innovate on this interaction level was considered most interesting, since this was lacking in Genesis' current sustainability strategy. This could be a way to bridge the gap between the brand's ambitious 'New Luxury' slogan and their current interior designs.
Vision
With an overview of the status quo, now the future context could be explored. This was done by studying sustainability-oriented, societal and technological trends that shape future ('new') luxury. With this the Eco-Luxury travel trend was identified, that united luxury benefits (digital detox for mental wellbeing) with environmental benefits (awareness for more responsible behaviour). Based on this an interaction vision was created of exposing users to their environment, inspired by yachts with open-air lounges. This led to a moodboard and scenario that became the
foundation for the design.
Design
Next, several ideas were explored for the overall vehicle architecture that impacts the interaction. A GT proportion with off-road capability was selected to fit the interaction vision. Based on this a basic technical package was developed as well as several concepts. The selected concept reinterprets the 'majestic bonnet proportion' of typical luxury cars, with a yachting-inspired lounge deck. Here the user is invited to unwind and connect with his/her surroundings.
The lounge can accessed via an interior that is designed to fully immerse in the travel environment. The space looks airy thanks to the enlarged visibility and a calm and honest design, to prevent any distraction. Autonomous driving makes you focus fully on the road ahead, thanks to the absence of a dashboard with steering wheel. Instead the vehicle can be assisted when nessary with a joystick from the comfortable seating position of a hammock.
Evaluation
The design was optimised after extensive reviewing with professionals, experts and users. This led to a final design that was created in 3D. The design is presented with 2D renderings, as well as an interactive, Augmented Reality model. ...
Problem
The automotive industry is under increased pressure to become more sustainable and has responded to this with electrification and new mobility services. However, there has been less focus on the interior design, especially in the luxury segment. The underlying problem is that luxury and sustainability do not easily seem compatible, resulting in sustainability efforts that are mostly limited to the trim and decoration of the product. The aim was to go one level deeper (the interaction level) by envisioning a new and more responsible interpretation of luxury mobility.
Analysis
Using the ViP-method, the three pillars of the project - the brand, luxury and sustainability - were deconstructed. This led to the conclusion that traditional luxury is 'ego-focussed'. Conversely, sustainability means looking beyond the ego, namely balancing the needs between users and the environment. This could be achieved with a circular approach to products and reinforcing human-nature connections in interactions. To innovate on this interaction level was considered most interesting, since this was lacking in Genesis' current sustainability strategy. This could be a way to bridge the gap between the brand's ambitious 'New Luxury' slogan and their current interior designs.
Vision
With an overview of the status quo, now the future context could be explored. This was done by studying sustainability-oriented, societal and technological trends that shape future ('new') luxury. With this the Eco-Luxury travel trend was identified, that united luxury benefits (digital detox for mental wellbeing) with environmental benefits (awareness for more responsible behaviour). Based on this an interaction vision was created of exposing users to their environment, inspired by yachts with open-air lounges. This led to a moodboard and scenario that became the
foundation for the design.
Design
Next, several ideas were explored for the overall vehicle architecture that impacts the interaction. A GT proportion with off-road capability was selected to fit the interaction vision. Based on this a basic technical package was developed as well as several concepts. The selected concept reinterprets the 'majestic bonnet proportion' of typical luxury cars, with a yachting-inspired lounge deck. Here the user is invited to unwind and connect with his/her surroundings.
The lounge can accessed via an interior that is designed to fully immerse in the travel environment. The space looks airy thanks to the enlarged visibility and a calm and honest design, to prevent any distraction. Autonomous driving makes you focus fully on the road ahead, thanks to the absence of a dashboard with steering wheel. Instead the vehicle can be assisted when nessary with a joystick from the comfortable seating position of a hammock.
Evaluation
The design was optimised after extensive reviewing with professionals, experts and users. This led to a final design that was created in 3D. The design is presented with 2D renderings, as well as an interactive, Augmented Reality model. ...
The main finding of this thesis is that sustainability does not have to be a compromise for luxury (or vice versa). In fact: it can be a starting point for experiencing luxury mobility in new ways that are more beneficial to the environment, the user and the brand - in this case Genesis, the luxury brand of Hyundai. Based on this, a vehicle interior design proposal was developed for a sustainability-oriented future Europe (2035).
Problem
The automotive industry is under increased pressure to become more sustainable and has responded to this with electrification and new mobility services. However, there has been less focus on the interior design, especially in the luxury segment. The underlying problem is that luxury and sustainability do not easily seem compatible, resulting in sustainability efforts that are mostly limited to the trim and decoration of the product. The aim was to go one level deeper (the interaction level) by envisioning a new and more responsible interpretation of luxury mobility.
Analysis
Using the ViP-method, the three pillars of the project - the brand, luxury and sustainability - were deconstructed. This led to the conclusion that traditional luxury is 'ego-focussed'. Conversely, sustainability means looking beyond the ego, namely balancing the needs between users and the environment. This could be achieved with a circular approach to products and reinforcing human-nature connections in interactions. To innovate on this interaction level was considered most interesting, since this was lacking in Genesis' current sustainability strategy. This could be a way to bridge the gap between the brand's ambitious 'New Luxury' slogan and their current interior designs.
Vision
With an overview of the status quo, now the future context could be explored. This was done by studying sustainability-oriented, societal and technological trends that shape future ('new') luxury. With this the Eco-Luxury travel trend was identified, that united luxury benefits (digital detox for mental wellbeing) with environmental benefits (awareness for more responsible behaviour). Based on this an interaction vision was created of exposing users to their environment, inspired by yachts with open-air lounges. This led to a moodboard and scenario that became the
foundation for the design.
Design
Next, several ideas were explored for the overall vehicle architecture that impacts the interaction. A GT proportion with off-road capability was selected to fit the interaction vision. Based on this a basic technical package was developed as well as several concepts. The selected concept reinterprets the 'majestic bonnet proportion' of typical luxury cars, with a yachting-inspired lounge deck. Here the user is invited to unwind and connect with his/her surroundings.
The lounge can accessed via an interior that is designed to fully immerse in the travel environment. The space looks airy thanks to the enlarged visibility and a calm and honest design, to prevent any distraction. Autonomous driving makes you focus fully on the road ahead, thanks to the absence of a dashboard with steering wheel. Instead the vehicle can be assisted when nessary with a joystick from the comfortable seating position of a hammock.
Evaluation
The design was optimised after extensive reviewing with professionals, experts and users. This led to a final design that was created in 3D. The design is presented with 2D renderings, as well as an interactive, Augmented Reality model.
Problem
The automotive industry is under increased pressure to become more sustainable and has responded to this with electrification and new mobility services. However, there has been less focus on the interior design, especially in the luxury segment. The underlying problem is that luxury and sustainability do not easily seem compatible, resulting in sustainability efforts that are mostly limited to the trim and decoration of the product. The aim was to go one level deeper (the interaction level) by envisioning a new and more responsible interpretation of luxury mobility.
Analysis
Using the ViP-method, the three pillars of the project - the brand, luxury and sustainability - were deconstructed. This led to the conclusion that traditional luxury is 'ego-focussed'. Conversely, sustainability means looking beyond the ego, namely balancing the needs between users and the environment. This could be achieved with a circular approach to products and reinforcing human-nature connections in interactions. To innovate on this interaction level was considered most interesting, since this was lacking in Genesis' current sustainability strategy. This could be a way to bridge the gap between the brand's ambitious 'New Luxury' slogan and their current interior designs.
Vision
With an overview of the status quo, now the future context could be explored. This was done by studying sustainability-oriented, societal and technological trends that shape future ('new') luxury. With this the Eco-Luxury travel trend was identified, that united luxury benefits (digital detox for mental wellbeing) with environmental benefits (awareness for more responsible behaviour). Based on this an interaction vision was created of exposing users to their environment, inspired by yachts with open-air lounges. This led to a moodboard and scenario that became the
foundation for the design.
Design
Next, several ideas were explored for the overall vehicle architecture that impacts the interaction. A GT proportion with off-road capability was selected to fit the interaction vision. Based on this a basic technical package was developed as well as several concepts. The selected concept reinterprets the 'majestic bonnet proportion' of typical luxury cars, with a yachting-inspired lounge deck. Here the user is invited to unwind and connect with his/her surroundings.
The lounge can accessed via an interior that is designed to fully immerse in the travel environment. The space looks airy thanks to the enlarged visibility and a calm and honest design, to prevent any distraction. Autonomous driving makes you focus fully on the road ahead, thanks to the absence of a dashboard with steering wheel. Instead the vehicle can be assisted when nessary with a joystick from the comfortable seating position of a hammock.
Evaluation
The design was optimised after extensive reviewing with professionals, experts and users. This led to a final design that was created in 3D. The design is presented with 2D renderings, as well as an interactive, Augmented Reality model.
Currently, mental healthcare recognizes the benefits of optimal communication between patient and doctor in the treatment process. However, the protocols and therapeutic doctor-patient interactions are not yet designed to fully realize their potential, as patients who have different psychiatric symptoms often find it hard to clarify and communicate their intertwined life issues.
Hence, the thesis addresses the implementation opportunities to use the Visual Thinking and Storytelling design method to tackle this communication challenge, provide clarification and structure to help the patient voice their issues, and improve doctor-patient communication. Simultaneously, the method also allows patients to engage in Shared decision-making and receive better treatment (Slade, M., 2017). This thesis uses the mental health organization Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg (GGZ) Delfland’s ITB Support program as a context example, with the aim of proposing a new visual story communication strategy to help the GGZ Delfland improve the clarity and structure of communication between social workers and clients.
To provide better clarification and structure, a Visual toolkit was designed to help the health experts clarify the clients’ needs. In addition, a Visual strategy plan was designed to guide the GGZ Delfland on how to operate the toolkit in the ITB program. This thesis gives inspiration about how Visual Thinking the Storytelling can improve doctor-patient communication and how they can be used in practice. ...
Hence, the thesis addresses the implementation opportunities to use the Visual Thinking and Storytelling design method to tackle this communication challenge, provide clarification and structure to help the patient voice their issues, and improve doctor-patient communication. Simultaneously, the method also allows patients to engage in Shared decision-making and receive better treatment (Slade, M., 2017). This thesis uses the mental health organization Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg (GGZ) Delfland’s ITB Support program as a context example, with the aim of proposing a new visual story communication strategy to help the GGZ Delfland improve the clarity and structure of communication between social workers and clients.
To provide better clarification and structure, a Visual toolkit was designed to help the health experts clarify the clients’ needs. In addition, a Visual strategy plan was designed to guide the GGZ Delfland on how to operate the toolkit in the ITB program. This thesis gives inspiration about how Visual Thinking the Storytelling can improve doctor-patient communication and how they can be used in practice. ...
Currently, mental healthcare recognizes the benefits of optimal communication between patient and doctor in the treatment process. However, the protocols and therapeutic doctor-patient interactions are not yet designed to fully realize their potential, as patients who have different psychiatric symptoms often find it hard to clarify and communicate their intertwined life issues.
Hence, the thesis addresses the implementation opportunities to use the Visual Thinking and Storytelling design method to tackle this communication challenge, provide clarification and structure to help the patient voice their issues, and improve doctor-patient communication. Simultaneously, the method also allows patients to engage in Shared decision-making and receive better treatment (Slade, M., 2017). This thesis uses the mental health organization Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg (GGZ) Delfland’s ITB Support program as a context example, with the aim of proposing a new visual story communication strategy to help the GGZ Delfland improve the clarity and structure of communication between social workers and clients.
To provide better clarification and structure, a Visual toolkit was designed to help the health experts clarify the clients’ needs. In addition, a Visual strategy plan was designed to guide the GGZ Delfland on how to operate the toolkit in the ITB program. This thesis gives inspiration about how Visual Thinking the Storytelling can improve doctor-patient communication and how they can be used in practice.
Hence, the thesis addresses the implementation opportunities to use the Visual Thinking and Storytelling design method to tackle this communication challenge, provide clarification and structure to help the patient voice their issues, and improve doctor-patient communication. Simultaneously, the method also allows patients to engage in Shared decision-making and receive better treatment (Slade, M., 2017). This thesis uses the mental health organization Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg (GGZ) Delfland’s ITB Support program as a context example, with the aim of proposing a new visual story communication strategy to help the GGZ Delfland improve the clarity and structure of communication between social workers and clients.
To provide better clarification and structure, a Visual toolkit was designed to help the health experts clarify the clients’ needs. In addition, a Visual strategy plan was designed to guide the GGZ Delfland on how to operate the toolkit in the ITB program. This thesis gives inspiration about how Visual Thinking the Storytelling can improve doctor-patient communication and how they can be used in practice.
Hangar of the Future
Concept development using VR as an alternative prototyping tool
The global aircraft fleet was predicted to grow by approximately 40% between 2017 and 2027 by Oliver Wyman (2017). This fast-growing fleet needs to be supported by equally developing Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) divisions of airlines. In light of the growing need for more efficient and technologically advanced aircraft maintenance, this project called the Hangar of the Future was initiated. The Engineering and Maintenance (E&M) division of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is one of the largest MRO service providers in the airline industry. KLM’s Hangar 12 at Schiphol carries out A-checks for its entire Boeing 737 and 787 fleet. These are the airplanes that are the most promising for future use and KLM is acquiring more of them every year. For this reason, Hangar 12 has an increasing responsibility for sustaining the company. For the development of the hangar, KLM has several priorities that were initiators of the project:- New technology is required to continue to be competitive and to maximize the efficiency of maintenance. - KLM believes in retaining a sustainable workforce for which ergonomics i.e. providing a pleasant and healthy working environment play a huge role. - Sustainability is a strategic pillar for the company and is hardwired into KLM’s future mission (The attention to this topic was minimized going forward in the project due to several reasons).While considering these factors, the project was tackled with a fairly methodological approach. It was guided by the overarching Double Diamond structure of industrial design. The scheduling of the project was done in line with the four phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. Clear goals were set for all the phases before starting them and within each phase, one or more design/research methods were used to achieve these goals.In the Discover phase, research was carried out about the working of the hangar, the employees, their problems, and requirements. A broad understanding was gained and documented in this starting phase.In the Define phase, the research was analyzed and converted into usable data. The problem statements that would be the most beneficial to address were identified. This phase was crucial in guiding the focus of the project.The Develop phase was the one that resulted in the highest quantity of innovative ideas due to the brainstorming activities incorporated in this phase. It was intended to go broad again, explore ideas, research on the possibilities, and come up with multiple directions that address the problem statements.Lastly, the Define phase was the one where it all came together. The ideas were filtered, concepts were given shape, and validation was carried out. Virtual prototyping and concept animation was done for presenting the concepts.The project resulted in a family of three concepts that fit the hangar: a collaborative inspection robot for full ground and drone inspection, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) for moving materials and tools, and a dashboard that updates the teams with realtime information at the hangar workfloor. These three concepts address the top priorities of the stakeholders and are backed by well-grounded research.
...
The global aircraft fleet was predicted to grow by approximately 40% between 2017 and 2027 by Oliver Wyman (2017). This fast-growing fleet needs to be supported by equally developing Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) divisions of airlines. In light of the growing need for more efficient and technologically advanced aircraft maintenance, this project called the Hangar of the Future was initiated. The Engineering and Maintenance (E&M) division of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is one of the largest MRO service providers in the airline industry. KLM’s Hangar 12 at Schiphol carries out A-checks for its entire Boeing 737 and 787 fleet. These are the airplanes that are the most promising for future use and KLM is acquiring more of them every year. For this reason, Hangar 12 has an increasing responsibility for sustaining the company. For the development of the hangar, KLM has several priorities that were initiators of the project:- New technology is required to continue to be competitive and to maximize the efficiency of maintenance. - KLM believes in retaining a sustainable workforce for which ergonomics i.e. providing a pleasant and healthy working environment play a huge role. - Sustainability is a strategic pillar for the company and is hardwired into KLM’s future mission (The attention to this topic was minimized going forward in the project due to several reasons).While considering these factors, the project was tackled with a fairly methodological approach. It was guided by the overarching Double Diamond structure of industrial design. The scheduling of the project was done in line with the four phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. Clear goals were set for all the phases before starting them and within each phase, one or more design/research methods were used to achieve these goals.In the Discover phase, research was carried out about the working of the hangar, the employees, their problems, and requirements. A broad understanding was gained and documented in this starting phase.In the Define phase, the research was analyzed and converted into usable data. The problem statements that would be the most beneficial to address were identified. This phase was crucial in guiding the focus of the project.The Develop phase was the one that resulted in the highest quantity of innovative ideas due to the brainstorming activities incorporated in this phase. It was intended to go broad again, explore ideas, research on the possibilities, and come up with multiple directions that address the problem statements.Lastly, the Define phase was the one where it all came together. The ideas were filtered, concepts were given shape, and validation was carried out. Virtual prototyping and concept animation was done for presenting the concepts.The project resulted in a family of three concepts that fit the hangar: a collaborative inspection robot for full ground and drone inspection, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) for moving materials and tools, and a dashboard that updates the teams with realtime information at the hangar workfloor. These three concepts address the top priorities of the stakeholders and are backed by well-grounded research.
The design goal is create a passenger-centric cabin interior design for the future concept commercial airplane: The Flying V. The vision is to provide the feeling of self-fulfillment when leaving the cabin by providing focus areas to achieve personalised goals. In this vision, the old situation where in-seat dining, resting and watching IFE is experienced, makes place for a new situation. As sleeping is associated with a bedroom and working with an office chair, the new aircraft interior is in line with these expectations. At the same time, a redesign results in an opportunity for movement onboard, which is considered a significant health aspect. The combination of an appropriate redesign of cabin space and the freedom to move is shown to have positive effectson health, comfort, and has a higher potential to reach product pleasure. In the interior of the Flying V several zones are defined, which facilitate different activities; stimulating social opportunities (Lounge Zone), the creation of new seating arrangements (Transition Zone) and a more productive setting for work and sleep purposes (Focus Zone). These zones are created to reduce the static sitting and increasing in-zone or zone-to-zone movement onboard specifically for long-haul flights.The detailed product features with colour, textures are applied to the digital prototype. With the use of Virtual Reality tools, the future travellers could experience the interior in 3D, while being interviewed. The results are validating the concept regarding the viability, desirability and feasibility of the next generation cabin concept proposal. ...
The design goal is create a passenger-centric cabin interior design for the future concept commercial airplane: The Flying V. The vision is to provide the feeling of self-fulfillment when leaving the cabin by providing focus areas to achieve personalised goals. In this vision, the old situation where in-seat dining, resting and watching IFE is experienced, makes place for a new situation. As sleeping is associated with a bedroom and working with an office chair, the new aircraft interior is in line with these expectations. At the same time, a redesign results in an opportunity for movement onboard, which is considered a significant health aspect. The combination of an appropriate redesign of cabin space and the freedom to move is shown to have positive effectson health, comfort, and has a higher potential to reach product pleasure. In the interior of the Flying V several zones are defined, which facilitate different activities; stimulating social opportunities (Lounge Zone), the creation of new seating arrangements (Transition Zone) and a more productive setting for work and sleep purposes (Focus Zone). These zones are created to reduce the static sitting and increasing in-zone or zone-to-zone movement onboard specifically for long-haul flights.The detailed product features with colour, textures are applied to the digital prototype. With the use of Virtual Reality tools, the future travellers could experience the interior in 3D, while being interviewed. The results are validating the concept regarding the viability, desirability and feasibility of the next generation cabin concept proposal.