SymbioCarer
Case Study
What is it about: The SymbioCarer is a system to power your home facilities by giving care to plants. The plant communicates to your shower how much water and sunlight it has received. The system converts those values into water pressure and heating. -The design proposal adopts a critical design approach.
My roles: Workshop facilitator | Strategic Designer |Storytelling | Video Prototyping
Video Prototype
Challenge
Participatory Design
In collaboration with my colleague Aisling McCallion, we explored the Housing Crisis in Ireland through participatory design in a workshop using a provocative tool to shape the conversational tone. Based on our findings, we were requested to craft individually a design proposal presented through a video prototype.
ROADMAP
4 weeks
Secondary Research
Workshop Planning
In the initial phase of our research process, we generated key terms to explore relevant literature for our workshop topic. We then shared and organized our findings on a Mural board, facilitating collaborative categorization to determine the workshop’s direction.
Participants profile and recruitment
Workshop Planning
In the initial phase of our research process, we generated key terms to explore relevant literature for our workshop topic. We then shared and organized our findings on a Mural board, facilitating collaborative categorization to determine the workshop’s direction.
Provocative tool
Workshop Planning
From secondary research, we created participants’ profiles for recruitment and outlined the workshop direction. To spark engagement, we designed a distorted scenario, exaggerating specific research findings. Participants then watched a video introducing a fictional case: renting a tent to join a particular community.
Workshop delivery
Workshop Planning
The workshop took place virtually on Zoom, utilizing a Mural board for pre-prepared activities. Each activity focused on gathering information about participants’ past experiences, desirability, technology prioritization, and community dynamics within their households.
Data analysis & insights
Strategy
Data from the board and participant interventions were systematically organized and categorized in a database, employing colour coding. Each category contained valuable insights intended for future use in brainstorming sessions.
Brainstorming & ideation
Design
After analyzing and interpreting the insights, I used the participants’ ideas in brainstorming sessions to create a plan for defining the design concept. To draw the concept out, I placed the elements on a board to visualize how they would interact as a system.
Storytelling
Video Prototype
Fernando likes gardening. He grows some vegetables and herbs at home. Some of his plants need more water than others, the same with sunlight. He is a caring plant father who always makes sure his plants receive what they need to grow in the best conditions.
Also, Fernando uses the new SymbioCarer technology.
He has a SmartPot that reads the plant data of humidity and light it has received. The SymbioCarer technology let Fernando power his facilities. When he deposits one of his beautiful plants in the SmartPot, he connects it via Bluetooth to the SmartShower. The SmartShower reads the light information and transforms it into heating and humidity into water pressure.
Now he can have a pleasant shower. His SmartShower has given him a standard time of 8 minutes max capacity of heating and pressure. However, if he reduces the temperature or the water pressure, he can gain a few extra minutes in the shower.
But be careful, Fernando! If your plants give out through your SmartPot that you are not looking at them as you should, the next shower could be slightly poorer, quicker, and colder. This time, enjoy your shower!
3D Modelling & Rendering
Video Prototyping
For visualizing the proposal, I created 3D models of the SmartPot & SmartShower, branded as the SymbioCarer, to include in the video. I used Rhinoceros for modeling and Blender for rendering the pieces.
