As our prototype was a working board, it wasn’t hung up in the community but was presented through drawings and orally.
The community partner analyzed our product with three key points made:
- our idea wasn’t safe.
- it intruded the structure of the garden
- there was no use/practicality seen.
This essentially led us to reconsider our plans and idea to make something practical, ending up with Angela’s idea of making a stand on the grape trellis which developed to be a flower pot stand. We would continue using the tiles, but alter the purpose and the structure and placement of structure.
This is our essential dialogue with the community.
Q+A
Q: What are your thoughts on the product?
A: It’s aesthetically pleasing and we can see your hardwork, but the design is not safe, it is in the middle of the trellis and blocks movement, and there’s no function it offers.
Q: What do you think of the aesthetics?
A: It looks beautiful and the material is good. We hope you continue this design.
Reflection
As a group we learned the importance with communication and understanding the needs of the community before designing a structure that was to be a collaboration between two groups. We learned to first put our community and the users in mind rather than provide an exhibition space for the art ladies. We also learned to make sure that we considered safety and practicality over all. Hence, we decided to modify our plans to be a grape trellis mentioned above which was designed to include pots that could be placed in it. We would then modify the design of wood needed to cut and renumber the amount of pieces for the entire piece.
What did you learn about working with the community from today’s discussion (not including the design part)?
I learned the importance of community and communication. It’s very important to understand the social relations as well as my personal role of being an active initiator of discussion.
How are you going to apply the lessons to future collaborations?
I will try to be active in communication with my group and with the neighborhood, keeping in mind my anxiety regarding the language barrier I have when it comes to speaking as the spokesperson of the group.
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