“Go Green at home”

You Le Chong
MA Interaction Design
An idea of sustainable living for all in everyday life. 2008 Degree project
Umea Institute of Design
 Introduction
As a final examination, the students of Master in Interaction Design programme have to
develop a project in co-operation with a company, demonstrating their skills as interaction
designers. This project lasts about 20 weeks starting from 21st January 2008.

I am an Interaction Design Master Student with a professional background as a Research

Designer for 4 years. I have always been interested in the environmental topic and I
questioned myself a lot on what could be the role of an Interaction Designer in
Sustainability for the past 2 years.

Research Background
Today, more and more people are aware of the importance of sustainability. Everywhere,
every time, everyone is talking about global warming, deforestation, pollution, waste
“What could be the role of Intera management…; sustainability has become the hottest topic to speak about. No doubt, the
ction Design
in Sustainabil environment awareness has increased dramatically in the recent years.
ity? ”
Efforts are now put into developing environmental friendly materials, technologies,
products and infrastructures to make products and packaging recyclables and recycled. But,
without end users proper behaviour or participation, these efforts are useless.

Material extraction
w e and processing
wwast
astaestete clin
g
w tw
a s eas cy
e

r
End-of-life Manufacturing
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE of products

re
ai
r

p
Product Packaging &
use distribution

When the recyclable product arrives at the end of its life, it still reaches a crossroad: be
repaired, trashed or recycled. Now, the knowledge of waste management has increased, some
has already practicing the proper domestic waste management: waste disposal, recycling,
composting. But it appears that there are lots constraints:

(a) Time : extra attention need to be put to understand, practice and remember...
(b) Distance : recycling, discompost and waste disposal go into different places of the town...
(c) Space : recycling, discompost and waste disposal need specific container and space...
 Project Goal
End users are not implicated enough in waste management. With the extra efforts that are
required and the constraints in recycling, people feel even more reluctant to participate.
How can we waste management be more enjoyable or less troublesome for the user?

In general, people are aware of the importance of sustainability but they usually do not
know enough about what is behind the scene. More trust or transparency into the effort in
waste management could make a difference and convince them.

On the other hand, some users who are really motivated to do it face unexpected
complications. The waste management knowledge is needed and the non-standardisation

d ay!” of the systems require a persistent attitude from the user to keep up his/her will in staying

gs un green.

c yclin
er re
The intention is to create a new user experience, bringing the green to home and more

oth tangible. Concurrently, make the waste management impact more obvious and solve the
“An constraints of time, space and distance.

convenient

Project Intention
doubt and trust: waste management impact
doubt trust
convenient and troublesome : ease of use
existing waste management system
waste management system proposal

troublesome

Methodology
Exploration phase:
Observe, document and analyze the way people naturally practice green...
Read and research about how waste management is carried out: its capabilities, limitations,
procedures, ...
Review new techniques, technologies and materials that could be appropriate for the new
design

Design phase:
Conduct participatory design activities to involve the users with the design proposals
Build low and high fidelity prototypes to test and evaluate the new system

Documentation
Website/blogging will be used to track and document the work, and hopefully to share
and get feedback from external collaborators and tutors.
Deliverable (preliminary)
Final Design
Physical Interactive Solutions

Experience Prototype
Low/high fidelity interactive system

Ethnographic Studies
Distilled and illustrative

Design Incentives
Scenarios, videos (story telling)

Presentation
A middle and final

Exhibition
in media/fairs (discussable)

Budget (preliminary)
UID degree show fees 10 000
Hardware devices and sensors 5 000
Research Literature 2 000
Video materials 5 000
Printing costs 3 000
Prototypes materials 4 000
Communications 1 000
Travellings 3 000
(to users, company, research trips)

Attendance to conference 12 000

Total 45 000 SEK

(~ 4800 EUR)
(~ 7000 USD)
Timetable (preliminary)
January February March April May June
Exploration Ideation Participatory design II Design refinement Presentation work
Research Participatory design I Evaluation of Design Building final prototypes Exhibition work
Visits Hardware sketching Design Development Planning for presentation Finalising the Report
Meeting collaborators Lo-fi prototyping Hi-fi prototyping Writing report
Documentation User scenarios (Video) Documentation
Documentation

21 Project kick-off 18, 19 Mid Presentation 28, 29 Pre-examination 12 Report submission 4 Final submission
presentation (5min) Prototype ready 19 Examination presentation of report + DVD
21 Preparation of exhibition 5 Opening of
material Degree Exhibition
26 Photo Session

Contacts

Umea Institute of design You Le Chong

Östra Strandgatan 30
Umeå University
SE-901 87 UMEÅ, Sweden
Thank you! Tel +46 (0) 90 786 69 96
Hope to hear from you as soon as possible. Fax +46 (0) 90 786 66 97
Pedagoggrand 1C:215,
SE-90 730 UMEÅ,
Sweden
Tel +46 (0) 73 031 00 85
chongyoule@gmail.com