Connecting the Elderly

Throughout Baselining Week, dedicated to familiarizing ourselves with the design thinking process, I discovered a personal resonance in contributing to the project: “How might we inspire retirees to seek purpose through meaningful connections in Utrecht?”

Impact & Change

Research on sensitive topics

A significant team takeaway from the project was the exploration of sensitive topics, particularly in our research approach. Initially, we held a stereotype that most elderly individuals faced loneliness. This perception led us to empathize in the wrong context, interviewing people who already had meaningful connections. Privacy laws in elderly homes further constrained our interviews. Despite these challenges, we formed a hypothesis suggesting that those with a sense of purpose and meaningful connections may not experience loneliness. However, recognizing the sensitivity of the subject, we learned that addressing such topics requires creative approaches and extended time for genuine empathy within the target group.

Positive energy

In light of the group's feedback, it's heartening to know that my presence was perceived as bringing positive and light energy to our collaborative efforts. Admittedly, adjusting to an unstructured work approach posed a challenge for me, and I acknowledge that my contribution may not have reached its full potential. While I may not have taken on a leadership role, which I wasn’t used to, I was proactive in addressing tasks that required attention, demonstrating flexibility and a willingness to take initiative.

Design Methods Mastered

Field research

To establish a connection with our target group and grasp their typical feelings and behaviors, our team engaged in field research to empathize. Unaccustomed to field research, as I usually rely on desk research, this approach was novel for me and facilitated a deeper connection with the target audience. We designed a board to visually represent the results, mapping their emotions and sense of connection. Despite the elderly individuals we interviewed not precisely fitting our target group, the board proved to be a valuable tool, complementing the stories they shared.

Brainstorming & Clustering

I do enjoy the brainstorming process; it's like a surge of creativity, allowing us to explore various perspectives and unleash our imaginative ideas. During this ideation phase, I've observed that individuals tend to open up, revealing aspects of their personality through their concepts, adding an enjoyable dynamic to the session. As we proceed to cluster these diverse ideas, it feels like uncovering hidden connections. This approach enables us to identify concepts that capture everyone's attention, providing a foundation for creating novel and unique ideas by blending different themes and thoughts.

Personal Development

Getting used to rejection

Engaging with strangers proved to be a challenging aspect for me during the empathize and prototyping stages. Typically, this situation triggers nervousness in me. Despite the initial discomfort and facing rejection, I made a conscious effort to brush it off and persist. Surprisingly, this process highlighted a hidden strength—I discovered a natural ability to connect with people when they were open to it. Embracing rejection became a valuable lesson, ultimately revealing my capacity for genuine connections when given the chance.

Getting used to the co-design process

Navigating nearly eight-hour workdays, four days a week, and being constantly surrounded by people posed a considerable challenge. Everything felt novel in this new environment as I tried to define my role within the team, acclimate to the process of design thinking, and steadily document every aspect. Despite the overwhelming nature of these circumstances, they served as a catalyst, compelling me to persevere even when motivation and social energy were waning. This experience became an opportunity to cultivate discipline and push through challenges with resilience.