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DES301/302 Blog

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Week 8: Prototyping Stage 1.1

Project Status

My project is now in its second week of prototyping. I have received feedback from our project partner, Diversity Works NZ, as well as from my stream leader and peers that have helped me think deeper about my topic. Some to take note of are:

The idea of creating a movement outside of and against a system that eventually affects the original system

My initial idea was to design a video game convention that would encourage large video game companies (AAA companies ie. Ubisoft, EA, Nintendo) to recognize and hire more queer talents to increase the overall diversity and inclusivity within the video game industry. There is a sizable queer population within the video game industry, however most exist in the indie games sector (aka; independent creators or small to medium-sized companies), and my main objective was to bridge the gap between indie and AAA companies in order to create a more accessible pathway for queer talents to enter large video game companies.

However, because there’s already a large population of queer game developers, designers, artists, voice actors, etc. within the indie gaming industry, why should they have to abandon a community that has been crafted to let them thrive, to move into a larger company that shut them out in the first place? I found this an interesting take, and reminded me of a quote from the first Diversity Works NZ presentation from this semester, which is “From fitting people to the workplace to designing workplaces that fit people”.

This made me consider whether I should focus on the larger video game industry, or on the indie game industry. As I am focusing on New Zealand’s video game industry, narrowing my focus down to its indie gaming industry seems more restricting. However, I also believe that it can lead to shedding light onto subtopics that haven’t been discussed before, ie. New Zealand indigeneity in relation to queer livelihood. This is something I will take some more time to ponder as I work throughout the week.

Diversity, Inclusivity, but where is the Equitability?

Another significant piece of feedback I received was the lack of evidence for an equitable design. I have been focusing too much on the Diversity and Inclusion aspects of the project, that I haven’t thought much about the logistics of the design. How much does it cost? How will people get to the venue? Is it accessible for those with physical or mental disabilities? Who are you partnering with? I have been thinking too much about how this design will affect wider society instead of the smaller group of people who will be attending it, thus I will start thinking about these questions to ensure that I am capturing every aspect of a DEI design.

Digestibility

While not an actual piece of feedback I received, I realized that not everyone will be well-versed in the video game industry. While I am creating an event for mainly young queer video game developers, artists, gamers etc., it could still attract anyone who could be interested in learning more about it. Thus, I will have to ensure the event isn’t exclusionary towards newcomers, and that information is easily digestible and accessible.

Tools

I haven’t used any significant tools at the moment, however I am aiming to begin sketching some ideas, such as a logo, website sketches and wireframing, a poster, etc. I will be using paper and pens for basic sketching, however for more detailed or complex ideas, I will be using the drawing software Procreate, as it is a powerful tool used for illustration and ideation. A downside of this app is that it works with pixels and not vectors, unlike Adobe Illustrator, which can become a problem if I get sizes wrong and have to resize.

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Sketching some ideas

Ensuring that I use the right sizing to avoid pixelation

Thinking more about how to make my design more equitable

Concluding Thoughts

A positive I am very appreciative of is the feedback I received from our leaders and peers this week. I think that it offered necessary and helpful advice which will in turn help me create a more in-depth design. A negative I have come across with this project this week is the newfound question of how to make my design more equitable. However, this can be mitigated by brainstorming more ideas and asking for more feedback.

Next Steps

Initial prototypal sketches

Thinking more about equitability in the workplace

References

Diversity Works NZ Introductory Presentation (on Canvas)

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Week 7: Prototyping Stage 1

Project Status

My project is now in its first week of prototyping. My current concept design is of an Auckland-based gaming convention focused on uplifting queer talents. As an event, I am still in the process of finding ways to portray this in a prototypal form. Following the feedback I had received from Week 6, I now have a more balanced view on both physical and digital prototypes, and will be sketching both kinds of prototypes throughout this phase of my project.

I will be creating a high-fidelity website containing all the information about this event. I plan for this to accompany another prototype, such as a model (physical or digital, still undecided) of the event that will showcase how it may look like for attendees.

As a result, my HMW statement has evolved into: “How might we design a space that empowers queer game developers in the video game industry?”

Tools

The tools I’ve used this week are as follows: Value Proposition Canvas, Moodboards

As I mentioned in last week’s reflection, the Value Proposition Canvas is a useful tool to understand the kinds of stakeholders for a product, service, etc. I completed four canvases, including a queer game developer, a non-queer game developer, an indie game company, and a large game company. To avoid repeating myself, a summary of its strengths are in its versatility and depth. A weakness is that it can be hard to understand at first, though it doesn’t take away from the overall effectiveness of the tool.

I created a moodboard of some inspirations, visual and conceptual, to aid my prototyping process.

Miro link for better visibility: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVM1fT8UI=/?share_link_id=429574282181 

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Creating more prototypes

A common pitfall that many designers fall into, me included, is the need to find a quick solution. I can have trouble brainstorming ideas as I tend to distrust ideas that seem too implausible. However, it is an important part of the ideation and prototyping process. Thus, I will need to make sure that I don’t let this stop me, and allow myself to think of as many ideas as I can as value can be found in each of them, no matter how seemingly menial it is.

Concluding Thoughts

On the positive side, I am feeling more and more confident about my ideas. I think that focusing on rapid prototyping means that I not only will produce more ideas, it will also help me exercise creativity. Especially as I gain more feedback from peers and lecturers, I think that it will be an effective way for me to think beyond my initial assumptions about my project.

On the negative and more personal side, this was the week I found out about Unity’s updates for their pricing plans. In short, Unity will be charging developers for every install of a game without their consent. This will negatively affect developers, both large and small but especially indie game companies who previously relied on Unity to fully produce their games.

As an aspiring developer myself, I find this situation frightening as well as frustrating as many indie studios and developers will or are suffering from this change. It is another example of the video game industry hurting smaller creators, which a large population of are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Red Spring Studio, an indie company I support that is in the process of creating a queer visual novel called Touchstarved, has spoken out about this issue and how it could possibly delay the release of this game.

Although this is a jarring shift within the video game industry, it is a situation that further fuels my passion for my capstone project. The video game industry has historically been exploitative towards its creators, however I will stay positive, and hopefully find some solace in the fact that my project can help myself and others visualize a future where game developers, queer or not, young or old, can thrive.

Next Steps

More rapid prototyping and recording every idea

Asking peers and lecturers for feedback

References

Screenshot from Google Docs

Screenshots from Miro Board

Value proposition canvas – Download the official template. (2023, August 29). Corporate Innovation Strategy, Tools & Training | Strategyzer. https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-value-proposition-canvas

TOUCHSTARVED [@redspringstudio]. (2023, September 16). Our statement regarding recent Unity term changes #Unity #UnityEngine [Tweet; attached image]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/redspringstudio/status/1702755884609245595?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

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Week 6: Feedback

Project Status

This project is still in the ideation phase. In support of my work this week, I received a lot of feedback for my project.

For my DES302 presentation, although I thought that my second statement was suitable, I’ve learned that it still seems a bit vague due to the use of the word ‘immersive’, which could still imply a digital prototype despite my vision being a physical one. I will have to workshop this statement again, though this is not a negative thing as this statement will be in constant flux the more I learn throughout this project.

For my overall project, I have gained further insight from my peers and stream leader about the routes I could take regarding plans A, B and C of my project. My main takeaways from our discussions are:

Although I want a physical experience, digital realms can still emulate this, thus I shouldn’t completely rule out digital solutions for my main prototype.

I should look into previous designs by other students at different schools to gain further inspiration and insight.

I should look into K12 Lab’s Liberatory Design Framework, as it is similar to my framework, although it could be more useful as it is a well established framework, rather than using one that I modified myself.

Tools

The tools I’ve used this week are the following: K12 Lab Liberatory Design Framework

This framework is a modification of the d.school Design Thinking Process Diagram by Tania Anaissie, Victor Cary, David Clifford, Tom Malarkey and Susie Wise. Its strengths lie in the way it has built upon the original diagram. The nodes ‘notice’ and ‘reflect’ affect the original nodes, rather than connecting to them in a linear fashion, showing that it is an omnipresent act that should be partaken throughout the design process. While this was my intention with my own modification, this framework is more established, direct and effective as it better visualizes how a designer should use and apply this diagram to any project, which fits the name ‘liberatory’ well.

There are no blaring weaknesses to this framework, although some resizing could be done for easier reading.

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Reworking my HMW statement

After the feedback I received, there are some changes that need to be made to my statement. To fix this, I will rewrite this statement and ask for feedback on it from peers or my stream leader.

Thinking of more tools to use

As I now have some idea of what to make, I need to start thinking about further tools or materials that I can use to possibly make these prototypes. To fix this, I will research or ask my peers about what kinds of tools or materials they’re using for their projects.

Concluding Thoughts

I think that I am gradually understanding what I want to design, as well as learning more about my problem through research and conversations with peers and lecturers. Something I am feeling apprehensive about is thinking about the actual logistics of my prototypes, and how some may not work, but I’ll have to remember to be adaptable to any potential changes I may have to make.

Next Steps

Read assignment 3 rubric to better plan the rest of the semester

Reworking my HMW statement

References

Pinedo, D. (2021, April 16). An introduction to liberatory design. Medium. https://uxdesign.cc/an-introduction-to-liberatory-design-9f5d3fe69ff9

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Week 5: Pivoting

Project Status

As I’ve ruminated on the state of my project for weeks, I’ve started thinking about the differences between awareness, advocacy and activism. While they serve similar purposes, they are inherently different. Their definitions are as follows:

Awareness - knowledge or perception of a situation or fact

Advocacy - public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy

Activism - the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change

I think that one thing that has made me struggle with finding or ideating potential solutions for my problem is the accidental yet common conflation of these three terms. I was operating in the past few weeks with the assumption that my prototype must overturn societal constructs as a paragon of activism, when in reality, I could just create something that raises awareness for my topic. This realization has vastly changed how I see my project, which has helped me think of a few prototypal ideas.

Additionally, because of this, I have also refined my HMW statement into “How might we empower young queer talents within New Zealand's video game industry in an immersive way?”

I think that by reframing my statement in this way, it is veering more into the realm of raising awareness rather than activism, which helps me ground my ideas in reality more.

Tools

I also haven’t used any particular tools this week, however I have some ideas for the kinds of tools to use soon towards my project, such as value propositions. Value propositions help one understand the kinds of stakeholders a product, service, etc. will have and they will benefit these stakeholders. For my project, this could include (obviously) queer game designers, large game companies, indie game companies, and so on.

Its strengths lie in its versatility, as it can be applied to not only people, but groups as well. It also prompts one to think of the prototype’s effect in more than one dimension, taking into account what the stakeholder gains from the prototype as well as their problems that are being solved in the process. A weakness of this tool is that it can be a challenge to use if there isn’t context, although this doesn’t take away from the effectiveness of the tool.

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Figuring out how these ideas can work logistically

Now that I have some ideas, I’ll have to think about how they’ll work within the context of my problem. To fix this, I will research precedents for each idea and analyze them to further understand how these precedents have worked in the past, what could be improved, and how I can build upon this knowledge to ideate solutions for my project.

Concluding Thoughts

I am feeling more confident about my project now that I have an idea for what kind of prototype/s I could make. On the other hand, I am feeling quite nervous about the upcoming presentation for DES302, however I am eager to learn more from my peers as well as gain feedback from my lecturers to further improve my ideas.

Next Steps

Complete presentation for DES302

Make a table for precedent research

References

Plan A, B and C - Screenshot from Miro board

Value proposition canvas – Download the official template. (2023, August 29). Corporate Innovation Strategy, Tools & Training | Strategyzer. https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-value-proposition-canvas

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Week 4: Learning from others

Project Status

This week, I did my DES301 presentation. While I didn’t get feedback afterwards, I did learn a lot from seeing my other classmates’ presentations. One thing that I learned is that I should reframe my initial How Might We Statement, as I haven’t edited it since my initial proposal from DES300.

This week is also the beginning of the Ideate and Reflect phase of my project timeline, meaning that I will now be in the process of ideating prototypes for my project. Admittedly, this is something I’m still struggling with, although I am confident that I will be able to think of a few ideas by next week or the week after.

Tools

I didn’t use any particular tools towards my project this week, although I did look back at older tools to help refresh my mind, such as the AIM framework and the Employee Life Cycle.

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Refining my How Might We Statement

My original HMW statement was "How might we ensure that young queer talents in New Zealand's video game industry are being treated equitably?"

I felt that this statement was suitable at the time as I was only thinking about the theoretical consequences of this problem. Now that I am in the process of actually designing something to solve this problem, I have to rewrite it to further support my vision. Because I am aiming to create something physical, I should include this somewhere in the statement.

I think that by editing this statement, I will be able to better understand my own intentions and thus be able to ideate some solutions for my problem in a more effective way.

Concluding Thoughts

I learned a lot this week just by seeing how my peers are conducting their own research, as well as seeing what kind of prototypes they intend to create. This made me happy and inspired me for my own project, and has also made me less anxious about the trajectory of my project, which I have been dreading for the past few weeks.

I now feel a bit more confident, and will continue to build upon my learnings this week.

Next Steps

Refine HMW Statement to be more specific

Expand upon plans A, B and C

References

DiversityWorks. (n.d.). Aotearoa inclusivity matrix. https://diversityworksnz.org.nz/news-resources/aotearoa-inclusivity-matrix/

Steven. (2018). Diversity and inclusion – the employee life cycle > Steven AJ cox. Steven AJ Cox. https://www.stevenajcox.com/diversity-and-inclusion-employee-lifecycle/

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Week 3: Reflections

Project Status

This week is still within the Define and Empathize phase, meaning that I am still focusing on refining my scope.

Alongside my own research, part of this refinement process is a progress presentation for DES301. I have spent this week preparing this presentation by refining my DES300 proposal, as well as thinking more about the kind of prototype/s I’d want to create for this project. I have also started using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to improve upon my reflections.

I have also decided that, while I don’t know what kind of output I want yet, I want my prototype to be a physical product, setting or experience, as it will help people understand the problem better rather than just a digital experience. This stems from the idea that a hands on experience can help people learn about a topic better, ie. physically writing notes down instead of typing them can help people retain information better.

“Since handwriting is slower and more tedious, it makes it harder to take notes verbatim. Therefore [students] have to actually process the information and summarize it in a way that makes sense for them.” - Lavoie, Grade Power Learning (2022)

Tools

The tools I’ve used this week are the following: Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

This week, we were introduced to the Reflection Toolkit, which contains various frameworks for reflecting on one’s work, an experience, assignment, and so on. I have chosen Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to strengthen my reflections, as using frameworks are a useful way to ensure that one is thinking deeply or critically about their work. Its strengths lie in its descriptive headings, which have simple and straightforward prompts. It also includes a section for ‘feelings’ to talk about one’s feelings about their project, which I think is beneficial as I will be delving into personal topics throughout this project. A weakness of this tool is that it is mainly useful for written projects, thus cannot be used for reflecting on experiences ie. an interview, although this doesn’t affect the tool’s overall effectiveness.

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Figuring out my plan’s A, B and C for my project.

I am having a particularly difficult time figuring out what kind of prototypes I want to create. The only precedents I have come across are online DEI programs that, while containing activities and tools such as worksheets and videos, aren’t interactive enough for my vision. Therefore, to fix this, I will expand my precedent research beyond DEI programs, and look for other ways that DEI in workplaces have been implemented.

Concluding Thoughts

Something about my project that has made me happy is that I am gradually learning more about my topic through research and some conversations with peers. Something about my project that has made me anxious is the lack of a clear goal. While I have a vague vision of where I want to take my project, it’s still a rough trip trying to figure out what exactly I can or want to produce. I will continue researching and talking with my peers and lecturers in hopes of further narrowing down my scope.

Next Steps

Complete DES301 presentation slides

Continue researching precedents

References

Lavoie, M. (2022, May 13). Writing vs typing notes: What is more effective? GradePower Learning. https://gradepowerlearning.com/writing-vs-typing-notes-what-is-more-effective

Gibbs' reflective cycle. (2020, November 11). The University of Edinburgh. https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle

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Week 2: Frameworks

Project Status

The framework I’ve decided to use to base my project on is the d.school Design Thinking Process Framework. I chose this framework as it contains a good foundation for the subject matter of my project. In particular, I appreciate the inclusion of the 'empathy' node as it is an increasingly needed aspect in design.

I modified this framework for my project by adding the nodes 'reflect' and 'connect' to further emphasize the importance of keeping in tune with the community one is designing for as well as the brief. Additionally, I've combined the nodes to enrich each phase, as this will help me think deeper about my topic, the precedents I find, and so on.

I’ve divided the semester into 15 weeks and sectioned them into 4 phases based on this framework.

Node Combinations (Phases)

Define + Empathize: What am I doing? Who is this for?

Ideate + Reflect: I want to do this, but why am I doing it?

Prototype + Connect: I'm doing this, but is it right?

Test + Assess: I've done it, but does it work/is it effective?

This week and the next are under the Define + Empathize phase, thus I will continue focusing on redefining the scope of my project, which includes finding ways to empathize with the community I’m working with, such as finding anecdotes or interviewing people about their experiences with being queer, or being in video game companies or studios.

Tools

The tools I’ve used this week are the following: DWNZ AIM Framework and Employee Life Cycle.

Diversity Works NZ, the organization the business stream is working with, provides many DEI resources. In particular, the DWNZ AIM framework has been instrumental in helping me understand how DEI can be measured within workplaces and businesses. Its strengths lie in its descriptions of each row and column, detailing the aspect of a workplace and the level of maturity of diversity, respectively. It has helped me further define my project scope by helping me hone in on aspects of the video game industry, such as ‘inclusive career development’ and ‘inclusive collaboration’.

A weakness of this framework is that its descriptions can be so simple it can be confusing to understand at first, however it’s quite a menial flaw that doesn’t take away from the overall effectiveness of this framework.

The Employee Life Cycle has helped me further understand the phases an employee goes through within a workplace/business. Its strengths lie in its ease of use, with simple descriptions as well as colours that make it easy to read and understand. The particular aspects of this framework that I will focus on are ‘onboard’, ‘learning and development’ and ‘reward, recognition and benefits’. A weakness of this framework is similar to the DWNZ AIM framework, but again, it doesn’t take away from the effectiveness of the framework as a whole.

Challenges

Further looking into the recruitment process for game companies + how it is within the company (employee lifecycle) to gain better understanding of the experiences of game designers in general.

To fix this, I will research the experiences of game designers within the game industry with regards to the recruitment process as well as when they’re in the company - what are the things they enjoy? What are the things they dislike? > What DEI initiatives are in place within game companies to ensure that everyone feels included?

Placing the first point in a queer context - what are the actual experiences of queer creatives within game companies?

To fix this, I will research the experiences of queer game designers/creatives within the game industry.

Concluding Thoughts

This week has been another period of mixed feelings, as I continue to feel nervous about my project, however I am feeling slightly better due to the tools I’ve used and conversations I’ve had with my stream leader about my project. I’ll continue collecting more information about my topic in hopes of finding some ideas for prototypes, as I currently have no idea what kind of output I’m even aiming for at the end of this project.

Next Steps

Continue researching secondary information online

If possible, discuss with someone from your stream OR your stream leader

Begin curating a possible interview list

References

Balcaitis, R. (2022, February 15). Design thinking models. Stanford d.school. Empathize IT. https://empathizeit.com/design-thinking-models-stanford-d-school/

DiversityWorks. (n.d.). Aotearoa inclusivity matrix. https://diversityworksnz.org.nz/news-resources/aotearoa-inclusivity-matrix/

Steven. (2018). Diversity and inclusion – the employee life cycle > Steven AJ cox. Steven AJ Cox. https://www.stevenajcox.com/diversity-and-inclusion-employee-lifecycle/

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Week 1: Introduction

In alignment with Diversity Works NZ, the business stream has been given a challenge to work towards for this semester. This statement is “How might we use design towards more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces and businesses?”, which we have used as a baseline for our own projects. We have written a design research proposal for this, and will be building upon it during this semester as we work towards designing a solution for our specific challenges.

The topic I’ve chosen to base my capstone project on is the mistreatment of LGBTQ+ employees within the video game industry with a focus on New Zealand. The statement I’m using to propel this project is "How might we ensure that young queer talents in New Zealand's video game industry are being treated equitably?"

As a queer person who loves playing games and learning about the creation of games, I have a personal connection with this topic which has led me to choosing it for my capstone project. Because of this, I will have to be comfortable with sharing my experiences as a queer person, as well as staying aware of my biases and assumptions I can make because of it.

Project Status

The project itself is in its very early stages. As we are still in the first week, I have read over the feedback I received on my proposal, as well as completed some positionality activities.

Proposal Feedback

The recurring issues I have received feedback for in my initial proposal is the lack of evidential imagery, the lack of an adequate design process framework, and the ethical issues of conducting external interviews. While the first issue is quite trivial and can be easily fixed, the next two need to be addressed.

Firstly, the lack of an adequate framework means I won’t be able to create a sufficient process to design my project. I will have to choose one soon if I want to be able to advance more efficiently with my design. A possible framework I could use is the Double Diamond framework.

Secondly, our class has been made privy to the ethical issues we could potentially run into when interviewing persons outside of the university, thus it is heavily recommended to keep interviews internal. This contradicts with my original plan of interviewing New Zealand-based indie game developers and studios, especially those that focused on making queer games (ie. Fnife Games from Christchurch) to gain some primary insight into the state of queer gaming in New Zealand. Thus, I will have to rely on interviewing my classmates, or gaining more information from online sources or libraries.

Positionality Activities

As mentioned above, this project heavily relies on my willingness to delve into my personal experiences, or my positionality. Positionality, as defined by the University of British Columbia, “...refers to how differences in social position and power shape identities and access in society.” This means that I will have to learn how to be more reflective as well as considerate for the experiences of others. Thus, I have completed some positionality activities that have helped me delve deeper into my identity and experiences. This contributes to my project as it will help me keep my biases in mind, as well as allowing me to be more considerate towards the people or and communities I work with.

These activities include the Positionality Worksheet, Wheel of Privilege and Power, DWNZ Change and Awareness Spectrum, DWNZ Design Thinking Workbook and Intersectionality Diagram.

Tools

The tools I’ve used this week are the following: Positionality Worksheet, Wheel of Privilege and Power, DWNZ Change and Awareness Spectrum, DWNZ Design Thinking Workbook, Intersectionality Diagram.

The strengths of these tools are that they are effective in helping one reflect not only on their identity and experiences, but as to how those factors affect their thoughts, feelings and decisions. In particular, the DWNZ Design Thinking Workbook is the strongest tool for this kind of reflection, as it includes scenarios for people to read, analyze and reflect on, which allows you to think about why you thought or felt a certain way. There are no bold weaknesses to this tool, however for deeper reflection, it may have been helpful to include more scenarios.

The other tools have also helped with thinking about my positionality as it helped to bring awareness to aspects of my identity that I never thought about much, ie. my class status or level of education. However, unlike the DWNZ Design Thinking Workbook, they only allow you to list aspects of your positionality without any prompt to think deeper about them, thus reflection must be self-initiated, which can be difficult for some people. Though I’m quite familiar with my positionality, I definitely wouldn’t have thought about it any deeper if not for the DWNZ Design Thinking Workbook.

Challenges

My current challenges for this project and my proposed solutions for them are as follows:

Choosing an adequate design process framework and subsequently creating a timeline based on this framework in order to aid my design process for the rest of this semester.

To fix this, I will look through my past notes to find other frameworks to work with. Though the Double Diamond is a common and effective tool, I will still take the time to find a framework that not only will support the process of designing my prototypes, but will also have room for reflection and empathy as our overall brief requires.

Finding different avenues for collecting information that won’t run into ethical issues.

To fix this, I will rely on my classmates’ knowledge and secondary research (online studies, articles, libraries, etc.) to ensure that I keep my research within university guidelines.

Not knowing exactly what diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) has looked like within video game companies and companies in general.

To fix this, I will start by researching existing DEI programs to gain a better understanding of this issue, and noting down precedents that I can possibly take inspiration from or improve upon.

Concluding Thoughts

As the first week draws to a close, I am experiencing mixed emotions. On a negative note, I feel quite anxious about this semester as the idea of a ‘capstone project’ is quite daunting. While I feel unprepared, I know that this is just a product of being in the early stages of a project and that I will become more comfortable as time goes on.

On a positive note, I feel comfortable within my stream! I think that being surrounded by people who are as nervous as I am about this semester, yet so passionate about their work is both comforting and inspiring. This makes me feel less nervous about my project, and it’s an atmosphere I look forward to working in throughout the semester.

Next Steps

In summary, my next steps for the following week are:

Finding a design process framework and creating a timeline based on it

Thinking about research beyond collecting primary resources

Researching precedents

References

Ayre, J. (2022, August 17). Innovation by design - Evolving the double diamond. Equal Experts Australia. https://www.equalexperts.com.au/blog/our-thinking/innovation-by-design-evolving-double-diamond/

Positionality & intersectionality. (n.d.). CTLT Indigenous Initiatives. https://indigenousinitiatives.ctlt.ubc.ca/classroom-climate/positionality-and-intersectionality/

(n.d.). Fnife Games. https://fnifegames.com/

Diversity Works NZ. (2022). Awareness and Change Self-Assessment. Using Design Thinking For Workplace Inclusion Workbook, 9-11.

DeColonizing design thinking — The conversation factory. (2021, February 28). The Conversation Factory. https://theconversationfactory.com/podcast/decolonizing-design-thinking-with-dr-lesley-ann-noel

AWIS' intersectionality fact sheet. (2021, October 11). AWIS. https://awis.org/intersectionality/

Lesson 6: Looking at privilege (page 1). (2022, November 25). WISE. https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/courses/introduction-to-diversity/lessons/lesson-4/