CREATE AN EMPATHY TOOL

CHALLENGE

1. Get to know your team – discuss a little bit about this challenge 2. Make forced combinations: combine a random product or a random activity with a human pleasure or a human virtue. Give it at least 20 chances. 3. Choose the most empathic idea. 4. Make a 1-minute-show to present your team to the group and explain your empathy idea.

PRODUCT focus (start with an existing product) 

CONTEXT focus (start with an existing situation or activity) 

PLEASURE FOCUS (start with human pleasure and minimization of pain)  

MEANINGFUL FOCUS(start with human virtues, self‐actualisation and minimization of value conflicts) 

4 DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES

a confessional: combination of chair (object) + being free from sin (virtue)

wailing wall : combination of human virtue (being free from sin) + context and activity (gathering there once in your life)

Robot nurse: combination of robot + human virtue (being physically healthy) + human pleasure (laughing)

Object (ring) + human pleasure (minimization of pain: not always having to explain to others in which mood you are)

A distorting mirror: laughing (pleasure) + m(object)

Belt/tool for trombone player with only 1 arm: human virtue (self-actualisation) + human pleasure (enjoying music) + context (physically disabled)

A bib for a group of adults: human pleasure (food) + human virtue (human relations) + context (restaurant) + object (table)

Social bench.Hello! says the pillow. MaisonCaro explores the possibility how interactive textiles can be integrated into a social event. She developes an interactive pillow where the virtual becomes real and soft. A pillow as a conversation starter, created during 100years Vooruit. A pillow for tomorrow with support of TIO3, using old techniques in cooperation with MIAT and knit Museum Sint‐Niklaas.

The bench as a social experiment. MaisonCaro creates a long pillow as a soft chain; a series of connected items to share. A fabric lamp, a fabric speaker and a fabric audio jack are integrated in the pillow, all to share and play. A game where spectators watch players and passers‐by watch spectators. Where unrelated pairs become related pairs and virtual becomes real. The pillow enables us to participate, cooperate and be part of a generative process.

Social Bench: a bench (object) + human virtue (human relations) + context (waiting room at hospital)

Spanish designer Nacho Carbonell sees objects as communicating living organisms that spark up new sensations and people’s imagination. His latest venture, Communication Line, is a public bench created for Dutch Design Week located right in front of Eindhoven’s central cathedral. The aim of this quirky collection of interconnected chairs –with attached cocoons – is to help people socialize and to promote playful dialogue.

Read more: Nacho Carbonell's Cocoon Seats Encourage People to Socialize in a Playful Way | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green BuildingBench (object) + human virtue (communicating) +

context (city)

45’ to think, 45’ to present