Journey Mapping

During Week 2 Session 2 and also on Monday we completed a range of journey maps on a range of different profiles that we made up, based in our findings from the slip exercise of business people aged 25 to 45 getting from A to B. We chose this audience because we didn't want to do students as we felt the focus is always on students and the age range is because we wanted to focus on young professionals in the city centre and that age range covers business people of all levels. From the journey maps we were able to gain a deeper empathy and insight for a range of different personalities and what they think, feel and experience on their journey and where the stress might be initiated from. This allowed us to gather ideas of where we might target this brief and help specify the stressful areas that need attention.  

Week 2 EX-CHANGE

Today in the last 30 minutes of class we got into our exchange groups filled with a range of different disciplines to discuss our briefs and projects. In my group (18) we had Raph (VCD), Fran (VCD), Callum (Industrial), Bree (Spatial), Jessie (Fashion). Jessie and Fran weren't there but we had a very interesting conversation about our briefs and projects so far. Although Raph is in the same discipline as me because he is in a different stream and doing the stress of moving it was interesting to hear where he's at with his project. It was also nice to hear what other design students are doing as we are trapped in our VCD world we don't often get to exchange our ideas and what we are working on. Callum's and Bree's briefs were quite similar to ours where in third year we are heading into more research and insight based design preparing us for our fourth year projects.
We have set up a group chat on facebook so that we can stay in touch and see how everyone is getting on through their projects.  

SLIP Exercise

In session 1 week 2 with the information we had gathered over the weekend we completed the SLIP exercise which helped channel our findings into key points and from their we found that from the large group of people questioned the most common cause of stress in the city is getting from 'A to B' and the experience/journey in between. We found that the most common activity that people do to reduce their stress is to have 'alone time' where they take a moment to themselves away from other people and the business. The most common reason people don't do things that they feel will reduce their stress is 'lack of time' or they 'don't think they have the time'.

Interviewing and Gathering Insight

During session 2 week 1 as a team we compiled a list of open ended questions to help gather insight into the stress and the city brief. We exchanged these questions with another group that was doing the stress of moving and found out some new information from those girls. What I found was most noticeable in that exchange was their idea of nature. That team mostly being from the Mount etc, They said that the beach to them was calming. This was an opening to me as I had just been viewing nature as in greenery and forgot about the wider perception of nature to people. This was also brought up again when asking the same questions to my wider family over the weekend.
As my family lives in Upper Hutt they had similar views to me so I asked my Aunties , Uncles and cousins that live in Wellington which gave quite different answers. I found this insightful as the juxtaposed between an outsiders view of the city and an insiders view of the city.

Teams and Research

In class yesterday we gathered into three groups based on our reading that we chose and discussed the insight that we got from the text and why people chose it personally. I found my classmates insight very interesting because I was not expecting their reasons to vary so much. Although most of them said that they liked the broadness of this brief, it was interesting how much their personal background/relation to city living impacted their final choice.
I have teamed up with Georgia and Hannah for this project I know them but have not worked with them before so I am excited to work with them.
In preparation for next class I did some further research for stress in the city to gain further insight. From the reading what I, and most people that read this reading, found stood out was the idea that the presence of nature reduces stress. So I looked into it further and found quite a bit of information that that backs this idea. As humans are animals having our natural habitat present is something familiar to us which in turn is calming.      

Choice from Readings

During week 1 session 1 we were given three reading in class to read and reflect within the table groups. For independent study we were to read all the readings (Stress and the city, Stress of moving, and Stress of driving) and decide on our favourite one to continue through the project with. For the 'stress of moving' reading I felt that I could not relate to this brief and have a deep enough, personal understanding of it as I have never moved before. As for the stress of driving, while I was reading this text I also did not personally relate to it as I drive into uni every day and find driving quite therapeutic.
The stress in the city text spoke to me the loudest and also while reading this text I thought this was the most broad in opportunities for this project. As I am constantly traveling from Upper Hutt to Wellington and back, I am constantly moving in and out of the city so I felt that by getting a fresh exposure of the city everyday I notice the chaos and stress more than people that live in the city might.

Team's Online Workbook

Here is the link to our group online workbook
http://georgiahannahfarrenwellbeing.blogspot.co.nz/