This project explores innovative approaches to understanding food systems and creating an awareness of the designed element within the food industry. Working within a graduate studio consisting of fourteen student members at the NCSU College of Design, we began by researching various food systems from production and distribution to marketing and retail. Through concept maps, we situated ourselves in more concentrated areas of the food industry.
With a shared interest in communication and language barriers within the food industry, a classmate and I developed an experience map outlining an exchange between two non-English speakers assisted by a translator. Through observation within a fast food restaurant, we collected data that helped us understand the stages of interaction between the non-English speaking server and customer along with the translator. These stages of interaction led me to investigate the exchange between a customer and cashier at the checkout counter in a grocery store. Combining this observation with Activity Theory (Davis, 2012), I understood how activities within goal-oriented interactions become operational with experience and frequency.
The concept of cultured, or in-vitro meat introduced us to exploring schemas associated with meat. Along with knowledge gained through Activity Theory, we were prompted to explore how design can move audiences along a Receptivity Gradient, as theorized by David Rose, MIT Media Lab Visiting Scientist.
My investigations of in-vitro meat through schema studies explored consumption options, instructional information, availability of designed objects and subscription services. By presenting these studies, I wanted to understand how audiences could move from unwilling to know to accepting ideas and eventually to becoming an advocate.
With this knowledge, I became interested in how systems and services could be built within the waste sector of the food industry. I wanted to highlight the misuse of edible products often marked as cosmetically damaged. Considering gleaning programs in effect across the world, I developed two approaches to creating an awareness for reuse of waste marked products. The first approach utilizes an application designed to educate children about the levels of product quality. This application could be employed during a gleaning event to understand which damaged products are still edible and which ones should be composted. The second approach utilizes a glean certification within eco-friendly restaurants to signify their awareness and support of lowering food waste. Abiding by the standards of this certification, patrons and restaurant owners have an opportunity to exchange knowledge about reducing food waste and the benefits of these sustainable practices.
In the spring of 2017, this collective project was submitted and accepted into the Experiencing Food: Designing Dialogues. 1st International Food Design and Food Studies Conference at the Faculty of Architecture-University in Lisbon, Portugal.
This project explores innovative approaches to understanding food systems and creating an awareness of the designed element within the food industry. Working within a graduate studio consisting of fourteen student members at the NCSU College of Design, we began by researching various food systems from production and distribution to marketing and retail. Through concept maps, we situated ourselves in more concentrated areas of the food industry.
With a shared interest in communication and language barriers within the food industry, a classmate and I developed an experience map outlining an exchange between two non-English speakers assisted by a translator. Through observation within a fast food restaurant, we collected data that helped us understand the stages of interaction between the non-English speaking server and customer along with the translator. These stages of interaction led me to investigate the exchange between a customer and cashier at the checkout counter in a grocery store. Combining this observation with Activity Theory (Davis, 2012), I understood how activities within goal-oriented interactions become operational with experience and frequency.
The concept of cultured, or in-vitro meat introduced us to exploring schemas associated with meat. Along with knowledge gained through Activity Theory, we were prompted to explore how design can move audiences along a Receptivity Gradient, as theorized by David Rose, MIT Media Lab Visiting Scientist.
My investigations of in-vitro meat through schema studies explored consumption options, instructional information, availability of designed objects and subscription services. By presenting these studies, I wanted to understand how audiences could move from unwilling to know to accepting ideas and eventually to becoming an advocate.
With this knowledge, I became interested in how systems and services could be built within the waste sector of the food industry. I wanted to highlight the misuse of edible products often marked as cosmetically damaged. Considering gleaning programs in effect across the world, I developed two approaches to creating an awareness for reuse of waste marked products. The first approach utilizes an application designed to educate children about the levels of product quality. This application could be employed during a gleaning event to understand which damaged products are still edible and which ones should be composted. The second approach utilizes a glean certification within eco-friendly restaurants to signify their awareness and support of lowering food waste. Abiding by the standards of this certification, patrons and restaurant owners have an opportunity to exchange knowledge about reducing food waste and the benefits of these sustainable practices.
In the spring of 2017, this collective project was submitted and accepted into the Experiencing Food: Designing Dialogues. 1st International Food Design and Food Studies Conference at the Faculty of Architecture-University in Lisbon, Portugal.