RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Sketchbook research, analysis ideas for Week 11.
How do disciplines outside of the design industry & intercultural collaboration help solve a design challenge?
In a corporate world, people strive to know all the answers when dealing with a problem. In a world led by design, knowing too much narrows one's perspective and limits discovery.
'What you think you know at the start is never where you end up' (Lee. Collie, 2021).
We all have a different perception of what is accepted and familiar. What we see is not what others see. If we can perceive things differently, we gain insight and understanding. Curiosity and asking questions are vital to uncovering underlying values that enable intercultural communication, knowledge and a global mindset (Riccardi, 2014).
Collaboration and engagement create an environment inclusive of all stakeholders and groups and open up new perspectives. Change can only happen through creative exploration, finding and engaging with diverse and marginal voices, working with, observing and studying real people in real-life situations (Lee. Collie, 2021).
A social design project that embodies these principles is The Lions Share Fund. An ambitious initiative that solves a global-scale problem by laying the groundwork for substantial systemic change with the simple creative idea of giving credit where credit's due to help out the animal kingdom (Impact Case Study: The Lion's Share, 2020).
Animals star in 20% of all television commercials and magazines adverts without payment. A vast number of these animals are endangered by climate change, illegal trafficking and shrinking habitats. These issues require serious efforts to counteract. The Lion's Share calls for companies to send 0.5% of their media spend to a fund dedicated to protecting animal habitats for future generations. Seven of world's biggest companies and more than 50 brands have already united in support to create global change (Partnering to Protect: The Lion's Share Fund | Mars, Incorporated, 2021).
The project makes use of international collaboration and technology to spread its message. The funds have teamed up with giant corporations, news, media and even global celebrities like Sir David Attenborough (Mars, 2021).
A love of animals and global collaboration drove this creative solution.
Fig. 1: ICC supports The Lion’s Share Fund to protect threatened wildlife, n.d.
Fig. 2: Finch Wins A Cannes Grand Prix For Australia, n.d.
Fig. 3: Finch Wins A Cannes Grand Prix For Australia, n.d.
Fig. 4: Cartier joins The Lion’s Share Fund to tackle global nature crisis, n.d.
WORKSHOP CHALLENGE
I used the Double Diamond Approach to tackle the problem of a substantial increase in homelessness, drugs, gangs and crime in central Cape Town's affluent neighbourhoods
Fig. 5: Beyond the Double Diamond, n.d.
Discover
Insight into the problem
I conducted extensive research online and through interviews and used the synthesis wall method to analyze and collate my research.
Sketchbook Workshop Challenge ideas for Week 11 - Synthesis Wall.
The last few years have seen a substantial increase in people living on the streets, drugs and crime in some of Cape Town's central-most affluent neighbourhoods.
The situation is directly linked to aggressive urbanization in Cape Town's CBD due to people leaving more impoverished areas and underperforming provinces searching for work. Large amounts of prisoner releases due to overcrowding, a lack of funding and the pandemic. A break down in immigration controls, budget, and a lack of resources result in many foreign nationals living close to Cape Town's harbour as they await passage to Europe and the United States in search of a better life (Smith, 2021).
Communities charitable intentions of cash handouts, food and clothing donations simply prolonging homelessness and indirectly increasing crime. Homelessness and squatting increase in an area (City of Cape Town Link, n.d.). So does the criminal element that moves alongside it, fuelled by hunger, desperation and opportunity, resulting in gang violence, drugs, muggings, theft, vandalism and home invasions.
Beautiful, safe and affluent communities now contend with an influx of vagrancy and crime that threatens their very existence.
Define
The area to focus on
I used both mind maps and a synthesis wall to show correlating issues and bring critical focal points to light.
My initial views were somewhat insular, which changed to a broader perspective with new insights after collaborating with community members and City officials.
Sketchbook Workshop Challenge ideas for Week 11 - Mindmaps.
The problem is an increase in crime in affluent areas in Cape Town due to an influx of homeless, vagrants, and criminals to those areas. The rise in crime can be directly linked to community members giving charitable cash handouts, food and clothing directly to those in need, who then stay in the area for continued support and encourage others to do the same (City of Cape Town Link, n.d.).
The key focus is to stop communities from giving-charitable handouts directly to those in need and instead donate to the numerous Cape Town homeless shelters, soup kitchens, NGO and city initiatives (Badroodien, 2021).
Develop
Potential Solutions
Drawing from my initial research and further conversations and brainstorming sessions with community members, business owners and City of Cape Town officials, I mind mapped possible solutions.
Sketchbook Workshop Challenge ideas for Week 11 - Mindmaps.
1) A campaign is needed to educate community members that charitable giving directly to the homeless results in increased crime.
· This can be done through educational and awareness posters on local shop fronts, trees, and lampposts (Thompson, 2021).
· Online marketing adverts on neighbourhood watch groups and the City of Cape Town website (Neuberger, 2021).
2) Charitable giving in South Africa is also motivated by guilt. People feel bad about turning a homeless person away empty-handed.
· Instead of giving cash and food handouts, they could provide a meal or bed voucher that can be redeemed at a local shelter or soup kitchen. These vouchers could be bought in packs from local grocery stores or convenience shops.
3) Charitable giving needs to be as easy. People do not have the time or desire to navigate complex websites to make donations.
· Prepaid SnapScan application options enable quick, easy donations to a shelter.
· Shelters and soup kitchens could hand out SnapScan application cards to those in need. Instead of a cash transaction, you could quickly scan a QR code with your phone and donate directly to a shelter where a homeless person could go to redeem a bed or meal.
4) Intimidation and fear are another reason for South Africans giving cash handouts to the homeless and criminal elements. Cars are often vandalized if car guards are not paid for watching vehicles.
· Here local businesses could step in by offering free parking so that customers don't park in the street (Bujotzek, 2021).
· Communities can also band together and assist and encourage one another to stand up to intimidation (Smith, 2021).
5) Individual shelters, soup kitchens and NGO initiatives should create apps that can be quickly accessed and donations made with a single touch of a button.
Deliver
Solutions that work
Sketchbook Workshop Challenge ideas for Week 11 - Mindmaps.
A Give Smart Campaign would educate communities not to give handouts directly to those in need but instead give charitably to local shelters, soup kitchens, NGO's and municipal initiatives.
The campaign would run in partnership with the Cape Town Municipal Government and filter down into smaller, more localized communities with educational and practical applications that the Give Smart Campaign facilitated.
Campaign Educational Implementation
Posters
Posters would be created that communicate simply and effectively that charitable handouts directly to the homeless or vagrants result in increased crime in your community. These posters would provide an alternative through the Give Smart platform and QR codes, where donations can be made directly to local shelters, soup kitchens or charities. These posters would adorn local business and convenient store shop fronts, trees and lampposts.
Campaign Practical Applications
Meal & Shelter Bed Vouchers
Local shops and convenience stores where community members buy their groceries can sell ten-pack vouchers for a meal at a soup kitchen or beds at a shelter. The funds go directly to the charities, and community members have a tangible item to give to the homeless or vagrants.
Prepaid SnapScan App
SnapScan is a quick and convenient application that allows funds to be transferred directly to a beneficiary. The prepaid section can have a Give Smart icon that directs you to the local shelter or soup kitchen. You can effortlessly donate money and generate a code given to the homeless person to access a bed in a shelter or meal at a soup kitchen.
Shelter SnapScan Cards
The Give Smart Campaign could facilitate numerous laminated snap scan cards for individual shelters and soup kitchens in the community. Volunteers and community members can give these to the homeless, who then have a convenient, digital means of allowing people to donate a meal or bed for the night with the simple click of a button on their phone.
The Double Diamond Approach allowed me to identify the problem, define, develop and deliver possible social design solutions, which resulted in the Give Smart Campaign, its educational and practical applications.
Sketchbook Workshop Challenge ideas for Week 11.
REFLECTION
I have often worried that my design career has an expiry date due to age and, more importantly, the perception by clients that I am old and outdated.
The Age of No Retirement initiative has made a profound impact on me this week. Their aim of creating an ageless world where age doesn't define us or the opportunities available to us is a mindset shift that society needs to adopt.
"It is a mistake to regard age as a downhill grade towards dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides".
The Age of No Retirement initiative uses storytelling platforms on its website to demonstrate this possibility. The Innovate UK Initiative brings together young entrepreneurs and those over 55 who are looking to become entrepreneurs in later life and leverages each other's strengths to produce value within the local economy. The project gives people the space to collaborate, connect, be inspired and enthused.
We are living 100-year lives, with potential 60-year careers that require new thinking and a different approach. We need to tear up the rule book and use collective wisdom to set a new course forward.
Reference: Mars.com. 2021. Partnering to Protect: The Lion's Share Fund | Mars, Incorporated. [online] Available at: <https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/articles/lions-share> [Accessed 23 April 2021].
Reference: Thelionssharefund.com. n.d. The Lion's Share. [online] Available at: <https://www.thelionssharefund.com/content/thelionssharefund/en/home/> [Accessed 23 April 2021].
Reference: Lee, G. Collie, J "Double diamond design process approach and new cultural projections." GDE720. Week 11, Lecture. [Accessed 27 April 2021].
Reference: Riccardi, P., 2014. Before you continue to YouTube. [online] Youtube.com. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMyofREc5Jk> [Accessed 27 April 2021].
Reference: D&AD. 2020. Impact Case Study: The Lion's Share. [online] Available at: <https://www.dandad.org/en/d-ad-the-lions-share-case-study-insights/> [Accessed 23 April 2021].
Reference: Smith, J., 2021. Increased crime, drug use and vagrancy in Cape Town CBD Residential Areas.
Reference: Golding, B., 2021. In-text: (Thompson, 2021) Your Bibliography: Thompson, I., 2021. Increased crime, drug use and vagrancy in Cape Town CBD Residential Areas.
Reference: Badroodien, Z., 2021. Cape Town CBD Social Services and Vagrant Crime.
Reference: Thompson, I., 2021. Increased crime, drug use and vagrancy in Cape Town CBD Residential Areas.
Reference: 2018. Vagrants and Crime in Gardens.
Reference: Bujotzek, J., 2021. Community solutions to vagrancy and charitable giving.
Reference: Neuberger, F., 2021. Community solutions to vagrancy and charitable giving.
Reference: Hirst, T., 2021. Community solutions to vagrancy and charitable giving.
Reference: Von Tutschez, R., 2021. Community solutions to vagrancy and charitable giving.
Reference: City of Cape Town. n.d. City of Cape Town Link. [online] Available at: <https://www.capetown.gov.za/Campaigns/give%20dignity> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
Reference: Westerncape.gov.za. n.d. Shelters for Homeless Adults | Western Cape Government. [online] Available at: <https://www.westerncape.gov.za/directories/facilities/847> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
Reference: Capetownmagazine.com. n.d. Car Guards | What's the deal with...?. [online] Available at: <https://www.capetownmagazine.com/city-news/car-guards/172_22_16916> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
Reference: The New Humanitarian. n.d. Gang culture in Cape Town. [online] Available at: <https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/fr/node/259918> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
Image 1: n.d. ICC supports The Lion’s Share Fund to protect threatened wildlife. [image] Available at: <https://www.google.com/search?q=the+lions+share+fund&client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=ALeKk01IvWY9PpwPE4zIaU55QEt9FU84VQ:1619602508431&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjpvL_B0aDwAhVASBUIHZKACVEQ_AUoA3oECAEQBQ&biw=1538&bih=1103#imgrc=DVnFkKRqEDh9mM> [Accessed 28 April 2021].
Image 2, 3: n.d. Finch Wins A Cannes Grand Prix For Australia. [image] Available at: <https://www.bandt.com.au/finch-clemenger-bbdo-melbourne-mars-win-cannes-grand-prix-australia/> [Accessed 28 April 2021].
Image 4: n.d. Cartier joins The Lion’s Share Fund to tackle global nature crisis. [image] Available at: <https://www.numeromag.nl/cartier-joins-lions-share-fund-tackle-global-nature-crisis#_> [Accessed 28 April 2021].
Image 5: n.d. Beyond the Double Diamond: thinking about a better design process model. [image] Available at: <https://uxdesign.cc/beyond-the-double-diamond-thinking-about-a-better-design-process-model-de4fdb902cf?gi=a4e1f88b8cc9> [Accessed 28 April 2021].