Design
Sprint
2023
Overview
This experience report outlines lessons I learned and the Design Thinking process/methods used in this Design Challenge aimed at presenting ideas to the Indianapolis Department of Parks & Recreation, which received $80 million in grants for updates and improvements from the Lilly Endowment.
The Challenge
The Design Challenge was to propose actionable ideas within a 2-week timeframe to develop an innovative strategy that engages different generations of park-goers by exploring new concepts for play, enhancing aesthetics and acoustics, and improving maintenance and safety by taking advantage of already existing technology. Collaboration with other organizations is crucial to promote socialization and a sense of community.
Client’s Vision
Indy Parks is committed to protecting and enhancing the community’s assets for the future. We will be a leader in making Indianapolis a vibrant, happy, and healthy place to live. By providing premier greenspaces and recreation opportunities, we welcome all residents, regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, ability, or identity, to connect to nature, to the community, and to themselves.
Team
Our group working on this project consisted of 3 students and the facilitator, professor Steve Mannheimer.
A total of 45 students from HCI participated in the design challenge and were split into groups of 2-5.
Concept Development is a learnable skill
- Prof. Mannheimer
Timeline
Winning Ideas
Memory Park
Leave a timeless message for your loved ones with our unique voice-enabled tree message system. Share your heartfelt words and hang them on our tree, and we'll deliver them to your chosen recipient or yourself after a few years. Imagine the joy of discovering a message from your past, left by your dear ones, waiting for you to listen. Experience the magic of communication beyond time and space with our Heart's Vault tree message system.
Night Park
Escape the chaos of the city and immerse yourself in a serene night at Starry Nights, where we offer a one-of-a-kind and comfortable night theme park experience that will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. With our scavenger hunt, beautiful trail, and silent disco, there's something for everyone. Hunt for dinosaur bones hidden in the sands, benches, and shelters, with a surreal glow-in-the-dark sand for the kids. Follow the stunning night trail filled with dinosaur footprints, and enjoy a silent disco where you can groove to our playlist with your own headphones and mobile device. Whether you choose to sit or stand, our silent disco will keep you entertained and energized.
Design Process We Followed
Collect
Feedback
Collect
Feedback
Collect
Feedback
Understand
Diverge
Decide
Present
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Desk Research
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Park Visit
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Expert Talk
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Six W’s Framework
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HMW Framework
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25 Problems in the park
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25 Things I wish to see
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Google search + Random Word
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OFPI
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Disney Creative Strategy
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Final ideas
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Iteration
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Story development
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Final Presentation
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Learnings
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Celebration
1. Understand
The goal of this stage is to gather more information and increase the overall understanding of the project to gain a deeper understanding of the problem or opportunity being addressed.
Desk Research
I spent two days researching all available information about Indy Parks and Recreation, as well as the annual climate in Marion County. This research has given me important insights that will help guide my approach to the Design Challenge.
Considering the local climate, I can design weather-appropriate solutions that are suitable for the environment in which the parks are located. This research was a crucial part of the Design Challenge process and will helped me develop effective strategies and solutions that benefit the Indianapolis community.
Park Visit
By visiting and taking detailed notes of 5 different city parks, we were able to gain valuable insights into the resources, surroundings, and designs of each park. This information helped us identify areas that need improvement and suggest actionable ideas to the Indianapolis Department of Parks & Recreation.
Visiting the different city parks helped me notice things I wouldn't have seen otherwise. I realized that some areas needed improvements or modifications, and some things were missing that could be added to make the parks better.
Expert Talk
I had a discussion with the leaders of Indy Parks and Recreation, Director Phyllis Boyd and Deputy Director Don Colvin, as part of the Design Challenge.
This gave me the chance to learn more about the purpose and mission of Indy Parks, as well as the challenges and opportunities it faces. The leaders provided an overview of Indy Parks and explained how it engages with the community, including various stakeholders such as neighborhoods, corporations, and environmental organizations.
This discussion was valuable in helping me understand the role of Indy Parks in the community and to identify areas where improvements could be made.
We are always looking for innovative ways to engage with the community and encourage more people to use and enjoy our parks
- Deputy Director Don Colvin
Six W's framework
We used Six W's framework to gather information and understand the situation more deeply.
By asking questions such as who is involved or affected, what is happening or needed, when is it happening or needed, where is it happening or needed, why is it happening or needed, and how is it happening or needed, we were able to collect a wide range of information that helped us develop a more comprehensive understanding of the problem and its underlying causes.
This framework taught me the importance of asking open-ended questions, gathering information from different perspectives, and focusing on specific details to gain a comprehensive understanding of a problem.
(HMW) How might we framework
We used How might we (HMW) framework to translate the problems into design opportunities. We explored around 5 HMW framework statements that addressed different challenges. After receiving feedback we decided to finalize the following statement.
How might we connect the elder generation with Gen Z children?
How might we create communal engagement by showing history of the Indiana ?
Selected Ideas
Ways that parks can better embody and proclaim the full range of community heritage and cultural diversity.
Engaging different generations of park users. How could parks better engage seniors/elders, or grandparents and grandchildren, or young families, or teens, etc. What challenges and/or opportunities might be unique to one generation or another?
Engaging different generations of park users. How could parks better engage seniors/elders, or grandparents and grandchildren, or young families, or teens, etc. What challenges and/or opportunities might be unique to one generation or another?
Ways for parks to promote socialization and a sense of community. How can the shared space of parks engender neighborliness? Can parks relieve social isolation?
Ways for parks to promote socialization and a sense of community. How can the shared space of parks engender neighborliness? Can parks relieve social isolation?
Ways that parks can better embody and proclaim the full range of community heritage and cultural diversity.
Add park-like features to sidewalks leading to parks to enhance the parks system.
Use innovative communication methods to captivate various groups and draw more volunteers to your mission.
The collaboration among parks, social, institutional, and private organizations is an essential factor in accomplishing shared objectives and making a significant impact on the educational, health, and artistic pursuits of the K-12 system in the city.
Better park maintenance and safety with updated processes and programs, including wireless trashcan alerts and seasonal landscaping.
Can greenspace designs be enriched with a greater diversity of plant species, including those from foreign countries or local indigenous environments?
Designing mobile park enhancements that can serve different places in different parks at different times. Explore the idea of a “multi-park” experience.
Technology can enhance park experiences with onsite augmented reality, off-site virtual reality, visual/audio enhancements, and community engagement through email or social media.
New concepts of play and playgrounds; designing for players of different physical and perceptual abilities; playscapes with technological enhancements, etc
New ways to enhance parks visually, acoustically, smell, even in thermal experience.
3.Decide
Based on the HMW statements and Brainstorming sessions we narrowed down in total 5 final ideas for feedback.
We filtered our ideas after feedback from Prof. Steven Manhaimer and Landscapists. By validating from the users as well as the professor we evaluated the technical feasibility on our ideas. This lead to getting concrete feedback and incorporating storytelling on our presentation.
2. Diverge
Our brainstorming session took many turns as we worked to generate a plethora of innovative ideas.
— Linus Pauling
“ The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.”
25 Problems in a Park
After the field visit we looked for 25 problems in the park that currently exist which needs worked
We connected with our potential solutions with already existing problems
25 Things we wish to see in park
After the field visit we looked for 25 problems in the park that currently exist which needs worked.
This method informed us about the what is needed in the parks that doesn’t meet people’s expectations and could benefit the parks in attracting people.
Google search + Random word
Goggling a random word relating to the solution and adding it to the word park.
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Random Word
This method helped us to find out already existing solutions and looking for limitations and working upon them.
OFPI
This method focuses on Object, Function, Process and Institution. We connected our solutions in these categories to gather information on the purpose of the solution.
This method helped in analyzing the system in which the solution exist. And give a clear picture form far and understanding the context.
Disney Creative Strategy
As a 3 member team, we divided our solution insights into 3 categories which were dreamer who focused on new ideas, Realist who focused on the plan and the critic who evaluated and refined the solution.
We wanted to make sure that the solutions are plausible and practical in terms of technology access in the near future and not too far fetched.
4.Presentation
My team during the presentation
Happy faces after winning the first prize.
View our presentation by clicking the link below
IUPUI Blog
“The ultimate inspiration is the deadline”
— Nolan Bushnell
Learnings
You might assume that time is your biggest enemy in the design sprint, but because of the deadline at each stage, that really motivated us to get creative and lead to really amazing ideas.
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This Design Challenge taught me to quickly define problems, generate a wide range of ideas, and rapidly prototype and test solutions. Through collaboration with cross-functional teams, we were able to gain a deeper understanding of user needs and preferences, and make improvements.