Solo Project
​
Brief:
Design and manufacture a disruptive product or service that demonstrates an understanding of the social, economic and material opportunities within a particular setting.
​
This project manifested through my desire to empathise with people through design. It began with probe explorations that explored the bizarre lack of public responsibility when upset members of the public clearly needed emotional support. An understandable fear of sharing and being open amongst the general public led me think about whether the experience and benefits of sharing could in anyway be replicated or assisted by design.
This voice journal, developed from research in Edinburgh, stemmed from seeing the reluctance of people to offer emotional support in public. It's based on the concept that journaling is an effective way to understand and express emotions. Unlike traditional journals, this device does not allow easy access to recordings; to retrieve them, one must break the journal's egg-shaped, deliberately vulnerable-looking exterior. This design emphasises the importance of vulnerability in communication. The journal, featuring a subtly cute appearance, is not a replacement for human interaction but a tool for those who find it difficult to open up. It offers a way to practice expressing emotions without the fear of being vulnerable.
​
​
