mirunaalini.alagarajah@gmail.com
Behaviour change
Creating sustainable washing practices
HUNT STATEMENT
Specifying goals of research based
on the target user group.
SECONDARY RESEARCH CONDUCTED
PARTICIPANT SAMPLING
Using convenience sampling to find
the chosen 3 participants who meet this criteria.
AUTOETHNOGRAPHY
Autoethnography was carried out by the researcher.
This was done to gain a deeper understanding into the researcher’s biases, assumptions and existing ideas before
conducting primary research.
KWHLAQ FRAMEWORK
Based on secondary research so far, using this framework to identify gaps in knowledge before conducting primary
research with participants.
5W'S AND 1H FRAMEWORK
Narrowing down the focus for research
to be conducted.
BRIEF:
To understand the sustainability impacts of clothes washing and drying practices. More specifically, to identify problematic attitudes and behaviours
of users in context which cause issues with sustainability. Furthermore, to identify design opportunities which not only address these issues but improve
the overall user experience.
Using research papers to answer questions and understand what knowledge already exists on the subject.
PILOT TESTING
A semi-structured interview format was chosen to conduct primary research with the 3 chosen participants.
Pilot testing was carried out to ensure the chosen questions were comprehensible and appropriate.
ETHICS
All interviewees were given a participant information sheet and consent form to sign prior to any interviews taking place.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews were conducted with each participant in context (in their rooms and laundry rooms). They were asked about their current washing practices,
habits, sustainability habits, attitudes and values. Photos and videos were taken throughout and templates were used to amalgamate the research.
Poems templates used to organise
findings.
Card sorting was also used
to categorize participants priorities.
FINDINGS
Based on the all data collected, the findings were then
grouped using affinity diagrams to help identify
themes and patterns.
These were then prioritised using a matrix with one axis for
Improves user experience and the other for
Addresses problematic behaviour.
Those in the top right quadrant were taken forward to develop
insights.
INSIGHTS DRAWN OUT FROM RESEARCH
CHOSEN HOW MIGHT WE
STATEMENTS
Based on the insights, 4 HMW
statements were created to focus
the goal for the design outcome.
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
To create a solution that will be engaging and create sustainable washing practices, behaviour changing strategies were employed.
To start with, the current undesirable behaviour was identified and the new ideal target behaviour.
COM-B MODEL OF BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
Identifying the possible barriers to creating the target behaviour in the chosen participants.
BEHAVIOUR MODELS
FOGG'S BEHAVIOURAL MODEL
Based on secondary research conducted, 3 behaviour change strategies were chosen.
**Gamification
This involves the use of design to add fun, game-like features or functions to a
non-game product, to modify user behaviour.
**Behaviour steering
This relies on guiding the user to the ‘correct’ behaviour through the design
of the product. This can be done using constraints and affordances.
**Feedback
This lets the user know immediately whether there is a positive or negative
consequence to their actions. It can aso help them to understand how a system works.
This way, the user can make a conscious choice about their action.
LO-FI PROTOTYPES AND USER TESTING
Hand drawn lo-fi screens were created and
then uploaded into Marvel to allow users to
interact with the screens on a mobile device.
A hand drawn lo-fi sketch was also used to
convey the concept of the installation.
THE CONCEPT
ideas were generated and a final concept was chosen to prototype.
It consisted of two parts .
One part was an installation to inform and educate the users on the
negative health impacts of microplastics released from washing
clothes.
The second part consisted of a washing clothes app where the
target users could book and pay for washing machine cycles.
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A storyboard was then generated to give users an idea of the context of use of both concepts to help their understanding.
SKIP TO THE MID-FI PROTOTYPE
The same three participants were given
the lo-fi prototypes and their feedback
was recorded. This would be used to refine
the concepts into mid-fidelity prototypes.
Click here for a more in-depth explanation
of the concepts
MID-FIDELITY INSTALLATION CONCEPT
MID-FIDELITY MOBILE SCREENS
The installation will be placed on the University campus outside of a café. This way students will have time to interact and learn from it.
It is there to educate students about the use of high temperatures to wash clothes, which release more microplastics into the water and soil, eventually
into their food and so them. Based on the user research, the chosen user group was more concerned about their personal health than
environmental issues. By focusing on the effects on their health, we are more likely to create the target behaviour.
The installation is also interactive. By pressing the buttons, the students can change the temperature of the cycle and release more of the
microplastics into the water, which will physically flow through the system and into the 'person' at the end. From the research, users
wanted an interactive element to the installation to make it more engaging.
This washing app will be used by all students. Currently the target user group uses an alternative app to book washing cycles at university washing facilities.
The app includes the 3 chosen behaviour change strategies: Feedback, Behaviour steering and Gamification.
When users choose the eco cycle, the receive a positive feedback message. They also collect points which can then later
be redeemed for food or coffee at cafe's on campus.
The colour scheme and tag line of the app is duplicated in the installation to help users understand the connection between them.