Uplift: Curating Magical Moments in the Context of Healthcare

ADAM BADZYNSKI

cultivating magical moments in the context of healthcare

Uplift: Cultivating magical moments in the context of healthcare.

This publication is a result of an eight month thesis journey in the Industrial Design program at the Ontario College of Art and Design Univeristy (OCADU) located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Author: Adam Badzynski Advisors: Alexander Manu, Renn Scott Book Designer/Project Manager/Designer: Adam Badzynski Typesets used: Montserrat, Proxima Nova, Chaparral Pro Š 2016 Adam Badzynski All rights reserved.

adam.badzynski@gmail.com

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foreword Dick Fosbury is one of the most influential athletes in Olympic Track and Field, he revolutionized the High Jump event by developing a “back first” technique whereas everyone else was continuously perfecting the “straddle” technique. Fosbury debuted his unconventional method at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, winning the gold medal and setting a new world record at 2.24 meters. (!)

The development and adoption of the “Fosbury Flop” can be understood by one factor; the mattress. A soft, reliable landing gave Fosbury confidence in creating a new technique of high jumping. He could now fall on his neck without worry of damaging it. Timing was incredibly important for such widespread adoption of his technique. I see the timing of my thesis analogous to the introduction of the mattress in high jump, it will nurture the right ideas to enrich our healthcare systems.

I want to use the steps Fosbury takes to complete a successful “Fosbury Flop” to structure my thesis.

The five main steps are (1) the approach, (2) foot placement, (3) the leap, (4) the landing, and (5) the goal.

INTRODUCTION V

APPROACH 08 — 19

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PLACEMENT T 20 — 59

6

THE LEAP

60 — 99

LANDING 100 — 131

GOAL

132 — 136

INTRODUCTION VII

1

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APPROACH an introduction to my methods and motivations of understanding healthcare and happinesss 10 13 15 17 18

motivation transforming desires defining magic catalogue of inspiration vision of uplift

APPROACH 9

motivation You are seated in the doctor’s office. The cool and dry air passes over the back of your neck sending a shiver down your spine. The wax paper beneath you crinkles weakly as you shift uneasily on the patient bed.

The doctor walks in.

“I’m sorry say, you have stage two cancer in your lungs.”

He goes on to say that this is small cell lung cancer, which started in the cells lining the bronchi. He says it has developed into a small tumour and has spread to the lymph nodes. He says the cancer is currently in a limited stage but can progress into the extensive stage very soon.

But what he doesn’t know and what he doesn’t say is that your lungs have been shouting, “We have cancer!” with every passing breath… ...for the last three years.

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APPROACH 11

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transforming desires The intention of the previous scenario is to exemplify the presence of unheard stories in healthcare, I think that design has the capabilities to be the tell those stories.

I would like to take a look at the current desires of patients, caregivers, and hospitals. The infographic on the left shows a balance between their current desires (left), and my proposed desires (right). Transformation between one side to the other is only possible if healthcare systems change their emphasis of mitigating risk and embrace the possibility of materializing magic.

Currently healthcare environments care for the safety of their patients and their staff so their service has health providers can go smoothly. The nature of medical science is that there are complications, so a hospital’s primary goal is to mitigate risk. In such a healthcare system a culture of treatment grows while a culture of prevention diminishes. Prevention of illness is an opportunity to restructure healthcare systems to focus on enabling people to be healthy, rather than fighting disease. To any future healthcare related venture my question is this: Do you want to spend the rest of your life mitigating risk, or do you want to materialize magic?

When magical moments are realized, the patient’s and caregiver’s desires are transformed. A patient is now looking for the possibility of being healthy and seeking the highest quality of journey. Caregivers will be treating people, not illnesses and challenging the accepted norm of professional burnout. Hospital’s will be the environments in which magic happens, not where “the sick” go to “get better”.

APPROACH 13

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defining magic On the bed sits Owen with his favourite nurse in the whole world, Abby. Amidst the noisy of the distractive environment of his patient room, Owen is smiling ear to ear, popping bubbles that Abby creates with his little pointing finger.

Nothing else matters at that moment, just him and his bubbles. This is his favourite part of the day.

It is also Abby’s most enjoyable moment of the day because she knows that as the bubbles burst, they are delivering the medicine that Owen desperately needs but refuses to take. The conventional methods scare him and he make him upset.

All Owen cares for is to play and be healthy, not to sit and take medicine.

APPROACH 15

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catalogue of inspiration Over the course of my thesis journey, my ideas and direction will evolve. Here is a sampling of the books I read to keep my mind agile and fresh.

Course readings, personal readings, and current worldly happenings have all become influencers to my thesis and how it develops.

APPROACH 17

vision of uplift Uplift; cultivating magical moments in the context of healthcare is launching point of my thesis. I plan to continue my approach in understanding the players and influencers of healthcare and strategically place my thesis so that successful, iterative, and well-informed projects will follow.

So far in this chapter I have used scenarios as a tool to tell my story, that of joy and happiness transforming current desires in healthcare. The next chapter is called The Placement where I take a deep dive into understanding the context of healthcare and begin outline the scope of my ideas.

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APPROACH 19

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PLACEMENT Understanding the context of healthcare and positioning Uplift to reach a mature, informed scope 22 landscape of healthcare 28 emerging trends 36 opportunity 38 focus 39 themes 44 generative questions 46 stakeholder mapping 54 early business model 58 synthesis and scope

PLACEMENT 21

landscape of healthcare In the past several decades, Canadian healthcare has undergone many reforms to continually make it a better service. In 1990, there was pressure for the industry to reform and make budget cuts due to the previous economic recession.

Governments worked to refocus Canadian healthcare by balancing their budgets and optimize spending. This resulted in a decrease in accessible healthcare services, like wait times to see a doctor or unavailable hospital beds—and sometimes hospitals—to the general public. Now the pressure from reform switched its attention to rescuing a healthcare system that was in jeopardy.

In the coming years, the Canadian healthcare system regains its prestige by the implementation of a new orders of work like de-centralizing decision making processes and community involvement.

The landscape of healthcare is changing into an outcomes-based, individualfocused experience. Now is the time for healthcare to adopt dynamic, cognitive systems to redefine the way humans and connected devices interact.

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Pressue to Innovate

Research Funds

Redefining Doctors Effective Treatment

Political Energy

Innovation Labs

Informed Research

Tendency to Avoid

Local Health Initiatives

Reform Pressure

Hard to Make Change

Advanced Treatment Research Labs

Public Sector

Human Right

1990

Budget Cuts

Canadian Healthcare

2016

Big Data

Tax Based

Basis of Need

Seeking Ideal

Infection Control Aging Pop.

Customized Treatment

Omit Ablity to Pay

Data Supported Treatment

Data Trend Spotting

Personalized Health Data

Post-Hospital Health

Surge of Health Apps

Data Currency

Preventative Emphasis

Maintaining Health

Aggregate Health Data De-Centralized Decision Making

Master of One’s Own Health Innovative Medicine

Uninformed Decisions Complacent Populace

Reimagined Hospitals

At-Home Care

Health Agency

Reducing Risk

Homecare Robots

Health Autonomy

PLACEMENT 23

Pressue to Innovate

Research Funds

Political Energy

Innovation Labs Uninformed Decisions Complacent Populace

Tendency to Avoid

Local Health Initiatives

Reform Pressure

Hard to Make Change

Public Sector

Human Right

1990

Budget Cuts

Tax Based

Basis of Need

Seeking Ideal

Aggregate Health Data De-Centralized Decision Making Customized Treatment

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Omit Ablity to Pay

Data Supported Treatment

Canadia Healthca

Design’s presence within the context of healthcare in the 1990’s was rather limited and when there was work it was regarded as traditional. At that time, the landscape of Canadian Healthcare was on the cusp of change, the government was pressured to reduce spending while also implementing meaningful change to the industry. Design was not the forerunner of the motion to change, it was policy makers and healthcare stakeholders. Although design was sidelined behind budget balancers and doctors, 1990 is the moment that human-centered design started to grow to a mainstream necessity within the healthcare industry.

role of design in 1990

an are

Context

Design’s presence within the context of healthcare in the 1990’s was rather limited and when there was work it was regarded as traditional. At that time, the landscape of Canadian Healthcare was on the cusp of change, the government was pressured to reduce spending while also implementing meaningful change to the industry.

Design was not the forerunner of the motion to change, it was policy makers and healthcare stakeholders. Although design was sidelined behind budget balancers and doctors, 1990 is the moment that human-centered design started to grow to a mainstream necessity within the healthcare industry.

Outcome

Benefit

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role of design in 2016 In this 26 year span of time, design has become a central stakeholder within the Canadian Healthcare system. Emerging trends have attracted the attention of healthcare and community leaders to consider design as innovation. Upcoming health signals are becoming mainstream, like collecting personalize health data through data tracking devices such as the Apple Watch, and giving users agency over their own health. Now the question is, what else can design influence within the healthcare industry?

Can Hea

Context

Outcome

Benefit

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nadian althcare

Redefining Doctors Effective Treatment

Reimagined Hospitals

Informed Research

Master of One’s Own Health Innovative Medicine

Advanced Treatment Research Labs 2016

Big Data

Infection Control Aging Pop.

Data Trend Spotting

Personalized Health Data

Post-Hospital Health

Surge of Health Apps

Data Currency

Preventative Emphasis

Maintaining Health At-Home Care

Health Agency

Reducing Risk

Homecare Robots

Health Autonomy

PLACEMENT 27

volume to value The digitization of the healthcare industry has created conversation about one of their fundamental offerings, a volume-based health service. Volume-based systems is built on the idea that healthcare providers will still receive payment from the patient regardless of outcome or need. In the United States, this has been a best-practice for more that 50 years. Finally the shift has begun to focus on value or outcomes-based systems. Now, expectations of success are put into place to ensure that patients are getting the best service they possibly can, regardless of dollar or severity.

The path forward to achieve a value-based healthcare system is through the collection and utilization of data. To provide value, healthcare services must understand what is of value to the individual and then deliver health dynamically and effectively. The enterprise cloud will become and essential to store and sort through all this personal data and cognitive systems will become the necessary to making sense of this aggregate visible and invisible data.

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cloud computing A recent trend in information organization and distribution has emerged. Now, storing and up keeping an enormous mainframe on information has become more difficult with more and more connected devices generating more ambiguous data. The cloud is an opportunity to offer dynamic organization of information so that industries, like healthcare, can give the most relevant data to their patients, and it some cases, use this advanced technology to spot and act on trends found within the data. This shift in information structures allows streamlined interactions between service and user, while also downsizing the amount of resources needed to maintain an IT infrastructure.

This can become extremely important in the healthcare industry when patient data needs to stay anonymous while also be available. The enterprise cloud is a new method of delivery that can be scaled globally and dynamically to the context in which it functions in.

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cognitive era The Digital Era is not the destination of businesses and industry, rather it is the foundation on which an emerging era is coming into their spring season, the Era of Cognition.

These are systems that understand structured and unstructured data, like a patients data files collected from a doctor-generated diagnosis or the ambiguous data sourced from embedded health tracking devices in the patient. Systems have been analyzing structured data for years, it can be broken down into bar graphs, and charts because it has form, whereas unstructured data has none. This invisible data always been around, we just haven’t been able to mine it as a resource.

A cognitive system that learns, reasons, and understands can take amorphous, invisible data and sculpt it into something with form and meaning.

IBM is currently reimagining their Jeopardy winner Watson to become the newest artificial intelligence to provider doctors with a evaluated second opinion on diagnosis. This is a revolutionary step towards the systems that learn. Watson has already been piloted around the world to better understand how this dynamic system can adapt to its surrounding context. The next steps are to create a patient advisor so that doctors can empathetically see how the patient is feeling and what they are thinking.

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social everything The promise of connected, and communicative, devices leads to a future that is dynamically aware of its context. The environment we live in will be lively with information, directing relevant or urgent information our way. Each object will have a story we want to hear.

Every person will have urgency to seek out new stories. We will live our lives uninhibited as everything around us will spotlight our most desired moments to the communities we surround ourselves with. Social Everything is the possibility to lead pure lives.

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augmented everything The possibility of augmenting your current location, viewpoint, or image leads to a future that enables our unattainable desires to be attained. Accessibility of the highest knowledge will be at the finger tips of an average worker when performing complex and vital procedures.

Our desire to leave this world and enrich ourselves in fantasy worlds will become second nature. The ability to experiment with new endeavours will result in failing fast and global growth. Augmenting everything is the possibility to inspire mystery and understand the true value in things.

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autonomous everything The promise of autonomous actors and devices in our lives leads to a future that frees us to live our lives to their highest potential. Companies and organizations will strategically position themselves to cater to their user’s most valuable desire directly by enabling everything secondary to be autonomous.

We will replace phrases like, “Why am I doing this again?� with the activities that we want to do. Autonomous Everything is the possibility to focus our creative minds towards greater advancements in society.

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our opportunity The promise of healthcare has never been larger, and the role of design is strategically poised to step in and support its progression. This cognitive era—where systems that understand, reason and learn—will propel the industry to value and outcomes-based goals. I hope to intervene with the promise of cultivating happiness on all fronts of a healthcare system. Design’s role will be threefold, we will be needed to: • Uplift Individuals • Reimagine System Structures • Transform Actors of Health Beyond design interventions around the topic of health and wellness, healthcare will be the forerunner of connection humans to connected devices at the scale of industry. This will be the first area where cognitive systems will be implemented and the first time we will have to adapt to the challenges that come with that. I see the future of healthcare be used as an example for other industries like technology and education.

This transformative moment for healthcare will integrate design as a integral stakeholder to its success into the future.

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humanizing healthcare Healthcare, as it stands, is held together by paper work and role hierarchies that result in ostracizing the patient when they go through any length of care at a hospital. It is not often enough that patient’s can truly be confident in their healthcare practitioner, not because of lacking skill but of lack in personal interactions.

Humanizing healthcare is the first step in the future direction of a cognitive system. It will allow new avenues of interaction so that the patient will be receiving the most relevant information when they need it. A personified healthcare system will result in redefining what a doctor and hospital means today; they will become dynamic, customized aspects of a greater re-imagined healthcare system.

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essentials of silliness The ability to make light of a situation is crucially important when the context is as serious as staying in the care of a hospital. Often times, laughter and silliness are used as methods of cope when a patient or a family member is going through long-term care. I want to cultivate this culture of laughter by bringing designed interventions into the hospital. This closer engagement with the patient may be the difference in their stay at hospital. I plan to take a deep dive into the importance of happiness and try to ground it in the context of long-term patient care. Understanding what it takes to make us smile and how that can affect our emotion state will be necessary to finding an influential design moment.

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PLACEMENT SECTION 41

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community of worth In every case, the patient has some sort of supportive system that works adjunct to the healthcare system. What if these two realms of care were combined into one? What if it was just as important to have a supportive community as a innovative hospital? I want to be building the platform in which your community, the community of worth, is both professional and personal. This merge will coincide with the direction healthcare is headed, a cognitive, learned system. The healthcare system of the future will put as much emphasis on support from your family members as they do with delivering your medicine. The community you build is the holistic way to a healthier future.

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PLACEMENT 45

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stakeholders of healthcare In this new era of cognitive systems—systems that learn, reason, and understand—healthcare will be the forerunner of interactions between connected devices and humans. Trends such as cloud computing will enable this network to thrive and prosper. My vision of (en)liven is to deliver relevant design interventions to all of healthcare’s central stakeholders so that the image of the future can be seen a little sooner.

Patients Uplifts impact upon the patient is its focus. Uplifting the morale and confidence within a patient is essential to achieve personal happiness. This connection is the most intimate which will manifest in beautiful interactions to bring smiles to the faces of patients in systems of care. The role of a supportive community is essential to the rehabilitation of a patient, and Uplift is positioned to best cultivate a healthy relationship between these two central stakeholders. It will be important to structure how a patient will receive support from their community.

This can be manifested in social media, digital interactions, and tangible interactions.

Caregivers The future of healthcare calls for reimagining the role of a doctor. They can no longer be placed upon an esteemed throne and be considered above everyone else.

Their mission can no longer be to “…train the humanity out of you and make you something better. We’re gonna make doctors out of you.” (Patch Adams, 1998).

Uplift's impact upon healthcare professionals will be to redefine their position and role, so that they can work seamlessly in a cognitive, dynamic system of care.

Hospitals A public network of healthcare is much stronger than a private, siloed system.

Uplift will be structuring the future of healthcare networks so that their resources are used in their fullest capabilities while also looking for new ways to act on wealthy possibilities.

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a taste of magic Introducing new experiences for the patient is can easily overwhelm the user, resulting in a poor first impression with a new line of thinking. To ensure a seamless integration of my thesis topics, I will introduce my ideas on three main levels. An intimate level that is primarily shared with just one’s self, a spatial level that can be shared with others, and a community level focused on sharing your experiences with others.

This first level, titled A Taste of Magic, is the first contact with my new line of thinking. It is focused on enhancing the patients the current healthcare food delivery systems by integrating novel and enjoyable methods to eat at the hospital. I intend to create arrangements that surprise the user, altering their current perceptions so that they are more malleable to my upcoming ideas. This taste of magic is meant to surprise the user, but also create a new behaviour space to rethink how healthcare systems work.

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the magic space The second level of engagement is titled The Magic Space, a space where central stakeholders can nurture their friendships and relationships to form a strong bond of trust. A space in which doctors and patients play in will deconstruct the imposed hierarchy that gives healthcare its inflexibility to adapt to new lines of thought. Focusing chiefly on play and delight, these magical places will free the user from their previous burdens by engaging in fun. At its core, laughter and fun will be the most influential medicine to heighten the quality of journey for any patient.

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platforming magic Lastly, the platform in which magic exists is the final level of engagement.

Crafting a well balanced platform for patients, caregivers, and hospitals will give new life to the healthcare industry. I plan to utilize the previous two levels as the content for this digital space. Users will be able to share and recall their previous happy memories on this platform, growing the platform and reaching people far beyond the confines of the hospital. The aggregate impact of these three levels will create a new behaviour space that needs to be exposed properly.

My intention with this digital platform is to properly and effectively showcase the impact happiness and magic can have on the health of patients, caregivers, and hospital systems.

PLACEMENT 53

early business model Desires When magic is materialized in healthcare systems the patient’s desire is to simply be healthy, the caregiver’s desire is to provide for people, and the hospital’s desire is to facilitate the research and delivery of magical moments.

Goals Some of the user’s goals are to seek the highest quality of journey and be certain that what they are doing is contributing to something greater than themselves.

Influencing each other and challenging negative norms like professional burnout among doctors is a long term goal of the users.

Motivations We seek out happy moments in our lives, if there are designed moments to enlighten us we will seek them out. The user’s motivations range from betterment of self to unbiased help for others. Humans are incredible for giving as much as they can to whomever will accept it.

Media The media of magic is the doorway to a new behaviour space—a new line of thought. Utilizing aspects of play and fun in the context of magic will intrigue new users and deeply engage current users. Magic in the context of healthcare will be fun, informative, sensory, uplifting, and healthy.

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early business model Behaviour Users will be immersed in a magical moment to reach true happiness. This moment can be a glimpse of joy or a matured, enduring happiness. Ability to share and invite others in the user’s community of worth will deepen behaviour engagement and instigate action.

Action Memorable experiences like delicious foods or a light moment of laughter will be the primary actions of engagement. This will motivate and inspire users to continue their progression and reach out to as many people as possible through meaningful relationships.

Relationship Uplift will start building the foundation at the relationship with the self and continue this growth into family, community and friendship. Creating a relationship with one’s own data is integral for a successful bond.

Satisfaction Connecting with self and others will inherently bring satisfaction to the user, they will have provided meaning and value to themselves while also sharing their experiences with the closely chosen community. Uplift will explore the aspects of satisfaction to better connect and facilitate the relationships that were made.

Value as Media Uplift is strategically positioned to invite, engage, and transform the user’s desires from conception into reality. The value of Uplift is to provide magical experiences that are exploratory, connected, and exciting so that user’s may live truly happy lives.

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synthesis and scope Understanding the key stakeholders and outlining an early business model has given form to Uplift, now I plan to begin writing and realizing some of these departure points. In the upcoming chapter, called The Leap, I will be exploring methods in which I can explain my ideas clearly. Currently they range from a redesign food delivery system in the hospital to a room filled with balloons to decompress in. My ideas will continually evolve into better versions of themselves until they are understood across all disciplines.

At the heart of my thesis I am integrating magical moments into objects and spaces so that we can share a smile and improve one's own health.

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PLACEMENT 59

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THE LEAP exploring design concepts; developing actionable interventions and refining valuable ideas 62 industry in need of an uplift 64 consumer journeys 68 the ideal experience 70 exploring molecular gastronomy 80 value matrix 83 user scenarios 84 product design 90 branding 98 value proposition

LEAP 61

industry in need of an uplift In the past two chapters I have described the current landscape of healthcare and identified possible design interventions to uplift a sick industry. To narrow the scope of my project, I will focus on how I can reimagine food in the context of healthcare. I believe this is an intimate way to connect with the patients that desire to escape the loneliness and boredom often found in the hospital.

In this chapter I will be exploring the latest possibilities in food sciences, such as molecular gastronomy and modern cuisine, to augment the healthcare food delivery system. Through iterative prototyping and exploration I will develop actionable design interventions so that my abstract concepts are understood more clearly. Next you will find a comparative data visualization outlining projected feeling states of a patient when going through the current healthcare system. It focuses on 4 major emotions: fear, boredom, loneliness, and contentment with an emphasis on the effect of uplifting moments.

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THE LEAP 63

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THE LEAP 65

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describing the ideal experience Outlining the patient’s hospital experience has narrowed my focus to what kind of impact I intend to make with my project. I wish to alleviate fear, boredom, and loneliness by creating beautiful food experiences that will increase contentment in the patient. I hope they find satisfaction and comfort in their healthcare journey by engaging and sharing their curated food experiences. But what does this experience look like?

The profile on this experience can be determined using the DEEP experience method. To simply describe my ideal experience, I am intending to enrich the patient’s quality of journey at the hospital via curated food experiences. These experiences will be multi-sensory and bring out a specific type of emotion from the user. My ideal user experience is for them to select their desired feeling states and be pleasantly immersed in their own curated food experience.

I plan to position Uplift outside of current healthcare food systems so that it can become a service that doctors can prescribe patients.

Some issues I run into are if patients are even able to eat anything, hospital regulations, and user interest. Hopefully I can combat those issues by structuring my food experiences to augment current prescribed medicines.

THE LEAP 69

exploring food sciences I believe that augmenting a patient’s experience at the hospital with a curated food experience will bring them new-found joy. Molecular gastronomy is an aspect of modern cuisine that leverages advanced technology, chemistry, and particular ingredients to create exciting flavours and experiences.

Prototyping with different home kits will shed some light on what sort of material I am working with. I intend on sketching and creating specific food experiences via molecular gastronomy kits.

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THE LEAP 71

emulsification Emulsification is a process in molecular gastronomy that is commonly used for butters, mayonnaise and ice cream, but it has potential in so many other aspects of food. Molecular gastronomy chefs are using it to compliment their dishes with aromatic foams with endless flavour profiles. This process is particularly well suited for healthcare food systems, for example a patient can order specific foams and creams to go alongside their regulated diet. They can experience the smells and flavours of their favourite foods and still stay within their dietary restrictions.

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THE LEAP 73

spherification Spherification is the process in modern culinary practices that transforms liquids into spheres with additives. Fruit-flavoured sphere have a unique quality to release a large amount of flavour once their outer membrane bursts. In the context of healthcare, sphereifcation can be used as a one-time experience for patients that desire to try new and old taste in one pop.

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THE LEAP 75

gelification Gelification is a process in molecular gastronomy that creates a gel out of the flavoured liquids. The results make small spheres commonly resembling the texture and shape of caviar. In the hospital, patients will be able to order different flavoured caviar to augment their regulated meals. There is also an opportunity to have custom flavours created at the order of the patient. Gelification offers another type of molecular gastronomy for patients to experience, including many dietary restrictions.

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THE LEAP 77

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diet restrictions Patients staying in hospital eating the hospital food are typically on a diet that can be classified in different categories for example: liquid diets, soft diets, restricted diets and so on. This can be the way that I categorize the food experiences for the patients in hospital.

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value in food I believe that augmenting a patient’s experience at the hospital with a curated food experience will bring them new-found joy. Molecular gastronomy is an aspect of modern cuisine that leverages advanced technology, chemistry, and particular ingredients to create exciting flavours and experiences.

Prototyping with different home kits will shed some light on what sort of material I am working with. I intend on sketching and creating specific food experiences via molecular gastronomy kits.

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THE LEAP 81

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patient scenario After a long afternoon at physiotherapy Earl is happy to take a restful break back in his bed.

Upon arriving he notices something new in his patient room, a bright red balloon on a string suspended above his bed. Tied neatly to the string are shiny colourful beads. Under the balloon sits a little note with his name on the front. He picks it up and sees the smiling faces of his three grandchildren.

Jess, the youngest grandchild, writes “Hi Nonno, today I was thinking about the day that we went out to the park and ate raspberry ice cream. You got it all over your shoes and a dog licked it up, remember?!�.

On the string, Earl finds a shiny raspberry in a wispy cloud of what seems to be smoke. In fact it is dry ice floating off the frozen raspberry. He pinches it to find it softer than he thought, and pops it in his mouth. Memories with Jess flood back to Earl as he enjoy the flavourful raspberry.

THE LEAP 83

defining the product Describing the user’s environment and perspective is an important tool to define the product that has not yet been created. This methodology helps we set out boundaries for the future and design within them. When a vision is described and held at a distance it is only your input that can change its outcome. The future is a choice when creating a product, so it is imperative to define it so that it exists.

Uplift is a thesis journey, travelling through consumer contexts and stakeholder desires, ultimately ending up in a methodology to live happy lives while in our current healthcare systems. I have decided to point Uplift into the direction of food services and sciences because of its intimacy with the user and the endless possibilities it offers when designing food experiences of the future. I am creating a behaviour space in which patients are to experience and dialogue with new actors in healthcare so they can benefit from an alternative way to regain health.

Uplift’s mobile application is the portal in which multi-sensory experiences reside, linking the digital with the physical in an accessible way. Uplift is intended to cultivate magical moments in the context of healthcare.

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THE LEAP 85

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key interactions In Uplift’s digital interface patients are able to explore new food experiences, recall old experiences and share their opinions of the foods they liked or disliked. These main interactions are linked to their profile that manages their compatibility with their selected dishes.

Patients in hospital are often restricted when it comes to diet, so Uplift must be flexible and transparent when offering their experience selection. Icons that resemble the different diet types are meant to assist the patient in selecting a compatible experience for them. Users are able to view their orders and change them if they have a change in heart (change in stomach). It is also important to note that this order can be done at anytime but must be completed a day or two in advance of delivery for logistical reasons.

THE LEAP 87

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THE LEAP 89

brand attributes To create a brand that has a clear and compelling identity for Uplift, all aspects must align under a brand vision. Firstly, I have drawn out the different descriptors of Uplift on a perceptual map to better understand where it fits. The two axes are between introvert and extrovert, thinking and feeling.

I have positioned my thesis to be live mainly between introvert and feeling.

I want to create uplifting moments for patients so their healthcare journey is better valued and enjoyed. I think using attributes like “intimate” or “inviting” or “familiar” will accurately connect with my target audience.

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THE LEAP 91

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visual brand language A name says a lot about a product, it is the real first contact with the user and it must represent the intention of its value. I have named my thesis Uplift because it encapsulates the intention of my work succinctly. One of my goals established in a previous chapter was to “uplift individuals”, that meant to add value and meaning to a patient’s time at hospital.

The visual brand language is important for establishing consistency among all products.

When I have prototyped a range of food experiences, I will integrate Uplift’s visual brand language so that the user knows it is all connected. Whether it is a digital platform or a physical graphic, I will have to stay true to the standards I create.

THE LEAP 93

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perceptual map This perceptual map better illustrates where my thesis is positioned on the extremes of the spectrum. Positioning Uplift toward the introvert and a tactile individual will ensure a level of humbleness. My intention is for Uplift to be an non-invasive system that augments current healthcare capabilities.

THE LEAP 95

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value of curated food experiences in healthcare The importance of curated food experiences in healthcare is to create meaning and joy to the patient. As seen in the consumer journeys patients often run into negative emotions like fear, boredom, and loneliness which leads them to being depressed about their situation. I intend on creating un-intrusive experiences for patients to participate in while at hospital. My hope is to uplift them from their depressed states into a space of confidence and contentment.

The applications of my designed food system work best for long term patients that find it difficult to cope in the hospital for such a long time. I believe this is the first step when reimagining what a patient experience feels like, it should be collaborative with the caregivers and it should redefine the role of the hospital to a place that materializes magic to better the health of all its stakeholders.

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4

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LANDING strategically positioning design concepts to continually grow and flourish

business model canvas 102 partnerships 124

business model integration 126

impact mapping 128 resolution 130

LANDING 101

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LANDING 103

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approach In order to begin understanding the business model of Uplift, it is important to recognize the main focus of my thesis, to cultivate magical moments for patients to experience in the hope of bringing health and value into their lives. This core idea must be the driving force when building a robust and innovative business model.

Deconstructing every aspect of business in a project like this can be best completed with Alexander Ostenwalder’s Business Model Canvas.

It is a method to divide and create meaningful business concepts one step at a time. I will go through all nine stages, finishing the canvas with a description of the value proposition of Uplift.

LANDING 105

key partners To successfully bring magical moments to long-term patients in hospital, a harmonious relationship must be created between three industries; food-delivery services, culinary academies, and healthcare institutions. Uplift must establish these key partnerships to create a product that has the intended value delivery.

The Creation of each food experience will be crafted by culinary professionals alongside volunteers and students at culinary academies in Toronto such as George Brown’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts program. Students can be tasked with courses in molecular gastronomy that are catered to the hospital patients.

Partnering with culinary schools and volunteer programs will ensure the products are made and ready to be delivered.

The Packaging and Delivery of each food experience is another key partnership to consider. As of now, the patients are prompted to order their food experience at the beginning of every week so that the academies are able to get the correct order in on time. This receives stress on the creation and packaging of the food items, but delivery is another issue. I think adopting a similar business partnership like Foodora or Uber Eats is a method to delivery reliably. Uplift volunteers will deliver the patient’s food from the academy to the hospital.

The Exchange from the hospital to the patient is also an important partnership to consider. Hospitals have very strict meal times and dietary restrictions, so Uplift has to meander around a lot of regulation to arrive at the patient’s bedside. Once the food experience is made and delivered to the hospital, it is the dietician’s responsibility to bring the curated experiences to the patient alongside their regulated meal.

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key activities Uplift will be the environment in hospitals that improves the wellbeing and outlook of the patients through curated food deliveries.

Enjoying food is a highly experiential activity; the user engages with different taste profiles and aromas that surround and enhance the meal.

Beyond that, food is also a focal point for social engagement. I intend to leverage the qualities of food socialization as the key activity for Uplift.

LANDING 109

customer relationship Patients stuck in the hospital succumb to fear, boredom and loneliness rarely ever having a positive moment during their treatment stages. I wish for Uplift to enter into the patient’s lives by introducing a moment of happiness through their food rituals. It is important to build an atmosphere of trust so that we can provide the best service possible for the patients. This relationship will blossom in moments of happiness, hopefully beginning a feedback loop of interest and positivity. A relationship like this is built from product delivery, but I hope it moves into the realms of community and co-creative capabilities.

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customer segment Uplift’s customer segmentation is providing food experiences desired by each individual user. This type of segmentation can be considered as providing for a niche market, where users have specific needs and desires with their product.

The difficulty of balancing a hospital’s dietary restrictions is a main factor when considering the customer segmentation.

There is more to it that simply providing for a niche market because of Uplift’s multi-faceted experience. At the end of the day the product offering is the food experience, but the digital interface and the food delivery are also parts of a larger business model. This is why it must be focused on niche markets, but also operate as a larger multi-sided platform.

LANDING 113

key resource Uplift’s key resource is the creation and experimentation of molecular gastronomy to produce intensely experiential products for patients to indulge.

Food sciences were trending in the late 2000s with a series of underground applications but have yet to emerge as a mainstream cuisine. Healthcare can be a context in which molecular gastronomy disrupts current standards and enliven current healthcare systems.

Another key resource for Uplift is the involvement and representation by local molecular cuisine professionals. Their endorsement will brand Uplift as a program that is aware of the context it is entering, creating an environment of trust and support from new users.

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distribution channel Uplift’s digital interface is the distribution channel. It is constantly updatable, analytics driven, and a very accessible interface for patients to use. This is the portal in which users will be able to browse libraries of food experiences and select the ones they wish to have. The interface will be laced with relevant information so the patients can make accurate and informed decisions. There is also a possibility to have a hospital-facing interface where user data can inform healthcare services and personal medications.

LANDING 117

cost structure Uplift’s cost structure is value-driven, offering its users very desirable food experiences. The primary initiative is to create ultimate experiences for patients, not create a business that has no frills or additions. The magic is in the details, they are what make the simple act of consuming into a memorable ritual.

I imagine Uplift as a program to be adopted or bought by hospitals so they can offer our services alongside their dietary services. We could offer fixed prices on our products or create a subscription based business model.

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revenue stream Uplift can generate revenue in with a subscription-based model. Our brand will operate outside of hospital limits and offer our products when they need them.

This range of freedom will give Uplift space to survive as a subscription business model. I imagine hospitals adopting Uplift to operate with their food services at specific lengths of time, for example a month, and if our product offering aligns with the hospital’s initiative and patient culture they can extend it. This flexibility to continue the service can best be achieved via a subscription business model.

LANDING 121

value proposition Uplift’s challenge is to provide meaningful value to patients staying in the hospital. The opportunity to be useful for users can be described in three levels; firstly it is important to create food experiences to uplift individuals, second is to transform the actors of health to include all aspects of life, and lastly it is to redefine healthcare systems to become more dynamic and preventative in a new era of healthcare.

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partnerships Connecting with the right partners is crucial to pushing a business forward.

Toronto’s University Avenue is dotted with incredibly innovative healthcare institutions like SickKids Hospital, specializing in paediatric care, Toronto Rehabilitation Hospital, specializing in physical patient rehabilitations, and Toronto General which has the latest research in heart and stroke. These are just some of the many healthcare related companies and institutions operating out of Toronto. I intend on introducing my curated food experiences via the expertise and volunteering help from culinary academies form Ryerson, George Brown and other third-party sources. Partnerships like this will be the grounds for experimentation and solidification of concepts.

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business integration Firstly it would be important to field test the logistics of depending on culinary academies to create food experiences on order. Once a reliable service is created, it will be developed into a patient-facing model that will fit best for the hospital’s needs. It is important to stay a healthy distance as to not disturb the operations of the healthcare institutions. Once a model is created, tested, and developed then it will be ready for consumer use.

LANDING 127

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impact mapping Currently healthcare food systems are bland, repetitive, and uninspired. I wish to augment their current food systems with the introduction of molecular gastronomy food experiences for the patients. This service will undoubtedly change the perspective people have of hospital food from one of dismissal to intrigue.

If my thesis was meant to be anything, it is to become the bounce board for the right ideas. I started with understanding the context of healthcare and its users, and have ended up with just one solution to the issue of happiness in healthcare.

I hope that institutions and startup are researching the same topics and creating new ways to introduce delight in the hospital.

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resolution Healthcare is a deep and complex subject that cannot be “fixed” in one swift movement, it must be nurtured and developed with the right ideas for it to have a lasting impact. My thesis on cultivating magical moments is just a starting point to a larger issue of the lack of happiness in hospital. Instead, emotions like fear, boredom and loneliness are present and hindering the entire atmosphere. We must explore every avenue of happiness and laughter to create experiences that impact the patients and the other stakeholders of healthcare positively.

Although my work has been focuses on the context of healthcare, delightful moments should be shared anywhere with anyone. It’s important to recognize that design ideas aren’t created in a vacuum and should be driven through new contexts to gain new insights and perspectives.

LANDING 131

5

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GOAL re-contextualizing uplift to look beyond health and wellness into other possible contexts

re-contextualizing ideas 134

reflection + looking forward 136

GOAL 133

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re-contextualizing ideas One of the main contexts that I kept thinking about when writing this thesis was to apply my work in the field of education. The nature of my design interventions had the affect of “preventative� medicine, and I think a lot of preventative work can be done to inspire happiness in the classroom. A context where its users are impressionable and constantly learning, it is important to stay on top of their abilities to be happy.

It would be interesting to see how multi-sensory experiences can develop in the context of education. Will they become a ritual for the students to partake in together? Will this be the catalyst to create new bonds of friendship? How might experiences affect the learning atmosphere when all senses are heightened?

GOAL 135

reflection + looking forward This past year I have been studying in all aspects of happiness and healthcare, trying to understand the gaps and pain points so that a mature design moment can be described and acted upon. I decided to explore the venture of magical cuisine experiences in healthcare and how that can affect the emotional levels of the patients suffering from fear, boredom and loneliness. My intention with my thesis is to create an environment of happiness and intrigue so that patients can transform their outlook on health. I continue to be interested in design moments in healthcare and plan to devote my design thinking expertise to that field of study. Healthcare systems are functional but they are far from inspirational. The designer’s role will be to understand and redefine what a hospital or healthcare institution means and create ways to reach that aspirational goal.

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[10] Hickory Smoked Langoustine Micro Salas with Celeriac, Bramley Apple & Saffron. Tori White. Accessed on Feb 2017. <http://joriwhitepr.blogspot. ca/2011/05/anyone-for-chaud-froid-smoked-salad.html> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [12] Home-landing. Google Images. Digital Image. google.ca/images.

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bibliography [22] Grapefruit-Bubbles. Google Images. Accessed on April 2017. <http://imgcdn.herbeauty.co/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Molecular-Gastronomy-TheFood-of-the-Future-2.jpg> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [23] Red-spoons. Google Images. Accessed on April 2017. <https://www. trymykitchen.com/sites/default/files/styles/tmk-events-detail/public/repository/ content/tmk-cookery-events/6556/pictures/molecular-gastronomy-workshop-1cc0921ee.jpg?itok=AkAWxiwm> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [24] Caprese-bites. Imgur.com. Uploaded Dec 2012. Accessed on April 2017. <http://imgur.com/yYRmU> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [25] Spoons-red. Google Images. Accessed on April 2017. <https://www. escoffieronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/470857659.jpg> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [26] Tarte-red. Google Images. Accessed on April 2017. <https://s-media-cacheak0.pinimg.com/564x/4e/41/9d/4e419d3621c255721e0d9521e18a4d13.jpg> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [27] Woman-Smiling. Lesly B. Juarez. Digital Image. unsplash.com. Accessed on April 2017. <https://unsplash.com/search/happy?photo=1AhGNGKuhR0> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [28] Hands. Google Images. Digital Image. google.ca/images. Accessed on April 2017. <https://dukeregionalhospital.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/hands.jpg> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [29] Grant-Achatz. Google Images. Digital Image. google.ca/images. Accessed on April 2017. <https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yM1NzIHdQSQ/maxresdefault.jpg> Creative Commons Licence CC0_1.0 [30] Sabrina. Google Images. Digital Image. google.ca/images.

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