Co-Reflection Report Marjolein Kors

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY EINDHOVEN

DG309 – Co-reflection Report

Marjolein Kors s105901 3/28/2011

In this report you will find my first and second Co-reflection pilot, my final Co-reflection together with its analysis and my reflections on the overall progress and how it relates to my competency development.

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Contents First Co-reflection Pilot Session ...........................................................................................................3 SETUP ............................................................................................................................................3 Intro Project ...................................................................................................................................3 Method..........................................................................................................................................3 Improvement points for the next co-reflection .................................................................................4 Second Co-reflection Pilot Session .......................................................................................................5 SETUP ............................................................................................................................................5 Intro Project ...................................................................................................................................5 Method..........................................................................................................................................5 Reflection and improvements..........................................................................................................9 Final Co-reflection Session ................................................................................................................10 SETUP ..........................................................................................................................................10 Intro Project .................................................................................................................................10 Method........................................................................................................................................10 Exploration phase .........................................................................................................................11 Ideation phase..............................................................................................................................12 Confrontation ...............................................................................................................................13 Reflection on the validity of the session .............................................................................................14 Analysis of the results by comparing the three phases ........................................................................19 Reflection on the overall progress and how it relates to my competency Development ........................20

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First Co-reflection Pilot Session Marjolein Kors s105901

SETUP Intro Project

In my project I fo cus on people with ASD, what stand for Autistic Sp ectrum Disorder, and then particularly in combination with work. I am designing a p roduct or system that will help them to improve their ability to get a job or that will help th em during their job.

The context is the place wh ere the product will be made and used, the Bergen Schutze workspace. This is a big working sp ace were all kind of jobs are visualized.

The participants with which I will be working are an expert (so cial worker), a possible employer and a parent that has a child with ASD which has or has had a job and so job experien ce on some level.

Method

Activities

Goal

I will ask the participants to tell a story, on turns, of a real life experience from an autistic person that wants to have, has of had a job.

To explore the positive and negative experiences that people with autism have with the subject work. Before, during and after.

I will ask the participants to think about the ideal situation of the combination of autism and work. And how they think that this ideal situation could be reached.

To let the participants think about how to deal with the positive or negative parts that autistic persons endure before, during and after their job. And to see how they envision the ideal combination of autism and work.

Confront the participants with my vision (explain by showing sketches, etc.) and ask them to criticize it. Let them think how their ideas could be integrated in my vision.

Find out what would work according to the participants, and what not. Also find out if my vision is in the right direction.

1ste phase: Explor ation Narrations of experiences

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nd

phase: Ideation

Fantastic storytelling

rd

3 phase: Confrontation

Build upon a vision

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Improvement points for the next co-reflection In this co-reflection there were things missing or things that went wrong. With the result that I haven’t been able to really finish it completely. Thereby I haven’t gotten any real results from it, but it has given we an opportunity to see the difficulties, problems and so improvement points for the next co-reflection. So for in the next co-reflection I am going to pay attention to the following: • I should choose just one goal that I want to investigate in my co-reflection session.

And make this goal clear for me and for my participants. I should also know exactly with what I want to confront them so that I am able to work towards it. (Emotionalvolitional character) • Acting out as if you’re a specific person doesn’t work because you aren’t have the experience of the person. So I should use the real persons with their real experiences. Thereby to get the most out of your participants you should know an use their expertise. (Holism and unity) • To let participants get to or think about a specific area it is very important to have the context right and complete. If not it will be very difficult and actually impossible to frame and so to reach your goal. (Situated creativity of action & Tightening limitations) • I noticed that I’ve a difficulty with leading the talk and making notes at the same time, for next time it would be useful to videotape it or let someone else make notes.

• Organizing and having a co-reflection takes a lot of time.

• Because I haven’t been able to do the confrontation phase this phase is still a bit unclear.

• I were thinking in a to difficult way about the co-reflection and should simplify it, other ways it will only make me confused and so also my participants. (Emotionalvolitional character)

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Second Co-reflection Pilot Session Marjolein Kors s105901

SETUP Intro Project

I’ve changed my goal because my first goal wasn’t really something that was from any importance at this moment. So I’ve surged for something in which a co-reflection session would be useful.

going further in our project. Wath is th e best way to approach th e project in order to reach one final design.

Goal: project process improvement by learning from the project evaluation (Team focused and not personal focused).

The context of this co-reflection is th e place where w e always work, at our table. This is lo cated in the health care theme of Industrial Design.

This is from importan ce at this moment because we’re now in the phase th at we have to decide how w e are

Method

Activities

Goal

Related thoughts

I will ask the participants to visualize the way that they see our project process individually. This have to be done in clay. During this they will have to tell the reasons behind their actions aloud.

Project feeling => shapes/ colors etc clay.

To explore the way that all the teammates see/ feel/ experience our project process.

Summarization

Now I am going to ask them what the areas/ aspects are on which they would like to give feedback and so improve. Some examples are the planning, outside school activities etc. they have to write them on little cardboard squires.

To see what the most important areas are for every teammate, to improve.

1ste phase:

Exploration

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2

nd

phase:

Ideation Fantastic ide a generating

I’m not going to ask what went wrong, I only want to know what their ideas are in order to improving the project process. They have to organize the ideas by placing them on the cardboard squire of step 2 that is in the same area.

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Through doing this I will discover what kind of ideas my teammates are having in order to improve our project process. And on which area they want to make the most improvements.

rd

3 phase:

Confrontation Now I’m going to confront the participants with a couple of ideas that I have to improve the team process, and I will ask them to criticize it. This will be the beginning of a discussion about what kind of adjustment we’re going to take to improve the team process.

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By confronting them with my ideas I want to see what they think would work and wath not.

Eventually we are going to make a list of the adjustment that we will put in practice.

Reflection and improvements In the very first co-reflection I had a different goal. I’ve changed my goal because my first goal wasn’t really something that was from any importance at this moment in my project.

For the second pilot I came up with the goal: project process improvement by learning from the project evaluation (Team focused and not personal focused). This pilot when already a lot better. Mainly because I tried to focus on just one aspect of the whole, the team process. In the first session I just wanted to do to much. Two other feedback aspects on which I’ve focused my improvements were that when you let them do more, you will have to plan less. So for example instead of thinking of the development areas by myself I’ve let them think of them with the framing of me. And also that it helps to know exactly with what you what to confront your participants and what your goal is. This made the hole co-reflection clearer, for me and for them.

The overall result of the second pilot was very good, every participant was happy with the result and motivated to put it into practice. During this co-reflection I got the feeling that we we’re doing two different co-reflections. One in 3D, with the focus on visions and ideas, and one in 2D, with the focus on problems and solutions. For my final co-reflection I choose to go for the 3D claying because I want to look more to their visions and ideas that to the problems that we’ve had.

My idea of making the project process clearer through clay, wasn’t that strange after all. For the second part of the exploration I were afraid that they would use my given examples.

But that didn’t happen. They came up with their own points. There was a problem with the step from the exploration to the ideation, this step was already been taken during the exploration. So when I introduced the ideation this step was actually already been taken.

As a confrontation I had thought of a couple of ideas, but eventually there have been sort of discussion starting point and so these developed into a lot of other ideas. I think this is a better result than just having the improvement of them for your idea. Now my idea merges together with their ideas and becomes a group idea. I think this is also the actual idea behind co-reflection. At least I think that this is very valuable so I’m also going to integrate this into my next co-reflections.

At first when I introduced the idea of doing a co-reflection they were all a bit skeptical. But during and eventual I only got positive reaction of them. Afterwards they were seeing it as very useful and fun to do, one even mentioned that it was the most useful morning of all.

They are definitely willing and motivated to do another co-reflection. Because through this co-reflection we’ve thought of so many great ideas to improve our project.

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Final Co-reflection Session Marjolein Kors s105901

thoughts will become clearer to the whole group and to ourselves. We will also get and give new pers pectives and i nsights. This could also be a good moment for feedback.

SETUP Intro Project

In my project I’m working in a group of four designers. All with different visions, ideas and thoughts. At the end of our project we’re supposed to have designed jus t one design. So it is very important to make every ones ideas, thoughts, vision etc. clear to each other. Until now we hav e tried to do this through speaking but it only caused misunderstandings and it didn’t really helped us.

In the exploration and ideation I will expressional pay attention to their reactions on each other. Doing so I want to discover if they also feel the need of a more clearer inside into each other’s thoughts and ideas concerning the project. Because of their need to work together in the ideation I hope to give them an eye opener for the possibilities of shari ng thoughts on a clearer way, if they haven’t al ready realized the positive fact of this. Coming to the confrontation I hope to have created a solid basis for them to see the importance and positive facts of my idea.

Goal: Introducing my idea to get a better insight in each other thoughts (implementation of visions, ideas etc.) and motivating my teammates to put it in to practice.

The context of this co-reflection is the place where we always work, at our table. This is located in the healthcare theme of Industri al Design.

My idea consist of a discussion moment with not the focus on words but on visuals through drawing, building, claying etc. This way personal

Method 1ste phase: Exploration

Relate visuals to thoughts.

2nd phase: Ideation

Envisioning and Working together

3rd phase: Confrontation Build upon a idea

Activities

Goal

I will ask the participants to visualize individually and abstract the way that they see the whole project, so from the begi nning until the end result. The material that they can use is clay. They hav e to focus on the ideas and visions. When they are finished we will have a presentation round in which they have to explain their creation and reasons behind their actions.

To explore the way that all the teammates see the development of their ideas, thoughts and visions into the project and final product. And also by seeing their reaction on each other’s actions and ideas I will see if they are curious to know what another teammate thi nks of the project, the implementation of visions etc. I will also see if they are able to visualize abstract things like visions and ideas.

Now I will ask them to visualize the future project together in one clay abs tract creation. They have to focus on the ideas and vision. They have to s peak their motivation aloud during the whole ideation.

In this phase I want to let them experi ence the importance of sharing thoughts when you hav e to work together in order to create one thing which everybody is pleas ed wi th.

In this phase I introduce my idea and so the reason behind the previous actions through which I’ve created a solid basis for my idea.

My goal was to let them think about my idea and to let them realize that the visualization during the previous steps made thi ngs indeed clearer to everyone. So that they are all motivated to put my idea into practice.

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Exploration phase

Participants creations

Impression

Explanation by participant

Sebastiaan de Monte

He really focused on our individual visions and how we’re going to use them to design one product in the end that fits in all our visions.

“We started as four individuals all with different visions (1). We had to combine these visions into one shared vision (2). And at this moment we’re in the stage that we have to go designing individually and we will implement our own vision in it again (3). Finally we will have to twist and bend this together (4) and come to one thing, with just one shared group vision (5).”

Jesse Meijers

In the first two steps it looks like as if we have loosed our creativity, what caused some questions of other participants. But he explained that it was only about our group focus. Then he switched from the group focus to the way our visions will come together into the final product.

“First we were sort of chaotic and not really focused (1). We talked about that and were far more focused and created one general vision, in this part we also had sessions in which we created ideas (2). Then we get to the splitting up phase (3). Here you see four layers which are representing us. Here we have to create ideas on our own way, this is kind of a rough process because we have to implement the ideas into one product at the end of our project. Then we have to twist and bend those individual ideas and concepts into one (4). The bal represents the final product that is a team product not a individual product, in which our vision of a team will be shown (5).”

Ilse Maessen

She has really visualized ourselves as surging in the beginning, trying to find a direction. This wasn’t visible in the creations of the others.

Also the new input in phase 2 is something that is only visible in here creation. I get out of this that she is feeling unsure about her knowledge of the topic and want to get more knowledge and input of the topic in order to design.

“In the beginning (1) we had all kind of visions and ideas and we didn’t really know which way to go. In the end of this (2) we came to one group vision. At that moment we’re designing four weeks individually (3).

In which we will gain new input (4) from outside and everyone will design to its own interest (5). Eventually (6) we’re going to use all that input and the best qualities of those individual products to make one innovative group product, that will change the future.”

Write new input as words

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()=phase/step

Ideation phase “We have to motivate everythink in our ideas and designs. Because a product will have i ts downside so whe must have a motivation why we’ ve choos ed that and not something else.” (Jesse)

“I want to put this in as clay, because it has to be adaptabl e and clay is adaptable” (Jesse) “Now it’s still clay.”

(Sebastiaan)

“So whe have to make evaluations of all the things that we do conserning the project.” (ilse)

“How do you think we are able to do that?” (Marjolein)

“This will give new input” (Ilse)

“I’m looking at it again and I think it’s more a visualization of the present and near pres ent.” (sebasti aan)

“This a visualization of different levels. They want to be challenged.” (Jesse Meijers)

“Actually the challange aspect is one of our goals just like the adaptebility.” (Sebasiaan)

“I’ve made us looking at all the diverend sides.

Everyone is looking at atleast two sides, so that you can choose which side you wanne go on.”(Sebas tiaan)

“I want to connect our visions.” (Sebastiaan)

“How do you see this line Ilse?” (Marjolein)

“I think that we have to talk a lot about the new input with eachother and keep the focus. Not only by talking but also by making thi ngs ev en when it are abs tract thing or just visions. We hav e to communicate then with eachother.” (Ilse)

“I’ve made a cube because we have to look at things from different perspectives.”

(Ilse)

“I think we’ve already begann to do this by splitting up into two directions, one looking from the process and one from the product. I also think that we’re able to achiev e more if everyone would have a connection with someone that has to do with autism.” (Jesse)

“How do you think that that will help us to dev elop a product?”

“On this way we will get a lot of input. Everyone can work that input out for himself afterwards.”(Sebastiaan)

“Do you already have an idea how you wane work all that information out?”

“We have to fi nd and combine all the best qualities.”(ilse)

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Confrontation: Reaction quotes on my idea “I think it may be hard but eventually it’s really valuable to visualize somehow how you’re thinking and so how you came to a idea instead of only presenting what you concluded out of it.”

“You can see more if something is shown in a shape. When someone tells something you often misses a lot of it or interpreted it different. So by visualizing a lot of misunderstanding are prevented.”

“By visualizing your process someone else could draw a different conclusion out of it. What will gives you a different perspectives.”

“I only think that it really has to be something that will be a tool in the visualization and not the actual thing you want to make. Other ways it will take to much time for thinks like the preparation.”

During the hole co-reflection they were really interested in each others creations. Even when the creations were somewhat the same they noticed the things that were different and were eager to know what was the meaning behind it. Though this I now know that they are indeed very curious and wane discover what everyone is thinking about the project, the visions, the approach etc. I think this expressional worked because of the visualization in which every shape has to have a meaning behind it to be formed. This has worked better that using words because they could also be placed to complete a sentence or could mean multiply different things (Tightening limitation, Words don’t work).

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Reflection on the validity of the session Aspects

Final Co-Reflection

Situated creativity of action

In the exploration they were able to make their own approach ‘plan’ to tackle the task and also to make their own goals within my goal. That this worked is visible in the fact that all of their creation were different but still fitted in the task (good aspect video).

In the ideation they were having some starting problem which I think came because the task was a bit unclear for them, with the result that they were unable to create their own goals (improvable aspect video).

Maybe this could have been prevented if I would had framed a bit more.

At one moment some of the participants just tried something out what resulted in me framing it a bit more. What worked positive and they were able to create their own goals.

I think that in the exploration and ideation they were able to see the bigger picture but were still a bit unclear with what they would be confronted. I did this because I wanted them to reflect on themselves so that they were able to see the positive facts of my idea. Because I told them my idea in the confrontation it was clear for them in which direction they had to think.

Video support

Openness of experience

Good:

Improvable:

My main goal was that they would reflect on themselves and their actions during the exploration and ideation with the result that they would realize that visualization of thoughts worked a lot better than just talking about the result of the thoughts. So I integrated reflection moments in it. In the exploration they were able to create their own creation but knew that they had to explain every aspect of it to each other. During the ideation they had to motivate their actions to each 14

Video support

A weight of answerability

other and so they were giving feedback to each other (good aspect video). During the ideation I ask them a lot of why questions so that they were forced to reflect a bit further on that action. Only in the confrontation I didn’t foresaw the need of a reflection moment (improvable aspect video).

I think that clay was a good reflection material. Because you can directly see the choices that you’ve made. At the beginning of the exploration one of the participants made a creation that wasn’t really what I wanted them to do. He only visualized one aspect. With the result that one of the participants asked him about this and he realized that it wasn’t what was asked. This is a case of ‘Openness of experience’ because he was able to reflect on his action and learn from it.

Good:

Improvable:

I noticed that the exploration and ideation were not immediately understood by the participants (improvable aspect video). I had to repeat things or explain things a bit more sometimes. I think this was particularly because I asked them to make something that’s abstract with the result that they were a bit unsure if their actions were the right ones. But after I had explained it a bit more they were able to do the task and in the ideation they went directly into the right direction. But in the exploration one of the participants was still unsure what he had to do and he just made something. What caused a reaction by another participants and him going into the right direction. One of the participants was having some difficulty with assuring my questions. But I noticed that it was already a lot easier for when I connected it to their visualization (good aspect video).

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Video support

Good:

Improvable:

Holism and unity

In the exploration, I wanted the hole task to be based on personal experiences, interpretations and implementation. How they want to implement ideas and visions into one product. But it was still not personal enough what was visible in the creations that they made, all were having the same basis. Maybe this would have been prevented by explicitly mentioning that it was really about their interpretation or by asking them to visualize it before the session (improvable aspect video).

It could also just be that there basis ideas are somewhat the same. The material choose could also have been from influence on this. By working with clay you automatically make rolling, turning and other such kinds of movements.

The exploration was more focusing on their past, present and already existing ideas of the future. In the ideation they had to create a future together what didn’t caused problems because this future is still based on the already existing ideas only it is a combination of all of them. In this phase they were placing their most important ideas, aspects etc into the creation with the result that it is clear what their individual focus points are (good aspect video). My idea with which I’ve confronted them in the confrontation is something that will really be used in their near future so it strongly relates to their lives.

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Video support

Good:

Sensory engagement

All the phases were very realistic, as it was about their own experiences and thoughts. Only in the ideation they had visualized their perfect product. There is a change that we are capable to reach this but it’s not sure. The idea with which I’ve confronted them is ready to be used in our team so in the real situation. They were directly visualizing my idea into the real situation (good aspect video).

Video support

Emotionalvolitional character

Improvable:

Good:

Improvable:

I think that they were able to see the logical step of the exploration to the ideation and the ideation to the confrontation not only afterwards but also during the co-reflection. In the ideation one of the participants was even already thinking in the direction of my idea (good aspect video). I don’t think that this is because my step were the obvious step, the step that they expected. But I think it was more that the relations between the tasks and so step were really clear for them. I noticed that they were having some starting problems. They didn’t knew where to start and were unsure what I wanted them to do. Through these starting problem they had some difficulties with staying focused. They even 17

Video support

began to make some of topic clay doll (improvable aspect video).

Good:

Improvable:

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Analysis of the results by comparing the three phases

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Reflection on the overall progress and how it relates to my competency Development I choose to particularly for this assignment because after reading the description I got the feeling that it had to with involving a psychological aspect into the design process. This aspect is something in which I’m very interested and what I like to get more knowledge of. I would like to explore the possibilities of connecting design, my passion, and psychology, what is my interest.

In the beginning of this assignment I thought that these session were only to reach your goal, like with an ensure. But during all the sessions I noticed that these sessions were more valuable for getting feedback, ideas, input, inspiration and new perspectives than for just reaching your goal.

After the first lesson I was afraid that this assignment would be to difficult for me. I had no idea what I had to do in order to feel like I were ready to do a co-reflection. But I guess this was particularly because all the info that I received during the first lessons was hard to read and on a high level. But eventually I think I have managed to make co-reflection valuable to my project and future projects. I don’t think that I’ve reached a high level in coreflection in just these couple of weeks but I will use it again and so develop it further. Next week I will already have my next co-reflection for my project.

Doing the pilots have made the whole co-reflection idea a lot more clear to me. I were able to make mistakes and learn plus improve from them. I’ve done this with the result that I’m now confident enough with co-reflecting to do one on my own besides the assignment.

I think that co-reflection is a great tool to involve users, clients, experts and other group that are having some kind of relation with my design into the development of my design, User Focus and Perspective. It can only make your idea or design better when you involve these related people. They are sometimes dealing with the problem on daily basis. With the result that they are having valuable new knowledge and insides. You are able to get these through doing a co-reflection with them. This input is good inspiration what makes coreflection related to Ideas and Concepts. Because you are working with the real people, the real environment and so the real context you will get more into this particular context. It will help you to think more in that specific context and to get more empathy with the whole context, Socio Cultural Awareness.

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