A toolkit for learning and designing with emerging technologies.
Project Details
Year:
2018
Client:
Team:
Alejandro Ramos Saveedra, Alexander Davies, Gregory Pepper, Helen van Baal, Johannes Mutter, Liwa Soosuk, Melisa Leñero, Michele Chu, Mikhail Wertheim Aymes, Steven Chang
FLOW is a toolkit and methodology for visually and intuitively designing complex systems with emerging technologies. The design facilitated methodology aims at helping designers, individuals and businesses alike better understand and apply digital and information technologies. The aim of this is to enable anyone to create innovations based on emerging tech - something that otherwise is left to a privileged few who have the resources and structures to do so. The initial kit is designed to adapt and incorporate new elements and discoveries as they emerge.
Insight
Software Is Still Eating the World
Industries are still becoming software-driven services. These are quite often described with an "as a service" or "tech" suffix, almost business cliche at this point. Every product is becoming a software product.
If It's Not Measured, It's Not Managed
While this idiom doesn't ring true for all cases, it does embody the current push for an Internet of Things (IoT) where data is used to optimize for the outcomes we desire – eg. zero carbon emissions.
Rise of the Service Economy and Automation
Entertainment, groceries, clothing, software – is anything not a subscription service these days? Services that are successful in the long run rely on automation and embedded feedback loops to maintain efficiency and inform improvements.
Problem
Emerging Tech Is Hyped and Hard to Understand
AI is going to enslave us all! Woah there, first how many people actually know what Artificial Intelligence really means? Exactly.
It's Not Always Clear How to Apply Emerging Tech
What's the difference between Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing? Which scenarios are they best used for?
Complex Systems Are Difficult to Comprehend
Digital technologies introduce new layers of complexity with intricate data flows that are difficult to visualize using code.
Opportunity
How can we make designing complex systems with emerging technologies visual and intuitive for everyone?
Result
The FLOW Toolkit for Learning How to Design with Emerging Technologies
The language that FLOW uses is designed in a way that doesn’t only help you create the system for making your idea real, but as you do so you learn about these technologies.
By using visual and physical language FLOW lets you break down and communicate the complexity of a system in a structured way.
Final Prototype Arranged to Demonstrate a Smart Thermostat System
Everything You Need To Start Designing
Ideation Cards To Get You Started
Step By Step Design Guides
Concept Card to Document Your Idea
Components to Represent Tech and Data Flows
The Handbook: A Mini Wiki of Technologies
Case Studies of Well Known Tech-Based Services
Approach
Research, Prototyping and Testing
We iteratively developed the kit through workshops with students, professors, and professionals in Singapore, Bangkok and London. Prototyping with offcuts from a wood workshop, post-its, string and blue tack allowed us to quickly learn how valuable the visual and haptic components were for user understanding and clarity.
During workshops we realised users were referring to different concepts using the same word. For example Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing were used interchangeably which is technically incorrect. To address this we designed a handbook with standard definitions that will enable teams to design using the same language.
Mapping Out Design and Technology Components
Paper Prototyping in Thailand (the power/lights had gone out!)
First Prototype Made with Wood, String, Putty and Labels
Workshops with Students in Singapore
Second Prototype Used Magnets to Connect Components
