Evaluation
On reflection, it is interesting to look at how my project has changed and developed since it’s beginning in September. There have been a variety of factors that have affected the decisions I have made, and I feel that generally all the decisions have had a positive outcome.
Initially I did realise that undertaking a project dealing with users that are both young and disabled was going to be challenging. However I possibly underestimated the difficulties I would face in not being able to test any prototypes and being denied any contact with the users.
I have enjoyed the challenges that I have faced in regards to ethical and procedural barriers, and it has not put me off tackling difficult areas in the future. Although I do feel that for a future project I would like to get more involved with a user group by doing more in depth ethnographic studies.
In some regards I was maybe over ambitious to think that I would be able to research this area, prototype and test a design, and then using feedback and results build a final working product. Although I had set out this project with the aim of building a product or space, I do not see it as a negative issue that I have not achieved this. I have found throughout this investigation process that I have got more out of the experience of dealing with experts and users, than I have in the past in producing final products. I am still keen to have a final communication of my research and experience, but I see it more as a bridge between research and design.
For my final solution I have not been able to explore other ways of presenting the issues and stories. It would have been interesting to explore using video or animation, however it would have been difficult because of ethics, as I can not take photos or video of the children. I feel that a booklet is the best solution, and I have tried to keep it simple and feel that the visual side of it is highly important.
I am pleased with how the final booklet has turned out, and feel that it could be a valuable tool for designers.