Job as a design researcher, Systemic Design Lab, TU Delft
June 2020 - May 2021
Take a look at www.belongingproject.org and www.delftdesignlabs.org/systemic-design-lab
Used & improved competences
Coordinating a project - Building and maintaining a network - Facilitating workshops - Literature review - Case study - Academic writing - Knowledge of designing for human connectedness
It’s human nature to want to fit in. Indeed, at some point in our lives, most of us – whether classified as a shy introvert or the most outgoing of extroverts – experience that awkward feeling of not quite belonging. But what does it actually mean to belong? The Belonging Project aims to find the answer to this question and to understand and learn how we can design for human connectedness.
Human connectedness is an essential element of our wellbeing and refers to the supportive, positive social relationships that give life purpose and meaning. Lacking a sense of human connectedness for a longer period of time can negatively affect our overall wellbeing drastically.
By studying literature from the field of psychology and sociology, we learned about the nuances of human connectedness. Understanding the differences enables designers to design effective interventions when aiming to impact human connectedness.
We concluded the one-year project with a paper, which is currently being reviewed. A case study on innovative interventions that are designed to impact human connectedness was performed, to find out whether these interventions result in the intended outcome and if so, how that outcome is achieved.
In the paper, we present a typology of intended outcomes (which I will share here once the paper is approved). We argue that it is essential that designers develop a more nuanced understanding of human connectedness and how it can be achieved, which designers can use to develop successful interventions.