Reflection
Project Description
This project began with a few small field trips to areas around durango that were a sustainable system. From there we did Empathy Interviews - Empathy Interviews ask questions based around past experiences or their ideal experience in a specific environment to get a better understanding of the users values and needs. After the interviews each ninth grade student designed their own prototype. Eventually we took all of the newly created prototypes and formed them into categories based on similarities. The categories then became groups, and the creators of the prototypes and the group members. Once all of the groups settled they created one prototype for each group. These prototypes would eventually become real. Luckily, All School Exhibition was right when they finished the prototypes so they were able to present and get feedback, critiques, and donations from the public and other Animas High School users. Once the prototypes were finalized the group moved onto the building process. A memorable moment from when we had guest speakers and went of the field trips was when I realized that all of the sustainable designs were simple and didn't have complex content. Such as a house made from tires or straw. Both of which were easily found resources. Another moment that resonated with me was when a guest speak took us around our school and showed us great areas for building. We had chosen to main spots and did a checklist of which ones would be better for a hangout spot. Both were private areas, but one area was warmer because the heat radiated of the metal siding from the building because the sun shone on it. It also had a more green view and environment. The second area had large rocks with smooth edges surrounding the area which gave it a comforting feeling and a bit more private. So, seeing the simple bit small differences really gave me a new perspective on what to look for when trying to find the perfect environment when deciding an area to build in. After being a part of this project I learned that sustainable design is being able to design a structure, environment, or even a physical object that is capable of surviving or operate on its own without an outside force to power it. |
Outdoor / Final Prototype description
I do not think I would have gotten as many important needs and values as I did if I hadn’t done the empathy interviews or peer observations. I’d say that the interviews were more important to me than the observations because I was actually getting direct information from the users along with short stories to give little hints of important details. The needs and values were an essential part to the final product because it gave a better understanding of what users actually want so they feel comfortable in the environment you created for them. I think this is one of my favorite project because of all the freedom we had. Ideas were not forced into your head or suggesting leaving you in a tight mindset. So it gave us great change to make original ideas for your first prototype and then refine it from there. So we really got to have pride in our work and call it our own idea. Our entire group worked on our prototype. Which made it easier to create because each person had a different task. Some worked on making the 3D landscape and the trees and rocks were accurately in the environment. While others worked on the flower beds for the interior of the dome. My task was to make the dome. The mini-dome was simply made from toothpicks and hot glue. I really enjoyed making the mini-dome because it gave just the smallest taste of what the life size dome building process would feel like. Including, some of the difficulties that came with it, like getting the angles correct and ensuring that it is stable enough to hold itself up. |
Reflective Questions:
What skill did you grow in most during this project?
Throughout this project I grew in independent research. Before we began to build i was independently researching geodesic dome build plans. I had come upon an image that showed an simple wooden structure that was in the shape of a dome made from triangles. I found this image very appealing in comparison to all the other images that had complex instructions and structures. I did some research on the image and finally found the website that the image belonged to, This website contained tutorials on how to build a geodesic dome and it also came with a kit. Eventually we did use this site as our main build plan. But without being able to independently research our group would not have been able to order the dome building kit and use the blueprints and instructions.
What skill do I need to grow more in?
The skill I need to grow most in after being in the project is problem solving. Often in this project we would stumble upon small bumps and issues and most of the time I would rely on other group members to help me solve the problem rather than being able to problem solve on my own.An example of this would be when we needed to extract the money from the GoFundMe page to be able to order the kit for the dome. I didn’t know how to do that nor did I have my computer. So I had waited for a while to see if another one of my group members would be able to instead of asking to use their computer to research it or help them with extracting the money.
When was time when things got hard in this project?
A time when things got hard in our group was when we were waiting on supplies to arrive. We had already everything prepped for when the supplies would arrive so we didn’t have much left to do. Often our group would be found doing their own things because we didn’t have projects or jobs for them to work on.
When was a time when you solved a problem in this project?
A time when I solved a problem in this project was when I discover the digital design plan. Our group didn’t have a plan yet and didn’t know what was needed to complete or even build the dome. So when I found the website with a great build plan and kit I feel like it solved a lot of questions and made it easier for us to see how our final would turn out. We were no longer searching and asking a bunch of questions on how we were going to move forward without a design plan.
What did you think success would look like in this project when you started? What do you think success looks like for the project, now?
Success in the beginning of this project looked like having an enclosed geodesic dome with flowers/herbs/plants living inside the dome along with a watering system.A geodesic dome that was sustainable on its own.To be able to use that area as a relaxing area or to give jobs to students. Now success looks like having the structure built and possible the plastic sheeting placed on. Making sure all the flower beds and the bench are in the right place. Success throughout this project has changed but I do not believe very dramatically.
What advice would you give to student who is about to start this project?
Advice I would give to a student that is about to start this project is to ensure that you have all the materials you need before you begin to build. Not only because it a reasonable thing to do but also because it's very difficult and frustrating when you don't have all the materials you need. Usually without the proper materials you either have to wait which potentially waste time or settle for the second the best material which could affect your final product.
What skill did you grow in most during this project?
Throughout this project I grew in independent research. Before we began to build i was independently researching geodesic dome build plans. I had come upon an image that showed an simple wooden structure that was in the shape of a dome made from triangles. I found this image very appealing in comparison to all the other images that had complex instructions and structures. I did some research on the image and finally found the website that the image belonged to, This website contained tutorials on how to build a geodesic dome and it also came with a kit. Eventually we did use this site as our main build plan. But without being able to independently research our group would not have been able to order the dome building kit and use the blueprints and instructions.
What skill do I need to grow more in?
The skill I need to grow most in after being in the project is problem solving. Often in this project we would stumble upon small bumps and issues and most of the time I would rely on other group members to help me solve the problem rather than being able to problem solve on my own.An example of this would be when we needed to extract the money from the GoFundMe page to be able to order the kit for the dome. I didn’t know how to do that nor did I have my computer. So I had waited for a while to see if another one of my group members would be able to instead of asking to use their computer to research it or help them with extracting the money.
When was time when things got hard in this project?
A time when things got hard in our group was when we were waiting on supplies to arrive. We had already everything prepped for when the supplies would arrive so we didn’t have much left to do. Often our group would be found doing their own things because we didn’t have projects or jobs for them to work on.
When was a time when you solved a problem in this project?
A time when I solved a problem in this project was when I discover the digital design plan. Our group didn’t have a plan yet and didn’t know what was needed to complete or even build the dome. So when I found the website with a great build plan and kit I feel like it solved a lot of questions and made it easier for us to see how our final would turn out. We were no longer searching and asking a bunch of questions on how we were going to move forward without a design plan.
What did you think success would look like in this project when you started? What do you think success looks like for the project, now?
Success in the beginning of this project looked like having an enclosed geodesic dome with flowers/herbs/plants living inside the dome along with a watering system.A geodesic dome that was sustainable on its own.To be able to use that area as a relaxing area or to give jobs to students. Now success looks like having the structure built and possible the plastic sheeting placed on. Making sure all the flower beds and the bench are in the right place. Success throughout this project has changed but I do not believe very dramatically.
What advice would you give to student who is about to start this project?
Advice I would give to a student that is about to start this project is to ensure that you have all the materials you need before you begin to build. Not only because it a reasonable thing to do but also because it's very difficult and frustrating when you don't have all the materials you need. Usually without the proper materials you either have to wait which potentially waste time or settle for the second the best material which could affect your final product.