This graduation project was done under guidance of Dr. Gayatri Menon and sponsored by National Institute of Design - Ford Foundation Grant.
This project was done remotely in Global Pandemic and was completed in 7 months, from May 2021 to December 2021.
This project was displayed at the International Webinar on Toys and Games to Play, Make and Learn which was organised by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi under the aegis of Ministry of Education, Government of India.
https://ncert.nic.in/iwtg.php
Phase 1 - Research
In India, waste is a borrowed concept and is ever increasing since the Colonial Era. There are some societies in India who still practice sustainability at a larger level.
In India, the New Education Policy 2020 gives an opportunity to review and relook at the process of educating and awaring the youth of India, to a responsible consumption pattern. This intervention focuses on intuitive engagement of the younger generation to relook at their needs, while reflecting on the issues of climate change and global warming.
This project records and studies the factors and aspects that are affecting the current changes in climate and human lifestyle ultimately.
The research study deals with topics like climate change and its effects, sustainability and its dimensions, circularity and its ways, and Life Cycle Analysis, to study the ways of sustainable approach towards production and consumption of goods.
This study helped in understanding the holistic picture of the changes, that have happened over years in the fields of technology, economy and environment. It keeps a synthesized record of developments and its consequences in social life, creating a new behavioural approach.
SDG Goal:
Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the top 3 goals which were focused and highlighted throughout the project are 7. Affordable and Clean Energy, 12 Responsible consumption and Production and 13. Climate Action.
Concepts that run around Sustainability
Study of different economies was done, like Green Economy, Blue Economy, Circular Economy, Industrial Economy, Bio-Based Economy and Biomimicry. Research was done to understand such different concepts and their implementation on micro-macro levels.
Apart from this, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) assessment was analysed and how products life cycle is assessed and calculated.
This helped in understanding the back-stage play of the products and contribution of production playing a role towards a sustainable life.
Butterfly Diagram - Ellen McArthur Foundation
INDIAN CULTURE AND TRADITIONAL SYSTEM
In ancient India, agriculture was considered a sacred profession, and farmers were highly respected. The techniques used were environmentally friendly, such as crop rotation and natural fertilizers like cow dung. These practices ensured that the land remained fertile and productive for generations.
Indian culture is structured around respecting nature and their surroundings.
This can be seen in many art forms like paintings, classical dance and regional dance, poems, songs, shlokas, attaires, architecture, stories like panchatantra, and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and many more art forms. Many such forms of art over a period of time teach morals and different ways of living.
Education System
Swedish Education system was studied to understand how the system encourages youth to take responsibility and teach through alternative models. This helped in understanding how the Swedish system, promotes gaining and implementing knowledge through practical methods. A study of Swedish Education system answered the major questions:
- How to build more participatory approach?
- How to engage young learners towards having a responsible choice?
- How to enhance play while you learn model?
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the education structure in India will be focused more on making education more experimental and open to customisation. Where the teachers and students learn more from practical knowledge and is based on reality.
Many more aspects are looked at and planned in this NEP 2020, for building a better connection of students and teachers while removing the rote learning and is more theme based structure and along with many field observations and implementations.
Stakeholder Mapping
The main stakeholder for this project is focused on the centre, having students as main stakeholder in the education system.
The very next layer of this Onion Stakeholders, is of the staff members in an educational institution like, teachers, Facilitators or Volunteers. Along with this the very first contact of influence on the student who include, the family / guardians, relatives or friends.
The third layer of this Onion Stakeholder consists of the policy makers, philosophers and the government. After further study and research, the urban section of the society was focused as the stakeholder for this project. This was due to the change in behaviour towards over consumption and sudden economic stability in this section.
PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
The factors like globalisation and industrialization affect the production process and manufacturing methods. While keeping the economy to a capitalistic running economy, many issues of the need generation rises. Many other factors like Political, Economical and Technological affect the process of production.
Creating the 'Need'
With advancement of Technology; Globalisation and Industrialisation of mass production was at a boom. Along with this, politics played an important role in working on the lines of behavioural aspect of consumption. Powerful leaders of such huge companies came up with the 'Planned Obsolescence', which in turn increased the consumption and created the 'Need of Consumption'.
A Consumerist Society
Post the Globalisation and Industrialisation, a shift in economy was seen at large. With rise in capitalism, we witnessed a 'Consumerist Approach'. The society started liking the concept of purchase which gave them happiness of ownership, experience of purchase power and allowing them to own 'New' products. Along with this, the consumerist were seduced with marketing strategies that dealt with creating the feeling of desire, giving individuals identity and status post purchase.
The Bandwagon Effect
Looking at the past and present changes in behaviour towards consumption patterns. In India, it is often seen that a product bought/manufactured in foreign land instantly gave a sense of status and identity to the individuals. Along with this, analysing at the connections between the Bandwagon effect, influence of westernisation and class supremacy created and have distinguished people in structures.
SECONDARY RESEARCH CONCLUSION :
TECHNOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE FACTORS
The major factors affecting the process of production and consumption were mapped. This mind map allowed to structure and identify the core reasons of such change in technological aspects and behavioural aspects. To understand the core working of the current fast paced society is important, when we are addressing a solution towards conscious consumption.
PRIMARY RESEARCH :
FOLLOW A CONSUMER
A small activity was done to understand the flow of product after manufacturing. The product was followed from the shop and later observed with the ways it was used and then disposed of or went out of use.
This Activity of Following a Consumer, helped in analysing a Product's Journey. The consumption point of the product, purpose of the purchase, Use of product and After Life of Product.
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA
Primary Research was done using Experimental Research Method to get a better understanding of the real life behaviour change and the factors that are playing a role in influencing this change.
The approach for the experimental research was to achieve both qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data focused on their choices and behaviour, motivation and beliefs. While the quantitative data was to look at the set of individuals and families and their existing knowledge about climate change.
Set A, was to collect qualitative data, with the help of a set of questions which would answer their connection and concern towards the environment. And note their knowledge and perspective of sustainability.
Set B, collected data based on their choices and approach of selection of products. It also collected data about what they do with the products after its use.
Set C, collected data about their perspective and ways of using the products in their later stage and disposal. And at end small conversation with them to understand their perspective of second hand/passed over products or it's use.
Set D, is a form based set which was divided in 2 parts. Part 1 was a picture journal. Part 2 was a survey.
Research helped in understanding the factors affecting the change in consumption and cognitive aspect of decision making.
As the research questionnaire was set in such a way that would provide participants awareness and thoughts around sustainability and will also provide a glance into their current lifestyle practices.
Research concluded that there was contradiction and gap between participants words, thoughts and actions. They believed they knew about the most effective practices of sustainability and also followed them, but the journal diary sketched a different picture.
It was found that there is a gap between the knowledge, awareness and implementation of Sustainable Practices. Most of the times participants had a misconception and stigma around the term 'Sustainability'. It was also found that all of the participants do not follow more than 4 R's, and R's like Refuse, Reduce and Rethink are seen as difficult to practice. And it was seen that the Indian traditional practices of sustainability like Refurbishing and Repairing are fading away.
INSIGHT : PAST AND PRESENT
Post the research, the major factors were mapped and analysed. It was seen that how Time, Money and reduced Connect (with nature) has changed in the past was seen and noted through the interviews.
And how, misconceptions were generated constantly by the media and how the availability and multiple choices of products in market is affecting the consumption pattern.
Apart from this, the motivators for all generations were different and addressing the probes that can help in building awareness and reflection among the upcoming generations consumption choices.
These can be done through making touch points visible, zooming out for big picture, building concern and having informative sessions, change in attitude with social rewards approach etc.
PERSONA MAPPING
DESIGN DIRECTION
Looking at the factors, the project was given directions to re-think the goals and context building.
4 Design Directions were identified.
Change in attitude looked at bringing back the emotional durability and connection with products.
Social Rewards was an approach taken to inform about the sustainable alternatives with a fun and learn approach.
Removing misconceptions was an important direction that needed to be addressed, in awaring individuals of how they can manage to stay sustainable with the 12 R's.
Keeping the Practices alive was a challenge and needed toolkits/ guide in how we can continue with them.
The 'How might we' Goal was restructured based on the insights. From which a 'Fun and Learn' Approach was finalised.
As a solution, a set of strategic board game was designed. The research, ideation and conceptualisation, prototyping and user testing is documented in Product Design Section.
