Contextual Empathy, The Indian Networkresearchonline.rca.ac.uk/3596/1/Contextual Empathy... ·...

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DESIGN RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE Contextual Empathy, The Indian Train Network Dr. Robert Phillips 1 and Professor Roberto Fraquelli 2 1 Royal College of Art, Design Products. 2 Schumacher College. ABSTRACT The Indian railway network is the 4 th largest in the world, spanning 80,000 miles and supplies trade, tourism and travel to a wide variety of audiences and users. This paper reports on a series of design activities run on the rail network with the general public in the development of empathetic and meaning-centred approaches within ethnographic and co-design processes. Authors approached the challenge sensitively, stewarding participants to engage and develop their own local understanding and design strategies. The research engaged with live on-the-spot public audiences, increasing the unpredictability and serendipitous nature of the inquiry. This added an extra edge to conventionally planned empathic processes, often unexplored within user centred design. Passengers engaged and responded to real-time ‘live’ design challenges whilst journeying across the Gujarat region of India. The work yielded insights for ‘open user centred design’ and repeatable lessons for ‘live-working’ emphasising the importance of ensuring direct contextual experiences within creative empathic methodologies. Dr. Robert Phillips [email protected] Professor Roberto Fraquelli [email protected] KEYWORDS User centred design, Design for Diversity, Cultural Context, Live working

Transcript of Contextual Empathy, The Indian Networkresearchonline.rca.ac.uk/3596/1/Contextual Empathy... ·...

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DESIGNRESEARCHINPROFESSIONALPRACTICEContextualEmpathy,TheIndianTrainNetworkDr.RobertPhillips1andProfessorRobertoFraquelli21RoyalCollegeofArt,DesignProducts.2SchumacherCollege.ABSTRACTTheIndianrailwaynetworkisthe4thlargestintheworld,spanning80,000milesandsuppliestrade,tourismandtraveltoawidevarietyofaudiencesandusers.Thispaperreportsonaseriesofdesignactivitiesrunontherailnetworkwiththegeneralpublicinthedevelopmentofempatheticandmeaning-centredapproacheswithinethnographicandco-designprocesses.Authorsapproachedthechallengesensitively,stewardingparticipantstoengageanddeveloptheirownlocalunderstandinganddesignstrategies.Theresearchengagedwithliveon-the-spotpublicaudiences,increasingtheunpredictabilityandserendipitousnatureoftheinquiry.Thisaddedanextraedgetoconventionallyplannedempathicprocesses,oftenunexploredwithinusercentreddesign.Passengersengagedandrespondedtoreal-time‘live’designchallengeswhilstjourneyingacrosstheGujaratregionofIndia.Theworkyieldedinsightsfor‘openusercentreddesign’andrepeatablelessonsfor‘live-working’emphasisingtheimportanceofensuringdirectcontextualexperienceswithincreativeempathicmethodologies.Dr.RobertPhillipsrobert.phillips@rca.ukProfessorRobertoFraquelliroberto.fraquelli@schumachercollege.org.ukKEYWORDSUsercentreddesign,DesignforDiversity,CulturalContext,Liveworking

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ContextualEmpathy,TheIndianTrainNetwork

INTRODUCTIONDesigning for people, communities or demographics is a complex and sensitive process. It isimportant tounderstand the contextual informationand ramifications surrounding theperceivedproductrequirementsandtheusers’aspirations.Tocontextualiseactivitiesandbehaviours,in-depthobservations of “in the field” 1 praxis of are often required. Our work introduces and tests ‘liveworking’,aprocesscreatingin-situstudiosforparticipantdesignerstoestablishcontextualempathyandawiderangeusercentredoutputs.Theauthorsbuildonexistingpractices,locatingtheapproachwithinthefollowingpractices:

EthnographyEthnographypracticeimpartsrealworld“everydaycontexts,ratherthansomewhatrigidconditionscreatedbyresearchers”2,providingliveparticipant-ledinsights.Thepracticeexploresdichotomiesbetween“whatpeoplesaytheydoandwhattheyactuallydo”3.Wherenecessary,researchers“gonative,” 4 viewing the world through the eyes of those they are studying.When “ethnography isappliedtodesign,ithelpsdesignerscreatemorecompellingsolutions”5basedongroundedinsights.Participant observation, ethnography and fieldwork are synonymous to “spending long periodswatching people, talking to them about what they are doing, thinking and saying, designed tounderstandtheirworld”6.Observationsareprocessedintoinsightsseedingconceptualthinkinganddesignoutcomes.In‘UniversalMethodsofDesign’,Haningtonetalstatethat“Ethnographypracticesmustexercisecautiontoavoidthetendencytofindwhatyouarelookingfor”7.

Ethnography builds levels of awareness and empathy through perception. C. G. Jung, the 20thcenturySwissPhysiologist,devotedresearchtounderstandanalyticalpsychologyandthenatureofawareness.Jungproposesinterestingmodelsoncharacteristicsofsensitivity,and,similartotheartofdesign,attacheshistheoriestotheaspectofperception.Designingisverymuchaboutperceptionandhowweseethings,butalsotheirinterpretationandexpression.Oneofhis‘quaternity’theoriesrelatesto4aspectsofseeing,whichreferstofourpsychicfunctions:sensing,thinking,feeling,andintuiting.The“essentialfunctionofsensationistoestablishthatsomethingexists,thinkingtellsuswhatitmeans,feelingwhatitsvalueis,andintuitionsurmiseswhenceitcomesandwhitheritgoes”8.Sensingandintuitinghetermsasirrationaltypes,withthinkingandfeelingasrationaltypes.

InAigas’‘EthnographyPrimer’,itidentifiessixstagesofethnographicresearch:“problemdefinition,findthepeople,plananapproach,collectdata,analysedataandinterpretopportunitiesandfinallysharetheinsights”9.Ethnographicanalysis,specificallywithindesignpractice,“linksfindingstoaconcrete direction” 10 through scenarios or insightful opportunities. This process of developingperception and the outcome are dependent on the nature and temperament of the participants(observersandobservees),incombinationwiththesituation/environment/frameworkwheretheworkistakingplace.Inotherwords,althoughthemethodologyattemptstobeobjective,ethnographyisnotcompletelyimpartialofsubjectandyieldsan“interpretationandmeaning”11ofwhatisseen.

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Co-designThepracticeofco-designoftenbuildsaround“tools thatcreatea fluency”12andengagement.Co-design is ameans to understandpeoples “behaviours andperceptions” 13 by placing themat thecentreofthedesignprocess.Theprocessofco-designcan“becreativeforallstakeholdersinvolved”14ifthereismoreprofessionaldesignerinvolvement.Whilstvery“fewhighstreetdesignerswillhavethetimetoengageinthesesortsofactivities”15,theyareimportantforgettingawiderperspectivefrom,orwith,theintendedaudience.Theapproachimpliesthatcustomerscanactasconceptcreatorsbutalsoengageas“detectorsofvalue-in-context”16.Co-designhelpsdesignersgather“informationabout thecontextsofpeople’s interactionswithproducts” 17so thatstakeholderscanhelpdefine,addressandsolvechallenges.

EmpathyThe“best-designedproductsandservicesresultfromunderstandingtheneedsofthepeoplewhowillusethem”18.Although‘bestdesignedproducts’couldbedependentonone’sinterpretation,thereisacertaingenuinenessinanoutcomewhenthereisastronginter-connectednessbetweendesigneranduser.Understandingtheneedsorlatent(deep-rooted)needsrequiresanauthenticconnectionbetweenobserveeandobserver thatgoesbeyonddetectingwhatpeopledoandwhat theysay tobeingsensitivetohowtheytrulyfeelandthink.Sensitivity,orthepsychicfunctionsasdescribedbyC.GJungofthinking/feelingandsensing/intuiting,arebothrationalandirrational.Bothconsciouslyand subconsciously, these affect and influence our insights, reasoning and construction of ideas.EmpathicDesignisnotasubstituteforatechnologicalorfunctionalorientatedapproachtodesignbut complements it by placing people, their interactions and behaviours at the centre. Brenés 19definition of empathy is about feeling with people: attached, coupled and without judgement,differentiating it from sympathy that drives disconnection - a feeling towards or detached fromothers20.Remainingobjectivemayseemcounterinstinctiveinallthisbutourattentiontoempathyalsorequiresapositionofequanimity;adualisticpositionofbothattachmentandseparationinordertomakesenseofthings.

UserCentredDesignDesign practice has naturally matured beyond “insider tools”21 that enabled designers to viewthrough the participants’ eyes; to include and involve users in the design process itself. “Gettingpeoplepersonally,emotionallyengagedsotheycanreflectonaprocess”22unitesthedesignthinkingofbothdesigneranduser.TheHumanCentredDesign (HCD) toolkit 23 sponsoredby theBill andMelindaGatesFoundationidentifiesanumberofreasonswhyorganisationsshoulddoHCD.Theseinclude:aconnectednesstopeopleyouwishtoserve,transformationofdataintoactionableideas,generation of new opportunities and speed and efficiency of getting to solutions. The toolkitreferences threeDesignThinking lenses: “desirability, feasibilityandviability” 24whichprovideaperspectiveonassessingorsteeringtheoutcomesand/orprocess.AnotherkeyaspectofHCDistherecordingandsharingofobservationspostfieldwork.Inamorereflectiveenvironment,teamscanprobefurtherabstractconceptualthinkingandexplorationsaroundinsightsandopportunities.

ParticipatorydesignTraditionally, participatory design has involved users in “evaluative research: testing existingproductsorprototypesofdevelopedconcepts”25.Participatorydesignisdifferenttoco-designasithasmore“open-endedoutputstolookfor[design]opportunities”26.Theoftennon-linearprocessofparticipatory design involves the client, the user, the designer and alternate stakeholders27. Theprocessofparticipatorydesignexploresusers’either“existingorpossiblecontextsofuse,aidingthedesignteamtohaveamoreempatheticapproach”28.Thepracticeofparticipatorydesigncanoftencreatea“richsetting”29todiscussandworkwithin.Theparticipatorydesignprocessshouldtaketheparticipant through “small steps” 30 of a process, without overwhelming them. The process of

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includingusersindesignprocessesshouldinclude“lookingatpeopleincontext,activelyinvolving[them to] try things” 31. In Participatory Design in Informatics, Carroll and Rosson state: “inparticipatorydesign,thedesigner’sroleismorenuancedandmorecomplex.Ideally,alltherelevantstakeholdersparticipateineventheinnerloopofdesignconception,andallcontinuetoparticipatemeaningfullyasthedesignisspecified,implemented,delivered,installed,andused”32.DirectcontextualempathyDirectcontextualempathyisabouttransformativeliveencounters,asopposedtotransmissive‘letmetellyouaboutit’events.Itrequiresimmersionintangiblecontexts,observingrealpeoplesothatyoumightunderstandwhyyoufeelwhattheyfeelandthinkwhattheythink.Itstimulatesyourdirect,responsiveand intuitivecreativityandprovidesstrongrationalesand foundations fordevelopingdesignideas.Design,orthegenerationandemergenceofnewforms,isdefinedbythepropertiesandtherelationshipbetweenallthecomponents(ofthesystem)comingtogether33.Oneofthewaysthatwehave been reflecting ondirect contextual empathy is to describe itwithin a systems-thinkingframeworkoffourinter-dependentcomponents:

• First-handknowledgeandexperienceoftheprojectcontext(Indianrailways)• Ourprocessesandmethodologies(ethnography+co-design+empathy+usercentreddesign),• Thenatureandexperiencesofthepeoplethatmake-uptheteam(designers,passengersandrailwaystaff)

• Thesynchronisticopportunitiesthatpresentthemselvesastheworkevolves.Directcontextualempathyisoneparticularframeworkthatprovidesastructurefromwhichwedevelopour ideas,muchlikescaffoldingerectedforabuilding. It isavitalelementalprocess,but,oncecomplete,itisdismantledandputaway.

ContextualintroductionTheNationalInstituteforDesign(NID)isagloballywellrespectedUGandPGdesignInstituteinIndia.Ithascampuses inAhmadabad,GandinagarandBengaluru.Everyyear theyrunelectives invitinginternationaldesignersandacademicstoparticipatein‘live’projects.In2016theprojectwas‘Designforrailways’.TheIndianRailways(IR)isanationalasset,atransportnetworkconnectingfar-flungareasofthecountry.Itisoneofthelargesttransportationandlogisticsnetworksoftheworld,whichruns19,000 trains. It runs12,000 trains to carryover23millionpassengersperday, connectingabout8,000stationsspreadacrossthesub-continent.ItisequivalenttomovingtheentirepopulationofAustralia.Thetrainnetworkruns“morethan7,000freighttrainsperday,carryingabout3milliontonnesoffreighteveryday”34.The“biggestchallengefacingIndianRailwaystodayisitsinabilitytomeetthedemandsofitscustomers,bothfreightandpassenger”35.IR’schallengesare“cleanliness,punctuality of services, safety, quality of terminals, capacity of trains, quality of food, security ofpassengersandeaseofbookingticketsareissuesthatneedurgentattention”36.Tocomprehendtheuserdensityof IndianRailways, in2013-14 they “carried8,425.6millionpassengers” 37,which isabout1,430millionhigherthantheworld’spopulationcombined.

The Indian Railways are a universal democratic power, a taxi or airplane is not, as they areaccessibletoallandbuilttolast.InAllMenAreBrothers,Gandhistatedthat“nohumanbeingshouldbeastrangertoanother”andthat“wewillloveallmankindwithoutanydistinctionofraceorclassorreligion”38.Gandhi’sapproachistranslatedintotheIndianrailways,astheyaredemocraticandreflectiveofcontextualvalues.Itisacknowledgedthatthereareissuesofabuseand‘class’inherentinIR,butthereisalsoacohesivesociallevelling.Theprojecttookagroupapproach,sharingvaluesand collegially building on concepts and directions. Throughout the process, the authors wereconsciousallowingthesituationandunfoldingofevents(emergenceofideas)todirectthecourse,pace,processandoutcomesasnaturallyaspossible.Theirapproachwas to install (rekindle)andencourage a sense ofaweandwonder in theproceedings, supressing lenses of judgement and to

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encourage participants to think of themselves as ‘stewards’ rather than ‘masters’ of theirobservationsanddesignideas.

METHODTheproject’sinitiationdidnotuseatraditional‘designbrief’.Thecontextualfocuswasthe‘interiortrainjourneyexperience’,specificallylower-classcarriages.ThedesignparticipantswerestudentsonMAcourseswithbackgroundsinvehicledesign, illustration,animation,furnitureandgraphics,hailing from locations around India. To create understanding between the multi-disciplineparticipants,metaphors and analogieswereused to communicate concepts, building onpreviousresearch 39.Themethodfor theworkshopdrewonallcontextualreferencespreviouslydescribed(Figure1.).

Figure1.Theculturalempathyprocess.Source:Authorgenerated

BriefinggroupTheworkshop startedwith a briefing (Figure 1) and participants were asked to ‘park’ previousexperiencesofIRs.Participantswereguidedtobuildoncolleagues’concepts,notdisposeofthem.InProfessional perspectives on collaborative design work, Feast describes that “collaborative designshouldtargetnotonlymethodsofsolvingdesignproblems,butalsoinformalandsocialinteractionsthatbringtogetherdifferentstakeholderswhilerespectingtheirdifferences”40.TheauthorsbuiltonFeast’s empathic design approach by removing hierarchical structures through group discussion,democratic voting, contemplative reflection and removal of ‘titles’. The briefing includedcontemporary observation examples, recording methods and ethnographic readings including;Experience prototyping 41, AIGA ethnography primer 42, Ethnography practice 43 and co-designprinciples44.Themethodsandliteratureformedcornerstonesforteamstoscaffoldon.Theauthorsintroducedethicsandempathy,reinforcingtherequirementthatIndiancultureandcontextswerecentraltotheresearch,nottheauthors.

EmpathytrialAfterthebriefing,participantsvisitedcontextuallocationstodocumentthemes,includingmarkets,manufacturersandretailers.Onthe‘empathytrial’,togatherculturalobservations,participantstriedmethods building their confidence. Once observations were gathered, the participants ‘affinitymapped’45tohighlightinterests.Themappingenabledparticipantstoreviewactivitieswitnessingcommonissues,affinitiesandpossibleinterventionpoints.Themapsalsoprovidedopportunitiesforcolleaguesto“borrow”46conceptsorisolateareasofinterest,buildingonIDEO’smethodologies.Itwasimperativetotheauthor/stewardsthattheparticipantswerenotproblemfindingbutthemeandcontext exploring. The ‘trial’ provided ameans to practice themethodology for participants. The

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authors become ‘stewards’, guiding participants without dictating personal interests. Theethnographic process was repeated on short train journeys, so participants could ground theirthinkingincontextualvalues.Theethnographytrialrationalewastwo-fold:

1. Atrialforparticipantstogaincomfortandconfidencewithethnographyandopportunisticco-design.

2. TheIRjourneyenabledthemtofocustheirinterestasanexploratoryprocess.InOndesigningopen-endedinterpretationsforcollaborativedesignexploration,Mattemakietalstate“Empathycannotbeachievedwithoutengagement,andinspirationgoeshandinhandwithcross-disciplinary collaborations involving tangiblematerials fromwhich to be inspired from andwithwhich towork” 47.Participantswere reminded that theethnographyprocessaidsus to “discovermeaning,understandnorms,beworldly,identifybarriersandobservereality”48.Participantswereencouraged todocumenteverything,as insightsshouldbepostanalysed,comprehendingculturalcontextandnotsolelyproblemfinding.

InMakingCulture:LocatingtheDigitalHumanitiesinIndia,MurrayandHanddescribeaparticularIndian culture: ‘Jugaad’. Jugaad, is an “indigenous form of hacking that differs from its westerncounterpart in its ubiquity, precipitated by economic constraints and lack of resources” 49. ThepracticeofJugaadisdeeprootedinIndiancultureandthefreedomitbrings.ThedoctrineofJugaadiscomparabletoSuri’s“experienceprototyping”50,makingand‘adaptingonthefly’,suitingusersand familiar to theparticipants.Both thedesignrationaleandcultural surroundingsof ‘adaption’createdgoodbedfellowsfortheparticipants’andtheusers’comprehension.

Live-workingThe concept of ‘live-working’ builds on Dindlers’ work in The construction of fictional space inparticipatorydesignpractice.Dindleradvocates forparticipatorydesignas“designerscanscaffoldthecreationoffictionalspaceinPDintermsofhowdesignworkisstaged”51.Theauthorstookthe‘designspace’conceptandtrialled it live,ratherthanstagingbehindcloseddoors.The ‘live-work’approach is hard to repeat in a ‘classroom setting’ as it is intertwined with the contextualenvironment,howeverthemethodisveryrepeatable.Thecontextualimportanceisalsore-enforcedby Binder and Brandt in The Design: Lab as platform in participatory design research. AuthorsscaffoldedfromBinderandBrandtsworktaking“participatorydesignresearchintofieldsthathavenot traditionallybeenseenas therealmofdesignersordesignresearchers” 52.Placing thedesignpractitioneronlocationisnotnew,providingthecapabilitiesofextendingthedesigner/researcherscapabilities to respond to ‘live’ conditions is important and transformative. Binder and Brandt“learned that the success of participatory design research is dependent on all partners puttingsomethingatstakeintheprocess”53,creatingempathicdesign.Onekeyaspectofanempathicdesignapproachislocating‘live’opportunitiesforobservationsandfieldwork.

InCo-creationandthenewlandscapesofdesign,theauthorscomment:“weareheadingintoaworldwhereexperienceoftentrumpsreality”54.TheauthorsaligntheirapproachwithSanders,buildingallianceswithusersofservicesandproductsaccompanyingdesigners.ThisapproachisalsoakintoIDEO’s51MethodCards.TheMethodCardsaredividedinto4suits:“ask,watch,learnandtry”55.Theyidentifyandillustrateanumberofexercisesonhowtocarryoutempathicexerciseswithusers;going into context; observing real people; learnwho, what why andwhen; empathise with howpeoplefeelandthink(notjustwhattheysayanddo);howtovalueyourinsights(andintuition)andvarioustechniquesonhowrecordandsharediscoveries56.Thesevalueswerepartofthebriefing,soparticipantswereequippedwithappropriateskillsets.Thefreshapproachencouragesdiversityforrecruitmentandengagement.

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‘Live’onlocationDuringtrainjourneys,participantstookmodel-makingmaterialstoimproviseandbuildprototypeslivewhilsttravellingwithfellowpassengers.ThisapproachbuiltonMetatlaetal’sDesigningwithandfor people living with visual impairments: audio-tactile mock-ups, audio diaries and participatoryprototyping.Metatlaetalstate“Methodsusedtoengageusers inthedesignprocessoftenrelyonvisualtechniques,suchaspaperprototypes,tofacilitatetheexpressionandcommunicationofdesignideas.Thevisualnatureof these toolsmakes them inaccessible” 57 to cross languagedivides.Themodelmaterialsactedasaphysicaldevicethatcouldconquerlanguage,communicationandculturalbarriers. The intention of themodelmakingmaterials enabled the participants to cross barriers,enabling fluid communication through ‘live-working’. In The Nature and Art of Workmanship 58defines the context and importanceofmaking,notonly through craftsmanship, but in the “act ofmaking”;buildingonthiswascriticaltothework.

ContextuallocationThecontextualenvironmentofthetrainpresentedhapticobservations,listedbelow.

Figure2.Washingchildren’sclothesonthetrain.Source:Authorphotograph

Figure3.Useradaptingcarriageforportablecot,rockingthemtosleep.Source:Authorphotograph

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Figure4.Immersiveexperienceofridingthedoor.Source:Authorphotograph

Thecontextualvenue(thetrain)wasperfectforthistypeofworkastravellerswereinterestedinwhatwashappeningandtheyhadtimetospareoftenwithlittleentertainment.Thetrainprovidedsituationsof:washing(Figure2),improvisation(Figure3)andwerequitefreefromhealthandsafetyconcerns(Figure4).Theparticipantsappearedastouristsaidinginteractions,asphotographsandinterviewswereacceptedandvery interactive.TheprocessorientatedaroundJugaadthat isbothsocially and culturally acceptable, letting people adapt and re-appropriate. The authors feelappropriatesettingsarecritical;thetrainsgaveparticularfreedom,contextandsuitableconstraint.

Results

Live-workingparticipantresponsesInonetraincompartment,aparticipantgroupwerelookingatopportunitiestoencourageexchange,conversation or interaction between passengers and were drawing simple things in chalk likenoughts and crosses andother suchuniversal games. In anadjacent carriage,designparticipantswere commenting on the lack of bins and, consequently, passengerswere simply throwing theirrubbishoutof theopenwindows.Thedesignersand fellowpassengersgot talkingand set aboutconstructingideasofdesigningbinsontheoutsideofthecarriagesoasto‘gowith’people’snaturalinstinctorbehaviourandconstructedsomemakeshiftbinsjustbelowthewindow.Theyalsohadanideaonhowtoopentheexternalbinsautomaticallyjustbeforeeachcarriageapproachesthestation,dumpingtherubbishintoabigcentralhopperandtherebyhavingarefreshedbinateverystation.Encouragingpeople(manyofwhommaybeilliterate)tothinkecologicallyandtoplacetheirrubbishinabin(anybin)wasanobviousobservationandsomethingtosolve.

There is somethingabout travellingona train that isunique.Althoughyoucan’t leavebetweenstations(despiteallthedoorsbeingleftopen),itiseasytogetupfromyourseatandmovearound,albeitinaconfinedtrainspace.Also,spendingafewdaysonatrainjourney(averyshortdistanceforIndian railways) encourages a level of interest andenquiry inotherpeople’s activities.One teamconstructedmoreappropriatefurniture(Fig5).Initiallyconceptsprovidedalaptopsizedtable,butmoving congestion presented instant issues and damage to prototypes. Quickly, a new tablewasfashionedoutoftheremnantmodellingmaterialsbutthistimeitmorphedintoalongthinteaperch,stretchingthelengthofthebenchseats(Fig6).Theprocessalsocreatedinterventionsinthetoilets,whichpassengerswerehappytoactivelycritique.

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Figure5.Liveworkingintrainstudio.Source:AuthorphotographFigure6.Liveworking.Source:Authorphotograph

This openmindset of continually contributing to each other’s ideas and concepts seemed bothnaturalanddemocratic; a senseof ‘us’working together.Perhaps itwasa reflectionofa culturaltoleranceandhumilitythatreflectsacharacteristicoftheenvironmentandpeoplewithwhomwewereworking.However,theconsequenceofsuchegalitarianbehaviourmeantthatdecisionstooklongertoreachcomparedtoamoreautonomousorsingularityapproachto ideas.Theprocessofrecording and sharing observations is a powerful tool to help you remember detail, context andsituationsthatmightotherwisehavebeenforgotten.Itprovidesanopportunitytoreflectandenquirealittledeeperwiththoseyouareobserving,particularlyasusersoftentendtowardsgivingpositivefeedbacktoavoidseemingoffensive.Itprovidesmaterialyoucanreflectonaftertheeventtogivecolleaguesachancetointerpretandbuildontheideasofothers.Itprovidesusefulmaterialthatyoucanreflectonquietlyafterthe‘event’,aprocessofcontemplativereflectionnotnormallyincludedinconventionalfast-pacedhigh-energydesignledworkshops.

DISCUSSIONWithanyempathicwork,asensitivityandawarenessofcultureiscriticaland,although“itisneveragoodideatostereotype”59thereappearedtobeaveryhighleveloftoleranceamongstpassengers.AlthoughIndiahasextremelydiverseculturaldemographic,workshopparticipantsfeltcomfortableaskingquestionsinHindi,UrduorEnglish.AlotofpassengerstravelgreatdistancesontrainsandsoexpecttoconverseandinteractwithstrangersfromalloverIndia.Thetrainsareoftenfullandthismight well encourage conversation (perhaps a little different to travelling on UK trains).‘Conversation’wasoneofourthemes/frameworksderivedfromsomeoftheearlyworkthathelpedspearheadanumberofideas.

Itisastrongargumentthatwhenandwhereshouldothercultures‘flyin’andunderstandcontextualvalues,whycan’tweleaveittothelocalsinstead?Theauthorsarenotadvocatingforacolonialistperspective. Bruce Nussbaum, Professor of Innovation and Design at Parsons states that this is‘HumanitarianDesigntheNewImperialism’.Heexpandsbyadvocatingwhetherornot“designersarecollaboratingwiththerightpartners,learningfromthebestlocalpeople,beingassensitiveastheymighttothecoloniallegaciesofthecountriestheywanttodogoodin”60.Theauthorsareadvocatingforcontextuallocalempathy,appropriatetoprojectoutputs,notcolonialism.

ProcessThe‘liveworking’yieldedquickresultswiththeparticipantsthathadneverdesigned‘in-situ’.Itbuiltuponethnographicprinciplesof,“whatpeoplesaytheydoandwhattheydoaredifferent”61.Liveworking encouraged participants to actively engage and develop concepts quickly, there is aresponsivemomenthoweverthatwouldneedtoberepeatedovertimesoparticipantsdonotsee

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outputsas‘whimsicle’.Theprocessofbuildingculturalempathythroughliveworkingbuildsonco-designprinciplesof“behavioursandperceptions”62byplacingthemcentrallyinthedesignprocess.The authors see this as an extension of co-design but not participatory design. The process ofparticipatorydesignexploreseitherusers’ “existingorpossible contextsofuse, aiding thedesignteamtohaveamoreempatheticapproach”63.Thepracticeofparticipatorydesigncanoftencreatea“rich setting”64 to discuss and work within. The participatory design process should take theparticipant through “small steps”65 of a process, without overwhelming them. However, the liveworking process guides them through a pertinent solution or output based on all of themethodologiespreviouslymentioned.

The composition of this project tasked participants with an initial series of light warm-upassignments;photographingandsharingtogetherimagesofwhatmightdefinethediversityofIndianculture.Watchingandrecordingeverydaycitylife(beforeventuringoutonthetrains)helpedfosterandexerciseanempathicmind-setofdiscoveryandexploration.Makingmistakesandovercomingthe awkwardness of trying new processes, participants soon became more relaxed and themechanistic process of seeing (observational field work) was exchanged with empathictransformativeinsights.Thistransformativeexperienceresonatedwithnumerousparticipantsandpassengers;forexample,theyunderstoodwhatinsecuritycouldfeellikeforwomentravellingalone.Once the rapport becomesnatural andbarriers between ‘observer’ and ‘observee’wane, real co-designingemerges,androlesbecomesomewhatindistinguishable.Spendingtimeincontext;workingonthetrainswithpassengers,foodsellersandtrainstaffisallabout‘live’workingandrespondingintuitivelytoemergingconcepts.Thisimmediateworkingprocessaffordsmomentsofserendipitythatalignskeypassengers,trainstaffanddesignresearcherstoanideathatcanbeprototyped,testedandevaluatedinrealtime.

MethoddifferentiationTheliveworkingprocessdifferentiatesitselfbecause:

• Itisfixedtospecificlocationsandisinstantlycontextuallygrounded.• Itdoesnotrequireactiverecruitment,justpassinginterest,loweringthebarrierstoentry.• Participantscanseedirectlywhatthemotivationistoparticipatewithaquickdiscussion.• Itseeksparticipationoutsideoforganisers/designersunderstandingorcomprehension.• Itcandirectlyimpacttheirsurroundings,discussingwithrelevantstakeholderslive.• Theworkbuildsonparticipatorydesign,butisdifferentiatedduetoitslocationwithinspecificcontextswhilstincludingeveryonewithinitsproximity.

Thereisaninherentadvantageandefficiencyingroundingideasinstantaneouslywithpassengersonrealjourneys,asopposedtomakingaseriesofobservationsandbringingthembacktothestudiotodevelop.Oneadvantageisthattheprocessrealisesthepotentialofanideaimmediately,andprovidesthedesignerwiththeopportunitytoclosetheloopwithpassengersthathelpcreatetheidea.Oftentheimpulseandmeaningofcapturinganideacanbedilutedifnotaddressedinstantly–abitlikeeatingfreshlypickedfruit.Havingtheopportunitytogenerateandtestideaswithpassengersthatare there ready and eager to help is a fantastic natural resource and stimulation for creativity.Natural, in the sense that the recruitment is unbiased, opportunistic and extremely exciting.Assuming that all the appropriate anonymity and confidentiality requirements are preserved theselectionprocessprovedunencumberedby the inertiaofhaving toplan,setupandrecord timedobservationalsessions.

Widerlearningfromliveworking

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Onedelightofcombiningdirectcontextualknowledgewithdirectcontextualempathyisthesynergyand‘us-work’;greatforthosethatthriveon‘symbiotic’teamworkingpracticesandverydifferentfrom the fly-on-the-wall ethnographic research. Approaching the project with humility, awe andwonderarecharacteristicsnotoftenexpressedinusercentreddesignbutarealwaysadvantageousinobservationalresearch.Inthesituationoftheauthors’Indianrailwayproject,thesecharacteristicsdefineaccuratelyourattitudetocontextualempathy.

Our intention was to follow a systematic study of people, Indian train culture and a designmethodology thatwould derive a series of defined phases: insights, strategies and expression ofdesigninteractionsanddetails.Inreality,thesephasesblendedandmergedwithalotofon-the-spotimprovisation. Although we worked towards an overall objective of embedding an ecologicalawarenesswehadtoquicklylearntodetachfromourexpectationsandbepatientwiththeoutcomes.Ourprocessunfoldedwithuncertainty,yieldinglotsofplayfulopportunities,momentsofserendipity,goingwiththeflow,unpredictabilityandallthoseunknownpotentials/dilemmasthatco-designingpresents.

Withateamof22youngIndiandesigners,twoguardians,atrainofpassengers,vendorsandtrainpersonnel, thenotionof ‘us-work’provedat timescomplexandchallenging,particularlywithourinitial empathic research. But Indian trains and train journeys are long and natural smallerhappenstancesformed.Smallerteamsoffour(twodesignersandtwopassengers)discussingideas,illustrating andmaking real-time sketchmodels proved very productive and engaging. Everyoneseemed to really enjoy the real-timemakingand testingofprototypeson the trainaspartof thenatural process of developing ideas. Live working ‘with’ others in context adds an additionaldimension to traditional studio brainstorming. It also seems to reduce the two traits that cansometimesencumberyoungdesigners:self-consciousnessandego.

The team should have established a returning linkwith participants (train passengers and railpersonnel) to spend time reflecting with these people rather than soliciting their support, andfeedbackon thego.Thenatureofdesign-ledworkshopscanhabituallybequickpaced,oftenasaconsequence of time restrictions. However, it would be interesting to share the ideas anddevelopmentworkwithpassengersandtrainpersonnelinaquieterreflectiveexercise,particularlyinacountrythatisknownforcontemplativeenquiry.

InGoethe’scontemplativeenquiryintothephenomenaoflight66,herevealsthebeautifulinterplaybetweencolourandtheemergenceofgreenandmagentaunderaparticulararrangementofblackand white stripes. Adopting Goethe’s observational approach to science as an analogy withincontextualempathy,werevealthebeautifulinterplaybetweenpeopleandtheirenvironmentandtheemergenceofinsightsandpotentials.

Tipstotakeforward:1. Detachingfromexpectationsandadoptingapositionofequanimityencouragesholisticthinkingandnaturalresponsestothework.

2. Trustthesituationtorevealmeaningfuloutcomes(theemergenceofsynchronisticphenomena)withoutjumpingtooeagerlytoconclusions.

3. Engagewithhumility(asenseofaweandwonder)asanactualoutcome;morethanjustpartofaprocessofdiscovery.

4. Contextualempathyismorethanacerebralexercise.Prototypinglive,onthego,in-situwithrealusers,yieldsinnateanddeeperresponses.

5. Combinehigh-energyfastpacedactivitieswithcontemplativereflectiveenquiry.

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CONCLUSIONDirectcontextualexperiences(DCE)andsimilarsynchronisticevents(Jung’scollectiveworks1958)provideaninterestingframeworkfromwhichtoreflectontheprocessandoutcomesofourdesignprocess.DCEaffordsauniquesetorcoincidentalcircumstanceswheresubjectivity,objectivityandtheconnectionorrelationshipbetweenthem,areallfundamentallyoneevent.Working‘live’withparticipants,fellowtravellers,foodsellersandtrainoperativesyieldedarichandcolourfulcontentthatwecouldthenworkintothemesandrationalesfordevelopment.Despitetheteam’shonourableintention to remain impartial and objective, one has to acknowledge that one’s own emotionalinterestseeminglyinfluencestheresearch,particularlyasinsightsandideasarebeingformed.Whilstthismightseemsomewhatproblematic ithighlightsaslightlymoreholisticplacementofHuman-CenteredDesignasacreativetool.

Contextualempathypoints• Theprocessledtoactiveparticipatorydesignopportunities,whichweresociallymotivated.• Theworkreachedalternatediverseaudiencesthatwouldnotusuallyopt-intosuchactivities.• Insightswereverycontextuallygroundedwithdirectapplication.• Providedmultipleopportunitiesfordifferentlevelsofaudienceparticipation,toaudiencesthathavemultipleaffluencesandlevelledthefield.

• Theauthorsbelievetheprocesscanbelocatedanywhere,especiallywherelanguageorculturalvaluesaredifferent?Orwhereprojectsrequireamoredivergentapproach.

• Theoutputopenstheconceptofatravelingmakerspaceandhowitcouldfunction.• Authorsperceiveitcouldbeappliedtoservicedesign,groundingthecrossconnectionsthatcanoftenremainunseen.

• Allofthepositivesneedtobeviewedatadistance,asitisalsodangerousonlytoconsiderthatdemographic,isolatingviewsnotpresentinthatlocation.

Theprocessreachedanaudiencethatwouldnotnormallyopt-intosuchactivitiesandinvolvingthesepassengerswithin the ideagenerationprocesshelpedparticipants realise thecontributionsthey can make, as well as a sense of shared ownership and common purpose. This process ofdesigning ‘live’ with and in front of audiences lends itself to multiple opportunities and hassubsequentlybeenadoptedbytheauthorsdesigninganextgenerationofpublicbicyclesinChina.Itlendsitselfparticularlytoacontextwherelanguageandculturevaluesarediverseorjustdifferent,orwherethesolutionsimpactonaverywidedemographicsuchastherailwaynetwork.However,thereisanoteofcautionthattheauthorsareawareofthatiscommontoalotofqualitativedesignresearch,andthatisthesmallsamplesizeandtimelimits.Althoughtherewereasmallfinitenumberofpassengerstoworkwith(withrespecttothepopulation)andthereforestatisticallyinsignificantin terms of objective substantiality; the process is rich, insightful and abundant in subjectivecreativity.Thetrain journeys focusedonshortertwoto fourhourtrips.Thetripsyieldedmultiple insightsfromwhichtheteamcouldutilisetheirskillsandexperiencetodevelopdesignconcepts.TheIndianRailways system, particularly in the cheapest seats, presents a levelling system that encouragesconversationandinteractivitybetweenfellowpassengers.Weexploitedthisphenomenonandsettoworkmaking,drawing,photographing,testingreal-timeasdailylifeonthetrainunfoldedalongourjourneys.Withzerocoercion,fellowpassengerscouldnotresistthetemptationtointeractandsharetheir thoughts, passions and energies into generating and making concepts collaboratively.Improvisationandspontaneitywereourcurrencyandthesheerenthusiasmmeantthatideaswereflowingcontiguously.

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Asstewardsoftheprocess,ourrolewastojointhedotsandbringseeminglyunconnectedeventsandideastogether.Examplesincludedparticipantsobservingpassengerssurreptitiouslythrowingtheir rubbish out of the openwindow and subsequently designing an external refuse system. Inanothercompartment,somestudentsweredrawingpicturesof flowersontheseatswithchalktopassthetime.Finally,theactivedesignandengagementoftoiletfacilities.Thequestionarisesastowhetherwewouldhavecreatedmoreorbetterideasifwehadhadmoretimeandmorejourneys.

Conclusionsforrepetition6. Findappropriatemediumsforcommunicationbasedonparticipants’skillsets,models,sketching,photo-manipulationetc.forcommunicatingDirectContextualExperiences.

7. Understandappropriatequestions;locatethe‘root’oftheideaopposedtotheconceptinbetween;thiscantaketimeandinvolvearangeofstudies.

8. Liveworkingincontextualsituationsworkedwhenthesituationprovidesfreedomsunboundbyconventionalnorms.

9. Culturalempathysteps;fullimmersionwitharangeofknowledgeexpertise,removingjudgement,levellinghierarchyandempoweringcommunicationregardlessofskillsets.

10. Stewardslettinggo,notdictatingdirection,butguidingscenarios.11. Ethicalparameters;whatculturesareyouworkingwithin?Howdoyoumaintainethicalproceduresprotectingboththeuserandtheresearcher?

AcknowledgmentsNationalInstituteofDesign(Ahmedabad,India)fortheirkindinvitationontheopenelectiveandtheirhospitality; The Royal College of Art (Design Products Department) and Schumacher College(EcologicalDesignThinking)fortheirrespectiveroles.Finally,thestewardsthanktheparticipantsandtheIndianRailways.

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