Lab+5

**Lab 5**


 * PART ONE: As part of 'Experience Prototyping', bodystorming has been developed as a method of enquiry for interactive design. Research the definition of 'bodystorming', and write three paragraphs describing its characteristics.(3 paragraphs) **

Bodystorming is an emerging practice used for interactive design. It is a technique to help designers derive new ideas and unexpected ideas by physically experiencing a situation to later build upon them. Bodystorming is usually tested on small groups by setting up an experience, complete with necessary artifacts and people, and physically testing it. Such a technique will give a very close look at how the person interacts in the environment and how the product may actually be once it is put to sale.

Brainstorming is done in three different stages. First, the observation stage involves gathering information of the location where the product will be used, to get a better understanding and idea of the environment, by observing the responses of people. The second stage is the trying it out stage, which refers to physically experiencing the situation based on the idea they chose to go with, in order to identify the role of the consumer. Stage three is reflecting on the results, wherein one can look into new possibilities or discover any flaws about the chosen idea and alter it accordingly.

Bodystorming is also very useful in prototyping. Bodystorming is also referred to as embodied storming. Embodied storming allows for testing your prototype through human perceptions and communications. It also gives the researchers a better understanding by acting it out and therefore more efficient in correcting any faults or adapting. Embodied storming if effective and stands out as it outlines the needs that are important. Overall, bodystorming is a very successful technique that is yet to be pushed to its full potential.


 * PART TWO: With a partner, develop a use-case theater scenario and describe how you would use bodystorming and video to help you analyze the design of an artifact. This artifact is a medicine bottle for a woman who is 80 years old, arthritic, partially blind and partially deaf, and the system to design is the system whereby she finds and takes her medicine. **

Brittney Madruga Sandra Awad
 * Partners: **

We used bodystorming in our use-case theater scenario in order to incorporate the needs of an 80 year old women who is arthritic, partially blind and partially deaf. Our design will help her in her everyday routine to easily find and remind her to take her medicine.

First we would design a bottle/dispenser that is large and can be fastened to the wall, that way the medicine dispenser will always be in the same place, which takes away the risk of misplacing the bottle, or forgetting where she has put it. It will always be in the same spot. The medicine dispenser would be securely placed somewhere in this womens household where she visits everyday, whether it be her kicthen, the bedroom, etc.

Next, we would make the dispenser automatic. This would ensure that the proper amount of medication would be dispersed for the women each day and would take away the difficulty of opening small medicine bottles with difficult caps that need to be removed. This dispenser would also have an alarm and light on it. That way even if the women forgets, she will have a visual and sound reminder for her to take her medication.

Lastly, we realized that if she were in another room of the house it could be possible that she may not hear or see the notifications for her medicine. Therefore there would be small alarms that comes with dispenser which allows the women to have on different floors and/or in different rooms to avoid any chances of taking medication late. These alarms would also have the light activation that would flash to indicate it is time for her to take her medicine.

The button on the dispenser would dispense the proper amount of medicine and also deactivate the notification alarms that are going off. We feel as though through this bodystorming process we have come up with a design that would help this women in her everyday life, and make it easier for her to remember and take her medication. Although, their may be some limitations we feel as thought this is the best design to fit her needs and incorporate the physical limitations she may have.