Teammates - Dany, Siyuan Lee (Rylee), Guo Chen (Greta), Victoria Sun
Nov 25 - Dec 9 (8th & 9th week)
<aside> 🔍 Brief: Design an experience of paper that explores its material, cultural and emotional qualities.
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I was greatly influenced by the animation workshop that I attended to create a reflective outcome of the COP26 summit with ‘Power of 10’ as its theme. I chose to cover the topic of resource wastage of tissue paper and built a storyline around it. Therefore, as soon as I heard about the brief about paper, I thought that I will definitely do something based on it.
We grouped together to talk about what are the things about that interests us the most. The first thing that came up in the discussion was to talk about how come we still use paper when we live in a technological age where digital inputs are supposedly accessible and instant. Some of the other topics that came up in the discussion were, What and why do we have emotional connection with paper? and, what are the things we prefer to convey through paper?
All of us were intrigued by the emotional connection that paper creates with the person creating it. We learnt from the literature review about the Cognitive Affect Theory and how it can have an impact on the other while creating it. Dany was looking into how affection can be translated through the medium of paper.
We liked the idea that the paper by itself gives certain kind of inputs to the user based on the texture, size, colour, finish, etc., Therefore we collected samples of various papers and did some bodystorming in order to figure out what each person felt about each sample. While we were bodystorming, we cut the papers into assorted sizes and shapes to see how that affected or altered the person’s perception towards the same piece.
Bodystorming exercise to generate ideas
Unintentionally altering the size and shape of a few sheets led us to think some were in the form and texture of a movie ticket, some looked like postcards. This reminded me to connect the postcard with affection theory and make it as an experience.
Although the initial impression of the paper sizes gave the image of the postcards immediately, when it came to conveying the message, the texture of the paper and the size dint play a crucial role in the way in which the volunteers used the materials.
With the feedback in the back of our mind, we had to revisit the entire process that went into making a ‘letter’. We realized that the contents mattered more to them, and the paper was just a vessel that carried a message or a memory or a feeling across to another.
It was about the affect that the paper creates in the person’s brain and also the input that a person choses to imprint on a piece of paper.
Although we had good feedback after the presentation, we dint have any leads on which direction to head with. We discussed over and over but arrived at no common conclusion. This was a bit of a low point for the group and we decided to take a day break. We cooked and spent the evening together to refresh our brains.
Thankfully, it worked out and we decided to retain the main idea as letter while focusing more on the receiving end. In a way this could be like an augmented letter that conveys the message without using any words of writing.
Preparing for the final presentation