Design Portfolio

Paul NannenUser-Centered Designer

As an industrial design engineer I feel the responsibility towards developing products and services that contribute to sustainable wellbeing focussing on people, planet and profit. At the Delft University of Technology, I learnt to integrate these three elements into the design process.

Human – Product Interaction For a product or service to be experienced valuable, it is very important to create an aligned fit to its users. During my education as an interaction designer, my focus is set to wisely implement the user into all stages of the design process, from the fuzzy front end up until the finished product. I find it very interesting to thoroughly understand

the user’s needs, dreams and ways of thinking. By doing so, I can shape new interactions between users and the product that facilitate them in reaching a pre-set goal.

Multidisciplinary Teams While taking the challenge of designing for innovation, I always enjoy to work in multidisciplinary teams. Powerful solutions arise while knowledge and ideas are openly shared between different fields of expertise. Within big projects, I always aim to get in contact with experts that are relevant to the design goal. The role of me as a designer is to get the essence of their -sometimes conflicting- input and translate it into the project.

Design Research Often, people carried out research on the topics we are designing for. Existing research lets use this valuable information and get a deeper understanding of what we are doing. It can be very useful to apply theories in a context where they aren’t used before. In this way, fresh ideas arise which can be assessed in real life.

In my two biggest individual projects, I aimed to apply these skills in the medical context. In situations where children go through difficult processes, design can help to let them experience their recovery in a more positive way. By doing so, I aim to increase their recovery-time in a more natural way.

Towards Sustainable Well-Being

Human – Product Interaction

Multidisciplinary Teams Design Research

Master Thesis - Improving the experience of lumbar puncture

Design Goal (6 months) To improve the experience of lumbar puncture for children between 8-11 years old.

User Centred Design Methods Interviewing children, parents, nurses and neurologists both in the Netherlands and Spain. Generative sessions to test and improve ideas.

Results By creating a story around the process, the child can use fantasy to deal with anxiousness.With the designed support, contact between the parent and child is increased. A final prototype was made and tested in a semi-realistic setting. The concept is not shown, since further research will be done in a realistic setting to assess the developed concept.

Learning Points Combining all my previous design experience to improve the emotional experience of a traumatic medical process.

Research atHospital SantJoan de Déu

Creating a deepunderstanding oflumbar puncture

user-centereddesign to improve

this experience

client

continues

the

collaborat

ion

Working with Paul has been easy, creative and productive. Paul is an excellent person and worker. One of Paul´s main strengths is how he handled several meetings with hospital assistant members. He showed understanding of

their needs and clearly explained to them a proposed solution.

Paul is an excellent professional. He knows how to see the problem and, efficiently, find the easiest solution. Overall he tries to improve the emotional experience of the young patients. It has been an excellent experience for us to participate in Paul´s

Project, both for the Project itself and for working with him.

Dr. Jaume Pérez Payarols, Sant Joan de Déu

Design Goal (5 students, 5 months) To improve the usability and experience of the weight loss application; MyFitnessPal.

User Centred Design Methods A usability test was conducted to test how accurate, efficient and satisfied people are during the first use and after three days. Furthermore, we tested people’s accurateness in estimating portion sizes. With the results, a redesign was made. Finally, a new assessment was done on the redesign.

Result MyFitnessPal didn’t have a balance between the user’s effort and the feedback they recieved. By using a more visual interface, the ussability and experience were improved.

Learning Points Setting-up usability and experience assessments for an app and using the outcome as valuable input for a redesign.

improving usability and experience of making healthy desisions

increase awareness of your daily habits and

the influence onyour diet

increase awareness of the balance between

physical effort and calory intake

increase knowledge to make healthier decisions

clear feedback on daily goals

healthy tips basedon the user’s input

visual overview of the food intake

Design Goal (5 students, 5 months) For the gardening and pet store Ranzijn, the goal was to create a retail design that improves the shopping experience.

User Centred Design Methods My task was to implement the human factors into the design. I was responsible of a contextmapping session with gardeners and a creative session at the company. Within the concept, my task was to develop the interface and experience of the in-store garden.

Results The client was interested in all three of the initial concepts and the most realistic one was developed; A garden in which people can exchange their gardening experiences through an online platform to inspire others. Within the store, a prototype was made and assessed.

Learning Points Defining my role as an interaction designer within a multidisceplenary design team.

customer bonding through shared experiences

contextmappingwith customers

guiding acreative session

with stakeholders

prototypeassessment

inside the store

client

continues

with th

e

concept

Design Goal (5 students, 5 months) Achmea, a dutch insurance company wanted to prepare their products to the future young professional. The goal was to give the client rich insights into this target group and their lives.

User Centred Method Contextmapping was applied with five young professionals. This qualitative method implies sentisizing participants for an extensive session in which they share stories to get insights in their dreams and future needs.

Result After analyzing the session, four types of persona’s were found, based on their emotional and financial freedom. Cards were created to show which needs arise during milestones of their lives.

Learning Points Preparing, guiding and analysis of an intensive contextmapping session.

targetted insurances for young professionals

participants create and share

their stories

analysis to create a toolbox

for the client

creative session through the

presented materials

client

applies

the

toolbox

high financial freedom

low financial freedom

social independent

socialdependent

design for emotion - an act of sympathy

SKETCHDESCRIPTION

CONNECTION

SKETCHDESCRIPTION

CONNECTION

Each crew member has one of these little swan puppets with him/ her. At the co�ee corner, putting down the swan means that you would like to have a talk. Using it in the meeting room, it means that you can have a group hug.

Teammembers drink co�ee/tea together through a budy system. If one enters, the other already got co�ee/ tea for him and can give a personal greeting. The drinks will be served when the 2nd enters the building. They share an exploring box in the middle, making it more as a thing to do together. Now they can share more inner feelings.

From the inspirational wall:

- Asking for support- ‘You are not alone’

From the inspirational wall:

- You are not alone- Unexpected- Warmth

Design Goal (4 students, 2 months) Members of the KLM flight crew have to approach the passengers with a positive attitude, even when they have a bad day. The goal was to to put the crew in the right mind-set by evoking sympathy between the members of the crew, right before each flight.

User Centred Design Methods Applying the theory of design for emotion and a small contextmapping session with two flight attendees.

Result The analysis and ideation resulted into a set of ideas for KLM. One of the ideas is shown on the right. It is a simple application which guides two members of the crew to meet right before the flight and share a warm drink to sympathise with each other. Before, they didn’t know each other.

Learning Points Gaining insights into positive emotions and how they can be evoked through design.

sessionflight crew

people

inspiration wallon interactions

evoking sympathy

Idea selectionwith the client

2. BUDDY APP!

1. SENSES ARRIVALAT THE BUILDING

CHECKS IN 3. GETS COFFEEFOR TWO

4. SMALL TALK

INTERACTIONS IN prevention from overtraining

Design Goal (5 months) To prevent runners from overtraining, which can result in joint problems.

User Centred Design Methods Explorative research was carried out to gain insights into the experience of running (see image on the right). Using these insights, an interaction vision was set to make the runner feel like running with a caring buddy.

Result By using two small devices that give feedback on the runner’s behaviour trough light, the user aims to stay with this abstract ‘caring buddy’, both in speed and direction. It is also used as a navigator, so that runners can exchange their routes. A prototype was tested on the interaction qualities: positive, rewarding and natural.

Learning Points Designing for specified interaction qualities and assessing them through the use of prototypes.

interviewing runnersto set up an interaction

vision

testing new interactions on being positive, rewarding

and natural

assessing the final prototype

“I like to run to stay �t”“I go for a run when I feel

like it.”

“When I run, I’m still thinking about my work,

and I try to let it go.”“When I’m in this �ow kind of state, time passes by fast

and I really enjoy the activity of

running.”

“I don’t feel my pains when I’m in a �ow,

but I do feel them before.”

“taking a shower right a�er is like

the dessert of sports.”

“it feels comforting for the body and gives me a good

feeling.”

“I like to share my stories,

especially with people who are interested.”

“I think about what I did, about my route,

if I ran faster, further.”

Prevent amateur joggers from overtrainingby keeping track on their emotional state.

decidestart flow share reflectEmotional awareness


like it.”




running.”






feeling.”








like it.”




running.”






feeling.”








like it.”




running.”






feeling.”








like it.”




running.”






feeling.”







start running get into the flow share experiences reflect on the run decide to run

When I run, I’m still thinking about my work

and I try to let it go.

Students who run together often start following the fastest, which make them train

too hard.

When I’m in this flow kind of state, time passes by fast and I really enjoy the activity

of running.

I don’t feel my pains anymore when I’m in a flow, but I do feel them

before.

I like to share my running stories,

especially with people who are interested.

taking a shower right after is like the dessert

of sports.

It feels comforting for the body and gives me

a good feeling.

I think about what I did, about my route,

if I ran faster or further.

I like to run to stay fit.

I go for a run when I feel like it.

Children’s Play - sustainable playground interactions

Design Goal (2 students, 2 months) To create a playground game in which children can play together with their grandparents while stimulating movement.

User Centred Design Methods A small generative session was done with three children to get insights in their wishes. Existing research on children’s play was used to develop ideas.

Results The existing game, Snake, is translated to the outside environment. Weight sensors are used to create interactive, light emitting stones which serve as the building blocks of the game. The snake moves faster as more pressure is applied. In this way, slower elderly have a small advantage because of their weight while movement is stimulated.

Learning Points Applying theories from design for children’s play and learning while adding play value to develop ideas.

Generative Sessionwith Children

Testing conceptsoutside

ConceptDevelopment

explore play variate integrate

Design Goal (5 experts, 5 days) In this five-day design challenge from TNO, the goal was to increase the soldier’s performance in hot environments.

User Centred Design Methods Meetings were arranged with soldiers to share their experience and discuss ideas. As the only designer within the team, my role was to awaken the team’s creativity and keep an overview of the ideas through design drawing.

Results On the fourth day, a prototype was made to test the working principles behind the solution that was found; an extra layer below the suit to stimulate natural transpiration. The new design was experienced as comfortable and the client aims to continue with this idea.

Learning Points Defining my role as a designer within a team of senior engineers within a high intensity schedule.

increasing performance in hot environments

guidingcreativity

building aprototype

prototypetesting at high temperatures

client w

ill

start

a

resear

ch

projec

t

militaryoutfit

re-spirelayer

activeventilation

As far as my memories go, I remember myself sitting together with my grandfather teaching me how to draw. Making technical drawings was his profession, so he always inspired me with his representations of real life objects. At the same time, my dad would draw two abstract profiles next to each other allowing to be interpreted both as two faces or a vase.

As a designer, I also use my drawing skills for a lot of different means. During my studies, I learnt to apply the most efficient and effective visualization technique for each moment, depending on its goal and moment of the design process.

During the idea generation on an abstract level, my drawings will be quick and simple with a focus on quantity and finding relations between elements. Also while writing a paper, I often grab my sketching materials to keep the overview of what I’m doing. Also within groups, this can help to communicate ideas between people and keep structure.

As I advance through the project, my sketches become more detailed, allowing to settle my mind on the details, movement and flow of lines. Finally, in the later stages of the process, to communicate detailed concepts, I might use 2D and 3D rendering techniques.

visualizations

Cheetah

sportive

zapato

dynamic

As students from at the Delft University of Technology, we got the privilege to work in a lot of different projects for companies with very different backgrounds. Meanwhile, with each project, new design approaches and methods were tutored. This style of education taught me to adapt myself constantly to new contexts, people and challenges.

Also our way of thinking, switching constantly between viewpoints of different stakeholders. Deconstructing each problem into separate elements and going iteratively from an holistic approach into small details is something that can be applied to a lot of different projects. It allows us to communicate clearly with stakeholders and find solutions to complex problems.

During the first year of MSc Design for Interaction, I applied for being board member of SoSalsa during one year. The board consisted out of four members

and next to our studies we took the responsibility for the student salsa society in Delft. For its 250 members, I was responsible for organizing monthly parties and activities. During this year, my experience as an industrial designer were used to make people experience these parties to its fullest.

During that summer, I joined Summer Campus Benicarló, being responsible for instructing English to Spanish children. During my elective children’s play and learning, I learnt about theories to design for children. This job gave me the opportunity to directly apply this knowledge in real life and learn from the results.

As you can see, after studying and applying this way of thinking for five years, design thinking is something that became part of my daily life and can be applied in various contexts.

design thinking

Documents

Design Portfolio