Designing for wellbeing

he built the project on, and on which he reflected the direction his process
was moving in to check whether it was the direction he desired. This is a
good example of what Schön means by discussing with the situation and
listening to its feedback to help you cope with uncertainty and instability.
Having found that confidence in this reflective conversation with the situation,
the Dutch-speaking student was able to carry the project through
despite the language barrier he faced.
The process progressed distinctly through visualisations and mock-ups.
Whenever there was a moment of doubt or a difficult decision to make, it was
resolved by turning the problem into a material and visual form rather than
through theoretical analysis or imaginative reasoning. This helped him clarify
what was feasible and desirable. The process also allowed for projection of
personal interests and ideals of better quality of life into the mock-ups and
drawings. The student tested reactions to his designs in trial sessions. This
phase of the work was very sensitive because the identities of the children
in custody had to be protected, and working with children with such backgrounds
is hardly something a design student can be fully prepared for.
Tools for Infiltrating the World of Mothers
Another case from the same project is Tools for Infiltrating the World
of Mothers 9 . This design was prompted by many of the student’s friends
starting families around the same time. She felt peer pressure to start
one herself, and felt discomfort in social gatherings as the new mothers
suddenly developed a whole new language and talked about things utterly
unknown to her. (page 52)
Tools for Infiltrating the World of Mothers comprises a baby doll and a
Baby Life to Finnish dictionary. The introduction of a baby into a friendship
can be devastating as the new mother is occupied with the baby and all of
a sudden has a whole new life, whereas nothing has really changed for the
9 Tools for Infiltrating the World of Mothers by Riina Oikari
51 · We have always been here before: on design courting real disciplines