Final Master Project

Throughout the project, continuous reflection-on-action played a central role in guiding and informing my design choices. I visually documented the process in my dummy, printing and sticking in inspiration or explorations, sketching, annotating and reflecting. I supplemented this with written reflection and documentation of digital sources in Notion. This supported me in making, thinking, looking back, connecting and applying research throughout the project.

Technology and Realisation played an important role, especially at the start of the project when developing the functioning Toaster Printer. Engraving toast with a 3D printer could be deemed ‘state-of-the-art’ and supported my competence development in this expertise area. I developed practical skills in designing interactive prototypes using the 3D printer, altering G-code, and implementing software such as Cura and Orca Slicer. I also gained experience in combining technologies, such as the 3D printer and Raspberry Pi, to facilitate a remote connection between my laptop and the printer. However, I consciously positioned this implementation as a means to an end: to facilitate experience and interaction, rather than an end goal.

My data collection was mainly qualitative, with some quantitative survey data, such as Likert-scale responses, which I partially processed into Excel data visualisations. In hindsight, I recognise a missed learning opportunity here. Data gathering and analysis could have been more continuous and more meaningfully integrated into the report. For instance, I did not end up implementing data gathered through Likert-scale responses to ‘The Toaster Printer triggered my imagination’, which could have strengthened the analytical dimension of the project.

In the design of the interactive elements, especially the prompt into the ‘why’, I recognised shortcomings during the first exhibition at Dutch Design Week. Although I iterated on this for the second exhibition at Digital Playground, I consider this a missed learning opportunity. The gathered qualitative data could have been far more insightful and less dependent on my subjective interpretation, resulting in more meaningful outcomes for both my project and the design research community. Moreover, I struggled with what the conducted thematic analysis of the Toast-Its meant for the project. In the end, it was not really about what people wrote, but why they wrote it. Therefore, the shortcomings in the formulation of this ‘why’ prompt and the lack of substantial reasoning gathered during DDW became quite limiting. The initial analysis was already subjective, but this subjectivity increased further when drawing conclusions about the medium’s affordances based on my own interpretation of people’s expressions. This made me more critical of how I designed elements aimed at inquiry and of how strongly the design of responses and outcomes depends on these choices.

Throughout the project, I developed and deepened my understanding of the role of aesthetics in how people perceive, understand, and interact with design. I used the unexpected aesthetics of toast to catch people’s attention, defamiliarise everyday communication, and trigger conversation, reflection, and imagination. I developed a stronger sensitivity to the balance between familiarity and ridiculousness, which I recognise as vital to successful speculative design.

The aesthetics and setting in which the project was shared strongly influenced the perceived roles of me, the designer, and visitors or participants. I struggled to navigate this role, often catching myself continuing to pitch and share my own interpretations rather than leaving space for others to share theirs. When I became more aware of this and tried to change my behaviour in the second exhibition. However, I realised that the exhibition setting itself already implied certain roles: the designer as expert, the visitor as a more passive audience. This insight informed the development towards more dedicated social design sessions to reach the depth of participation I aimed for. I learned that I need to become more comfortable with silence so others can fill it with their own experiences, opinions, and interpretations, but that is also something to design for. 

Developing and facilitating the workshop further strengthened my competence in designing for participation. I developed a sensitivity to guiding participants without filling in things for them. I learned to let participants do things differently than I expected, which often led to unexpected insights. At the same time, I learned when and how to gently nudge the session back to its intended focus. Working in this improvisational setting increased my confidence in adapting to emergent dynamics. I also expanded my knowledge of participatory structures, such as 1-2-4-All, and learned how these frameworks can support reflection, discussion, and collective sense-making.

Through research and by attending a session at Waag Futurelab on decentralised alternatives, I developed my knowledge of and attitude towards Big Tech-managed platforms, their power, data-gathering practices, and alternatives. At first, this pushed my project in a more solution-driven direction. I momentarily lost sight of the participant-led, open-ended, and explorative nature of my design practice. Through reflection on my vision and the project’s trajectory, I recognised this disconnect and consciously adjusted my approach.

Connected to Creativity, Aesthetics, and Business and Entrepreneurship, I developed a clearer professional identity and communication strategy. This included designing business cards, stickers, a website, and an Instagram page to share the project and connect with others.

During DDW, I was awarded second place in the Young Talent Award, after which I pitched the project to companies at the Demos, Pitches and Drinks event. This strengthened my ability to present the project to a professional audience and translate my work into a clear value proposition. A strong connection between Business and Entrepreneurship and User and Society became evident here, as I sought stakeholders to collaborate with and move the project beyond awareness and imagination towards more concrete impact. Moreover, I reached out to and maintained professional contact with companies, experts, and organisations, developing my professional communication, collaboration, and positioning.

Although the project has not yet achieved concrete impact in organisational contexts, several leads have emerged, which I will further address in my future plans.