Matching Items (3)
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- All Subjects: Design Research
- Creators: Takamura, John
Description
The purpose of the study is to gain a better understanding of baby boomers' attitudes toward video chat applications and software based on their user experiences through the measurement of the level of use, usefulness, usability and aesthetics preferences. 133 participants recruited at a local public library and at three senior centers took the survey and 14 respondents were interviewed. The results of the study indicate: (1) Baby boomers have diverse attitudes and experiences in video chatting, but their attitudes do not present a significant difference from those of older generations; (2) Baby boomers' preferences for interface design are influenced by their psychological characteristics rather than physical changes; (3) Family members and close friends are a great resource for assistance and motivation for boomers. The knowledge of motivational factors and barrier factors could help maintain the existing baby boomer users and encourage potential users by providing an improved video chat experience design for them to connect with younger generations. This research could also lead social services into the telehealth age by bridging the gap between a traditional intervention and modern instant video communication.
ContributorsShi, Ai (Author) / Herring, Donald (Thesis advisor) / Takamura, John (Committee member) / Sun, Fei (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Industrial design is the practice of creating solutions by studying people and businesses. Originally centered on development of goods, industrial design uses methods rooted in human behavioral study, human factors, and strategic problem solving. As our economy and professional practice shift away from manufacturing towards a service-dominant landscape, industrial design must align its profession to formally include service design. The small service business setting is a microcosm in which the value of design and branding in business is magnified. This research reinforces design's ties with services marketing and business and is dedicated to finding solutions for the backbone of our economy. Micro-businesses with fewer than 20 employees often lack the sophisticated management, marketing, and strategies that bring about success. Despite the fact that 70% to 80% of small and micro businesses are service based, little research is dedicated to unique strategies for these small service firms. Research has shown that using strategic business design increases small business success. Given high small business failure rates, it behooves entrepreneurs to use intuitive planning tools that are appropriate for the dynamic startup years. When put within reach and context of small business owners, the tools used in design draw a clear map of insights into the "design" of small businesses. Through a literature review, interviews, and a new workshop method, the needs of small business owners and the challenges they face are used to design and implement an accessible, actionable strategic toolkit for small service businesses. This simple, interdisciplinary toolkit was designed with the goal of increasing the efficacy and likelihood of ongoing strategic business planning through context-specific, instrumental activities. The tools are shown to help a business owner form pragmatic, iterative problem-solving approaches that allow the business owner to plan in the face of uncertainty and find insights into her own business, brand, and services.
ContributorsGrimes, Lynelle (Author) / Takamura, John (Thesis advisor) / Peck, Sidnee (Committee member) / Wolf, Peter (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The humans-food relationship is a 2.5 million year old, symbiotic connection of “living together” which encouraged a “system of communication up and down the food chain” (Pollan, 2008). (Reardon, 2015). Many researchers agree that this connection is a critical foundation for a beneficial relationship with food and engaging in healthy eating behaviors (McKeown, 2010; Neumark-Stainer et al., 2007; Ristovski-Slejepcevic et al., 2008; Simontacchi, 2007). Against the backdrop of a steadily increasing obesity rate and associated spending, it is critical to approach this issue from a systematic perspective such as understanding the powers that impact the consumer-food relationship (Aronne and Havas, 2009). Experts agree that the rapid increase in convenience food environments has contributed to an obesogenic foodscape that has negatively impacted consumers’ understanding of and interactions with food, resulting in consumption of nutritionally poor food, over-nutrition and chronic illness (Brownell and Battle-Horgen, 2004; Nestle, 2002). Additionally, designers and researchers are beginning to recognize the influence the built environment can have on actions (Patel, 2012; Wansink, 2010), behaviors and attitudes (Gallagher, 1993), even hindering or encouraging one to partake in healthy behaviors (Mikkelsen, 2011; Story et al., 2008). The goal of this study is to understand modern built convenience food environment design and its potential to impact the consumer-food relationship. This study utilizes a heavily qualitative approach, structured by a grounded theory methodology due to the lack of existing research (Martin & Hanington, 2012; O’Leary, 2010) and triangulates utilizing an analysis of secondary research, environmental audit through observations and a survey. The final result will be a compilation of design suggestions, based on those findings, for designing a BCCFE that encourages a healthy relationship between the consumer and food.
ContributorsPlattner, Lainie (Author) / Takamura, John (Thesis advisor) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / Krahe, Jennifer E (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015