In this project we worked with a very recent situation that affected thousands of citizens from both Turkey and Syria on February 6th, 2023. We wanted to contribute from Utrecht, Netherlands, trying to create a network for donations that would last more than just the first days of the catastrophe.
We were presented with the following challenge:
How to ensure that students in Utrecht participate in or donate to charities for the earthquake in Turkey and Syria long-term
For the project we followed the four phases of the Design Thinking process: Empathise, Define, Ideate and Prototype. Because it was a four day project, we dedicated one day for each phase. It was my first project in the Co-Design Minor, the first time working as a group and the first time using the Design Thinking method. Challenging, but also very rewarding.
First we did research about the actual situation and what was needed from the victims. We also looked for trustworthy organizations that where already helping the cause. Because of the distance and the situation with transport, donating money was the best way to help.
Then we went to Science Park, an area in Utrecht where a lot of students live and study. We made an interactive board and interviewed students to get to know when, how and why they donate, and what they are willing to give (money or time). We noticed that having a board with colorful post-its where people could show their answers, made them curious about what we were doing and was a good conversation starter. And personally, I realized the importance of leaving theory aside and going out to talk to people, and understanding what they need and how they think.
We gathered really valuable information that afterwards helped us ideate the final solution. Some insights that we got where:
1. Students volunteer when it's easy, fun and accessible
2. Most of them don't really have a lot of money but they would be more willing to donate that volunteering due to their busy schedule (35% would give their time/volunteer and 65% their money/donate).
3. Emotional connection to the cause is the main source of motivation (either to volunteer or donate). Getting the information from a known institution or family and friends makes the cause seem more trustworthy.
The first solution that we thought of was making “The battle of the bars” in which students could "donate a drink" (the money worth of a drink) for the cause in the bars of Science Park, creating a competition between them. What we found apealing about this solution is that university bars are usually crowded, so creating this dynamic between them would mean that donating would be long-term.
But because of the short notice the bars could not join the initiative, so we changed it to “The battle off the faculties” where each student that donated could put to which faculty they belong to. For that we designed posters to put in the universities where students had a QR code to donate money in Giro555 (a very well known platform in the Netherlands) and another to access the live scoreboard.
Working with this new group was a very pleasant experience for me. I found myself very involved in the process, having a strong opinion but also learning to accept other opinions and ideas. Because we were all from different backgrounds (both professionally and culturally) it was really interesting to see the different approach and perspective that each one of us had towards the challenges we encountered. I found myself in a very enthusiastic and proactive role, trying to make the best of the situation. I also realized that I have a facility to interact with people, both when we interviewed the students and during the design process with the group. However, as the days went by I learned that putting too much pressure on myself and trying to “do it all” is counterproductive since I just end up feeling overwhelmed and wasting all my energy.
