A point will be given if the correct amount of grams was chosen to suggest knowledge for the amount of sugar in bubble tea.
A point will be given if the correct amount of grams was chosen to suggest knowledge for the amount of sugar recommended for consumption.
A point will be given if Aloe Vera was chosen to suggest knowledge for the topping with lowest calories.
A point was given for each of the 5 steps taken!
Average Score was 44% suggesting large numbers of people are still unaware of the health risks that bubble tea can cause accompanied with their consumption. Hence, the need to advocate and increase awareness as well as action towards curb consumption of bubble tea.
Briefly share your experience going through Dialogue with Time. What were some of the feelings, thoughts, challenges and insights gained while role playing an elderly person?
I think Dialogue with Time was a very meaningful and thought provoking exhibition. It first highlights how ageing is a slow process that is happening at every moment and second of our lives. It brings light to things that we may not realise such as the extent of deterioration in our abilities to carry out activities, both mentally and physically. Since ageing is inevitable, the exhibition gave me a peak into how life could be as I age, allowing me to experience the problems I may face in the future and the drastic difference in capabilities. Through the experience, I felt that I could begin to empathize with my grandparents especially through the interactive games and “becoming them”. I started to wonder, if I could not successfully complete the stimulated activities, how can I blame the elderly for not being able to carry out the same task in greater adversity?
Drawing on your experience, can you think and list some of the benefits inherent in the design research technique of role playing?
The technique of role playing allows one to be placed in the shoes of others under similar contexts. By going through the situation through role playing, one’s thought processes becomes that of the person we are role playing. This allows us to better understand the actions as a consequence of one’s thoughts. We will then be able to gain empathy for the individual and understand their considerations and why they make such decisions despite how we sometimes view them as unreasonable actions. At the same time, role playing can also increase interactivity for the audience which will then allow for a stronger personal experience and therefore a more enriching and memorable experience.
Can you think of some contexts where role-playing can be useful to help discover and define design challenges or contribute to the development of design solutions?
I think such role-playing has the greatest benefit in allowing for other’s to be in another individual’s shoes, thereby allowing individuals to cultivate the idea of empathy for the challenges faced by the elderly today and ourselves in the future. At the same time, role-playing allows us to anticipate and prepare in advance (eg. consumption of supplements). It is only through role-playing that we may be able to further understand the intangible aspects such as the feelings of disappointment, fear and insecurity, experienced by the elderly.
When we fully understand how we feel when we face with such challenges in the perspective of other individuals, will we be able to analyse critically as to finding out the problems. It is also important to empathise with the elderly and think of ways in which our design can help them not just physically but also be of use to their mental welfare and emotions.
What are some of the current issues confronting our world today? Amongst them, what is of interest and a cause of concern to you?
‘fear of dying alone’
The ‘fear of dying alone’ has become a shared concern among elderly in Singapore. With an ageing population, there has been an increased number of cases of elderly dying alone in their homes. These cases were often only found out when neighbors reported the foul smells.
With the 2020 Taiwan Presidential Elections, tensions between Taiwan and China have increased with the re-election of President Tsai who refutes the idea of “one country, two systems”. Hong Kongers have also expressed their support for Taiwan amidst the ongoing protest against China to unify both Taiwan and Hong Kong under People’s Republic of China.
The ongoing fight against diabetes in Singapore has drawn attention of individuals especially so with almost half a million Singaporeans living with diabetes. The highly affordable and easily accessible bubble tea has become a serious concern due to its high but “under-radar” sugar levels, with some parents believing that such drinks are a healthier option compared to soft drinks due to the variety these stores provide.
A newly evolved coronavirus has claimed a second life in China. The fear of many is that the virus belonging to the same family as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) could evolve and spread throughout the world and even cause several deaths. The virus is said to have originated from a Fish Market in Wuhan, China, but much remains unknown including how the virus is spread.
With relation to the local context and my age group, I am more interested in raising awareness regarding the contents of bubble tea and its relation to our fight against diabetes.
Why is the issue important? Who does it affect and how?
According to the International Diabetes Federation, Singapore has the second-highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations as reported in 2015. HealthHub, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Health and Health Promotion Board, estimates that by 2050, over 1,000,000 residents above 18 years old will be diabetic. One major source of diabetes is the consumption of unhealthy drinks such as the ever trendy Bubble Tea. These drinks are extremely high in sugar levels and yet many of us are unaware of the contents of these drinks and the consequences it may bring about.
It is worrisome that many students, teenagers and youths constantly queue for these drinks. Working adults have often jump on to the bandwagon as well with the increasing craze of new bubble tea such as the “foam bubble tea” that are even more detrimental to health compared to tapioca pearls. Parents even believe that fruit based drinks offered by bubble tea stores may be healthier alternatives. In recent years, there has even been news that over 100 bubble tea balls got stuck in a teen’s digestive tract. It is evident that bubble tea has now become a concern for one’s health, both short and long term.
The target audience I intend to identify would be youths and teenagers (15 to 25 years old). Research has shown that this age group are the highest consumers of bubble tea. With the increase usage of social media and the ever creative food industry, bubble tea is no longer just a drink but an experienced to be shared via social media to other youths of their age. It is important to alert them of the effects at a young age in order to make informed decisions before buying bubble tea.
While many may feel resistant to the idea, they need to be aware of the effects such drinks may bring about and the harm it causes. Bubble tea can still be consumed but in moderation and advice youths and teenagers to make informed decision and choose healthier options of drinks and toppings with the customization feature of bubble tea.
How has visual communication contributed to address the cause?
The Healthy Plate (Info graphic) created by the Health Promotion Board in 2014 to advice individuals the quantity and type of food to consume as well as other activities in order to have a healthy lifestyle. It uses simple graphics and items that are strongly related to each food section to make it easily relatable to individuals of all ages. The San Serif font makes it easy to read but the “brown rice & wholemeal bread” could likely be rearranged. Each title is accompanied with an image which makes it easier for people to remember. The message is clear and easy to follow even for children, allowing them to understand how to have a healthy diet.
This info graphic was created by Fresh n’ Lean, an organisation that aims to make healthy eating simple, fun and flavorful. The info graphic provided a lot of useful information but my seem a little too wordy for individuals to read through. However, the use of complementary colours (Yellow and Blue) allows one to zoom quickly into the important areas highlighted. The info graphic clearly dissects the unhealthy contents within junk food while commenting on how these harmful substances are from or formed (Page 2 of Info graphic) of consuming such food as well. It uses examples that are highly relatable and the layout allows a clear flow of information that is easy to follow through. While using San Serif allows people to read easily, it still preserves the use of a more playful and energetic font as the heading.
Info graphic link:
https://www.freshnlean.com/junk-food/#
This info graphic clearly illustrates the consequences of consumption of junk food. Thereby showcasing the amount of effort required for an individual to burn off the calories from consuming such food. It has very little words and most are represented by images and icons that can easily be understood. I feel that it may not be as engaging as there is only one main colour used and the graphics does not appeal to me. Perhaps the info graphic could have brought in elements such as diseases since it is a long term consequence.
