STATEMENT OF INTENT

RESEARCH QUESTION

How can communication design

increase college freshmen students’ awareness

of sustainability in order to change

their daily behavior?

· specific topic on sustainability be will defined after initial research on target group

· what are college freshmen students willing to change? what do they already do and   know about? what do they know and don’t do and why? what will they never change?

Communication Design

· not only graphic design, because it is very possible that college frehmen students are more open to digital design than to graphic design.

· not only visual communication design, but communication design, because this term also includes the way and how to talk to college freshmen students. best way to address them. how to communicate with them.

College Freshmen Students

· they come into a new environment and can integrate their new knowledge from the beginning on.

· after changing their awareness during their first year they can adapt what they learned to their new start when they move out of the dorms.

· how to reach them: in dorms, information or orientation events, required undergraduate course, social networking

Awareness of Sustainability

· change of awareness is change of thinking

· how did their thinking change. difference before communication design application and after

· did behavior over a longer period of time change? observation

Daily Behavior

· what can be changed in their daily life without any big infrastructural change?

· recycling needs an special infrastructure provided from the the state or university

· cosumerism i.e. food and transportation don’t need a big change in the infrastructure people can change this behavior on their own

KEYWORDS

Visual Communication Design

Sustainability

Environmental Awareness

Human Behavior (Change of ...)

Consumption

Design Ecology

HYPOTHESIS

By increasing college freshmen students’ awareness of sustainability they will be more likely to change their behavior.

EDUCATION

Humans are more likely to change their behavior when they receive personal benefit.

MOTIVATION

· initial research will specify if a lack of motivation, a lack of education or both leads   to the low awareness of sustainability in daily life

CONTEXTUAL RATIONAL

· not enough resources

· save money & protect own environment

–› better quality of life (future goal)

· more marketing research than design research on human behavior

· pressing and contemporary but unexplored topic

–› findings on target group can be adapted

· a sustainable way of living can improve quality of life immediately and in the future

AUDIENCE

Who is engaged?

college freshmen (c.f.) students

· open-minded flexible

· new environment and life

Who benefits besides college freshmen students?

· university

· all people in the environment

· everyone who’s interested in c.f. students’ behavior can use findings on target group

TOOLS

Literature Review (books, journals, internet,...)

Initial research on c.f. students about sustainablity

· survey (what do/don’t they know/do)

· personal interview (what do they do and how/why)

Behavioral change

· focus group (test vc design concept)

· contexual research (did awareness change cause behavioral change)

Statement of intent structure

The formal thesis project presentation will be the true starting point of my thesis project. 

The following topics will be discovered:

· Research question
· Key words (6)
· Hypothesis
· Contextual rationale (the why and where it fits)
· Audience (who benefits)
· Method (the what and how)

Research question
The research question creates a framework for my studies. It should not be too broad or too narrow and must offer benefit to a substantial group. My topic should be one that can indeed be researched and measured. The inclusion of Who? What? When? Where? are a good way to develop a solid structure. The question may be predictive, solution based, comparative, or informative.


Key words (6)
These terms will drive my discussion and search. I should be able to define each of these words. (5-7 words)


Hypothesis
Is the proposition that explains my argument. It states a proposed process of investigation and should reference facts to help build the context for my work. What am I arguing about? 


Contextual rationale
The why and where it fits. What has been done previously? How is my work unique? What is the need?


Audience
Who benefits? Is there an audience that will serve as research participants? These may be two distinct groups. Better quality of life?


Methods
The what and how. My approach of discovery and the tools I believe beneficial to this discovery. Why do I choose this techniques? What are their benefits?

These topics will define the direction of my work for the next two years. Good research begins with a problem one discovers...

Knowledge about being "green" in daily life

I defined college students as my target group. They are open-minded, still willing to learn and able to change their behavior.

The important question right now is what they are willing to change and what they already know about a "green" way of life.

I will interview a few college students personally and send out a short survey to find out:

· What do they know about sustainability and "green" living?

· What do they already do in your daily life?

· What do they know about, but don't do and why?

· Do they know why they as a person can make a difference?

· Are there topics like recycling, energy-saving, "green" consumerism and so on they don't feel well enough informed about?

· What did they do as a child and youth at their parents house? What are they doing now as college students at their own place? Did their behavior change? What do they think they could do in future? 

· Is there one behavior they would change? If there is one behavior they could change, what would it be?

· What would motivate them to change a behavior to a more sustainable one?

· Is there something they wish they could change?

· Is there something they will never change?

To answer this question is very important to specify the area college stundent would be willing to change their daily behavior in and  to find out how educated they are in the area of sustainbility.

Do they need more information/education or more motivation?

"Start with the man In the mirror. Ask him to change his ways"

A designer's role

A visual communication designer can have different roles:

1) A VC designer can manipulate words, create images and specify materials.
Green design it is a matter of finding and using better materials like nontoxic ink, tree-free paper, ...

2) A designer can help clients to strategize about how to build a strong brand and craft communications that resonate with their target audiences.
Gree design can craft and deliver messages that have a positive impact on the world or build strong brands for values-based companies who educate their costumers about social and environmental issues.

3) A VC designer can effect change and help clients to change the way people think and/or the way they act. (change actions of audience, clients and peers)
Green design is force for positive change (people who are touched by our work)

For my master's thesis I want to focus on the role of the designer as agent of change. But the other two roles will always be part of an convincing arguement for sustainability and green design. (Green Graphic Design)

Can design change the world

For all but a few eco savvy cosumers, price, functionality, convenience and aesthetics going to be the deciding factors. But products can change: how are they made, what they are made of and what happens to them once their immediate usefulness has expired. The best people able to make these types of changes are not consumers but designers.
Environmental intervention begins at a product's conception. The challenges are the costs, clients demands, short schedules, and environmental issues.

"We design products so that people are using the safest materials possible when making them, but also designing them so that when the product is through its first iteration of utility, it can be deconstructed and the materials reused." (James Ewell)

When showing people how design changes their own life, they are more likely to accept that design has the potential to change small problems in the world. Designers worked out some approaches and methodologies, through decades of practice, that are pretty good at reinventing things and solving problems. Maybe these methods can be applied...

Design is the art of planning (Paula Scher).

The New Target Group

The change of the target group
· change from the 70s (DIY, true products, don't spend unnecessary money) to today

· new target group wants:
 – aesthetic quality
 – fun at responsible consumption
 – LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability)
 – enjoyment & pleasure instead of asceticism & ideological rebellious attitude
 – this target group has the potential  to become a group of social majority (5-10 years)
 – Self-Indulgence instead of world improvement
 – Approach on ethics through aesthetics instead of ideology
 – Ethic is a feel good factor
 – fun & benefit
=> This target group is only going to change their daily behavior for fun or benefit. Personal benefit will be one of the big targets we have to consider when we want to change human behavior.

thefuntheory.com
This site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or something entirely different, just so long as it’s change for the better.

Research Questions

It is true to say that an answer is only as good as the questions (Allison et al., 1996). A meaningful question can be answered by research; a non-meaningful question cannot. Most research questions in our discipline do not lend themselves to easily quantifiable answers, and of course they usually cannot be prooved in the scientific sense. The best we can do is provide a credible argument based on good quality evidence. (Visualizing Research, C. Gray & J. Malins)


Research Question: First drafts
An investigation of the use of personal benefit in graphic design to increase students awareness of sustainability.
An investigation of the use of students curiosity to investigate in the graphic design process to increase their awareness of sustainability.

How can the collaborative use of graphic design enhance students way of living in a more sustainable one?

How can the us graphic design as an additional part of the whole educational strategy increase students awareness of sustainability in their daily life?

What kind of roles can graphic designers take on to increase the awareness on sustainability in the daily life of young adults?

How can graphic design as part of a collaborative work process increase students awareness of sustainability in daily life?

Keywords

Main Keywords
· Graphic Design
· Sustainability
· Human Behavior


Additional keywords
· Design Ecology
· Personal Benefit (as a trigger for behavioral change)
· Environmental awareness
· Collaboration
· Design Influence
· Design
· Methods
· Personal Benefit
· Design Thinking
· Education
· Change
· Multi-disciplinary

First Thoughts

Sustainability in Design

When one in the design field hears ”Sustainability“ he/she probably mainly thinks about Produktdesign, Interiordesign, Architektur or Material Engineering. But Visual Communications Design also has a big influence on sustainability even if it is not as obvious as the other design categories. 

Sustainable life versus green trend

Right now we experience a green trend. Organisations and companies sometimes try to greewash their appearance. But sustainable awareness is more than a trend. It can be a way of thinking and a way of living. We will run out of resources like fuel and water in the future. Wasting energy will costs more and more money and a sustainable way of life can save a lot of money. In Germany this green trend changed to a sustainable awareness a few years ago. And this proofs that this trend has a future to be more than a trend.

Behavioral Change with VC Design

I‘m especially interested in how graphic design as a part of the whole movement can influence and change peoples view on sustainability. 

How do people react unconsciously to graphic design? 

How can one influnce peoples view on sustainability without making them feel bad?

How can we as graphic designer make people aware of their own influence on sustainability?

Graphic design and sustainbility should be more that using recycled paper for packaging or environmental friendly print ink. But how big is the influence of graphic design? 

Target Group: Students

The Ohio State University is a perfect scenario. Students are open minded and still receptive for change. The student generation is the generation which needs to change their behavior for a more sustainable life (maybe to save money). They will educate the next generation, their own children, and we have to help to educate them to be more aware of the importance of sustainability.

My interests

My main interest right now is Sustainability and Visual Communication Design (focus on graphics). How can VC Design affect people and cause a behavioral change (focus on sustainability)? 
How will peoples understanding of sustainability change in the future?

Culture Differences

After I went to osu for an exchange in Autumn 2008 during my undergrad I came back for grad school in September 2009.
During my first stay I recognized several cultural differences between Germany and the US. 
One of the most important differences was the low consciousnesss of Americans about sustainability and environmental awareness. Why is there such a big gap? How can one change peoples behavior? How visual communication design support a change?
These questions were the basis for my application to grad school...