DigiPen Component Donation Program
UX Designer - School Program
Solo Project - 4 weeks (Initial Proposal)
Solo Project - 4 weeks (Initial Proposal)
When I was told to research a problem facing students at my college, I was quite pleased with the opportunity, both to learn more about the school and make a change in the community. During my brainstorming period, a visit to the newly-renovated, still-restocking student store got me thinking about the availability of school supplies, specifically in regards to game components. As a school centered on game design, many students are required to take tabletop development courses to learn systems skills, and yet options to procure supplies for these projects (e.g. dice, cards, tokens, etc.) on or near campus are limited, which in turn limits students' design ability and creates avoidable stress. Having experienced this issue firsthand as both a student and teaching assistant, I looked to investigate this oversight and determine what I might do to help future classes avoid this struggle.
In my analysis of this issue, I:
Based on my research, I realized that many design students ended their courses with several components left over for which they had no use, and proposed that a system be put into place by which these leftovers could be passed on to incoming students via donation drives. At submission, the proposal was so well-received by both students and staff that I decided to move forward with implementation. Reconnecting with my sources in the student association and library, I passed along the finished proposal, which was approved and eventually put into action. As of December 2021, the DigiPen library's materials exchange program accepts game pieces along with textbooks and art supplies, and donations have started flowing in. I have since checked in with the library on occasion to ensure that the donated components are accessible and known about, and I have begun to see new students making use of the offerings. It is my sincere hope and personal goal that this system helps future students achieve great design work, and I will continue to seek out ways to improve students' access to materials.
In my analysis of this issue, I:
- Investigated current options and past proposed solutions
- Conducted research interviews
- Interviewed 8 users (current and former design students) for their experiences and perspective
- Interviewed 2 stakeholders (design professors) for their knowledge of the problem
- Interviewed 3 other faculty to check the viability of potential solutions
- Researched and developed the possibility of a donation program to address the gap in supply
- Presented the proposal to students and faculty
- Moved the project up to student government
Based on my research, I realized that many design students ended their courses with several components left over for which they had no use, and proposed that a system be put into place by which these leftovers could be passed on to incoming students via donation drives. At submission, the proposal was so well-received by both students and staff that I decided to move forward with implementation. Reconnecting with my sources in the student association and library, I passed along the finished proposal, which was approved and eventually put into action. As of December 2021, the DigiPen library's materials exchange program accepts game pieces along with textbooks and art supplies, and donations have started flowing in. I have since checked in with the library on occasion to ensure that the donated components are accessible and known about, and I have begun to see new students making use of the offerings. It is my sincere hope and personal goal that this system helps future students achieve great design work, and I will continue to seek out ways to improve students' access to materials.