This research project investigates the challenges faced by blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals in using digital technologies, particularly focusing on the usability and accessibility of voice assistant technologies. The study aims to identify key problems experienced by BLV users, analyze the limitations and recent developments in voice assistant technology, and co-create a solution aimed at enhancing the usability of voice assistants for non-visual users.

To achieve these objectives, a mixed-methods approach was employed, including a literature review, usability inspections, digital anthropology, as well as co-design sessions with Visio experts and prototype testing with BLV users to validate potential solutions. The research further explores how these solutions can be integrated into the existing support network, ensuring that the design not only addresses immediate usability concerns but is also sustainable and adaptable.

The findings highlight critical design tensions and opportunities for future iterations of the prototype, particularly in terms of attainability, trust, and user agency. This research provides valuable insights for designers and stakeholders aiming to create more inclusive digital tools for the BLV community, offering a roadmap for embedding these solutions within broader support systems.

The energy transition holds significant importance across various sectors of our lives, and the housing sector is no exception. While constructing CO2-efficient buildings can substantially reduce emissions, the renovation of older structures is equally important. Renovation plans for the latter are predominantly focussed in increasing the thermal quality of the building and integrating green energy sources. Besides this climate goal, this challenge is also pushed by a social goal. Renovation is in some cases also vital to address the increasing number of households living in energy poverty. Households within this category have both high energy bills which is likely caused by the poor insulation and in addition to this, receive a generally low income.

Participation and engagement within this process is recognised as an important factor for successfully navigating the renovation journey. However, this is not alway an easy task since VvE boards are already carrying the heavy load of the practical renovation tasks. My research looked in the context for the barriers that hold participation back and for potential drivers that proved to be efficient in this context to stimulate participation. The six themes found are: position, trust in officials, knowledge, social cohesion, practical factors and personal factors. These themes overlap and influence each other.

Therefore, to explore and evaluate possible solutions to address the problem definition, I used the method Research through Design to observe how a design is responded to in the context. The five directions that I explored were around a vision building workshop, public discussion starters, serious gaming and interactive and visual knowledge tools.

The project concludes with an embodied design solution that addresses the problem using an interactive and visually engaging approach. The design aims to reduce barriers related to the four of the six themes found: position, knowledge, social cohesion and practical factors. Ultimately, to enable residents to engage and interact with the available information to let them experience the influence they can have in shaping the sustainable renovation process of their own homes.

Trust is a major contributor to a team's performance. Trust needs time to be built. Engaging into an open discussion can shorten the time needed to build trust. The well-being tracking tool support students and coaches in their way of communicating their emotions about the project. This leads to: 1. A lower chance of conflicts within the team 2. A higher chance of understanding each other 3. A better teamwork experience 4. By talking about emotions, you are being open and vulnerable, which can only happen in a trusted environment.

The consequences of climate change are becoming visible more and more, also in The Netherlands. Most people consider the environment to be important and want to act sustainable, but they find it hard to really take action. “Where should I start?” “What is actually sustainable and what not?” “What can I do within my budget?” are questions that arise. As a designer, I became aware of the overflow of products that are meant to make our lives better but at the same time harm the environment, which motivated me towards this graduation project. Research shows that stuff scores the highest in the impact top 10 of the average Dutch consumer (Porcelijn, 2017). Therefore, the initial goal of this project was to make consumers aware of the impact their purchases have on the environment and stimulate them to buy less. Literature research is done towards our shopping behaviour and what can be done to motivate sustainable behaviour related to the purchase of product. This research revealed that, in the long term, activating intrinsic motivation is more successful than providing extrinsic motivation in the form of rewards for example. One way to stimulate intrinsic motivation of consumers to act more environmental friendly is to give them positive feedback about the sustainable behaviour already performed. This enlarges their environmental self-identity, which is defined as: the extend to which one sees him/her self as a sustainable person. (van der Werff, 2016). Since the effect of the positive feedback is bigger when feedback is given on multiple categories of sustainable behaviour (such as waste, energy usage, transportation etc.) instead of one category, a shift in this project is made from products alone towards more sustainable behaviour in general. Thereafter, existing initiatives to stimulate sustainable behaviour are evaluated by comparing them to the findings in the literature research and interviews are held to get a more clear image of consumer experiences. Based on this research, three possible design directions are being presented and the direction of positive feedback is chosen. The final goal of this project is defined as motivating consumers to act more sustainable
by enlarging the environmental self-identity with positive feedback on sustainable behaviour from the past. The second phase is the ideation phase where in which brainstorms are done for possible solutions towards the chosen direction. A generative session is organised to involve the target group in the design process. With the results and insights of the brainstorm and this session, three concepts are formed which are formed and tested by the use of Google forms. The results are evaluated and the concept of sustainable art is chosen, whereby the user tracks his/her sustainable behaviour by creating an artwork on the wall. In the third phase, iterations are made to the concept and two more tests are executed, whereby the concept developed into the final design: SusA. SusA is designed to make the user more conscious about their sustainable behaviour, and provide positive feedback for all the sustainable actions by creating an artwork on the wall. It stimulates interaction between the user and house mates and/or guests, and makes users aware of how much of a sustainable person they already are. The product comes with an smart phone application, where pictures and tips can be shared with friends, statistics of one’s sustainable behaviour can be found and inspiration for sustainable actions in the different categories is available. To conclude, suggestions are given to introduce SusA to the market, the concept is evaluated and recommendations are made for further research and development.

The goal of this graduation project, conducted for the master science communication at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), was to design a tool to help partners of diabetes type 1 patients to come closer to the patient, by conversations about diabetes, to gain more insights in how the patients feels and how to support. The project is part of the Integrated Care Program for Diabetes type 1 patients (INCAP) in which ultiple partners are involved (SERMAS, Medtronic, Universidad Politécnica Madrid, TU Delft).