Developing online tools for collaborative design thinking

Abstract

It is our human nature to create, and we must continue to create what we need in a constantly changing world. This project was also started by a world that turned because of Covid-19. Due to the Coronavirus, the online environment's importance is increasing, and a digital transformation is happening worldwide. Under these circumstances, when we involve users in the design process as a designer, we need an online tool to facilitate fluent communication. With this increasing needs, both ID Studio Lab at Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology and Ford Research and Innovation Center need a proper online collaboration tool for involving users in a design process. Involving users in a design process has many benefits, to improving the quality of the products or services, and it helps to avoid waste of cost in organizations. The main opportunity is to develop a new online possibility of user engagement in a design process for Ford and ID Studio Lab. The challenge is to create a fluent tool for both users and designers in a user-centric research project. Therefore, this project aims to develop a guideline which allows proceeding fluent participatory design process in online for Ford's Smart Vehicle Concepts team. This project started with one main challenge was that"To create a fluent tool for users and designers in a user-centric design project in a digital environment." The final concept-Sketcho-is an online meeting web application that enhances a sense of togetherness and evokes positive emotions such as fun and joy in online collaborative works. The app is an example of the various potentials of an online environment. Sketcho strengthens a sense of togetherness with the main features of sharing space together, which ultimately boost people who participate in online collaborative sessions full engagement to their activities.