PROTOTYPING CLIMATE CHANGE
This exhibit was featured at the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco for one night at the OneClimate event hosted by UC Davis researchers. A snippet of the project was displayed at AIGA SF's exhibition Better Together from May 4 - June 22, 2017 as well as the UC Davis Design Museum's Undergraduate Senior Showcase from May 22 - June 22, 2017. The exhibition was fully represented at the UC Davis Office of Research, Research Expo in May 2017 and at Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum during the national conference, Imagining America, October 12-14, 2017.
The Problem
Create an exhibition summarizing climate change for an event with researchers, government officials, and investors.
My Role
Our team consisted of myself, Sandra Bae, Thomas Maiorana, and the head of the John Muir Institute of the Environment, Benjamin Houlton. Sandra and I focused on concept development and aided in the construction and execution of the exhibition.
Background
There are two common trajectories for the impacts of the earth based on human action (or inaction) today. “Future 1” represents what would occur if the world continued on its path as of February 2017, with no additional policy or technology to combat climate change and would result in a 4-6˚C hike in the average global temperature. “Future 2” represents what would occur should the world meet the Paris Accords, an average global temperature hike of under 1.5˚C.
Research
Through observation and quick interviews with 5 people, our team sought to learn how climate change is currently perceived and what people take away from presented climate change research. We unveiled how people don’t stay connected with the research—they go back to their normal lives. Additionally, a lot of the research isn’t presented in manners that non-scientific people can dissect and make meaning from.
Insights
The audience needs more of an emotional connection to the research, but not so much that they lose hope to initiate change
The audience needs the exhibition to be meaningful in their own lives within their own terms
How might we represent the impact of global warming and climate change in a tangible, experiential, and visceral way.
Concept
A collaborative game that requires people to work together to create policies that reduce environmental impacts in order to overcome the destruction of the world.
Interactive wastebins that respond to the item(s) placed in it and correspond the information to an associated and interactive globe.
Location-Based Outcomes that map guests on the world and demonstrate what will happen in their community in different futures.
A maze with walls lined of facts, predicted impacts, and statistics in which the only exit is to follow the path of the less harmful, action-based future.
Watt-a-mindset role play in which guests are given a mindset to view the entire event with and interact with others to expand how people view the world and climate change.
Reality Check
The concepts were too elaborate to comprehend easily.
Guests wouldn’t have enough time to complete and/or obtain enough information for several concepts.
The organization of the event was unknown at the time
The timeframe for the project was too short to fully execute these concepts
Concept Development
Clearly, a new concept was needed. Enter news articles that make the future a reality and touch on the various impacts of climate change that extend beyond rising temperatures, diminishing organism populations, and rising seas paired with physical heat feedback to convey rising temperatures.
Testing
We conducted two user tests with rapid prototypes to understand the effectiveness of the news story because the idea is multi-sensory and provides information in a timely, linear, and relatable manner.
Solution
Three small temperature-controlled booths with a digital screen playing video news stories and physical climate changes associated with the present, future 1, and future 2 scenarios. Instead of written news, we developed a video to embrace current technology and relevance to guests. The video touches on global issues, such as health and safety, government and politics, culture, and economics.
Challenges
Build three transportable telephone-like booths within 2 weeks
Compile a comprehensive, professional video within 2 weeks.
Feasibility
Moving Forward
Omit “present” room because most people know what is happening in the world and what “today” feels like
Update the video news as time passes
Create an action for people when they come out of the booths—almost like a pledge
Think about alternative ways to experience the same thing, i.e. VR