Birthing Kit

Assignment1

Redesigning the collection of heat and energy. The designs are utilizing existing products and applying them in an innovative and efficient way in small villages like Omdo.




The Meaning of “Social Entrepreneurship”
(Page 3, “In particular, markets do not do a good job of valuing social improvements , public goods and harms ,and benefits for people who cannot afford to pay… As a result, it is much harder to determine whether a social entrepreneur is creating sufficient social value to justify the resources used in creating that value”.)
Improvement, whether it is small or simple, usually leads to an expensive cost. Like this paragraph, it makes me question whether social entrepreneurship benefits the people and the community. The idea of social entrepreneurship is to help a community that is in need, but if the investment is large, how can the community afford it? I somewhat agree that markets do not work for social entrepreneurs.

Reshaping Social Entrepreneurship
(Page 49, “…could they have made a bigger difference?”)
If success is measured by improvement or difference, I feel that it depends on the measure of the short-term goal and the long-term goal. I feel that, most of the time, the difference/ change in social entrepreneurship affects short-term goals and the short-term goal can be the next step to improve the long-term goal.

Social Entrepreneurship: The case for definition
“Boundaries of Social Entrepreneurship”- I agree that boundaries should be identified to achieve success. The organization / creator who identified the social problem should identify the boundary in improvement. If not, the value and meaning of social entrepreneurship would be lost.

Assignment 2

Creativity as a Design Criterion
In comparison to art, key elements that define design are form and function. Creativity plays a big part in art and design. Creativity is its own technique that cannot be measured without art and/ or design- “integration of shape, function, emotions, material, texture and color” (page53)

Designing Sustainability
The Design for Sustainability course seems to cover different cultures- business, design and engineering. The process and goal of the semester seems dense but also direct. The outcome seems to be a great challenge and because the unpredictable outcome, achieving success seems to be rewarding.

Metrics for Measuring Ideation Effectiveness
The measure of ideation is meticulous and a long process. The idea of videotaping designer ‘thinking aloud’ seems like an interesting and a different approach from regular 2-D sketches. Another paragraph that caught my attention was ‘how to relate measures of goodness for design ideas to measure of goodness of idea generation methods’. I agree that exploring the design space and pushing the concept to the maximum creativity level will help discover innovative design.

Social Need

Environmental- Sustainable Design
As a designer and a student, I am interested in designing or building a sustainable product or service. From this, I would like to learn more about the economic and social activities and not just about sustainable product.

Environmental- Developing Community
Helping developing communities is my idea of reaching out to children who are in after school art programs or elders living in nursing homes. I prefer working with something solid and 3-D than focusing on service problems. My goal is to aid in growing a local community because I believe in working from small to big, in order to achieve success.

Education- Local art
This is similar to developing community except it is the idea of focusing more on children participating in art programs. Working, eating and playing with the children who have great interest in art is another design and social skill that can make a great impact to the local community. It will help solve personal issues of how the children (user group) interact in such environments.


Organization

American Lung Association of Rhode Island
Fights lung disease such as asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis, and their causes such as smoking, air pollution, and infection through education, research, and advocacy.
Diabetes Foundation of Rhode Island

Forty-six years ago, the Diabetes Foundation of Rhode Island (DFRI) made a commitment to serve those in the community who are affected by diabetes. 89 cents of every unrestricted dollar raised goes directly to programs and services designed to enhance the life of the person with diabetes.

Farm Fresh Rhode Island
Farm Fresh Rhode Island is growing a local food system that values the environment, health and quality of life of Rhode Island farmers and eaters.

New Urban Arts
New Urban Arts mission is to build a vital community that empowers young people to develop a creative practice they can sustain throughout their lives. We provide studio, exhibition space, and mentoring for young artists who explore the visual, performing, and literary arts through yearlong free out-of-school programs.

Toxics Information Project
In Rhode Island, no organization has been focused specifically and exclusively on toxics in everyday products, their health effects, and alternatives to their use. Toxics Information Project (TIP) aims to fill that role. TIP will stimulate people to think about and to question the chemicals that they are putting into their bodies everyday through absorption, inhalation, and ingestion. Using the most up-to date information from recent research and creative interaction with the public in a variety of ways & venues, TIP will seek and disseminate knowledge on how to avoid the worst toxics and to embrace safer ways to live our everyday lives. TIP will also provoke people to think about environmental effects from the residue in streams and soil and air from both manufacture of these products and their disposal after use by consumers.

AIDS Care Ocean State
AIDS Care Ocean State, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality housing, case management, medical/nursing care and prevention to adults, families, adolescents and children who are affected by or at risk for HIV infection. AIDS Care Ocean State will act as an advocate for individuals and families at risk while providing those support services needed to ensure and maintain a high quality of life.