What is Co-design?
Co-design is an approach to actively design with all stakeholders (e.g. employees, partners, customers, citizens, end users) in the design process to help ensure the result meets their needs and is usable. Gathering valuable insights by doing research, testing interventions, iteration processes, creating design principles and concepting are key elements in this design process. During this minor (English) at the University of applies sciences Utrecht I’ve worked with clients as Arriva, Solace and the Municipality of Utrecht (Gemeente Utrecht).
The assignment
Arriva, a Dutch public transport company, noticed that many visitors of theme park De Efteling choose to travel there by car, instead of using public transportation. Therefor Arriva would like to improve or develop the bus services from Tilburg and Den Bosch station to De Efteling. Arriva approached me and three other students to come up with a solution.
As real co-designers, my team and I did research with the target group at De Efteling. Asking about their perfect Efteling Experience and their dream transport towards the theme park helped us in understanding the needs of the visitors. After numerous brainstorms we came up with a concept, which extends De Efteling Experience beyond the gates of De Efteling. By transforming certain objects towards De Efteling and by giving children who travel by bus a collectible we attend to accomplish a higher emotional connection, a personal reminder and an extended Efteling Experience between De Efteling, Arriva and the target group.
My role in this project was doing field research, talking to the target group, creative concepting and pitching. With these roles I was able to develop my hidden-design skills, and my pitching skills.
Grade: 75/100
Check our final report
