30. 07. 2024
Author: Zuzana Novotná
How to use design to improve mental health in the South Moravian Region?
There are a number of design approaches with their own methods and principles. As such, design is the process of developing products, equipment and services with particular emphasis on form and function. The British design duo Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby argue that classical design approaches only play into the hands of current economic systems and thereby exacerbate the problems they cause. Whether it's climate change caused by the car industry, for example, the exploitation of people through apps like Uber, or the depopulation of historic city centres due to AirBnB. Speculative and critical design bring in other, alternative futures, and attempt to use design as a tool to expose the hidden ideologies behind the products and services we use every day and are influenced by, even unconsciously.
Speculative and critical design not only creates, but also reflects on the negative impacts of a given product or service. This type of design serves, for example, to reflect on the necessity and usability of a product or service. It should provoke public debate or draw attention to social, political or ethical issues.
How to work speculatively when designing services in the social and health sector was tested at Friday's workshop. The workshop took place in our premises at kongresak.space and was led by designer and educator from Masaryk University Roman Sellner Novotný.
Speculative design or design fiction is commonly used abroad and in the public sector to set strategies in areas ranging from climate change to population ageing. In other words, it is not so much about product design as it is about policy design done through an artefact," Roman Sellner Novotný explains.
The workshop was designed for public officials and staff, doctors, teachers and other experts interested in innovative approaches to mental health problems. Participants included Pavla Kovářová, regional coordinator for mental health, Eva Nečasová, head of the JINAG services team, Kateřina Hájková Klíčová, therapist and head of the Perinatal Loss Project, and Petra Kutálková, designer from nevypustdusi. cz, secondary school teacher Petr Kuthan, coordinator of innovative technologies at JINAG Julie Tomaňová, methodologist of prevention of early departures from education Norbert Michel, facilitator and designer of Gen Tereza Navarová and designer of JINAG Erik Vaněk.
We followed up a series of workshops with people with ADHD and anxiety to share their experiences and the challenges they face, and to develop suggestions for technologies that could help them. One of the outcomes of these workshops is the FocusFrame concept. FocusFrames are special glasses designed for people with ADHD to help them focus their attention on specific activities. Another interesting concept is ZenPod, a mobile capsule designed for people suffering from anxiety and panic. ZenPod provides users with a private interactive and audiovisual place of calm in a public space. This space is designed to provide a sanctuary where people suffering from anxiety can find peace and relaxation. While these technologies are hypothetical, they offer valuable insights and inspiration for future development of real-world solutions. Above all, however, they seek to generate debate about whether current mental health care systems are set up sufficiently and whether we should consider changing them in such a way that such technologies do not challenge the target groups at all.
Participants learned about the speculative approach and how it can be useful for developing public health policies and strategies. Using the example of speculative technologies for people suffering from ADHD and anxiety, participants tried to develop new strategies and approaches that could be implemented in the South Moravian Region to help a large group of its population.