Roots & Routes
2024
overview
We are Team Urban Oasis, collaborating with Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project at West Oakland Farm Park (formerly City Slicker Farm) as part of the Social Lab class at the California College of the Arts.
Role
UX Designer
UX Researcher
Project Coordinator
Duration
2024/01 – 2024/08
Goals & Challenges
Our goal is to empower local youth with educational experiences that promote sustainable living and nutritional awareness. By engaging the community through hands-on activities at the farm, we aim to deepen their connection to the environment and foster a thriving, self-sustaining community.
Challenges we face include catering a diverse range of farm participants who have varying interests, abilities, and availability, which complicates the delivery of engaging and accessible farm activities. Moreover, we need to ensure that our initiatives remain environmentally and financially sustainable over the long term to continuously benefit the community.
We have conceptualized and developed several potential solution outcomes.
Our first key step was to create a new, updated map of the farm, as the old map was outdated and unused, with people like camp facilitators relying on satellite images from Google instead. We designed a traditional map with vivid colors and clear zoning for easy understanding at a glance.
We also explored integrating AR technology to make the map more interactive and informative.
We then segmented the farm and established a color-coded system for easier navigation, introducing signage and ground stickers thoughtfully designed for inclusivity, particularly for children, by positioning them at their eye level.
Beyond way-finding, we crafted information cards for each plant, featuring visuals that appeal to children, and designed interactive educational tools such as a veggie leaf matcher to be part of a scavenger hunt.
We have now completed the basic research for this project and have identified our direction for intervention. Next, we will focus more on the design and testing phases.
Future Timeline
Learning
From this project, I've learned to apply theoretical concepts in real-life scenarios, effectively managing projects and adapting to feedback.
Enhancing teamwork, particularly in communication and conflict resolution, has improved our collaborative efforts.
We've also gotten better at aligning project goals with stakeholder needs, quickly adapting to unexpected challenges, and incorporating continuous feedback to refine our approach.
These insights emphasize the importance of practical skills, dynamic teamwork, and agile project management in achieving successful outcomes.
