Week 8 Journey
- Sophia Chan
- Sep 23, 2024
- 3 min read
[Figure 1: Dr Roger Greenaway The four F's of active reviewing model]
This week, I chose the Four F's of Active Reviewing model as it marks the final step in my exploration of different reflective models. My goal has been to find the approach that best aligns with how I process and learn from my experiences. The Four F's—Facts, Feelings, Findings, and Future—offer a structured yet flexible framework, allowing me to examine my progress holistically. It helps me break down each aspect of my journey, from what happened to how I felt, what I’ve learned, and how I plan to move forward. This model felt like a fitting conclusion to my reflection process, offering clarity and direction as I wrap up my project development.
Facts: What Happened?
During Week 8, my focus was on refining the low-fidelity prototypes of my monitoring app, which is centered around human interaction as its core purpose is to enable people to monitor green roofs while less interference to the wild bees. Gathering feedback was crucial, as the human-centered methodology I’m following relies heavily on user input to ensure the app's practicality and ease of use. I began integrating this feedback into Figma, testing various layouts for the app to optimise its functionality for monitoring plant trays and bee colonies.
[Figure 2: My Miro, Green Roof Monitoring app prototype]
A key event this week was my visit to the University of Auckland’s bee sanctuary, a trip recommended by my stream tutor for inspiration. However, the reality of the visit was far from what I had expected. The sanctuary was poorly maintained, with scattered wood scraps, limited plant diversity, and no visible bee nesting areas—far from the ideal environment I had envisioned. This experience, while disappointing, provided valuable insight into the importance of maintaining such spaces over time and for my app.
[Figure 3: UOA Bee Sanctuary Visit pictures and insights]
My tutor also emphasised the need to engage the community more effectively, suggesting that promotional materials like posters could help raise awareness and participation in the green roof initiative. This idea of fostering community involvement is something I plan to integrate into my project moving forward.
Feelings: How Did I Feel?
This week felt overwhelming as I juggled multiple aspects of my project, but the positive feedback on my low-fidelity prototypes and the interest they generated gave me a much-needed boost in confidence. The neglected state of the sanctuary was disheartening—what I had hoped would inspire me ended up leaving me frustrated. Still, I’m grateful for the chance to see real-world conditions, which prompted me to think more critically about how to improve my project. I began considering alternative nesting opportunities for bees instead of just hives but provide deeper volume soil for ground nesting bees and how to integrate better food sources around the green roofs. While the experience wasn't what I had expected, it pushed me to explore solutions I hadn’t initially considered.
Findings: What Did I Learn?
This week taught me the value of feedback in shaping a project. As I navigated the development phase, the feedback I received—whether from my tutor or my own observations—helped me iterate and improve my design. The visit to the bee sanctuary, though disheartening, underscored the importance of long-term maintenance and community engagement. Without proper upkeep, even well-intentioned projects can falter. My tutor’s advice about promoting the green roofs to the community made me realise that the project's success will rely not just on the design itself but also on how well it is adopted and sustained by those who interact with it.
I also learned that my initial ideations, while exciting, needed more refinement, especially in terms of layout and usability. Figma allowed me to experiment with different configurations, giving me a clearer sense of what works and what doesn’t.
Future: What’s Next?
Moving forward, I plan to revisit my design with a focus on improving community engagement. This means looking into promotional material such as posters, as suggested by my tutor, to better communicate the benefits of the green roof initiative.
In terms of my app, I will continue developing its functionality in Figma, paying close attention to user feedback to ensure it’s both intuitive and effective. My next step will be to finish the navigating screens prototypes and gather more targeted feedback from potential users to refine my design further.
This week’s experiences have reinforced the importance of adaptability, especially when things don’t go as planned. As I continue on this journey, I’m reminded that setbacks, like the state of the bee sanctuary, can serve as valuable lessons, leading to better-informed designs and more thoughtful approaches.
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