How do we want to live in the future?
My research interest lies in the area of tension between digital transformation and eco-social design with a focus on inclusive design and accessibility.
As a scientific advisor, I support the Research and Development Lab of the Virtual Design study at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern.
In various lectures in my university courses, project work is carried out alone or in teams in cooperation with civil society actors. The spectrum ranges from topics such as inclusion, media literacy for young people, ecological mobility to urban gardening etc. I would like to give my students the experience that they can purposefully shape their environment.
Research & Development
In the field of Spatial Interface Design, I deal with the exploration of digital technologies and their use in human-machine interaction in space. Always from the point of view of accessibility and inclusive design.
With the question of how design can contribute to the development of solutions that make people’s lives easier and enable participation with the help of assistive technologies.
As a research approach, I use participatory design, which is characterized in particular by the fact that the perspectives of all people involved are included. Users are not just a source of inspiration, but also become active co-creators in the design process.
Photo: Excursion to the innovation studio for mixed reality, NMY
Companion2Go
Companion2Go connects people with and without disabilities with common interests. The aim is to break through (thinking) barriers and enable more mobility, flexibility and self-determination.
Study task: create a marketing concept to successfully place the app in the app store.
More info: https://bit.ly/3t2w1tk
Photo: Lennart Kramp
Share the Road
In cooperation with the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and the Research Lab for Urban Transport our design students work on ideas and utopias for Urban Planning for more equality of all road users.
Study task: The students should answer the question how we can move around the city more easily, quickly and safely in the future.
Photo: Project Group “Ryder”. An app concept that makes cycling more attractive. Amrhein, Lee, Pawlowski and Segschneider.
Bahnhofsgrün
Urban Gardening – Near-natural planting on urban green space that combines ecology and aesthetics. These areas can be as varied as the city itself. They become a reflection of the people who live in the neighborhood and who bring their own ideas. The “Begrünung im Bahnhofsviertel” project is about the desire to add splashes of color to a densely built-up area.
Study task: conceive and design information graphics and communication media.
More Info: http://bahnhofsgruen.de
Photo: Natascha Lotze
Logo: Stefanie Väth
Design the world you want to live in!
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Research Approach
If the focus is on participation in design processes, it is about designers and all people involved developing a changed understanding of their roles. Users are not only a pure source of inspiration, but also become active co-creators. Participation in design is characterized in particular by the fact that the perspectives of all people involved are included. This allows us to shed light on research questions in a larger socio-cultural context.
