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Process Reflection

The pace of the process was challenging, but necessary. I tend to skip around a lot, and I think we got a lot more out of staying on pace with the group week after week. If I were to go through the entire process again with the same problem statement, I would of liked to re-visit stages more frequently, rather than just move onto the next phase right away. For example, the research and analysis phase never really ended, but as a group, we were not as diligent about organizing our findings after that stage was over.

Things I have learned about each phase in the problem solving process:

Acceptance:

We have to understand our personal connection and motivation before continuing the problem solving process. A lot of my motivation came from self-interest; how will I be able to utilize and grow my skills with this project? How might I learn from others in the group? What am I bringing to the table that no one else can? This phase was really important because it allowed us to reflect on our behaviors before working together.

Analysis:

Analyzing the data that we collected about our topic and organizing it into spreadsheets and mind maps was one of the most satisfying phases of our project. Using divergent thinking, we each had our own “subcategory” of Mars that we were investigating. Finding the points of focus for our problem using a morphological analysis, seemed very tedious at first, but once everyone’s analysis was added to the chart, it was really fun to review and vote on the best topics. I remember at one point we were looking into the politics on Mars as a potential problem area. We were also talking about agriculture on Mars. Eventually we saw trends within our chart that led to the focus of “group dynamics.” We knew we had to first focus on the mission to mars, rather than colonization.

Definition:

Finding the focus topic Coming up with a problem definition was surprisingly easy for our group, considering the scope of our topic. Once we realized the extended duration of confinement and isolation on Mars would inevitably impact the success of the mission, we knew we had to create some kind of support system for the crew. The definition stage was the most important stage for me in the problem solving process for me. When we finally wrote it out, I immediately felt a sense of ownership and a focus that kept me motivated throughout the rest of the project.

Ideation:

If we were talking about supporting a team on earth, I think our ideation phase would have looked a lot different. Because we were dealing with many environmental constraints, a lot of us had similar solutions. I felt like this stage was important for us to break away from the heavy research, and just throw as many ideas onto the table as possible.

Selection:

We had a lot of segments to the selection phase: Capabilities, name, interactions, look, feel of this support system were all up for debate. It took the minds of the entire group to figure out what was adding to or distracting from the overall narrative of our problem’s story.

Evaluation:

Even though we were constantly evaluating our deliverables, collecting the feedback from the whole class, and reiterating our product, most of the evaluation happened at the end of the process. I feel like we could have benefitted from a midpoint evaluation to make sure we were all on track with where we wanted to be.

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Evaluation.

Our group has been using formative evaluation during each phase of the problem solving process. We’ve documented every member’s individual contribution as well as the final deliverable during each stage which gives us a lot of material to sort through when analyzing the performance and effectiveness of our group. We also voted in the research phase, brainstorming, ideation phase, and the naming of our product. 

I think using a rubric as the final method of evaluation would be effective for this project. With so many smaller deliverables within the project, it would be beneficial to see from a quantitative standpoint, where our weak spots were and where the team felt we really succeeded. 

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Implementation.

We set out to build a narrative around the final product. As I began to think about how to share this narrative in the final presentation, I really wanted to focus on the birth of the product rather than our team’s problem solving process. I thought of this narrative by breaking it down into the following steps to pitch to stakeholders: 

1. Problem- there is no support system in place for an extended mission to Mars

2. Relevance and severity of the problem- what problems we are currently facing in simulations, group dynamic common issues

3. Solution- LIAM

4. Capabilities and functions of the solution- communication, mediation, AI

5. Business model, design, unknowns- sneak peek into the prototype and expected deliverables 

As we continue working through the narrative piece, I also want to incorporate a visual of how this product will live within the shuttle to show the scale and potential user interface with the final product. 

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Conceptualize it.

Meet Liam,

This is our first draft of Liam’s physical appearance. As we mentioned last week, we see Liam as having a base model and from there highly customizable based on his intended use. His internal features, the software, is the actual product whereas the hardware here is just how we visually see him working best on the mission to Mars.

To walk you through his appearance, he has a lightweight shell with speakers on the top third where he can communicate with his user. The middle third houses his screen for sharing data and accepting data input from the user. Between the screens there are three fans that will help him navigate the Hab’s environment. The lowest portion will be our “surveillance,” housing the camera for 24/7 data collection, along with a projector capability to share visual information on a larger scale. The lights run down the seams of his shell, LED’s that change colors with his “mood” or identify what type of alert he has for the crew member (i.e. red would be emergency, blue might be messages, etc.).

As for the software, here are the capabilities that make up Liam: Soft Skills AI, Team Dynamics Training, Smart Team Facilitator, Guided Stress Reduction, Remote Data Collection, Adaptive Distant Management, Advanced Passive Emotion Tracking, Instant Feedback & Mediation, and Task Management Support.

Each version of Liam we send to Mars will be color coded to make identifying every individual Liam easy for the team. They will train with them for the year prior to launch and aid in daily life while in space. We envision his daily activities to be hovering around the Hab monitoring the teams emotions and performance within the group, sharing  information , alerting ground control of any emergencies and offering help when needed or prompted.

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Business Model Canvas

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GfRzbKEdnDF059e3b-w6pjyinZ3u_4WGZzFNZ_hdF5Y/edit

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Selection

Once we realized that trying to play the role of “God” on a Martian mission was going to be near impossible, we decided that sending an additional “Product” with the crew would help alleviate some of the tension that is created during prolonged periods of confinement and isolation. We broke the mission down into 4 sections of time in which the “Product” might be useful and four personas that would hypothetically be using the product.

We then came up with as many capabilities and functions we could. We also have a lot of potential names for the robot in the making but we’ll leave some surprises to the end... 

While our team was all in agreement during the selection stage, I think honing in on how our product is going to be specific to a Martian mission might be up for debate over the next few days. 

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Choosing a Solution

Our team utilized taking polls up until this point as the predominant way to make decisions. This time around when coming to a solution we  utilized a couple different methods. Coming into our “solutions” week we still had three main questions that all could be potential solutions to our problem definition. We could either:

-define how we will select team members

-define a team structure

or -define a tool or product the team needs in order to be successful.

In deciding on our solution, it came pretty organically. Everyone agreed outlining human characteristics and personality traits might be too subjective: we can never accurately predict human behavior and conflict is inevitable. Everyone’s interest peaked when we identified that a tool or a product, some ‘X’, would be the solution to creating a team to successfully make it to Mars.

This led us to rephrasing our problem definition to include, “even the most capable team needs outside support on the mission to Mars.” It cleared up exactly what we were looking for in a solution and the next step for us was coming up with the specific criteria for our “outside support.” What we learned in our research is that there are four main aspects of group work and they are, “forming”, “storming”, “norming” and “performing”. The “storming” and “norming” phases are where the majority of teams experience conflict and therefore added stress and emotions. This is where teams need outside support in order to ease group tensions and provide other general mission support.

Our criteria for coming up with the ‘X’ is this:

Data collection of individual crew members and environment

Communication

Face/voice recognition

PCM technology (emotional intelligence)

Keyword problem solving

Spacial awareness

In coming up with the form of the ‘X’ we are still working on coming to a consensus and will inevitably need to compromise on certain aspects of this thing. Our last group meeting of the week we used more of an idea potpourri method: everyone came to the table with their criteria for ‘X’ and from there we whittled it down and combined ideas. We inadvertently used a few other selection methods because this ‘X’ is so heavily represented in Sci-Fi, that we need to make sure our version was pragmatic. Things we touched on that further research might be needed for is cost, accuracy (or potential annoyance) and the physical logistics of the build. Now, how the hardware should manifest itself upon the crew is still up for debate!

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Brainstorm and Debriefing // our giant web of research and ideas...

https://coggle.it/diagram/W0OzVqfTAhp3fK5K/t/martians#

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Quick trip to LA calls for in-person MARS TALK with @isaidlouie

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Problem Definition // REVISED

Due to the extended duration of confinement, isolation and environmental stressors, there is no team structure yet capable of a successful mission to Mars.

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Ideation

Our group used a Google doc for our initial brainstorming sessions. We had a few “pop up” meetings throughout the week where we could bounce ideas off of one another and explain what we had written in the doc. The doc was pretty unorganized so we converted the information to a Google spreadsheet. The spreadsheet was organized, but in a very linear fashion so we created a Coggle mind map (below) of everyone’s ideas and findings. Our problem is very research heavy, so we spent a lot of time exploring existing Martian simulations on Earth, as well as trying to define an ideal group dynamic for this ~3 year journey of confinement and isolation. 

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Mars: Problem Definition

Historically we’ve selected people to go to space based on individual capabilities, however now we must select individuals to form a team to collaborate successfully on a Martian mission through the challenges of confinement, isolation, and lack of resources.

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Conjunction Junction

My house is 250 square feet and it's extremely bright in the morning. The furniture is intricately placed and has an efficient flow to it. The walls are white paneling and the ceiling is tongue and groove pine. There is a very small kitchen and we always have to keep it clean. My house is very small but it has everything we need. There is not a lot of space for extra stuff, but we spend more time outside doing the things we love. The kitchen is especially tiny but we get by with making simple meals for each other.

  My laptop is from 2009 and it's components and software are outdated. It is silver with a black keyboard and is pretty heavy to carry in a shoulder bag. My 2009 Macbook Pro is outdated all around, but has a brand new hard drive. It doesn't always perform the way I need it to, but I can't expect it to keep up with all of the programs I run. I need a new computer!

My Warby Parker glasses have rose colored frames and 2.2 prescription lenses. They are categorized as "hipster" and I get a lot of compliments on them. They cost me $95 and were a very easy purchase. My Warby Parker glasses are the same prescription as my old glasses but for some reason make me dizzy when I wear them for a long time. They look new and trendy, but are made cheap so they probably won't last very long. 

My Hoka running shoes are lightweight and optimal for trail running. They are black and white, expensive, and durable. My running shoes have a nice lightweight rocker sole but are pretty narrow in the toe box. They are made well but are too expensive for what they are. 

My dad is incredibly self-less and charitable. He is the youngest of six and has always found joy in the little things. He is 57 years old and is planning to retire around 68. My dad is very generous but sometimes can't say no to people. He is the youngest of six but is the most mature of all of his siblings. He is 57 years old but still very active in his day to day duties.

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Mars Morphological Analysis

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lpgMFeWAVCcXI7LjVdS0W0ovci5tRwxM7uVgH3xS-gg/edit#gid=2048030779

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Contingency Management Plan

● Understand your limits. what are your capabilities and the collective capabilities of your team?

We feel as though our topic is the perfect balance of problem and opportunity, as well as a big unknown for all of our team members. Our team agreed that we are capable of utilizing each other’s skills and contributions to the group. We’re all capable of communicating where we might fall short and need help.

Jasmine: I feel that my knowledge of science fiction media and technology will be a support to the group as well as being a good researcher, presentation maker, and at meeting deadlines. As the project advances I see myself gaining perspective and I'm more excited about what I will gain from the team rather than the topic.

Alex: I’m completely unbiased regarding our topic because I know very little about it, so the research phase will be really fun for me. I think there is an interesting intersect between the topics of Mars and Graffiti that I’d like to really dive into. I feel as though my organizational skills and design background will be a big part of my contribution to the team meetings and deliverables.

Dave: I’m able to help with technology & development, business planning, project management, and knowledge management. I can probably assist on graphics in Illustrator, presentation assets, as well as the presentations themselves. I’m unfortunately extremely limited in time and availability, and prefer to work independently and as asynchronously as possible to not disrupt other classmates.

Arie:I have experience with writing, product and project management, and print and UI design. In addition, I know how to analyze the scope of a project and identify potential roadblocks. I’m excited to see how my skills mesh with my those of my teammates.

Lauren: I see myself as a good listener, someone who can both generate and build well off of other’s ideas. I communicate well, whether its on topic or not is another story.

● Establish reasonable and feasible goals and standards. What are your and your team’s intentions and are they in line with your abilities. Where does your team have gaps and how will you mitigate that?

Our big picture goal is to work together, and learn things we do don’t know about the topic, as well as each other. It’s important to us that we assign reasonable goals for each member and the team as a collective. So far we’ve brainstormed ideas, voted on our favorites, agreed on a final topic, and set a unified communication strategy.

Our main gap might be scheduling. We’ve scheduled our meetings at 8pm on Sundays (tentatively), or ideally meet right after classes on Thursdays for a quick check-in. In order to mitigate this potential conflict, we want to make sure we communicate properly via email, text, or google doc, ask for help when we need it or do not understand something, come prepared to meetings in order to make them as efficient as possible, and have agendas and goals for every meeting. It is our plan to have a person accountable for the cohesion of group work at every milestone. That person will have to shoulder some burden if individuals do not contribute to a specific milestone but we do not foresee that this group will have non-contributors.

Jasmine: We are all dedicated and communicative but with my personal schedule I know it will be hard to be working at the same times as others. We have agreed on a regular schedule of meetings and communication and preparing work in advance to reduce the length of meetings.

Alex: I have a flexible schedule, so it’s fairly easy for me to collect individual contributions and sew them together during the day for a group assignment. I think making sure that we’ve all contributed individually prior to the group meeting will be vital to the design thinking practice.

Dave: I really prefer to work asynchronously and with clearly defined deliverables for individuals. I’m a big proponent of using a “breakdown” approach to chunk work into its smallest realistic components, therefore allowing us to achieve deliverables and “quick-wins” incrementally throughout the project. My schedule is constrained by being a single dad, full time worker, and already committed to both this course and the Wednesday Design Essentials course. I’ll do my best and hope to find opportunities to keep up with the team.

Arie: Similar to Jasmine, I have a busy work schedule but I’m confident in our scheduled meetings and plan for open communication. I think it will be key to have timeboxed 8 meeting agendas as well as preassigned work to keep things moving along efficiently.

Lauren: Our goal is to meet once a week: use group chats for spontaneous ideas, share images/docs/articles via google docs. Come to meetings having read updates. We have peer reviews so IF for any reason a task can’t be completed on time either communicate it to the whole so someone else can potentially pick up the slack. Give notice if you really need to just delay a meeting a few hours or if its a day or two delay. I  don’t think we have any gaps in our team. We actually have someone classified in every color :) We all agreed to put in equal effort at every stage and as long as we’re communicating constantly to keep everyone in the loop.

● Be strict and consistent. Do not promise what you cannot deliver. Talk with your team on how to stay within scope and meet and exceed expectations with within your collective means.

We’ve agreed to stay within the scope of the topic. Of course there will be tangents, and we will have some blue sky thinking in the beginning as part of the design thinking process, but we want to end each brainstorming or ideation session with the topic in mind. We want to break down the process into the smallest workable parts so that we can accomplish something rather than get stuck.

● Reward yourself. What incentives do you and your team value when you meet your goals and, conversely, what is agreed upon and accepted “consequences” for you or your team members not contributing or behaving poorly?

We agreed that we are all reliable team members. Our main incentive is to have the opportunity to work together, not the end result. The consequence of not performing or contributing as necessary to the group is disappointment from the team. We’re all just excited to work together!

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Destination and Journey

In our team meeting, we narrowed our list of over 60 topics, down to three. Mars, graffiti, and the music industry were our favorites. Collectively we gravitated towards Mars (pun intended), but were drawn to all three possibilities. As we research, we will start with where Mars intersects with the other two verticals. If we find alignment and inspiration we will continue down that path and if we do not, then we will pivot towards the strongest case. We feel as though this topic is the perfect balance of problem and opportunity, as well as a big unknown for all of our team members. Our team agreed that we are capable of utilizing each other’s skills and contributions to the group. We’re all capable of communicating where we might fall short and need help.

Jasmine

Interests: I personally gravitated to Mars because of the abstractness of the possibilities. As science fiction writer Tom Chiang said, "Science fiction is very well suited to asking philosophical questions; questions about the nature of reality, what it means to be human, how do we know the things that we think we know." Taking on a topic like this will either be hugely rewarding to think big and bold or incredibly challenging to take on something so removed from the here and now.

Expertise/contributions: I am knowledgeable in the area of science fiction media and technology. I’m a good researcher and presentation maker, and I promise to make deadlines.

Alex

Interests: I’m completely unbiased regarding our topic because I know very little about it, so the research phase will be really fun for me. I think there is an interesting intersect between the topics of Mars and Graffiti that I’d like to really dive into. I am personally interested sociology and cultural norms of a new society on Mars.

Expertise/contributions: I’m good at organizing group thoughts and ideas. I’m a visual thinker with a design background that I feel can help with constructing team deliverables.

Dave

Interests: I’m excited for the topic - Mars has tons of history spanning back to ancient times and is now back in view thanks to the latest rocket technology and renewed interest in exploring our solar system. My 3 year old son loves watching video of the SpaceX rocket launches, and it’s exciting to see Blue Origin, SpaceX, and other companies compete in a new era space race.  

Expertise / Contributions: As part of the team, I can help with idea generation, technology, prototyping, research, and presentations. I’m an an avid science fiction fan, so I’m excited to explore the broad topic and dive into something specific. Even this last week I was reading about the Opportunity rover that’s still exploring Mars - even though it has lasted 14 years longer than the engineers expected it to. It will be interesting to see how our group drives towards a more specific problem, given the broad starting point, but I think we’ve already shown our ability to collaborate, communicate, and keep working towards our goals.

Arie

Interests: I’m excited to learn more about Mars and the broader implications of potentially starting another society. There are all sorts of societal and cultural concerns to take into account aside from the host of technological and safety-related issues. I think it is an interesting proxy to explore societal dynamics in the absence of certain elements and institutions, and could be viewed as an opportunity to study the formation and evolution of human society.

Expertise/contributions: As far as contributions, I am interested in the topic so I can help with creating ideas as well as exploring alternative angles to others’ ideas. I also have experience in project management, design, and writing, so I can help with various aspects of the project.

Lauren

Interests: As for my capabilities regarding the topic of Mars, I know very little however, and plan to make the most in our next research phase.

Expertise/contributions: I see myself as a good listener, someone who can both generate and build well off of other’s ideas. I communicate well, whether its on topic or not is another story. I enjoy pulling loose ends together and visually smoothing presentations out and I’m hoping I get to flex my creative muscles.