Developing a collaborative approach to visual prototyping.

Challenge
Rathlin community has long valued the use of visual design to promote collective and informed decision making evidenced through their approach to town hall visual minutes. The introduction of collaborative design led processes and visual skills has great potential to address societal needs by visually prototyping potential new products and services.

Approach
Final year students of BDes Graphic Design (UU) worked directly with the community of Rathlin, adopting participation-based approaches to collaborate and respond creatively to a range of societal needs relating to sustainability. The process involved knowledge exchange between community and students and sharing of rich media to represent new concepts.

Outcomes
Over a two-year period 88 graphic design students produced 138 visual responses to a range of community needs relating to identity, eco-tourism, commercialisation, wayfinding, signage, storytelling, digital tools, iconography and sustainable practice. Poster outcomes were exhibited on Rathlin Island, at Ulster University Annual End of Year Show, and to 100 creative industry leaders in Belfast.

Learnings
Prototyping is an experimental and visual process which encourages designers to communicate ideas in tangible form enabling meaningful engagement with collaborators early in the project. The Rathlin community reported significant value in adopting a broad and rapid approach to visual investigation aligned with multiple societal needs to enrich subsequent conversations around possible future solutions to inform decision making.

Impact
Graphic design students produced a range of advanced prototypes demonstrating effective approaches to co-design, community engagement and sustainable practices which has highlighted the role of visual communication in progressing complex societal issues in a small community.