Citizens meet Climate
Client: Citizen Voice, TU Delft
Type: research team project
Year: 2023/24
Type: research team project
Year: 2023/24
In 2023 and 2024 I worked as a digital product designer at the TU Delft Citizen Voice initiative. The research team focuses on exploring the use of digital platforms for public participation and climate action in the Netherlands. Among other projects, I was part of the Citizen meet Climate research project, where we developed a tool for increasing awareness on climate change and motivate, support and empower citizens of the Netherlands to take climate action.
Research
We analysed 13 digital platforms for public participation and climate action and carried out a literature review about participatory processes with a focus on climate action. The combination of the collected data allowed us to create a 6 points guidelines rubric for designing successful digital platforms for public participation in climate action.
Informing citizens and valuing their knowledge
Balancing negative and positive framings in communication
Providing locally, temporally, and personally relevant perspectives
Providing tools to take both individual and collective action
Providing clear, reliable, and open scientific data
Including appealing and engaging elements
Design process
During multiple rounds of brainstorming, we designed a platform that aims at fulfilling all the 6 guidelines. This platform was tested and refined through three prototyping-testing cycles, starting from a lo-fi paper prototype and moving to a hi-fi digital version later. During these iterations, we could experiment what kind of data visualization and communication style is more effective at fulfilling the initial project goal. We also focused on the usability of the platform, making sure to provide an intuitive experience.
Citizens meet Climate
The iterations led to the creation of our final concept, which incorporates the learnings from our initial research and the results of the testing activities. I made the hi-fi digital prototype on Figma.
Achievements of Citizens meet Climate
During this one year long project, we had the chance to present the concept at the AMS institute Scientific Conference, at the Climate Action Festival organised by the Delft University of Technology and at the Out-Mathenesse Lentefeest in Rotterdam. Furthermore, Citizens meet Climate was selected by 4TU.Federation as part of the 2024 portfolio of design projects that explore how design can drive change.
Read the 4TU.Federation article