I spoke with Emma about my project. We talked about the slip cast bowl for containing sourdough. I wanted to know how to cut the groove into the edge of the bowl that holds the edge of the cloth cover. Emma suggested I still try to incorporate the groove into the bowl, which would cut down on manufacturing time. To do the groove, I could cut it into the MDF and add holes all the way around the rim to allow air to be sucked out when I vac form it. Hopefully the plastic will be flexible enough to allow the MDF master to come out.

The groove detail is very important, because it creates a relationship between the bowl and the lid that might not appear obvious at first, but which the user will discover and use over time.

The slip cast is too thick at the moment. I left the clay in for 25 minutes, next time I will try 15 min. Emma said that with a dry mould, she leaves her slip in for 6 min.

Emma thought maybe the bowl was too small, but I think it's important that it limits the amount of starter that the user can store, because in my research I found that people tend to keep too much starter, which results in them not feeding it enough. Maybe it could be a little larger though.

I mentioned that I looked into how the three products might nest together, and how I felt that it wasn't going in the right direction and Emma agreed. The bowl is in constant use so it doesn't make sense for it to nest with the other tools, but perhaps the dough scraper and lame could be 'nested' in the way they are stored in a drawer, or are 'unified' in their aesthetic, form or material qualities.

This morning I spoke with Nic about the cultural probe. He's also interested in using a cultural probe. His topic is looking at designing a particular style of bike, and doesn't have a specific user in mind. One of his ideas for getting participants is to hang around at motorbike parks at 5pm when work finishes, and hand out a business card to riders. I've been wondering how I'll get participants and maybe I could do something similar... 

We also talked about the different materials contained within the cultural probe. He might use a disposable camera, cards with specific imagery that the user can comment on. I do not want to use a disposable camera because my project is about avoiding waste, so I will need to find a way to get the user to use their phone or own camera...

I took my final tools to Wellington Potters Association, to speak with Konny who was on my glazing workshop and who makes sourdough. She said:

• I like the idea of processing the starter - taking the bowl out of the fridge, feeding it and keeping the lid on to allow the starter to breathe
• The wearing away of the logo is a really cool idea
• I like the organic shape, it is very pleasing. The wood has a nice feel
• I like the aspect of sustainability: repairing instead of replacing
• I could use an even smaller bowl, because I only keep a small amount of starter. Although it is a good size for building the starter up
• I'd be worried about the odours entering the starter through the linen when the bowl is stored in the fridge

I practiced my end of year presentation with Charlie and Zoe. It was 14:40 long. Some notes:

• Too much secondary research
• Remove "6 initially..." on Slow Design principles page
• Highlight what's important in findings
• Make initial concept full page
• Put tools onto one page when talking about the final, shade others while talking about one
  • Could put GIFs of three tools form development on one page (remove mould GIF), so  the GIFs would end on the final tool, showing how the three work together as a family
• Emphasis on product development rather than research
• Remove some quotes?

I combined my research/concept and finalised design presentations and timed the whole presentation. It finished at 11 min without the video or technical specs. I took some notes as I was presenting on things that I could think about:

• How did I decide on which areas of the sourdough process to focus my design on?
• Do I need to show some research on downshifting?
• I need to add some text onto my finalised design slide
• With the examples of Slow Design (Cook's Canvas etc.) I should relate them back to my objectives, showing how these examples cultivate rich experiences, facilitate contemplation etc.
• On the primary research page, I should say I chose to focus on baking sourdough because it is a process that is inherently slow and slows people down
• Change the photo of the sourdough starter

I spoke with Emma about the details about my project. It feels like I'm getting close to the end, but there's still a bit to do.

I need to try vacuum bag the polystyrene 'mycelium' to try emulate the compressed look of mycelium.

I should explore the makers mark as an approach to branding. Maybe the mark could be on the screw heads, and it gets worn off as the user uses the tool and makes it their own. I don't have to use real materials for every piece of the tool, and in some cases (like the fasteners) I might have to 3D print my own.

Emma suggested I incorporated more form language from my lame into my scraper, which would tie the tools together as a family better. I could also incorporate more form language from my bowl into my scraper, and consider how the tools would fit together into the packaging.

I told Tom about how I was considering how the products would be packaged/shown in-store. He suggested combining the sawdust from CNCing the dough scraper and the lame with fungi to create a mycelium packaging. This would be in keeping with my project because it's considering the whole life-cycle of the products and encouraging sustainable processes.

I talked to Eleanor about branding my products. I thought maybe I could embroider a logo onto the linen bowl cover, stamp a logo into the bottom of the bowl and engrave the logo into the stainless steel of the dough scraper. Eleanor thought that branding would go against the whole ethos of the project, because when people get attached to brands they're more consumeristic. Brands are synonymous with trends and people who are following trends tend to be more consumeristic.

I mentioned that part of my design criteria was ensuring the designer/manufacturer was transparent, so the user knew who to come to if the product broke or if they wanted to have more information. Perhaps this could be achieved with a stamp on the bottom of the bowl, or in a card that is included in the packaging, but without dominating the products with branding.

I talked with Emma about my project and about the suggestions that Uli had for it. Emma thought that if the stacking function hindered the customisation of the lid, then perhaps it was not suitable for my project. I.e. the lip and/or groove of the bowl will have further affordance as it allows the user to use a cloth, towel, plate etc. to cover the bowl, and if the stacking function doesn't allow for this further affordance, it might lessen the attachment the user develops towards the product.

Emma wants me to test using a second part in the mould, to support the lip as it drys. This will hopefully stop the walls of the bowl from buckling.

Emma agreed with Uli's suggestion of using the same forms of the bowl for the dough scraper and lame, because it's a good way to unify the tools as a family. I need to move on to designing and making the scraper and lame as soon as possible, and I'd ideally like to have some models of each in time for the 'state of play' exhibition on Friday (1 week away).

Uli helped me vac form my new mould, and I discussed my project with him. I told him I was using 'noble' materials (dense, warm materials like wood, ceramic, brass, steel) and he had some good ideas about uniting the tools as a family.

I could use the materials to unite the family. Why not use ceramic for the handles/blades etc as well as the bowl. Or if I have a silicone lid, it would make sense to have a silicone spatula. Because bakers often keep multiple starters, maybe I need to make the sourdough starter container stackable. This would mean the lid would have to be a harder material like ceramic, wood, glass. The lid could have a slight groove that the base of the next container fits into. How would the user remove the lid?

Uli talked about a big brother container for mixing the bread, or one for proofing. The containers could all use the same basic profile, i.e. extend the side profile in one direction to make a bigger container with the same aesthetic. This would unite them as a family through their form. I could use imagery in my presentation to The same form could also be incorporated into the other tools. maybe the side profile of the dough scraper matches that of the starter container. 

Today I talked individually with Emma about my brief and design criteria, and we had a helpful discussion about research methods. I'm interested in the cultural probe. It would be a kit of postcards, maps, journals, cameras, recording devices, text and imagery etc. which is sent to participants and designed to inspire the participant to consider personal context and circumstance, and respond to the design team in ways facilitated by the materials. This qualitative method will generate insights into key patterns and themes that might emerge from the participant group.

Emma talked about a previous student who had used a cultural probe and gotten some valuable, insightful information from it. This particular student asked participants to name 5 hashtags that they thought were relevant to a particular topic, which the student could then search for on instagram, twitter etc. to find even more information. This would be useful for my project. She also suggested that because my project is interested in slow design and encouraging people to be contemplative, I shouldn't overload participants with information, and so should restrict their space to write, the number of activities included in the kit etc.