Chanua

Approach & process

Research-through-design: iterative and collaborative prototyping as a tool for understanding the context and problem scope

Although not linear, these are the key steps of my process:

I immersed myself in the local context to understand the socio-cultural norms, beliefs and lifestyle.

1.

school visits and observations in class

context mapping with generative methods

low-fidelity prototype testing

Field research

2.

Using participatory approaches, I iteratively co-designed prototypes with both the users and stakeholders.

with the girls to ensure desirability and suitability

with the school teachers and Red Cross volunteers to create ownership

Co-creation

The board game is designed to use local resources: expertise and machinery from the Red Cross maker space, and materials found nearby.

3.

Local manufacturing

CHANUA is a Kiswahili word which, directly translated means enlighten. It implies elevating someone’s mental state to become curious about a certain topic.

Often associated to technological advancements, the word refers to someone going through a learning journey at the end of which they will master the knowledge and skills.

4.

I formalised my own method into a user-friendly toolkit – which combines game design approaches from the literature – for the Red Cross to help build local capacity.

screenshot of the filled toolkit with an example - low quality

Serious game design method

CHANUA is a fun game that engages young girls of the Lamu Island in STEM education. It mirrors real-life situations on the island and encourages critical thinking and scientific curiosity. The game promotes teamwork, builds knowledge

A final user test was conducted with girls from a local school to evaluate the feasibility, desirability and viability CHANUA. The game:

• is made with local resources

• is co-designed with all actors to fit into the socio-cultural context and must be facilitated by an adult

• includes features from the girls' surroundings and game elements from popular games such as Ludo

• is reproducible thanks to the ready-to-be-used serious game design method developed for the maker space

Evaluation:

Results:

5.

Solution delivery

and confidence, and sparks important discussions about girls in STEM. Finally, exposition to the game contributes to enhancing female community resilience.

Reflection & learnings

• execute a research-through-design project

• design with and for children from a different culture

• conduct a multi-stakeholders project

• learn game design and create method tailored to local needs for capacity building

My main reflection is that although the initiative showed success, I believe my time in the field was too brief to fully absorb the culture and I recommend spending more time amongst the locals to design a game that fits better the context.

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