The Digital Sustainability project was created by Daniela, Segyo, and I as part of the Design Thinking course at Paris College of Art (PCA). The objective was to identify an avenue in the PCA ecosystem to suggest better ways in which they could be cultivated into more sustainable practices.
Digital waste is a commonly misunderstood concept, often confused with electronic waste or e-waste. The goal was to create more awareness around the topic, starting with PCA ecosystem. The usage of electronic devices and the internet, in general, is quite high and commonly found amongst college students, faculty and staff, which increased the relevance of the challenge chosen.
The project began with a series of interviews to validate assumptions about what students understood about 'digital waste'. Most of the students confused it with the definition of e-waste. A few knew about it, but did not know how to act upon it.
The challenge was that digital waste is intangible, unlike other kinds of pollution.
Creating a user journey to understand where our solution fits.
The second step was to think of ways to spread awareness. A workshop was planned for students to attend, where a mock 'digital detox' would be conducted - a quick, simple tutorial on what digital waste means, some ways in which we can improve our daily digital consumption habits, and what it takes to inculcate sustainable practices in our life.
CAP is the financial aid program offered at the Paris College of Art. This was used an incentive for students to attend the workshop. The idea behind doing so was derived from the interviews conducted to find what would motivate students to attend a workshop over the weekend. These posters were put up in college, and sent via e-mail to everyone (with a note to delete them during the workshop ✅).
The first 'Digital Detox' workshop at the Paris College of Art. During feedback, the participants mentioned that calling it a detox made them think that they would be asked to keep their devices away. Insight ✅
After the workshop, the Digital Detox Handbook was introduced, which is a comprehensive guide for users to learn more about digital waste, and learn some practical ways in which they can alter simple daily habits to be more conscious of the digital environment.
The project is featured on the Paris College of Art website. It also contains a link to the handbook, which you can find here. The aim was to leave behind a sustainable practice, for prospective students and for it to be a part of PCA's value system.
From left to right : Segyo, Janani, Daniela // Illustration by Segyo Oh
The Digital Sustainability project is currently live on Instagram, to spread more awareness and share relevant content in tandem with the current times.
This project was done in collaboration with Daniela Monter Morales and Segyo Oh under the mentorship of Doriane Tuffier at the Paris College of Art.
