RSA Project: Particuless

Brief: Find a solution to the following question- 'How might we ensure that everyone living in areas with poor air quality is guaranteed their right to clean air?'

Project Summary:

For this project, I was required to create a solution to respond to my chosen RSA brief, 'Right to Breathe'.

The Problem:

According to the World Health Organisation, seven million people die every year from exposure to polluted air, both indoor and outdoor. A link has been identified between poor air quality and an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma. Air pollution is therefore considered the worlds number one environmental health risk.

The Process:

The Process: Extensive research conducted on air quality on both a local and larger scale highlights the severity of this issue and the initiatives in place to deal with it. In particular, Winchester City Council has identified the main causes of their 4005.19 tonne CO2e carbon footprint as related to electricity usage, the construction industry and transport. As mobile technology becomes a more significant aspect of our lives, there has been a growing interest in lifestyle tracking apps.

The Solution:

Particuless, a mobile application which encourages users track their lifestyle choices, in attempt to influence them to behave more ecologically. The dynamic aesthetic, combined with the on-screen tips creates an engaging experience, with the intention of driving for social change.

Secondary Research:

Air Pollution as a global issue:

98% of cities in low- and middle-income countries with more than 100 000 inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality guidelines. However, in high-income countries, that percentage decreases to 56%.

The highest urban air pollution levels were experienced in low-and middle-income countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean and South-East Asia Regions.

As urban air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, increases for the people who live in them.

Air Pollution in Winchester:

The top contributors to winchesters carbon footprint are: site electricity - includes externally managed leisure centres and housing (32.5%), site gas (27.6%), total combined contractor emissions (construction industry) (25.8%) and the park and ride bus service (10.2%).

It has been recommended that Winchester City Council should offset their greenhouse gas emissions by supporting certified projects, which are providing solutions to climate change. These projects also provide communities with social and economic benefits, helping to reach the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

It has also been recommended that they should complete energy audits at leisure centres and top consuming sites to identify energy saving opportunities.

The council has announced it will work with five Parish Councils to join up to the ‘Greening Campaign’ – this will help local communities to identify ways that residents can come together to cut carbon emissions at a grassroots level.

Primary Research:

I conducted primary research by creating a Google Forms survey and sharing it on Facebook. Here are the results...

What is Particuless?:

After alot of brainstorming, I finally came up with the idea for 'Particuless' a mobile app which encourages its users to make more ecological lifestyle choices. It works by them inputting their daily activies and the app showing them the impact of such. The UI changes based on how eco-friendly the user is behaving- bright and colourful if they are, dull and polluted if they are not. The focal point of the UI is a cartoon city scape.

How it works:

Users are able to input what they have done on a particular day, by adjusting sliders for four different categories, which have an impact on air quality: Transport, Food, Waste and Energy. Relevant tips will be provided in order to encourage the user to make small changes to their lifestyle. The UI changes depending on the users actions e.g. the city becomes more polluted if their behaviour is damaging to the environment. One concept was that the UI could also be localised to look like the users local area. For example, someone in Winchester would recognise the cathedral on the UI, making the problem of air quality seem more relevant and immediate.

Initial UI idea:

This was my initial UI idea for Particuless. I later changed it as I thought that it looked a bit too plain and wasnt very engageing.

Final UI design:

For my final UI idea, I went for a turquoise and white theme, which I thought looked quite clean and eyecatching. I included the logo at the top of each page, to reinforce the brands identity.

I animated a UX mockup, to demonstrate what the app works and what the userflow would typically look like.

Branding:

Additional Content:

I created a short promotional video, which summarises what Particuless is and what it looks like.

I had planned to begin developing ideas for additional features which Particuless could have, however ran out of time before I could do this. For example I had the idea to be able to unlock social media filters, based on specific app achievements (for example recycling a certain amount). I would've used Spark AR to do this.