COLLECTOR ROOM
Team Work - with Qinyu | Service Design | 2017
How to improve the social identity of scavengers in China
This is a rescue service system designed for homeless people. In China, there are many people who can't get a job because they don't have legal status or mental factors, but they do things to protect the environment, such as collecting bottles and cardboard boxes. I hope that through our points reward system, we can not only meet the basic needs of scavengers, such as food and clothes but also improve the social identity of them and enable them to get longer-term help.
INTRODUCTION
Background
In China, almost all the cities have large number of homeless people, among which 90% are professional beggars or frauds and the left are the homeless people suffering from family conflicts, mental illness and fraud, etc. They hunger for jobs but fail to get one. Garbage collecting is their sole economic source and their living environment is very bad. Also, their dressing is the root cause of other people’s indifference and discrimination to them.
INTRODUCTION
Problem Statement
The government encourages to set up aid stations but the aid system is old and strong, which provides little help to scavengers. Also, the social worker office system established by voluntary folk power is not transparent, which can not fundamentally meet scavengers' demands.
INTRODUCTION
Project Scope
According to the research of secondary sources, we found that the government provided funds to aid stations to help homeless people. The social people donated old clothes and some worked as volunteers. However, the collection depot most closely tied to scavengers' income did not have much relation to the aid station. Moreover, second-hand dealers randomly set the prices of recycling products according to different regions. Therefore, our service mainly focuses on the relationship among scavengers, aid stations and collection depots.
INTRODUCTION
Research Question
How might we improve their social acceptance while meeting their basic needs?
RESEARCH
Research Protocol
According to the problems listed in the project matrix, we selected important problems and conducted corresponding deep interviews through questionnaires. In order to ensure personal privacy, the interviewees’ photos, recording and videos will not be used for business purposes and the interview was conducted with the approval of interviewees.
RESEARCH
Interview
Interviewee:
Others
Volunteers
Aid Stations
Policemen
Sanitation
Workers
Urban Management
Officers Several Scavengers (Most were defensive.)
Tracing, shooting and interviewing was conducted in the regions that had many scavengers and scavengers' influence on the society was reflected through other people’s dictation. During the interview, we encountered the situation that the aid station was not willing to assist in the interview. It shows that the aid station is not transparent in all aspects and reflects some social situations from some aspect.
RESEARCH
Customer Journey Map - Scavengers
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
Blue Ocean Strategic Map
Compared with other aid stations, we focus on providing tools and clothes for scavengers to improve their sense of labor. Through this, they are encouraged to exchange labor for food and necessities for life instead of just receiving free food and accommodation.
Value Proposition
System Map
IDEATION
Storyboard
This explains how the Collector Room works.
DESIGN
Logo Design
Different from other aid stations, our starting point was to give scavengers more warmth. Therefore, the shape of “home” was adopted. As scavengers often pick up plastic bottles and cartons, I tried to fold out the shape of house with paper. At first, we named it as RagPicker Nest. Later, we found a more suitable name Collector Room. Also, room has the meaning of space, which implies giving scavengers more personal freedom.
Carton's Crease Texture
Home
Step 1:
Modify The Angle
Step 2:
Adjust & Cut
Step 3:
Shadows & Chamfers
Uniform Design
Making Process
Sketch 1
Sketch 2
Sketch 3
The overall is adopted as the design prototype, which is different from other business suits. Green is the main color, which symbolizes being recyclable and environmental protection. The dark clothes are more resistant to dirt. There are thickened wide shoulder pads on the shoulder, which can reduce pressure for scavengers. A reflective strip is pasted to the main body part to improve the safety of night action. The back part is equipped with a pedometer to calculate the amount of labor.
Clothes
Thread
Needle
Sewing Machine
Zipper
Reflective Strip
Elastic Band
Scissors
Ruler
Finished Uniform
Shoulder Pads
Elastic Band
Pedometer
Zipper
Plastic Buckles
Elastic Band
Reflective Strip
Uniform Details
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Service Blueprint
Business Model Canvas
FUTURE STEP
In the first stage of this project, scavengers are not paid, which aims to remove “indolence spirit”. With the implementation of the project, they will gradually develop the consciousness that no pains, no gains. Also, society will change attitudes towards them and after the improvement of overall social acceptance, increasing rewards will be considered.