Research

Last time the class suggested talk with more people to go deeper into the issue of paper waste. Also I've been trying to measure how big the problem is and how much the effectiveness is if implement the method.

I talked with a friend working at NYU's ITS multimedia center at west 4th street, it's one of the biggest computer lab in NYU. There are printing service as well. My friend told me averagely everyday total amount of paper usage is 10000, and approximately there are 1000 sheets of paper go into the trash bin because of mistaken printing, wrong format, short-time use, etc. He mentioned a story that once an administrator of the lab threw away about 1000 sheets of new paper because those paper got stuck in the printer for a few times. Also another friend who has experience working at computer lab said there were waste of paper in her lab too.

To find out people's attitude towards this problem and their reaction to my plug-in idea, first I talked with some people from ITP and somewhere else, they showed interests and supports in this. In order to get more analytical feedback I made a simple paper survey to find out what is people's habit of print out web pages, their attitude to the issue of waste of paper and the plug-in solution.

The survey has 6 questions:
1. How do you usually print out web pages or emails?
[ ]Use print function in browser
[ ]Any alternative?

2. How often do you encounter the problem that the web page you want to print have so much unwanted information?
[ ] Sometimes [ ] Usually [ ] Almost always

3. Do you feel more or less this problem induces (multiple choices)
[ ]waste of paper
[ ]waste of ink
[ ]waste of time
[ ]annoyance for reading

4. If there is a function in browser with which you can select a portion of web page and right click to print it out, are you willing to use it?
[ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Maybe
If maybe, can you say a little bit of your concern?

5. Do you feel this function will help save paper, ink and your time, as well as benefit your reading?
[ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Kind of
If kind of, what’s the shortage do you think?

6. Will you recommend others to use this function?
[ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Maybe

I got 9 feedback so far, which are all support of the plug-in.

Final Project Proposal

I've been always very interested in the issue of pollution, environment, waste, etc. This semester I am taking two classes related to this topic, Design Expo about health and wellness, Sustainability Practice about environment, energy, pollution, sustainability. I got a lot of awareness in my head. So I am very happy to develop something really help solve some of these problems.

I had an experience earlier this semester, when I had 18 web pages needed to print out, but finally I got 54 sheets of paper, which is a huge waste of paper I think(200% waste!!!), because on the paper there are a lot of information including texts, images, videos, menus, bars and flashes which I don't want and need. I can do nothing but throw them away. It's OK to drop them in the recycling bin, but still a big waste before its full life cycle.

So I got an idea for the project in Design for Constraints class. It's a firefox plug-in, with which people can select a portion of web page and right click to print it out. In this way, people can easily just print the information only they want, thus save paper, ink and time, as well as benefit the reading.

I've shared this idea with some friends. All of them kind of like it and express the willing to use it.

Class #4

Note:



this class is not touching sth new, but it's very important. (i think the most important about this class is a doing strategy, could be applied to anything, design a product, make an art piece, learn some skills, prepare a presentation, etc.)



OODA

O - Observe

O - Orient

D - Decide

A - Act







Reference:

OODA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_Loop

John Boyd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Boyd_%28military_strategist%29