SYM
Group | 5 Weeks | Focus: System thinking & nature as a client
This project is a multidisciplinary collaboration within Umeå university done during my third year, Autumn 2020, at Umeå Institute of Design. My group decided to explore the different dynamics in the human-nature systems with a holistic viewing point. The project was a collaboration with Skogstekniska Klustret.
HOW MIGHT A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE ON FORESTRY ENHANCE OUR SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE AND HELP CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?
Problem definition:
Research:
Field trips / Interviews / Desktop studies
We were challenged to do research out of a anthropomorphic view of nature to actually involve nature as a stakeholder in the project. With this we based a lot of our research. We did interviews, workshops and critical thinking whit this as a base.
The research also included heavy desktop research, interviews with academic experts, forest owners, forestry workers, climate activists and a member of Sáminuorra (Sami youth organization).
Non-human perspective
USERS:
Forest users
METHOD:
BENCHMARK:
Nature as a stakeholder
“ We need to change the approach to forestry completely. Forest management consists of three components, where nature and the environment are at the bottom, it is compelling. On top of that comes the social aspect and the economy.“
- Professor and researcher in forestry
Economy
Society
Nature
Anthropomorphic workshop
Field research #2
Exploration & Development:
From the research problem definition we started to brainstorm and future expand our understanding on nature-human problems. We went back and forth between ideation phase and desktop studies when we encountered more wicked problems. We used different four field matrixes to help us evaluate our ideas.
Final concept:
SYM
Digital roundtable interactions | Democratic forum | Nature focused
SYM is a digital platform that believes in a more symbiotic future. SYM is a conceptual solution on the communication and planning problems todays forestry in Sweden.
SYM opens up for a more open dialog in the forestry and makes the planning and information flow more transparent. This by providing a digital platform where all the users are invited to be able to represented in the discussion led by an impartial counsel with the nature as the main stakeholder. The open information flow enables follow ups and documents to be gathered so that any user can access it.
