Everything you need to kickstart design research.
Research is the most crucial step in innovation, as it provides an understanding about users’ behaviour and actionable insights anchored in their behaviour, needs and dreams for the future.
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Unlike conventional research methodologies, design research amalgamate and curate methods and techniques from the toolboxes of ethnography, anthropology etc. to discover not just insights, but a whole new perspective and fresh ideas which you would never dare to think!
open-source archive of Innovation Methods
Photobook for promoting role of birth companions in rural India
A photo book narrative that relays the importance of taking care of expectant mothers with the help of birth companions
Birth Companion Photo book will
Increase awareness about birth companions & maternity care
Birth Companion Photo book
Helps facilitate women's rights during labour
Birth Companions Photo book aids
In reducing incidents of abuse
The book will help spread awareness and information about birth companions and technical information on how to take care of mothers before, during and after labour.
Birth companions become the voice of mothers and support them during labour when they don’t have enough agency.
As there is a lack of respect for maternity at government health facilities, Birth companions often save mothers from mistreatment by health care providers due to overburden.
Selection of Narrative & Style
Validation & user testing led us to develop a narrative that translated into three different styles as short prototypes for the target audience. To successfully educate the rural woman who will help mothers know their rights, and protect their agencies.
Targeting the User Group with Narrative styles similar to Indian Tv series for Information & the Guidance
In our dialogue with the organisations that deal directly with the target user group, we found out that portrayal of the narrative can be similar to Indian tv series. These are places with low literacy levels who do not always enjoy preachy content. But they do enjoy watching melodramatic stories. And therefore the information & the guidance with it can be easily relayed making it more empathetic.
Selection of Medium became essential to ascertain Readership among Rural Women & Future Birth Companions
Comic Book
Photo Book
Ai Generated Story Book
Comic Book
The comic book had a distinctly Indian-looking style of illustration. They were dramatic and dynamic with various types of shots and frames. This was a direction that was familiar to the audience.
Photo Book
In this format, the audience would be able to see real people and aspire to become like them. The photo book needed pre-shoot prep, work, set & costume design. Several recce helped us scout locations suited for the narrative.
Ai Generated Story Book
In this format, multiple images were generated to fit the narrative. Several attempts were made to make it consistent as well as more real, and not deformed.
Realistic Photo Book with real characters was preferred
Real photographs suited well for the book as aspirational characters would ignite interest in our audience.
Creating mood boards helped us understand details & chart out the looks of our characters, their costumes, their behaviour, the tonality and the accessories they’d wear.
For example, the narrative makes the birth companion, Uma, a more enthusiastic, encouraging individual and therefore we looked for someone who would translate similarly in behaviour on camera.
Pre-production: Characters, & Set design
Uma, the Birth Companion
Pinky, the Mother
ANM, Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife
Nurse
We visited facilities to understand & get the real picture of actual scenarios for set design, costume design & prop requirements.
Hyderabad hospital
Final Photo Book Design
The photo book is designed to be fun, and interesting for woman in rural communities. The dialogues have been written in Hindi, and are inside call outs similar to comic books. There are key takeaways at the bottom to remind the reader critical information during the birthing process. And some illustrative pages to depict technical information & danger signs.
