Erica Braun
MFA Digital Animation and Interactive Media, 2016

Project Description:
This thesis explores the value of Designers in an expanded capacity as ‘makers’ of sense (not just objects) in the front-end of the Design process. An exploratory Participatory Action Research (PAR) case study, centered on transitional care and support for adults with autism and their families, was conducted in parallel with the development of a new digital tool for collective sensemaking to investigate the value of a hybrid (i.e., physical and digital) design thinking approach. Adults with autism, parents, and healthcare providers/administrators from The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital collectively uncovered root problems and generated disruptive opportunities to support stakeholders in reaching their maximum potential. The outcomes highlight the contribution potential of people with perceived disabilities in co-design roles and the significance of a Designer’s skillset in contributing significantly to society’s most complex problems through framing, tool development, and the design of seeing/maker spaces to provoke thought, engender new forms of engagement, and nurture people’s ability to meaningfully contribute in collaborative settings.