The Heart Project

A product that aims to develop less stressful behavior

 

Heart aims to communicate sustainability as something positive using small passive phatic messages.

 

The intention of Heart is to reduce the fast paced high-stress lifestyle of the Western Office environment and replace it with a lifestyle which values quality of time spent on a task over quantity of time spent on a task. The relaxation experienced replicates the calm environment and relaxation you experience at home.

 

 

The audio signal from Heart is quiet enough to be unheard by others (it is your conscience) and when active, ticks like a clock for one minute. It aims to be a small voice reminding you that slowing down is good for you and the environment. It encourages you to look objectivly at "the big picture", what are you doing? why? is their an easier way? do you just need a break?

 

The display light is Heart's heart. It pulses once per second linking the metaphor of the Heart with Slow Design. Just like a regular heart its beat becomes erratic when the device is running out of power.

 

Heart relies on community engagement with the project. The object relies on a group of users in an office or other busy working environment. The wearers may not respond to the Heart’s signal but colleagues should enforce the rules through a mutual doctrine of trying to reduce stress in the workplace through reasonable breaks and slowing down.

 

Testing of the heart concept was limited due to prototyping difficulty through lack of resources. Therefore it was tested by individuals with the self discipline to carry out the recommended breaks. Users were hand picked. High profile members of the community were selected to promote the product and gain publicity. These users are more influential so this re-educational prototype would have maximum impact with minimal effort.

* The vital center and source of one's being, emotions, and sensibilities.
* The most important or essential part: get to the heart of the matter.