Research photography of laundry patterns in International students
International students, often experiencing a new country for the first time, face challenges adapting to various aspects of daily life, including laundry.
This is a project from research photography, It was an individual study.
MY ROLE
Document and research students performing laundry
TOPIC
Study the patterns of laundry by international students
DURATION
7 Weeks
Project Description
Study how students from different international backgrounds perform the act of cleaning clothes. Students live in dorms, at home, or in rented housing, all these places have different approaches to laundry.
My research will enable me to study their actions and behavior while cleaning clothes, from the reason for cleaning to storing and putting them away.
The aim of this study
To know more about the differences in culture and countries. I wanted to explore the frustrations, confusions, and culture shocks that students go through.
The differences back home and in the US. What they think is right and wrong and to understand common techniques. Help them reduce frustrations and mitigate the stress of laundry from their mountain of academic tensions.
Navigating a new country as a student is daunting!
Research Insights
A new concept of machine drying
Usually, students hang dry clothes. Most students don’t know how to dry with a machine. Leading to shrinking and tearing of clothes due to improper settings and excess heat.
Detergent and material knowledge
Experienced individuals understand how to care for various fabrics, choosing laundry detergents based on convenience, budget, or environmental concerns. However, for many, laundry is an unfamiliar and daunting task. Lack of proper knowledge leads to unintended damage, such as lint formation, stretching, or tearing of clothes.
Climate woes, summer vs winter
Adjustment plays a major role too, students from warmer countries wash their clothes regularly. While in the US, washing every day is difficult and not necessary due to the climate.
Juggling coursework and budget
Students juggle numerous responsibilities, from assignments and extracurricular activities to readings and social gatherings. In an effort to save time, many students overfill the washing machine in a single cycle, which can lead to color mixing, lint problems, shrinking, and other damage.
Additionally, for those who pay for laundry services, running multiple cycles can be prohibitively expensive, particularly for international students managing tight monthly budgets
Analysis Paralysis: Machine Settings
Laundry machines in the US often feature confusing labels and can function differently than indicated, with variations from one machine to another. This inconsistency makes it challenging for users to operate the machines properly, often resulting in damaged clothes.
Research Process
Finding information and taking photographs
Why Laundry?
Different countries, different values
People from different countries have unique ways of handling daily activities like cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Often taken for granted, these tasks become challenging and confusing when one moves to another country.
For many students, these tasks are overlooked because they are typically managed by parents, who either handle them completely or simply ask for assistance, particularly with laundry.
Personal Perspective
I took this topic as I was in the same situation of confusion and frustration. I had a lot of clothes, but they were getting damaged and I was wasting money and resources by washing them the wrong way. I wondered if my friends were going through the same thing. The answer was yes!
Approach for the study
1. Project Proposal
A document containing the title, description, and advocacy. The method and actions to complete the study and number of participants and the locations I would visit.
2. Secondary Research
Information on basics of laundry and cultural backgrounds.
3. Discussion Guide
Document featuring introduction, questions for each section of the process and the total time taken. Along with permissions and actionable steps for users.
4. User Interviews
Interview’s with users from different countries and backgrounds.
5. Photography Activity-based Interviews
Travelling to different locations to click photos of students performing the act of laundry. These would sometimes be combined with interviews as well.
6. Facebooks
Create a detailed document of users, including the description, tasks accomplished, and quotes from the video call and activity-based photography interviews.
7. Card Sorting
To make the process of gathering information quick and interactive, I created picture cards that would depict various steps of laundry.
Ending with Insights
Environments
To begin the study, I chose the locations and the student demographics to focus on. I visited various laundry environments, each offering unique interactions, experiences, and layouts.
Observing students from different countries, including some from the U.S., perform their laundry tasks provided more valuable insights than merely listening to them describe their processes.
The Students
To understand various perspectives, I focussed on international students and some from the U.S.
The Space
Public and private places (Dorm, houses, shops and commercial spaces)
Research Context
My research study includes doing secondary research that helped me do user interviews. To note, These research insights are based on the laundry done in the US and not on the right technique around the world.
Secondary Research
These mainly consisted of:
- Referring research papers
- Studying articles for machines, detergents, water, temperature and materials
This study, conducted after a few user interviews, revealed discrepancies between my assumptions and the actual laundry practices. These insights refined my interview questions and clarified the correct laundry methods, helping me discern the most effective practices.
User Interviews
These mainly consisted of:
- Interviewing students
- Expert interview
- Shop-along
- Activity + interview
- Card sorting
These gave me the insights I needed. Student interviews gave me variety of data and expert interview the depth of the experience components. While shop-along and activity interviews let me understand the techniques and actions on how they did laundry.
Card sorting was the last method, giving me quick results without diving into the lengthy step-by-step story of washing clothes.
A document for planning the study: Discussion Guide
Armed with secondary research, I developed a discussion guide to structure user interviews. This guide not only framed the study's premise but also facilitated introductions between myself and the interviewees.
As well as establish an easy environment for the users to feel relaxed and ready for the questions ahead. The elements in the guide were:
- Goals
- Introduction
- Question sectors for each step in the process
- Conclusion
Photo Activity-based study and interviews
The next step involved visiting actual locations to observe and photograph students doing laundry. This allowed me to directly see the tasks, their sequence, the effort involved, and the products used. Insights were sometimes gathered through combined photo studies and interviews, while at other times, they emerged directly from the photography sessions.
Facebooks
After gathering insights from the interviews and photography sessions, I compiled a detailed document for each user, called the facebook. This included insights, basic descriptions, and quotes from the interviews. This methodical compilation of data helped illustrate the cultural differences among students, linking the information directly to the individuals involved.
Card Sorting
I designed a card sorting exercise featuring cards that detailed each step of the laundry cycle, including materials, detergents, and machine settings. Users were asked to arrange the cards in the order they believed represented the correct way to wash clothes.
This quick and interactive method not only provided immediate insights but also facilitated group discussions, enabling participants to compare and contrast their methods with those of their peers.
Selected Works
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Honda RedesignUser experience
Behavioral DesignBehavior Design
WikisickUX design
Climate WorkshopProject type