Our project, "I-diet," represents a fictional medical company addressing the issue of information overload among young adults aged 18 to 24. Through various interactive, speculative, and humorous tools, we do not aim to resolve information overload entirely but to mitigate its effects through awareness, education, and self-reflection.
The audience can engage with our services via our website, where they can either take a quiz for a personalised diagnosis or explore and purchase our tools.
Our journey began with self-reflection. Conversations revealed that many of us felt overwhelmed by the constant barrage of both essential and unnecessary information throughout the day. We began monitoring our phone usage, leading to discussions on how this inundation was impacting our daily lives, culminating in the recognition of "Information Overload." Studies define it as when the volume or intensity of information exceeds an individual's processing capacity. The advent of the information age and easy access to data exacerbates this issue.
In today's digitised world, the ease of publishing means anyone can contribute to the overwhelming amount of data shared daily, exacerbating information overload. Studies indicate its adverse effects on cognitive abilities, productivity, attention, and mental health, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis.
Given that our exploration was motivated by self-reflection, we targeted students aged 18 to 24. Through desk research and behaviour testing, we conducted surveys to understand our audience better. From 72 responses, we found physical strain and impaired concentration to be prevalent issues. We found that coping mechanisms include distraction and disabling notifications.
We aimed to collaborate "with" rather than merely "for" our audience, emphasising self-reflection. Monitoring our own habits and information consumption provided invaluable insights into our audience's behaviour.
To extend our project's impact and encourage future development, we're considering organising an immersive or interactive exhibition. This exhibition would feature physical representations of our online products, enabling attendees to engage with them firsthand.
