I recently returned from a three-week-long trip to China, and I am still recovering from exposure to air pollution. What I heard and saw in the four cities I visited made me think about how design research can help bridge the gap between what is needed and what is available to the Chinese people.
In this post, I want to talk about air quality. We began our trip in Dalian, then traveled to Shanghai, then Jinan, and finally Beijing– in order of best air quality to the worst. We intentionally designed our itinerary this way so we could gradually become accustomed to the climate. We also did not want our 13-month-old son Derek to get sick from the pollution. Our plan seemed to work well at the beginning, but the air eventually got us.
We got no sleep during our first night in Jinan– we had to keep getting up every hour or two to drink water and clear our throats. Poor Derek could not understand what made him so uncomfortable, and stayed up all night crying. But our plan worked; by the time we reached Beijing we were more accustomed to the air. Despite that, we still prepared a cup of water for bedtime and stayed inside during the day to avoid pollution.
But how is air quality relevant to design research? Let’s look at how the local consumer market completely ignores the realities of the Chinese climate. Television commercials all show blue skies, scenic mountains, white clouds, and beautiful people. Brochures of new apartments have nothing but well-decorated facades, public gardens with green trees, colorful flowers, and and spacious interiors with modern furniture. The media forecasts clean air. But all these are far from the daily routine of a typical Chinese person. In fact, their life is quite the opposite, but advertising only represents a distorted and misrepresented experience.
Chinese people have no choice but to breathe heavily polluted air. However, it is up to products and services suppliers to decide whether to bring their consumers an improved or alternate reality. Car manufacturers can design and equip standard models with more effective air-filtering options. Chinese cars shouldn’t just be copies Western models, but should be tailored to the local market’s unique needs, including, for example, heavy-duty air filters and an alarm display of air quality. Apartment builders should use environmentally friendly building materials and carefully protect the boundaries of the construction site. Drinking water companies should educate people how recycled water is safe and usable. There is a lot more we can do without ignoring the harsh reality.
By depicting the reality of everyday life, companies can create messages that resonate with their consumers. Design research can be a tool for marketers and designers to make a difference– solutions can only be found if problems aren’t ignored.
