Teaching: Unf**k the Closet

Service design and mobile prototype by Philip Czapla, RIT '14

Unf**k the Closet

Philip Czapla, RIT '14

Inspired by David Bruno and the “100 thing challenge,” this is a tool for young people who move frequently that helps them "cleanse" their lives. The intended users are primarily students and young adults, as going through this "de-cluttering" process in an earlier stage of life is more likely to set them up for a future less full of products and more full of meaningful experiences. The juxtaposition of friendly characters and brusque language was inspired by preliminary user research.

The app encourages people to form goals in order to manage their possessions and properly dispose of their things that are unnecessary. And while “unnecessary” things may mean different things to different people, I hope to inspire a future life of living with less.

PROJECT BRIEF

Designing for behavior change

Advanced Web & UX Design | Senior level | RIT

This project will be completely defined by your audience research and pursuant communication goals. Experiential and interactive media might include: activity, game, package, social media campaign, web, interactive space, or a combination of these approaches. Your number one objective is to share your outcome/intervention with the campus community to affect behavior change, whether through user testing, exhibit, implementation, or some other means you devise. Collaboration in this project is also incredibly important—you will be exchanging not only critique, but also ideas, concepts, styles and maybe even files with your partners in Qatar!

Phil says:

This project was inspired by discussions with my parnters in the Doha class who are also pursuing topics related to overconsumption and taking things for granted. The facts are staggering. In our country alone, the U.S. Department of Energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car.

Granted, as students our definition of being minimal may be drastically different that those married with kids, but the idea still stands that there is a more meaningful life with more time, more money, and more freedom when clutter isn’t there.

Clutter is a loose term here, it could be that 50 hour a day job, or time spent looking through papers to find a receipt, or even housework. (According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40% of housework!) At work we feel the same way.

This approach may be a deviation to the standard definition of "sustainability," but it’s a prevalent and pressing issue that attracts those tired of hearing the “be green” buzzwords. This topic turns the focus off the big picture of things like renewable resources and places emphasis on the individual and human level.

Check out more of Phil's work and the work of his partners in Doha, Salma and Nabiila! He and some classmates built this exhibit site to showcase their sustainability projects from their Fall 2014 collaboration, "REstart."

Online Exhibit