Tanja Ubert – Master Design Research

Category: Creating

  • Positon paper

    Positon paper

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    Tanja Ubert
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    Version december 8th after rewrite based on feedback from lector Maaike Harbers Giving Voice Beyond Literacy Introduction My design research explores how visual and experiential communication can bridge the gap between literate and non-literate people. It is situated within the discourse of inclusive and participatory design, but expands these frameworks by focusing explicitly on those…

  • Introducing time to the game board

    Introducing time to the game board

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    Tanja Ubert
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    Third iteration The redesign of the game board and gameplay mechanics was undertaken as a research-through-design (RtD) iteration, in which design practice itself functioned as a mode of inquiry. Rather than treating the game as a final artefact to be refined or optimised, each iteration was approached as an opportunity to investigate how systemic complexity,…

  • Development of the game board

    Development of the game board

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    Tanja Ubert
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    Second iteration In an earlier design iteration, prior to the final redesign, the game board was significantly simplified as an exploratory move within the research-through-design process. Rather than embedding actions directly on the board, these actions were externalised and transferred to card-based interactions. This shift allowed the board to function primarily as a navigational structure,…

  • How a game became a movement

    How a game became a movement

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    Tanja Ubert
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    Living Without Letters is more than a research project. It is a message that continues to travel — through Rotterdam and beyond. Through this work, I became part of the Digital Social Innovation Lab (DiSIL). Their initial focus was entirely on digital literacy. But by entering the lab, I brought a different reality into the…

  • Visual ethics & design style

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    Tanja Ubert
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    The visual language of Living Without Letters has been purposefully developed in relation to the topic and the people it represents. Although the designer has a background in classical drawing techniques through vocational training in fashion and garment design — enriched by years of painting and art practice — this project required a more approachable…

  • Audio files

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    Tanja Ubert
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    Dutch Start van het spel Uitleg luidspreker symbool Brieven Brief 1 Brief 2 Brief 3 Brief 4 Brief 5 Brief 6 Eisen pasfoto Uitleg paspoort Weet jij waar ik een paspoort kan aanvragen? Antwoord buurman: Wat kost een paspoort? Wanneer is een paspoort klaar? Instructies sociale huurwoning English Start of the game Letters Letter 1…

  • Experiment: Designing an Inclusive Serious Game to Shift Perspectives on Illiteracy – 1st iteration

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    Tanja Ubert
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    As a design researcher, I developed a serious board game aimed at helping literate individuals experience what it feels like to navigate everyday life without the ability to read or write. This experiment builds on the outcomes of earlier puzzle-based experiences and contributes to the broader goal of designing for empathy and inclusion (Harbers, 2021).…

  • Experiment: Experiencing Illiteracy Through Design – A Perspective-Changing Puzzle

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    Tanja Ubert
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    As part of my design research into social inclusion and accessibility, I created an experiment aimed at giving literate participants a first-hand experience of what it might feel like to be unable to read. The experiment was built around the concept of “designing for empathy” (Mattelmäki, 2006), with the goal of encouraging a deeper understanding…

  • Rediscovering Drawing as a Research Practice: Visual Thinking in Design Research

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    admin
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    Creating visuals For many practitioners in design research, creativity is not only a professional tool but also a deeply personal form of expression. However, within the constraints of project deadlines, academic rigor, and institutional demands, practices like drawing and painting—once central to many designers’ identities—often fall dormant. This was my experience as well: having drawn…

  • Experiment visual language

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    admin
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    New Practices and Evolving Expertise: Co-Creation with People with Low Literacy Reframing Expertise in Design Research Contemporary design research has increasingly moved toward participatory approaches that challenge traditional hierarchies of knowledge. In this spirit, my research sought to investigate whether it was possible to co-create a visual language to translate bureaucratic texts into accessible visuals,…