2021-02-22
Toby Whelan, who graduated from the MFA IxD programme last
spring, wanted to inspire advocacy among future generations with
his thesis project. In collaboration with Lego, he developed a
platform for kids to further their activism skills, following in
the footsteps of Greta Thunberg. Part of the solution is an app
that allows young people to both learn and develop strategies for
taking action on local issues. 'Agents of Action' is an educational
tool that teaches young people how to "rebel" in a constructive
way.
Out of close to 200 hundred student submissions, Toby's project
stood out to the jury of design professionals.
"This project really wowed the awards jury", said Kim Goodwin,
author of 'Designing for the Digital Age'.
A scenario sketch detailing a child using the
'Agents of Action' toolkit
Toby chose to acknowledge the children of the future to whom he
had dedicated the project as he accepted the award.
"I want to say thanks to the kids around the world who are
raising their voices and changing peoples' minds. They inspired me
to create this project. Let's invest in them as designers and help
them rebuild the future", said Toby Whelan.
Rebekka Quiroz Wiberg's award category, 'Best in Show', was the
grand finale of the 'Interaction Awards'.
"This project threaded the needle of a multitude of complex
technological, social and cultural contexts", said May Li Khoe,
'Interaction Awards' jury chair.
The 'Animo'
rehabilitation game and app
During her acceptance speech, Rebekka especially thanked the
health care staff that supported her during the early phases of the
project.
"I did not expect this at all. I want to thank the health care
staff that helped me a lot during the research phase of the
project. I worked with a many physical therapists and stroke
patients to understand their problem and without their help and
engagement I couldn't have come up with this idea", said Rebekka
Quiroz Wiberg.
Explore the winning projects
About 'The Interaction Awards':
The Interaction Awards, now in its tenth year, recognize and
celebrate excellence in Interaction Design across domains,
channels, environments, and cultures.
Founded by the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) in 2010 and
first presented in 2012, the annual Interaction Awards celebrate
design thought leadership and innovation around the globe. Since
its launch in 2003, IxDA has grown into a global network of more
than 100,000 individuals and over 200 local groups, focusing on
interaction design issues for the practitioner, no matter their
level of experience.
