First workshop to define the Cultura Probes

On 5/10/2011 the Center for Design and Sustainability of UFPR realized the first internal workshop from   the Project E-Wise. The purpose of this workshop was to define proposals for the tools to be used in the Cultural Probes.

The Workshop was attended by three representatives of the City of Balsa Nova and a representative of the Housing Company of Parana (COHAPAR).

In the preliminary phase of the dynamics of ideas, were presented the project objectives and the Workshop, as well as some experiments conducted by research groups from several universities. During the presentation, we had the presentation of proposals from Sophie Zaubitzer from the International School of Design in Cologne (Germany).


The presentations used in the workshop are available at the following addresses:

• Presentation of the Workshop
• Proposals made ​​by Sophie

After the generation of alternatives, the group was instructed to present and discuss the proposals for a future selection of ideas by experts.

Virtual meeting via Skype

On 09/14/2011 was realized a virtual meeting via Skype among members of the Federal University of Parana, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul and Federal University of Bahia.
In this meeting were discussed issues such as:

• Progress in implementing the survey in the community of Balsa Nova
• Training conducted for the application of the survey
• Material available for other members of the network can be apply the survey in the communities of their responsibility
• Current status of other members to implement the survey in Mato Grosso and Bahia
• Future activities planned for the coming months (as stated in the presentation)

According to comments from the members themselves, the group of Bahia and Mato Grosso do Sul are waiting return of informations from the respective local Companie of Development or Housing of Development to initiate contacts with the communities.


Future activities that anticipate the meeting of the members of the network are:

• Mounting profile of respondents
• Construction and application of cultural probes
• Application of other participants in the Survey of the network

Present at the meeting:

Leticia Goncalves (UFPR)
Dioclécio Camel (UFPR)
Marcia Paul (UFMS)
Adriane Queiroz (UFMS)
Luciene Yasunaka Yukari (UFMS)
Kelly Fontoura (UFBA)


The itinerary of the meeting is available for download via the link:
http://www.design.ufpr.br/nucleo/downloads/2011.09.14_Reuniao_Rede-Pauta_da_reuniao.ppt

Application of the questionnaire in Balsa nova - Part II

On Saturday, 03/09, researchers at the Center for Design and Sustainability (NDS) returned to Conjunto Habitacional Mirante do Iguaçu to finalize the questionnaires. 
On this visit, we interviewed more than four houses totaling 37 interviews of 87 houses with the possibility of application. Some reasons have led to difficulty in application of questionnaires in other houses, such as absence of residents or an adult responsible, lack of interest of residents or families who did not meet the minimum requirements requested by the project. 
After the questionnaires, the data have being tabulated for analysis and definition of the consumption profiles of the community inhabitants in Balsa Nova.

Application of the questionnaire in Balsa Nova

 On 29/8 a group of researchers at the Center for Design and Sustainability (NDS) from Federal University of Parana went at the city of Balsa Nova to apply the questionnaire on water consumption habits and energy. 
During the day, questionnaires were filled in 33 houses in the community of Mirante do Iguaçu. 

During the day, questionnaires were filled in 33 houses in the community of Mirante do Iguaçu. 
This research was attended by 12 people, including two exchange students from Germany. Before applying, all gathered to read the instruction manual of the questionnaire and make the planning of how the interviews would be made in the homes. 

Pictured above, prof. Aguinaldo 
(Project coordinator) and prof. 
Naotake Fucushima interviewing 
one of the residents.

During the interview, it was initially possible to notice some peculiarities, problems and questions of residents with regard their water and energy consumption. For example: 
- Most of the interviewed had in mind the values of your water and energy bills; 
- Some residents had questions regarding the values ​​presented in their energy and/or water bills; 
- Many did not have a social tariff (for energy and/or water) and the main reasons are: lack of information or lack of access to information (not knowing about the existence of the tariff or not knowing that they could and how they could use this rate) or because they exceeded the maximum allowed consumption due to the difficulty in control the spending, thus would be excluded from the program for the next six months. 
Some curious facts also puzzled the researchers, for example, one of the homes had no refrigerator, however, was one of the few who had a computer. 

Visit to the comunity

Comunidade estabelecida no local a menos
de cinco anos.

The team of researcher from the Center for Design and Sustainability (Núcleo de Design e Sustentabilidade) at UFPR visited on Tuesday (16/08) the city of Balsa Nova in order to select the community in which the Survey will be conducted. Participated from the visit the teacher Aguinaldo, Dino, Carolina and Letícia. 

Were visited two communities, one with families already established at least ten years and another established less than five years, in this some of the homes have families living just over one year in the house. In the community living there more than ten years is noticeable the improvement in the quality of life, due to the probable increase in household income. These families already established over than ten years would now have a monthly income above three minimum wages are not commensurate with the requirements of the Survey. Thus, the Survey will be applied to families in the community with less than five years on site. 

Talk with the leader of the community in which 
 the Survey will be applied.