REMAP
REMAP is an interactive workshop on racial and ethnic microaggressions in higher education in the US to raise awareness and prevent their continuous occurrence.
This project is the final product of my thesis “Decluttering Microaggressions: Creating A Mutualistic Environment.”
MFA Thesis
Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Miro
Duration: 13 Months (09.2020 - 11.2021)
The Challenge
How might we use design thinking to raise awareness of racial and ethnic microaggressions and prevent them from occurring in higher education?
Objective
To incorporate design thinking to mitigate the wicked problem of racial and ethnic microaggressions through an inclusive framework that can be further implemented in other fields of expertise.
Design Process
Research Ecosystem Map
The research proceeded after the development of the research ecosystem map. Within the system of Design Thinking, three categories shared the common goal of preventing and educating racial and ethnic microaggressions.
Stakeholder Map
A stakeholder map was developed after the analysis of literature and students and faculty of color were considered as the main stakeholders.
The key stakeholders were interconnected with other individuals and entities from four different rims; Mental health, Individual, Academic, and Organizational.
Empathy Map
Data points from stakeholder interviews and webinars were utilized for empathy maps. This approach facilitated an in-depth understanding of the wants and needs of the main stakeholders.
Students of Color
Faculty of Color
Persona Development
Based on empathy maps, four personas - two students and two faculty - were developed to represent the archetypes of the target audience.
These personas provided a way to gauge how the intervention should have a holistic approach to cope with their goals and frustrations.
Affinity Mapping & Design Framework
Data collected from literature, survey responses, interviews, and webinars were converted into data points on yellow sticky notes. A total of 29 insights were created through the clustering of data points via affinity mapping.
The insights were analyzed on a design framework in which the x-axis measured the level of importance and the y-axis implied the number of data points per insight cluster. Insights in the upper right quadrant were considered as priorities for ideating interventions.
Key Takeaways
Stakeholders love being different.
Microaggressions happen when senders lack exposure to different cultures.
Microaggression involves power and privilege.
Microaggressions make receivers feel attacked, unsafe, and uncomfortable.
Accumulated microaggressions are not micro.
Stakeholders want senders to be more aware of their acts and words.
Stakeholders need an opportunity to hang out and have safe conversations.
Stakeholders want better-designed training on microaggressions.
University should work as a catalyst for combating microaggressions.
Design Criteria
Four design criteria were formulated based on the analysis and synthesis of insights. They were utilized as the groundstone of ideating and validating the intervention.
INCLUSIVE
The intervention should respect stakeholders’ racial, ethnic and related cultural differences, and make them feel welcomed.
INTERACTIVE
The final concept should provide human-to-human interactions to promote better communication opportunities.
REFLECTIVE
The solution needs to prompt stakeholders to reflect on their mindsets to acknowledge that microaggressions are not the victims’ fault and they should be tackled together.
ADAPTABLE
The final concept should be flexible and adjustable to be implemented in different universities and colleges to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
Ideation
Two rounds of co-brainstorming sessions were conducted with students of color who volunteered to share their innovative and creative ideas.
The collected ideas were put on a good and different matrix to determine which ones were unconventional and embedded the aspects of design criteria the most.
Final Intervention
REMAP (Racial and Ethnic Microaggression Awareness Program) is an interactive workshop that is designed for incoming students and faculty members. As part of the newcomer orientation, the workshop provides interactive programs to have a meaningful moment of understanding and discussing racial and ethnic microaggressions in higher education.
The workshop consists of 10 to 12 people per session in order to improve communication between participants. Moreover, any student or faculty stakeholder is eligible to co-host the workshop as a secondary facilitator. This will bring out a more engaging and interactive atmosphere throughout the facilitation of the workshop.
Workshop Outline
REMAP is a two-hour workshop that consists of three interactive activities and one mini-lecture on racial and ethnic microaggressions.
The primary facilitator will walk participants through the content of the lecture and the secondary facilitator is in charge of conducting three activities with attendees and encouraging their participation.
Facilitator Toolkit
A facilitator toolkit package will be provided to facilitators prior to the initiation of the workshop. The toolkit consists of a guidebook that includes facilitation guidelines and activity description and instructions, and activity props.
Toolkit Package
Toolkit Components
Digital Portal
Together with the facilitator toolkit, REMAP provides facilitators unlimited access to its digital portal that includes a digital version of the facilitator guidebook, mini-lecture slides, and downloadable and printable workshop materials. The portal is also accessible to all participants to offer an additional opportunity for them to share, utilize and facilitate REMAP workshop activities with their peers, families, etc.
Workshop Activities
Biography Quiz
Biography Quiz is an icebreaker of the workshop that is aimed to bring out the acknowledgment that an individual has subconsciously built their biased perceptions toward certain people of color, different races, and ethnicities. Each biography is based on racial, ethnic, and related cultural biases prevalent in society.
Words & Gazes
Words & Gazes provides an opportunity for participants to dive deeper into the discourse of racial and ethnic microaggressions. The degree to how an individual perceives their received microaggressions are subjective and the cause of such microaggressive acts also varies. This activity aims to let participants understand the subtlety and subjectiveness of racial and ethnic microaggressions by sharing their experiences.
Small But Mighty
Small But Mighty is the last activity to encourage the participants to complete the workshop with having a mental tool to confront racial and ethnic microaggressions. The question cards consist of questions that allow participants to reflect on their mindsets on microaggressions and think about potential actions to make an impact that matters.
Final Concept Validation
REMAP final prototypes were involved in two rounds of testing; Facilitator guidebook usability testing and Workshop piloting.
As for the guidebook usability testing, the researcher shared a digital copy with five testees one on one and walked them through the content of the facilitator checklist and activity pages.
To pilot the workshop, a total of five SCAD students attended the session, and the researcher worked as both the primary and secondary facilitator to pilot three activities and racial and ethnic microaggression mini-lecture.
Testing Feedback
Future Directions
REMAP found the potential to be facilitated in
different higher education institutions after usability testing and comments received from
participants.
As for further facilitation, a thorough business model should be generated, revised,
and implemented in order to run the workshop continuously and professionally.
The concept could be applied to different fields of expertise by fulfilling
lacking requirements with innovative iterations to proactively combat racial and ethnic
microaggressions.