How Did You Go At The Hairdresser?

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

The object I chose is the Face Shield by Neil Grigg. As visitors can
interact with this object by simply putting it on, the visitor can
only appreciate the value of this object by interacting with its
context. The Face Shield was produced by Grigg as a response to the
need for protective wear in the beauty sector during the Covid-19
pandemic. Therefore, interactions between a hairdresser (member of the
beauty sector) and a client are the focus of this digital interaction.

This digital interaction is in the form of a ‘choose your own adventure’
style user interface as a response to the complexity of the
Covid-19 context. The Face Shield is one of many protective measures
that hairdressers are likely to use to protect their clients. There are
also several ways clients can help protect their hairdresser. These
protective measures also do not guarantee protection from exposure,
and it is possible that both the hairdresser and client could have
been exposed before their interaction. The use of the ‘wheel’ in this
interaction symbolises this uncertainty.

Face Shields like this one by Griggs protect the client more than the
hairdresser, the wearers of the Face Shield, as particles can travel
up behind the mask. So, the focus of this digital interaction is the
commitment of beauty sector workers (such as hairdressers) to protect
their clients from possible Covid-19 exposure, while risking exposure
themselves. This is demonstrated in the story arc. The museum visitor
begins by worrying about their safety, but answers similar questions
afterwards while wondering if they, in fact, exposed their hairdresser
to Covid-19.

This design is part of the student learning experience in 87009 or 87445 VC Design Studio: Visualising Experience Spring 2021 in the Faculty of Design Architecture and Built Environment (DAB) University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and is not a professional design outcome. This project was developed under the guidance of studio leaders and demonstrators. As a response to a notional assessment brief, it is not directly connected to the Powerhouse Museum.