Project overview :
 
Bite Abroad is an interaction design project developed as part of my Master's thesis. It explores the intersection of food, culture, and migration to create a unique participatory experience. Rooted in my personal journey as a Thai expat in Switzerland, this project utilizes traditional Thai dessert workshops, specifically making Bua Loy—a colorful, coconut-based dessert—as a medium for fostering dialogue on cultural identity and migration. Through thoughtfully designed culinary workshops, participants from diverse backgrounds engage in hands-on dessert making, sharing their personal migration stories, and reflecting on their evolving identities in a supportive environment.


Role & Responsibility :

My role and responsibilities are organizing, leading, and designing the workshop.

1. Workshop Planning and Design
1. Research and Development: Conducted extensive research on the target audience, their needs, and goals. Developed workshop content based on these findings.
2. Curriculum Design: Created a structured and engaging workshop flow, including activities, presentations, and discussions.
3. Material Creation: Designed all necessary materials, including presentations, and resources to facilitate learning.
2. Workshop Facilitation
   
   • Leader and Facilitator: Led the workshop sessions, guided participants through exercises, and facilitated meaningful discussions.
   • Interactive Activities: Implemented interactive components such as group work, feedback sessions, and hands-on activities to enhance participant engagement.
3. User Experience Design
   
   • UX Strategy: Applied UX principles in designing a seamless workshop experience, ensuring that the content was accessible, informative, and user-friendly.
   • Feedback Collection: Integrated feedback mechanisms to continuously improve the workshop’s effectiveness.
4. Project Management
   
   • Timeline Coordination: Managed the overall timeline of the workshop, ensuring that each session was well-paced and within scope.
   • Stakeholder Communication: Coordinated with any collaborators, stakeholders, or mentors to align the workshop goals with broader project objectives.

In summary, I was responsible for the end-to-end development, execution, and iteration of the "Bite Abroad" workshop, ensuring it aligned with the objectives of your thesis and effectively engaged participants.

Mentor: 

Dr.Joëlle Bitton

The Concept:

Food is a powerful medium that transcends borders, creating a space for personal storytelling and connection. In Bite Abroad, the act of preparing Bua Loy is transformed into a participatory design exercise. The workshops are structured to encourage participants to reflect on their cultural roots while navigating new environments, much like the delicate process of blending ingredients. By exploring cultural nuances through dessert-making, participants are invited to celebrate both their unique and shared experiences.

Goals:

• To design and facilitate an inclusive environment where participants feel comfortable sharing their migration journeys.
• To use dessert-making as a vehicle for self-reflection, helping participants explore and express their cultural identities.
• To foster curiosity about different cultures, bridging gaps between diverse communities in Switzerland.
• To validate the migrant experience through shared dialogue, enhancing a sense of belonging and social cohesion.

Design Process:

1. Research & Framework: The foundation of Bite Abroad was built on key interaction design principles and ethnographic research methods, including participant observation, interviews, and surveys. Theoretical frameworks such as embodiment, acculturation, and cultural identity guided the design, ensuring the workshops facilitated meaningful interaction among participants.
2. Prototyping & Iteration: Over ten workshops, the format was iterated to optimize the balance between personal storytelling and hands-on cooking. Each step—from mixing the dough to crafting the colorful dumplings—was paired with reflective questions to encourage dialogue about identity, adaptation, and cultural memory.
3. Workshop Structure: The workshops are designed to blend culinary practice with intimate group conversations. As participants engage with the tactile process of making Bua Loy, they discuss themes such as the challenges of cultural adaptation and the nostalgic connection to foods from home. Each step in the dessert-making process is intentionally linked to self-expression, allowing participants to "shape" their stories in parallel with the dough.

Impact:

Participants reported feeling validated and more connected to both their own cultural identities and the experiences of others. Through these workshops, the project achieved its goal of fostering cultural exchange and creating a sense of community. The culinary aspect, combined with interaction design thinking, transformed the experience into more than just a cooking class—it became a tool for empathy, reflection, and cultural preservation.

Learning:

Throughout the development of Bite Abroad, I gained valuable insights into the intersection of interaction design, culture, and human experience. The project allowed me to deeply explore how design can foster emotional and personal connections in ways that go beyond traditional interfaces. Here are the key learnings I took away from this experience:

1. Cultural Sensitivity and Empathy in Design: Designing Bite Abroad required a deep understanding of cultural nuances and sensitivity. Creating an inclusive space where participants from diverse backgrounds felt comfortable sharing their migration stories taught me the importance of empathy-driven design. I learned that, as a designer, fostering trust and openness is as crucial as the functional aspects of an experience.
2. The Power of Rituals in Interaction Design: I discovered how everyday activities like preparing food can be transformed into rich interaction design experiences. The hands-on process of making Bua Loy became a metaphor for cultural exchange, highlighting how rituals can bridge differences. This project reinforced the idea that interaction design is not confined to digital interfaces but can also be extended to physical and cultural practices.
3. Iterative Design and Adaptability:Conducting multiple workshops taught me the importance of iterative design and adaptability. Each session provided new insights, allowing me to refine both the workshop structure and the conversation flow. I learned to quickly adapt to the needs and dynamics of different participant groups, ensuring that the workshops remained engaging and meaningful.
4. Facilitating Dialogue through Design:One of the most significant takeaways from this project was understanding how design can facilitate dialogue and reflection. By pairing the tactile act of dessert-making with thoughtful questions about identity, I saw how design can create safe spaces for participants to open up about personal topics. It demonstrated the power of design in creating connections between people.
5. Community Building through Participation:The workshops fostered a sense of community among participants, and I realized how interaction design can be a tool for building social connections. The shared experience of creating and tasting a traditional dish helped participants bond, offering a valuable lesson in how shared activities can break down social barriers and create lasting connections.