Final presentations and final goodbyes

Our final week in Taiwan felt like several different experiences packed into only a few days. We were still learning about Taiwanese craft and culture, but we were also trying to finish the project that had taken over our free time. Yet somewhere between it all the end of the program arrived much faster than I expected.

One of our last cultural experiences was a Taiwanese tea demonstration inside a beautiful old wooden building. The setting made the experience feel noticeably different from simply ordering tea at a cafe. The atmosphere made us slow down and pay closer attention.

The person leading the demonstration explained each part of the process while preparing the tea in front of us. Nothing felt rushed.  After several weeks of studying human-centered design, I found myself noticing how the space, tools, and actions worked together to shape the experience.

 

At the same time, our group was finishing Bubble Buggy, the refill-truck concept we had developed for our final project. Our idea was inspired by Taiwanese mobile vendors and neighborhood systems that bring services directly to people. We translated that model into a refill truck carrying soaps and household products from local makers.

One of the most important changes came when we began thinking beyond the truck itself. The project became a full experience involving reusable containers,Taiwanese-inspired scents, traditional stamp imagery, and a recognizable route. Customers could bring an existing container, refill it with the product they needed, and personalize it with a scent connected to Taiwan.

The final presentation included our truck rendering, visual identity, service journey, physical tags, stamps, scent bottles, and storyboard. Seeing all of those pieces together made my heart happy after a whirlwind of a week putting the project together. What began as a broad idea about reducing packaging had become a specific system shaped by the routines and visual culture we observed here.

Presenting the project was exciting. We had spent so much time questioning whether the concept was distinctive enough and whether the Taiwanese influence went deeper than its appearance. By the end, I felt that the strongest part of our project was the way we translated something we observed in Taiwan into a system that could work in Seattle.

Almost immediately after the final presentation, our focus shifted from finishing the project to packing and leaving.  We took a train to Taipei and slowly said goodbye to each other as we all went our separate ways. 

Of course, the trip could not end without one more bowl of mango shaved ice. It was enormous and probably meant to be shared by more people than we had. I was with Zoe and Chandeline and Kiki joined us at the shaved ice shop. It was so nice to see her again after two weeks away from Taipei. Sitting there with two bowls in front of me felt like an appropriately sweet ending to three weeks that had been full of work and new friendships.

I am leaving Taiwan with a different understanding of design. This program reminded me that thoughtful design begins by paying attention.