New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Project category

Identify the award category for which this project is being submitted
Regaining a sense of belonging

Email user
mateusz268@vp.pl

Basic information
Project title
Nestor_2.0

Full Project Title
Nestor_2. – Communication materials in the field of digital technologies for seniors.

Please provide a short, catchy description of your project to be used in communication towards the public.
Nestor_2.0 is a prosocial research-and-design project whose main goal is to create a series of infographic materials promoting knowledge of the latest digital IT and communication techniques. The target group includes seniors interested in expanding their digital competencies. Currently, there is a deficit of such solutions. Among the developed issues, there are many topics related to digital space in the city, such as smart cities, smart homes, augmented reality.

What was the geographical scope of your project?
National

Where was your project implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Poland

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
Warsaw, International space - English-language website

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?
It addresses urban-rural linkages

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your project won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Is your project fully completed
Yes

Please indicate a date (mm/yy)
2022-04-15

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
If you are submitting this project as part of a group, please provide the contact details of the other individuals or organisations
- First name: Mateusz
  Last name: Szewczyk
  Gender: Male
  Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: Universities and scientific associations: Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, XR lab PJAIT, Kobo association
  Nationality: Poland
  Function: Graphic designer, academic teacher, researcher at KOBO and XR lab at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: ul. Millera 8 m 34
  Town: Warsaw
  Postal code: 01-496
  Country: Poland
  Direct Tel: +48 507 724 154
  E-mail: mateusz268@vp.pl
  Website: https://nestor.kobo.org.pl/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/stowarzyszenie.kobo/
In case my project is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my project in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites

Description of the project
Please provide a summary of your project.
Nestor_2.0 is a prosocial research-and-design project whose main goal is to create a series of infographic materials promoting knowledge of the latest digital IT and communication techniques. The target group includes seniors interested in expanding their digital competencies. Currently, there is a deficit of such solutions. Similar initiatives for seniors mainly focus on the digitally excluded groups and provide them with basic computer or smartphone knowledge. There are very few projects for elderly people with higher aspirations in the field of the latest IT solutions inthe city and their use. This topic is particularly important for the free functioning in the digital space in cities. The Nestor_2.0 developed solution includes both a series of infographics and promotional materials to be presented in public. The materials have been made available on-line in the form of a dedicated website. The website nestor.kobo.org.pl provides a constantly expanded database of infographics. An English version of the website was created for a wider audience. The publicly available exhibition is composed of large-format infographic boards which are later going to be transferred to the XR Lab PJATK Cross-generational Cafe. Promotional materials of the project were broadcast on Warsaw public transport posters screens.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.
Digital exclusion of seniors

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Smart city

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Activation of older citizens

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
The digital space of the city

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Digitization for the ecology of the city

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
Nestor_2.0 is a series of inforgraphics for seniors promoting the latest digital technology know-how, and encouraging them to expand their competences in this area. The project is the result of collaboration between Kobo Association and Mateusz Szewczyk, graphic designer from the New Media Arts at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology. As part of their joint cooperation, they carried out research workshops with seniors in order to define the needs and preferences of olders when it comes to visual information resources. The final result of the process is a series of infographics bringing closer the latest digital media technologies and technology news, designed and created by Mateusz Szewczyk as part of his doctoral dissertation. The goal of Nestor_2.0 is not only to present interesting phenomena from the area of digital technology to seniors but also to break stereotypical thinking about elderly people as being uninterested in enjoying the benefits of modern digitization in the modern city.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The project breaks stereotypical thinking about the elderly. Both in terms of their alleged lack of interest in advanced digital technologies. As well as the ways of conveying visual information to them. A modern, well-designed infographic is equally readable for older and younger people. The developed visual language was created during workshops with groups of seniors. It takes into account their information and visual needs, thanks to which it will be easier for them to navigate in digital systems and smart cities.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The created and implemented project is free and available to all interested seniors. The developed materials are used by the non-profit association KOBO during workshops with seniors held in Warsaw. The official website of the project contains all created materials available for free in Polish and English. Over time, the database of created materials will be expanded.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project
The Nestor_2.0 project comes as the result of scientific cooperation as part of the Human Aspects in Science and Engineering (HASE) inter-institutional research initiative at the Kobo Association, headed by Dr Wiesław Kopeć of XR Lab PJATK. The Kobo Association HASE research group is composed of experts, practitioners, and researchers from the leading Polish universities, such as the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology (PJATK), the University of Warsaw, SWPS University, Warsaw University of Technology, National Information Processing Institute (OPI), and the Polish Academy of Sciences institutes, including the Psychology Institute. The members of the Association specialize, among others, in researching and developing IT tools for seniors, using an open, inter-disciplinary, and inclusive attitude to designing together with the users, especially with seniors and other groups often excluded from the mainstream discourse on IT and communication technologies. As a result of the research carried out, a number of issues were developed related to the process of visual information inclusive designing, taking into consideration the visual preferences and predispositions of people of senior age. The results allowed the development of a visual language complying with the specific needs of this target group.The project was created as part of participatory workshops with seniors. By working with them, I was able to explore in detail what kind of information they needed to understand the digital space around them. In addition, I was able to thoroughly test the most appropriate solutions in the field of visual information design. I studied such aspects as: legibility of typefaces, the role of color, methods of content composition, graphic style of illustrations and icons.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was.
As detailed in the paragraph above, the work on the project was local in nature and brought together universities, research and pro-social associations in Warsaw. Mainly related to the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology. The capital city of Warsaw, on the other hand, supported the promotion of this project. There was an information campaign on digital carriers throughout the city.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your project. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was.
The project was created thanks to the knowledge of graphic design of the main author of the project - Mateusz Szewczyk - a designer and lecturer at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology (PJATK) and the support of the KOBO and XR lab PJATK associations that have been working for years to disseminate knowledge about advanced digital technologies among various overlooked groups, including seniors.

Please give information on the results, outcomes and impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for. This includes also benefits from the project for direct and indirect beneficiaries
he Nestor_2.0 developed solution includes both a series of infographics and promotional materials to be presented in public. The materials have been made available on-line in the form of a dedicated website. The website nestor.kobo.org.pl provides a constantly expanded database of infographics. An English version of the website was created for a wider audience. The publicly available exhibition is composed of large-format infographic boards which are later going to be transferred to the XR Lab PJATK Cross-generational Cafe. Promotional materials of the project were broadcast on Warsaw public transport posters screens.
I also encourage you to watch the video recorded with several workshop participants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmGAQJ6pHFI

Please provide documents showing the results, outcomes and impacts of your project
Both
PDF
- pdf-1-3141.pdf
Web link
- https://nestor.kobo.org.pl/index.php/en/main-2/
Please highlight the innovative character of the project, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the project
Breaking the stereotypical thinking about seniors as people not interested in modern digital technologies. Activation of older citizens through digital technologies. Introduction of modern infographic solutions for communicating with seniors based on research with recipients and participatory workshops.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your project.
The Nestor_2.0 project comes as the result of scientific cooperation as part of the Human Aspects in Science and Engineering (HASE) inter-institutional research initiative at the Kobo Association, headed by Dr Wiesław Kopeć of XR Lab PJATK. The Kobo Association HASE research group is composed of experts, practitioners, and researchers from the leading Polish universities, such as the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology (PJATK), the University of Warsaw, SWPS University, Warsaw University of Technology, National Information Processing Institute (OPI), and the Polish Academy of Sciences institutes, including the Psychology Institute. The members of the Association specialize, among others, in researching and developing IT tools for seniors, using an open, inter-disciplinary, and inclusive attitude to designing together with the users, especially with seniors and other groups often excluded from the mainstream discourse on IT and communication technologies. Together with them, I conducted workshops with seniors. Thanks to this, we got to know their information needs and visual preferences better.

Please describe which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and context. This may involve for example aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings etc.
The visual language I created can be used to explain many different inventions and processes in the space od digital inteligent cities.
It can also be used for other issues, e.g. related to civic activation of the elderly. The created visual system is very clear and at the same time easy to implement.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addresses by providing local solutions
Aging of societies and the related need for greater activation of the elderly. Creating communication with older generations in the era of a rapidly changing world. Using digital technologies to develop civil society and care for ecology.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below
- Nestor_dissertation_Polish_language_english_abstract.pdf
- extra documentation.pdf
By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the project and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary.
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted project, is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes