JOURNAL OF AWARENESS

The role of industrial design in Turkish medical device design processes within the scope of innovation networks

Elmas Merve Özyurt, İsmail Suha Erda — Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This study aims to examine the medical device design process in which interdisciplinary interaction is intense within the framework of innovative network structures. It is the first study to examine the role of industrial design in design processes in the domestic medical device industry through network structures that support innovation. This research was conducted to analyse the relationship between R&D and design activities in the domestic medical device industry and innovation, the use of external resources in design processes and the collaborations made. All these activities aim to highlight the relationships between stakeholders, government policies and important elements in the health ecosystem.

The study includes a two-stage field study in line with the conceptual framework. The first phase is referred to as fieldwork and includes interviews with 57 domestic medical device manufacturers and seven sector-specific stakeholders. This field study includes providing information about the processes and collaborations of domestic medical device manufacturers, following their developments and conducting periodic interviews. This information formed the basis of the second phase of case studies. Case analyses of 8 domestic medical device design processes identified within the scope of the study were included. The research findings showed that localisation and current medical device processes are P&D oriented, competition-oriented partnerships are increasing, traditional user research methods and industrial design activities are used more and outsourced in innovative network structures.

The results of the study reveal that the inclusion of industrial design in innovation network structures has a positive impact on innovation outputs. In addition, it has been revealed that there are deficiencies in multidisciplinary working culture, innovation activities of companies that cooperate on a global scale are more and project-oriented strategies should be determined.

Determination of factors affecting university students’ happiness levels through decision trees analysis

Şeyda Demirel Tatlı, Selay Giray Yakut — Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Throughout history, happiness has been a pivotal subject of study, often analyzed within the context of life quality. The notion of life quality includes various elements such as environmental conditions, family dynamics, health status, and income levels, each playing a significant role in shaping an individual's perspective on life and, consequently, their happiness. This research delves into the happiness of university students, a demographic that holds immense significance for the future of our nation.In the realm of academic studies focusing on the factors influencing the happiness levels of university students, methodologies such as factor analysis, regression analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regression have been prevalently utilized. Nevertheless, this particular study distinguishes itself by employing decision tree methods, specifically the CART and CHAID algorithms, noted for their effectiveness in the analysis of extensive datasets. The research is based on primary data, gathered through face-to-face surveys conducted with students from Marmara University. The sample size, consisting of 600 participants, was ascertained using specially developed tables, and the Convenience Sampling method was employed in the design of the sample. Within the scope of this study, a total of 559 consistent data points, devoid of any missing observations, were subjected to analysis. The research initially investigates the correlation between the socio-demographic characteristics of the students and their levels of happiness. Subsequently, the applications of the CART and CHAID algorithms were executed using the SPSS software, focusing on two distinct dependent variables. The outcomes of this study indicate that socio-demographic elements, particularly factors such as income, age, and the occupations of the parents, exert a substantial influence on the happiness levels of individuals. Moreover, the study discerns a gender-based discrepancy in the primary sources of happiness, with love being predominant among women and success among men.

Spatial quality element and user expectations: Taksim Square and its surroundings

Bilge Ulusay Alpay — Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Experiences and social relations in the public spaces of the city constitute the production of urban culture. These places, which bear traces of the city's past, are the memory of the society. However, with rapid urbanization and regulations regarding increased vehicle use, pedestrians have been put in the background, and pedestrianization efforts to solve this problem have gained momentum worldwide. In this process, design principles in pedestrian spaces were determined and it was aimed to eliminate the physical, perceptual and socio-psychological problems of pedestrians. It is important that the place is pedestrian-oriented so that people feel better in the place and that the time they spend is of good quality. The aim of the study is to investigate how Taksim Square and its immediate surroundings are perceived by users and which spatial elements come to the fore by examining the factors that direct the design of squares and pedestrian axes, quality criteria and design principles of equipment elements. In this context, data analysis was carried out through literature review, which is a research method for obtaining qualitative data and spatial quality, and observation and survey (questioning) methods were used to obtain quantitative data. In this regard, factors affecting user satisfaction were investigated and open-ended questions were asked to measure user perceptions of the space. As a result, urban design principles of Taksim Square and its immediate surroundings were evaluated in terms of spatial quality. Therefore, it was observed that pedestrians were negatively affected both physically, perceptually and psycho-socially, and considering the data obtained, it was determined that the equipment elements were insufficient. It is thought that this study may contribute to urban design projects planned to be carried out in the region to improve the quality of life and space.