REST: Double diamonds | Diletta Designer

HOW I DID IT?

I have applied the Double Diamond methodology to guide the design process from insight to implementation, focusing on both spatial and service innovation.

Staff interviews and conversations

Engaging with the team revealed key daily challenges and highlighted the need for clearer guidance and improved spatial organization.

Field observations

By observing daily operations across multiple days, I gained a full understanding of workflows and identified opportunities to optimize material sorting, stocking, and space usage for greater efficiency.

User Questionnaires

Targeted surveys with donors, neurodivergent staff, and people who work or live with neurodivergent individuals provided key insights to guide the design of inclusive and intuitive solutions.

Physical Space Analysis

I analyzed the layout and functionality of REST’s spaces to identify underused areas, accessibility issues, and opportunities to improve spatial flow.

Neurodiversity Research

To design a more inclusive environment, I conducted focused research on neurodiversity, including consultations with psychologists and experts from Onbeperkt jobstudent.

Benchmarking

I conducted benchmarking with a logistics operator from Kringwinkel to gather insights on donation management, which informed improvements to REST’s donation process.

REST, as a start-up, faced several challenges:

Unstructured donation and sorting process
Lack of clear sorting and pricing guidelines
No inclusive procedures for neurodivergent staff
Poorly optimized spaces (shop & workshop)
No dedicated warehouse

Data analysis & Problems identification

Define clear and repeatable workflows
Introduce visual tools and signage
Co-design accessible communication formats
Redesign the layout for intuitive navigation
Create a storage system aligned with workflows

Opportunities

Structure & predictability tasks
Visual support to aid autonomy
Inclusive and accessible processes
Functional and organized spaces
Low-stimulation environments

Needs

Material reuse strategies

Selected supplies and objects with reuse potential to reduce waste and maximize resource value.

Material categorization and organization system

Implemented a visual labeling system and physically structured sorting spaces and store displays for clearer categorization of donated items.

Optimized donation process flow

Developed a structured donation workflow, introducing support tools like the "black basket", to streamline staff interactions and material management.

Warehouse management solutions

Co-designed a new basement layout as a functional warehouse with defined material zones and established a staff responsibility schedule for sorting, storage, and pricing.

Spatial solutions to

improve organization and accessibility

Created a temporary sorting area in the workshop and a "donation waiting room" in the basement to ease congestion and facilitate material handling.

Inclusive guide for neurodivergent staff

Designed and structured a visually supported guide, including user journey mapping and step-by-step processes, with video/QR code suggestions to improve predictability and reduce stress.

What I did:

Mapped the entire user journey and REST service touchpoints
Structured tasks into manageable phases to reduce cognitive load
Created both printable and digital formats of the guide
Designed a visual system to support orientation and autonomy in the space