CO-OP WORK

TERM REFLECTION
Omeir Parkar
Elder Research Centre
• Using human-centred design, we had to find a solution that
increased participation in the creative and performing arts by older
adults
• Due to Covid-19, a lot of older adults are isolated and lonely, which
can harm their mental health
• Learning new creative skills can help pass time and gives people
something to connect over
• We decided to create an app that has lessons in every creative or
performative field to follow along at home and learn
• We added social networking features to help users connect with one
another over their love of art
• We included design elements that improve accessibility such as
described video, language options and more
Skills I learnt this term
• We used a lot of web conferencing apps and I had to learn how to
use those
• I also had to lead the group in every activity and discussion, so I
worked on my leadership
• We used tools such as the Five Whys to help us find the root
problem
• In the Six Hats activity where we looked at the solution from
different perspectives
• Working as group is something I also brushed up on
Competency
• I chose to focus on communication as what I wanted to work on
this term
• I made conscious efforts to monitor what I said and how I said it
• I couldn’t use body language to convey any information so I had to
rely exclusively on speech
• I made sure to allow time for others to speak their minds before I
gave my opinions
• I asked people a lot of questions to help align our visions as a team
so that we could deliver a cohesive proposal
• Good communication will be essential in creating career success as
I will be able to understand others as well as convey myself clearly
Industry Insights
• This internship has helped prepare me for industry after graduation
by teaching to work with a team to deliver on a project bigger than
myself
• It has also taught me to use others to their full potential around me
by finding their strengths and allocating them appropriately
• Communicating with your team to ensure everyone is working
towards the same vision helps stay strategically aligned
Industry Associations
• The Canadian Marketing Association is hosting many events online
due to Covid-19
• One such event I plan to attend is their Fall Happy Hour on
September 29th, where I can try to make some connections in the
industry
Webinars
• One webinar I participated in was about presenting
• The main speaker was Myles Bartlett, a former Art Director at
Teletoon
• He explained how you should use storyboarding to create a story to
tell while presenting
• The story helps the audience remember your points better and also
gives them an emotional investment in what you’re saying to them
What would I do Differently?
• The first thing I would have done differently is ask more questions
in the first few weeks
• Our group did not have a good understanding of the expectations of
the program for the first 3 weeks
• It was only after we met our collaborator did we fully acknowledge
what they were asking for, but perhaps this was by design