Survey 3

1. What are the biggest problems you face during student life?

• Living conditions
• Housemates
• Homesickness/Not being able to settle in
• Relationships
• Workload
• Presentations
• Tutors
• Multi-tasking
• Money
• Health Problems

2. Please list the order that you would prioritise the following:

• Socialising
• Uni/College work
• Relationships
• Jobs & Money
• Returning home
• Health & Fitness

3. In general, do you seek help when facing worries and problems?

• No
• Yes
• If no, why not?
• If yes, who from?

Survey Results: Informative View of Colour Associations

Based on my survey results regarding colour association, I have produced some infographics in order to display my answers in a better way. Each coloured circle is a certain diameter depending on the number of people who chose the colour. For example 25 people associated orange with Happiness, this has been demonstrated with a circle 25mm across and positioned with the top of the circle level with 25 on the axis. It's a simple self-explanatory system which works for the time being, I will adapt and change when and if necessary.

Survey Results: Colour Association with Depression and Happiness

My first response to a colour abstraction exercise. In my second survey I conducted, I asked about colour associations between depression and happiness. The image above shows the results from the 82 people I have collected from so far. The larger blocked colours represent the most popular answers, the thinner blocks representing the least popular answers. Where some people generalised with answers I used initiative to create a small colour palette within this experiment.
As this is my first response, I would like to experiment with other ways to demonstrate this information in order to display it more effectively. However, from this experiment I can get a better understanding of what colours to steer clear of and what colours would help boost my future designs.

Survey 2

I have decided to conduct a more focused survey which will give me relevant feedback in order to produce various experiments and spark initial project ideas. I need to make a start as soon as possible as everything will need thorough planning and proper feedback throughout the course of my project.

Below are the questions asked in my latest survey:

1. Are you:

• Male
• Female

2. How old are you?

3. How did you feel when you first moved to a new place?

4. Have you ever/do you suffer from depression?

5. What colours do you associate with the word depression?

6. What colours do you associate with the word happy?

7. What do you do to lower your stress levels/cheer yourself up?

8. What things do you find triggers stress/low moods?

9. How would you visualise depression?

10. How would you visualise happy?

I am currently gathering my responses. I hope to get a range of 100 to broaden my thinking and to reach out to as many people as possible.

Survey 1 Results

[Click on the image to Enlarge]

These results do not include the self reply answers. Due to the type of survey I applied for I was only able to receive 100 answers, this was still an amazing response and enabled me to see a broad range of replies to this topic area. 

The majority of the people who participated in my research was students - this is good as it is within my target audience age range, so their feedback is important for my project. 

46% of people thought that the most common age group to be effected by depression is 26-40, it is infact 11-25 (my chosen target audience).

77% of people understand that depression does not need a particular cause in order for someone to suffer from it and a huge 85% of people don't think enough is being done to promote the awareness of this illness.

79% of people luckily know it is an illness, however it means people still believe it is a weakness or a phase that everyone goes through - this is not the case! There is a difference between feeling depressed and suffering from depression. 

33% of people think only 40% of people find anti-depressants ineffective. Although it entirely depends on the individual, results have shown that a massive 70% of people find these drugs ineffective. Which must mean there's room for another way to help?

84% of people realise children can get depressed, it is usually harder to spot as parents often label it 'their difficult time', however this needs to be communicated that if they have the symptoms, it is likely they are depressed.

Luckily 84% of people understand that depressed people shouldn't just snap out of it, because they can't. It's a good sign people are aware of this.

I found my results informing about how people think. From this I can try to find a loop-hole and build a project focus around this problem.

Survey 1

To gain some initial idea of what people are aware of I have conducted a survey to gather this information anonymously. I have gone through surveymonkey.com in order to achieve fast results. From my results I can draw information which will hopefully enable be to narrow my approach.
The questions asked are featured below:

1. Are you a...

• Student
• Parent
• Teacher
• Other

2. How would you best describe depression?

3. What ago group do you think depression effects mostly?

• 0 - 10
• 11 - 25
• 26 - 40
• 40 +

4. Depression can appear for no particular reason.

• True
• False

5. Do you think enough is being done to make people aware of depression and the severity of it?

• Yes
• No

6. Depression is...

• An illness
• A weakness
• A phase that everyone goes through

7. According to results, what percentage of people find anti-depressants ineffective?

• 40%
• 50%
• 60%
• 70%

8. Do you think children get depressed?

• Yes
• No

9. Do you think depressed people should just snap out of it and get on with their lives?

• Yes
• No

10. What do you think should be done to make people more aware of this increasing problem?