I’ve started this design many times over the past six years whilst working on my diploma, and each time I have also abandoned it for one reason or another. Finally, I have now accomplished an incarnation of a design to help with my mental health that has been brought into existence through many years of research.

In this first section of the design framework, I will determine what the main aim of this design is looking to achieve. The whole design will be built around this aim so a clear interpretation must be stated. Focus is the key process that is going to be used in this segment.

For this design, I want to look at ways to improve my mental health. I already have certain routines that play their part in helping me with my health, some of which can be improved whilst at the same time there is also scope to add more.

The main mental health problem I tend to suffer from is stress, mostly this is due to working front-line IT support in a very busy working environment. In recent years work has expected me to be working longer hours, I’m also on 24-hour support 7 days on and 7 days off, this is on top of working my usual 5-day week.

I have many interests outside of work that I try and cram into ever-shortening windows of time, this again adds to my stress levels. During this diploma, a very good friend died, and I also bought a house, these increased my stress levels to new heights.   

It is important for me here to have a straightforward aim for this design, this is why after much contemplation I’ve chosen "To find ways to improve my mental health that can be incorporated into my life."

I’ve played with many different versions of this statement but this encapsulates what I want to attain in the simplest of terminology.

"To find ways to improve my mental health that can be incorporated into my life."