This project was one of 20 ideas developed under the theme of storytelling in the city. It was mocked up in afew hours and tested in a Dublin restaurant, LemonJelly on Millenium Walk, Italian Quarter, Dublin 1, lunchtime. There was a positive response from management, waiting staff and customers. Management would be happy to repeat.
Aim
To test the idea of using table-mats in restaurants to communicate, elicit or provoke engagement with Dublin city among citizens using the theme of storytelling
Rationale
Sitting down to eat is a time for pause, reflection and often involves a waiting period for food to arrive whether alone or with friends. It is a natural context and opportunity for conversation. Often one fiddles with the salt or reads what one finds lying on the table. It is an ideal moment in which to have a conversation with a tablemat!
Design Prototypes
Various table mat designs were developed to get people engaged in a fun way, some to draw out feelings about Dublin, others to try different engagement tools eg. inviting to write, inviting to make, inviting to tell a story.
Advantages
• can be readily produced
• low budget
• flexible in their content
• facilitate thematic content
• can bringing together various stakeholders under an objective
• have widespread reach
• have volume use
• can be collected for 2-way feedback loop
• can be posted
• can be used stand-alone or with facilitation
Sample Applications
• collect stories from Dubliners
• collect opinions
• show thematic maps of the city
• ask questions of Dubliners
• provoke conversations at meals
• display surprising statistics about Dublin
• invoke memories of Dubliners
