Iona Douglas

This project focuses on health uncertainties within young people and the mental impact it has. Since Covid-19, waiting times for NHS appointments have massively increased leaving many in difficult situations regarding their health. With the influence of social media, it is very easy for the younger generation to self-diagnose or fall down a spiral of searching every symptom, hoping for a clear answer.

The name Limbo refers to being stuck in the unknown with no clear sense of where you are. I intended to create a service driven by community to offer guidance and support to young people facing these challenges.
It is particularly focused at 16–25 year olds as they are enrolled in higher education whilst balancing a job therefore creating difficulty to cope and regulate emotions. Co-design was a huge part of the development of this project and also for the final desk display. I had 5 participants who provided experiences relating to Limbo therefore, making it easier to shape the brand identity and understand what the service should entail.

Limbo offers in-person meetings within schools and universities to complete workshops alongside others in the same situation. There is the opportunity for the school/university to elect a Limbo leader who hosts and organises each activity to ensure nobody is uncomfortable. The regular meetings are used as a tool for young people to utilise whenever they need.

We were asked to think about equitable health 10 years in the future (2035). Our world manifesto reads:

Between 2025 and 2035, healthcare systems underwent rapid digital transformation, in response to the NHS 10 year plan, meaning artificial intelligence became integral in healthcare delivery. However, limited regulation and digital-first policies led to overreliance on automated systems and reduced face-to-face care, resulting in growing public concern around data use, its bias, and our loss of human connection. Trust in institutions has been disrupted.

Individuals feel distanced from care. At a population level, public confidence declined, prompting protest and civic action. Over time, regulation introduced policies to reframe Al’s role, aiming to restore trust by positioning it as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human care. This exhibition is a timeline of media, exploring the population’s feeling and response to policy introductions.

This future imagines population health as a civic responsibility, shaped by shared knowledge and collective intelligence. As a society we are more aware and accountable by turning to each other and relying less on NHS centralised healthcare. Our communities become active participants in care, whilst supported by Al.

This moment captures a turning point: a society transitioning from algorithm-led healthcare to human-centred, but Al-supported population health. Under new regulation, trust begins to re-emerge as communities collaborate, building bonds around experiences, practices and in pursuit of a more equitable and connected.

This project is connected to Creating Future Experiences Part 1 and it was an individual adaptation based of the first project. Each group member had to choose a topic from the future we created and develop it further. I decided to focus on health, specifically from micro-plastics as they are increasing within our bloodstreams causing issues such as infertility and dementia. Designing a product/service for this brief had to clearly link with the previous Creating Future Experiences and so I chose to follow the policy about relying less on the NHS, I wanted a solution that those could chose to work with to better their health.

The final product was almost ‘gamified’ due to its bright colour and unusual shape, compared to PAC-MAN. The original design was to have a set of 3 products that would make someone’s shopping experience for healthy alternatives less worrying but I decided to simplify the experience to one product that lives in the fridge. The product contains genetically-modified fungi that release within the fridge to combat any external micro-pollutants to minimise the risk of health complications if consumed.

This project helped me to explore new design opportunities relating to health and also a playful approach to design. I had an amazing time chatting with alumni at the exhibition to explain what my product is and what it can do.