Ian Ruaraidh Harrison

Project Administrator & Research Assistant

Coming from an architectural background, I am interested in understanding buildings in use. I have an interest in the creative production inherent in the everyday practices of use and the essentially collaborative nature of architectural design. As a BESiDE researcher I am focussed on collecting and analysing novel evidence of Human Building Interactions. I also have a deep interest in how the work of BESiDE develops with and informs professional practices. As project administrator, I also support the academic functions by handling administrative and project-management tasks.

Skills: Administration, Project Management, Creative Practice Research, Architectural Design

iharrison@dundee.ac.uk's picture
Contact Details
Queen Mother Building

University of Dundee
Dundee
United Kingdom
DD1 4HN

Email

iharrison@dundee.ac.uk

Website

http://ianruaraidh.wordpress.com

  • 23
    Mar

    Five characteristics of Supportive Care Home Buildings

    Two architectural researchers from the BESiDE team spent many months observing care homes in use.  These observations were notated and submitted to a rigorous process of analysis.  Using the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ as a guide, we observed activities which have the potential to improve resident’s wellbeing.  We studied the interactions with the buildings that set the context for these activities.

  • 07
    Mar

    Ecobuild Exhibition & Conference 2017
    Towards Better Environments for Ageing - BESiDE Showcase

    Professional/Trade Conference

    Some researchers from BESiDE were at Ecobuild 2017 showcasing our work and methods.  It's the UK's largest and number one event for specifiers across the built environment.

  • 02
    May

    Using Affinity Mapping for Grounded Theory Analysis

    Based on the paradigm of Grounded Theory, our aim was to develop concepts/theories that developed inductively from the observation data. In order to make sense and be able to draw out concepts and theories, the data goes through a process of coding. To assist with coding we employed the method of Affinity Mapping.

  • 12
    Apr

    Using the Five Ways to Wellbeing to understand the positive potentials of everyday activites in care homes.

    BESiDE's aim is to understand how the built environment in care homes can facilitate physical ability and wellbeing.   We needed to focus our observation study in a way which allows us to highlight times the building affords or hinders opportunities for wellbeing. We ask:

    What are the opportunities for the wellbeing of older people to be supported by the care home building?

  • 11
    Feb

    Capturing the voice of care home residents

    Residents represent the critical link in our research into the built environment of care homes. We have been working on developing empathetic and novel ways to ensure their voice is captured. Empathy is crucial in order to ensure they can easily relate to the context of a conversation we wish to have with them about the nature of their home.  This means not only lightening up the academic processes as much as possible without threatening research ethics, but also developing a way that encourages them to want to talk to us and stay focused on a discussion about the built environment.

  • 07
    Dec

    Curl la Tourelle Design Forum
    Knowledge for Care Home Design, how can we help?

    A Talk

    BESiDE researcher Ian Ruaraidh Harrison was invited to join a meeting of Curl La Tourelle Architect's internal design forum. Ian presented an overview of the BESiDE project and led discussion on priorities in care home design and how knowledge informs architectural design.

  • 02
    May

    Using AEIOU to structure ethnographic observations

    Ethnographic observation methods allow us to capture a narrative of everyday life in a care home. BESiDE researchers have spent many months observing and capturing snippets of activity in care homes in Scotland and England.

  • 20
    Feb

    Mood Boards and Design Development

    A Workshop

    In follow up to their recent ‘Inspired’ co-design workshop (see Inspired wearables for more details) the designers created personalized mood boards to represent a visual flavour of the conversations they had with each of the residents who had shared their inspirations, likes and dislikes. These mood boards were intended to support these same residents to develop and refine a design narrative for a personalized wearable.

  • 07
    Feb

    SiDE User Pool
    Celebration of Contributions to Research

    An Open day

    Around 90 older adults from across Scotland visited the School of Computing at the University of Dundee for a special event to celebrate their work helping researchers to develop more inclusive technologies.

    The Social Inclusion through the Digital Economy (SiDE) User Pool, based in Dundee and including members across Scotland supported 30 academics to complete 50 research activities over the last five years. The User Pool is comprised of individuals who volunteered to help research into the digital exclusion of older adults and people with disabilities. 

  • 15
    Oct

    ACM
    ASSETS 2014

    A Scientific Meeting (conference, seminar etc.)

    BESiDE were at ASSETS 2014, to present our work and hear about cutting edge developments in accessibility research. ASSETS is a significant international conference attracting the experts in accessible computing.

    The BESiDE team were be there as part of the School of Computing’s Social Inclusion team who had an exceptionally high acceptance rate this year. BESiDE's Principal Investigator Prof. Vicki Hanson presented the keynote as a consequence of her Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computing and Accessibility.