Paula Terra, EINA alumni of the Degree in Design and the Master’s Degree in Graphic Design, has won the ADI Silver Medal awarded by the FAD Industrial Design Association, ADI-FAD, for her Final Degree Project (FDP) Dröp, a non-invasive treatment for type 1 diabetes.
Paula, what has it meant to you to get this award?
This award means satisfaction on a personal and professional level. It is a recognition of the effort and dedication to the project, but also an impulse to continue enjoying and working with the same enthusiasm and dedication.
It means much more than just an award; for me it is a sign of continuity that allows me to continue adding a solid career path through recognitions valued in the world of design. The best reward for this recognition, however, is the feedback I have received from people with diabetes and health professionals, who have praised the product and have been interested in knowing whether it has already materialised because it can be used. This is the best award you can get.
Dröp is a medical solution consisting of three devices (wearable, app and insulin pen) that manages and simplifies the treatment of diabetes in a simple, pleasant and user-friendly way. Why did you choose this theme for your FDP?
I found it difficult to understand why the current systems used to treat diabetes are so complex, cold and distant to the users, and that prompted me to continue researching to make improvements in the field of type 1 diabetes, and help improve the quality of life of people with diabetes and their environment.
The theme of the project came to me by looking at the relationship between people with diabetes and how they manage the tools they use to treat it. I analysed the problems of conventional treatments and the needs of patients with diabetes, as well as the perception of care for their disease. This allowed me to identify the factors that make treatment difficult, to optimise the tasks that must be carried out daily and propose a solution to the current problem.
I was motivated, above all, by the fact that I could develop a transversal project, which would allow me to merge different disciplines to solve a real problem through design in the field of health.
Finally, Paula what role has EINA played in your professional development?
For me, EINA has meant a path where I have been able to confirm that design is part of me. It has been a multidisciplinary journey that has provided me with tools and knowledge from all fields, which today allow me to combine different disciplines and develop transversal projects.
EINA has meant learning in all senses, and a small approach to the professional world, especially for the opportunities offered to students (both in competitions, and in the opportunity to participate in design fairs where you have a first contact with the "real world", where projects beyond the academic concept are carried out and materialized).
Paula Terra