Lol-Balché Fieldwork Observations
When working on the honey project, our partner Manuel Magaña made a point to tell me that he was both impressed and surprised that the UF students were so interested and wanted to learn. He anticipated fear of entering the apiary but soon saw how seriously students took the project and how they wanted to learn about their process.
This was the moment that altered some of the preconceived notions the beekeepers had of us. This made them take us more seriously. Their hard work and knowledge deeply impressed us. This is another example of how, through fieldwork, we are able to experience what every designer needs to know – that social design, and all communication, requires empathy: understanding the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others. And valuing other perspectives.