Urban community study on design thinking: A case study of product development in Wat Pracharabuedham community 1–4, Dusit District, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The research explored the problems within Wat Pracharabuedham Community 1–4, the urban communities located in the center of Bangkok, towards the application of design thinking. The primary data were collected by the use of questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. The data were used for identifying problems, brainstorming, and developing a prototype for practical product development. For more than 100 years, the communities experienced many communal changes as a result of city development. Due to the diversities in the city, various problems emerged. Those who had been neglected in the communities were low-income older people and volunteers living there. More recently, with the collaboration among community members, ‘Phayayor Green Oil’ became a new hope of the community. Phayayor Green Oil is product used for healing the communities’ elderly, but it could be used for generating extra community income as well. The product had been mutually studied and tested by the Bhatphat Career Group, the community leaders, students of Wat Pracharabuedham School, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University students, and officers from the department of community development and welfare of the Dusit District Office. The product not only added value to the communities but also promoted their sustainability.