Our group of three designers were challenged to explore the role innovation has in the world of design. Integrated Open Network (ion) is a conceptual organization that strives to create a more democratic system for developing and introducing new technologies to the public. Acting as a middle-man, they observe the mass of information coming from large technology influencers to ensure that they are operating in an ethical manner; driven by the advancement of technology for humanity. They host an annual summit, consisting of speakers from largely influential companies as well as entrepreneurs Leading up to their kick-off summit, ion raises awareness by creating an urban pop-up shop, installation, and poster series that direct people to the website or summit. The marketing strategy was to poke fun at the obscurity of outdated technology and make people aware that ion is a platform for change.

Rob, the Dongle Monster, would be an installation that shows up near the pop-up shop in urban areas. Providing a series of charging ports and obsolete ports would allow people to charge their devices if they could find a compatible port. The Dongle Monster concept is a way to show people the inconvenience and frustration of technology’s needless changes, and introduce ion to them as a platform for change.

The ion pop-up shop would be in a public space, walls filled with irrelevant and old computer hardware to be then transformed into wearable/useful objects through selection and crafting. Visitors would be confronted with the absurd speed at which devices are being replaced and hopefully question why there is not a more universal system of invention and production.