‘Design Your Menopause Life’ was conceptualised following many years research and design work in areas of healthspan, ageing experience and emerging technologies. Research insights revealed disruptive impact for some women as they navigated peri and post-menopause
experience. In turn, it revealed challenges that could be offset at an earlier age to optimise ageing. Factors such as Physical (e.g., bone density) Emotional (Feeling heard and relevant in society) Mental (anxiety can often become a challenge because of hormonal changes) Nutrition (eating foods that enhance your feeling of wellness) – ‘PhEMiniNe’. My hypothesis began to ask, Is menopause a pathway to successful ageing, or not? The 21st century presents population demographic challenges across the globe. It is anticipated that by mid-century, there will be more older adults than working age population. In addition, women of working age are choosing to retire early, or changing roles or types of work practice often to offset challenges experienced due to menopause symptoms. We know that in the UK, 14 million working hours are lost each year due to menopause symptoms. Furthermore, there is still ambiguity regarding identification of symptoms, access to support and empowerment through design. Marginalised groups, ethnic minorities and those with limited cognitive capacity are often overlooked or not included when design solutions or ‘menotech’ tools are introduced. In 2023, an in-person event was held in the Highlands and Islands campus of Glasgow School of Art, it welcomed a cross section of those who identified as women to the event and provided attendees in advance with ‘cultural probe’ packs to provoke and prime thinking and creativity in advance of the event. The event culminated in a co-design session at the ‘menopause wall’ in the studio sectioned into ‘PhEMiniNe’
expressions and Artifactualities from the cultural probe packs that attendees brought on the day.