Buka Air
Design Thinking in Mission Critical Areas
Working with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), ground teams were encouraged to think differently through workshops and low-fi prototyping sessions. These sessions helped firefighters test ideas quickly and see what actually worked in real-life situations.
Approach
The workshops focused on hands-on exercises where ideas could be generated, tried out, and tweaked on the spot. To make the concept stick, the "Buka Air" metaphor was used — the command to open a water valve and unleash a strong jet to put out fires. Just like opening the valve releases water, opening up creativity releases a flow of ideas.
Key Insights
- Metaphors help a lot: Using something familiar like "Buka Air" made the idea of ideation click instantly.
- Hands-on testing works best: Low-fi prototyping created a safe space to try things and fail fast, which sparked more creativity.
- Context matters: Design thinking works much better when adapted to the real-world environment of firefighters.
Outcome
Linking design thinking to familiar firefighting practices helped teams experiment in a grounded, tangible way. Confidence grew in exploring new solutions, and the workshops fostered a culture where creativity could exist alongside operational readiness.