I Gut This – a workbook for people with irritable bowel syndrome, commissioned by Optima Vita (dietician, sports professional and food influencer).
2020 – 2021
‘‘Find out what IBS means to you, what you’ve gut. With personal help, gain control over your own gut and design a positive and enjoyable lifestyle that suits you. Finally find pleasure in eating and living in harmony with IBS.’’
Sil van Dommelen
The project started with the question: How can more pleasure in eating be created for people with IBS by making eating more enjoyable and carefree? Based on this question, I researched the target group, the food and health sectors, Optima Vita, stakeholders, and trends within society. Based on these insights, I held creative sessions after which the I Gut This concept was designed and developed.
An important issue within my research is eating pleasure. What makes eating pleasure and what impedes it? By doing more research into what factors influence eating pleasure, it became clear to me how we can influence our own eating pleasure by being aware of these factors and making small adjustments. More about this in my lecture ‘Weet waarom je eet’ at Fontys that you can watch here. During my thesis assessment I presented which factors influence my eating pleasure, through a photo documentary. You can see it in the viddeo attached below.
The concept
I Gut This stands for increasing eating pleasure by designing an enjoyable personal and positive lifestyle with
IBS that fits better within the system of society and so improves their quality of life. In this case, this concept
was developed in the form of a multi-purpose workbook aimed at people with IBS.
In the book, Optima Vita, together with other experts, guides the target group to this new lifestyle by offering
the information and inspiration that the target group is searching for. They help the target group to map their
own lifestyle in relation to IBS and eating pleasure and provide personalized tips to improve their lifestyle based on the
mapped insights.
With this new lifestyle the target group can gain more control over their symptoms and their pleasure of eating, so
they can live more pleasantly with IBS within the societal system. Besides that it offers new inspiration so that
more variation in the eating pattern is possible (not only in terms of food but also in terms of experience and
ambience).
The workbook is an insightful product that offers clarity in a simple manner. It is an accessible and
inexpensive way of personal guidance which can be extended by participating in the coaching program of
Optima Vita to offer complete support.
End products
I Gut This was delivered to Optima Vita by means of a research report with an implementation plan and financial feasibility. In addition, a draft book describing the concept in detail was delivered addressed to stakeholders and publishers. Finally, it was presented through a presentation that focused on support in the implementation process, and the impact that will be created. Thereby, the focus is not only on the workbook, but on the entire concept (including physical environment, communication, network, materialisation etc).