This question refinement came from feedback from Dragon Den and peer feedback. In the input, the discussion of noise issues was extended to include a broader range of sound problems, including traditional noise management and more complex sound needs and management in different scenarios and populations.

Disconnect between specialisation of sound tools and problems

A frequently mentioned barrier in peer feedback was the specialisation of sound tools.

The research on sound tools revealed that:

• Even the most basic DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) requires a particular acoustic and technical foundation.
• The complexity of specialised tools makes it difficult for the average user to apply them to everyday sound problems, including noise management and sound optimisation.
• This phenomenon hinders the resolution of noise problems and limits the ability to deal with broader soundproblems such as sound layout and structural noise.

Refinement of the question

Combining feedback and research, the question was further focused on: 

How can we achieve the de-specialisation of sound tools to help people better cope with sound problems daily?

This refinement expands sound problem-solving from single noise management to a broader range of acoustic optimisation, including noise management, sound layout design, and structural noise identification and treatment.

Possible directions for intervention

Direction 1: Structural Noise

Unlike appliance noise, which can be easily optimised, structural noise originates from the structure or spatial layout inside the house. This type of noise is difficult to address through simple appliance replacement or adjustment. Still, it directly impacts living comfort and is a blind spot not covered by existing noise management tools.

Direction 2: Sound Layout

This direction emphasises design practices for sound optimisation, especially in event planning or interior design.

Example:

• Music festivals or exhibitions invite musicians to participate in atmosphere design. Still, due to a lack of acoustic planning, sound distribution and effect may not be optimised.
• Although interior design focuses on moving line design, it often neglects the reasonable distribution and optimisation of sound, resulting in a sound environment that fails to reach the desired level.
• The problem of sound layout suggests that sound management in daily life is not only limited to noise reduction but that sound optimisation and control need to be explored in a broader range of scenarios.

Refinement of interventions

In response to the above questions, I have attempted to refactor the original intervention (Noise Simulator) into a soundscape simulator. This will hopefully allow users to simulate structural noise and layouts to help them deal with these sound problems.