Week 11

Theme: "Project Prototype"

Introduction

This week there was no structured lecture content. As a result, the teaching staff offered each group additional feedback in order to review and improve our current concepts. This feedback helped change our thinking processes which allowed our team to address priorities, delegate tasks and make further adjustments. The main aim for this week was to scope our initial concept and finalize the three aspects of interaction design, object, behaviour and scenario. 

In regards to last week's concept development, our design team had arrived at the idea of wearable technology. The team required support from the teaching staff in order to clarify the appropriateness of our idea and whether or not we were headed in the right direction. Firstly, our team decided to focus on the scenario and behaviour aspects of interaction design. We felt if we were able to successfully establish a well-defined scenario and human gestures, these elements would provide us with a platform of knowledge to design an object around this research. In addition, this research would also justify the need for this product.

Initial Concept Development

User group: Trade professionals

Scenario: The manager of a construction site employees numerous trade professionals to work on a specified site. The employees arrive at the work site and begin working. The context is a busy, hazardous and relatively dangerous environment. At any one time there can be numerous trade professionals moving from location to location and working simultaneously. As the day progresses, the manager alerts his employees to work harder in order to achieve the required outcomes for the day. Trade professionals may begin to experience anxiety and stress given the fact that they need to increase their work performance. Trade professionals will work through the pain in order to please their manager and complete their set tasks. It is due to these circumstances that trade professionals will disregard the mental and physical consequences of working inappropriately. 

To further analyse the scenario, the team decided to examine the context that trade professionals currently work in. The team made a list from our own experience and observations. The images below support our findings:

A trade professional's work environment varies from local / residential areas to large commercial / industrial sites. These factors must be considered when designing for this user group as they may have to re-locate from time to time to complete tasks or discuss issues with their manager or other co-workers. 

Another factor to consider is that trade professionals may be a sole trader which means they run their own business or work independent from a company. This requires them to source their own materials and tools. The fact that they have their own personal tool set means they may work differently to other workers on the site and thus require different needs. I believe if we were to further examine the tools that trade professionals rely on most, it would allow us to narrow down the scope of the project. It is almost certain that most trade professionals would rely on certain types of tools to get their tasks done safely and efficiently. However, once they become tired or stressed it could be assumed they begin to rely more on the tool then their own capabilities. Studies in this area would provide valuable insights into exactly how trade professionals use their tools, especially when they become fatigued due to prolonged use. 

The team discussed the various issues surrounding this type of scenario and more importantly the needs of the user group. The issues the group identified are as follows:

- No scheduled rotation on tools and heavy machinery;

- Limited organisation on local job sites to direct employees and maintain good working conditions;

- Poor circulation of information; and

- Minimal feedback relating to safety and efficiency for employees. 

Based on this research and collaboration with the teaching staff, the team recognized a potential opportunity to integrate many different types of products within this particular scenario.  

Idea / Object: Creating a structured workplace rotation system to provide improved working conditions for workers. The primary use of the object would be to establish a more efficient working scheme. Furthermore, there needs to be an information system that alerts trade professionals when to change tasks to improve their safety and physical condition. Tools are an extension to people's inherent abilities, so why shouldn't a tool act like the human hand, and use the same motor functions? 

In addition, the team also looked into the idea of having a notification device that could be placed into the user's utility belt to avoid distraction and allow them to work in a comfortable setting. The product would need to be in close proximity to the user in order to easily notify the them, but not to the point where it hinders their work performance. 

Another aspect which the group considered was integrating the technology into a glove. Trade professionals rely heavily on gloves and use them in a variety of ways. They are considered a necessity and to some extent standard for safety procedures. However, even though this idea is highly practical, we decided on the basis that as product designers we wanted to focus our attention on designing a tangible product rather then using the 'silhouette' of a previous product. 

Below are a few images of my individual concepts:

Behavioural aspect: Due to the fact that our concept focuses on people's natural behaviours when they are tired, stressed, drained or fatigued, the team created a list of habitual behaviours that people engage in when they are experiencing one or more of these feelings:

- Rub your eyes

  - Drop your head

- Place your hand's on your hips

- Hold your hand

- Press on a specific area which is sore

I believe the image directly above offers the greatest opportunity for innovation and imagination. It is almost as though the thumb is used to locate the source of pain and provide temporary relief. It can be said that the thumb is an integral component of the human hand, and for this project it may well prove to be the turning point to solve the team's dilemmas. 

After much collaboration and discussion with the tutors about our user group, object, behaviour and scenario, the main problems associated with our new concepts are listed below:

- The user group and their need was too specific;

- Needed to appeal to a more diverse market;

- Scenario needs to be specific to the user group and their processes of completing tasks; and

- Eliminate the amount of information the device would be collecting.

From this collaboration session, the team realized we needed to look at our user group and understand what industry they are in and what is required in their practice? In order to answer this question the group organised a meeting and started to brainstorm new ideas. Images are displayed below of our group discussion:

The group was able to learn a great deal more from this meeting. We bounced ideas off each other for several areas and with the help of the entire teaching staff we were able to narrow down our concept.

New concept proposal
The new concept is a smart grip for trade professionals that collects and transfers information relating to their safety and work efficiency. This data is firstly sent to the trade professional for immediate feedback and to alert them to need to change activity and move on to a new task or take a break. This has the potential to reduce work place related accidents and poor employee performance. The type of information collected would be core body temperature, grip position and hours of tool use. Secondly, the information would be sent to HR for them to analyse the data and improve the organisation of their company. The teaching staff gave us two alternatives  either re-design a new grip for an entire product line, or replace the grip on specific tools. The team decided to re-design a grip for a product line to ensure a consistency across the market.

At this stage the tutor said in order for our team to design a product, we needed to define the process of what it is like to interact with certain tools and machinery. To do this, the team was required to perform initial prototyping to extract the design details and identify emerging elements that were not previously considered.

Prototyping phase
In the prototyping phase I looked at several different tools and performed a quick user test to 'flesh out' the process of use and identify design solutions.  The images below show the process of use and interaction:

The most significant issues identified in this user testing are as follows:

- Thumb is used to stabilize the hand and hammer;
- More comfortable to place thumb on the handle;
- The thumb provides most of the support;
- The weaker your grip becomes the less control the user has;
- A wide and long handle resulted in an increase in comfort;
- The grips provided no visual information as the most appropriate way to use the tool;
- The tool with no grip was more practical as it allowed the user to change the position of their grip depending on the type of work; and
- There is no added support for people without a thumb.

Concept Design
After conducting this interactive prototyping exercise, I did a series of design concepts to generate new ideas.

Week 10

Theme: "Concept Refinement"

Introduction

This week focused on concept development and concept refinement to provide groups with a clear direction for the final presentation. The main aspects which were discussed in the lecture included object, behaviour and scenario. In particular, the scenario was outlined in further detail to highlight its importance and value to the project. In addition, the lecturer and tutors organised a meeting to offer feedback to each group to improve our initial concepts and help establish a clear design direction.

Tutorial Session
In this week's tutorial our group had a meeting with the lecturer and tutors to discuss our project idea to gain concept approval. Prior to starting the meeting, our team was stumped for ideas and ways of approaching this project. The main reason why our team was confused was due to a lack of understanding as to how to address natural human gestures and behaviours. Furthermore, our original scenario was also poor due to the fact that it lacked characters, personas, a plot and a convincing story line. Therefore, the team found it relatively difficult to progress in the project.

After the discussion the teaching staff concluded that our group's concept was difficult to understand in regards to its functionality and overall usability in an office environment. They went on to state that they were unsure as to how to operate the device and whether or not the product could actually be beneficial and effective in the proposed scenario. I personally agree with the teaching staff's comments about the product's high level of ambiguity. But in order to achieve minimal ambiguity the tutors believed we needed to make the product more specific through scoping and convergent design thinking. This process will reveal the product's purpose and exact functionality.

There were many significant points discussed in the organised group meeting, however, I decided to take down my own notes so I could reefer to them later on. The following notes are key words and phrases taken from the meeting; task delegation system, monitoring staff members/employees when they are working and on breaks, system of values and what the user takes priority in their life, look into a reward system or an in-house competition between employees to help make the office environment more fun, interactive and engaging, a reward system provides people with a sense of achievement and success which they are able to value, focus on a particular element of the scenario which can be capitalized by our product, help improve the user's experience, focus on natural behaviours and gestures to strengthen the project and gestures do not have to be taken so literally they can be simple movements which convey a specific meaning.

The most important aspect which I took from the meeting was making sure the product suits the scenario and the particular process that the user will go through. There is also a need to maintain an appropriate level of gestures and not to overload the product with numerous interactive mechanisms. More importantly, the product needs to be intuitive in order for the users to understand how it works and how to use it properly.

As a result, our main goals for the lesson was to make the product more specific to the scenario and making sure it suits a user's natural behaviours and gestures in a way which enhances their experience. The team started to brainstorm some new applications, scenarios and human gestures to further develop the product.

New Concepts
The team began conceptualizing new ideas and new concepts. Our group generated to new concepts which met more specific needs and served a greater purpose.

The first concept centered around the idea of proximity and privacy in the work environment. The scenario involves the relationship between a boss and their employees. Usually, employees are constantly searching for feedback and acknowledgement from their boss to make sure they are completing certain tasks accurately and performing a high level of work. This interaction with a boss and their employees can be disruptive in a closed worked environment and could also be considered unprofessional or inconsiderate for the customers or other people in the environment.  Our idea for this scenario is be a private communication device that allows employees to alert their boss or manager that they have successfully completed a task.

The second concept is a wearable computing device for qualified 'handymen' and contract workers. The device works by monitoring the user's heart beat and blood pressure while keep record of the ambient temperature and weather conditions. The product is essentially a data collecting device  that is able to communicate with a site manager or supervisor to allow them to effectively manage their employees and provide good quality working conditions. Once work conditions become too dangerous the appropriate supervisor will be immediately notified where they are able to make the decision to contact the employee and arrange for them to move site or stop work. This process allows for construction companies or contract firms to provide their clients will high quality employees who are able to work to their full potential. 

Week 9

Theme: "Design Resolution"

Introduction

This week our design team had an oral presentation with the format being a round table discussion. The team was able to receive feedback on our progress to date in order to identify problems and gain approval for our concept. The team made sure we addressed the three key elements, object, behaviour and scenario. The format of the presentation is displayed in the image below:

Tutorial

The team presented our concept from week 8 which was the office task management system. The feedback we received from the tutors and lecturer primarily revolved around issues with the context / scenario. The teaching staff outlined the pertaining issues involved with the office context, these included previously determined technological capabilities such as email and phones, general office etiquette restrictions on human behaviour, interference with employee's current work space environment and safety concerns relating to the height of the overall unit.

Below are a few images of the group's presentation:

After receiving this feedback the team organised a meeting and started to brainstorm ideas for new scenarios and contexts. In regards to my individual contribution, I came up with two new applications for the original design and two new scenarios / contexts. Our team's meeting and collaboration process is displayed below in the following images:

My first concept was a management system for people who have just been involved in a serious accident, for example, a car crash. These types of patients will require an intensive rehabilitation program in order to regain their previous health. The idea behind rehabilitation programs is to offer people who have suffered serious injuries a step by step system to help them get back on their feet. Throughout the program patients are able to see their progress to date, but for some it may be hard to keep track of their progress but more importantly maintain a good level of motivation to continue with the program. As a result, my concept idea is a progress management system for people in rehabilitation programs. The idea is to help keep patients motivated to achieve their goals while keeping up-to-date with their progress. Each of their stages in the program will be represented by "building blocks" which can be manipulated and interacted with by the patient to alert the associated health practitioner of their status.

The second concept builds on the first concept by linking the relevant health practitioners to allow a more collective and efficient collaboration process. Patients who are involved in rehabilitation programs are more than likely to have numerous health practitioners at any one time, ranging from doctors, physios to Musculoskeletal therapists. Having so many practitioners to worry about and making sure you keep in touch with all of them can be frustrating and time consuming for both the patient and practitioners. As a result, my concept idea is to provide a system which links all of the health practitioners and allows the patient to send them alerts and easily get in contact with them when needed. Patients will be able to monitor their sessions with each practitioner while also keeping track of their overall success in the program.

After much deliberation amongst the group we all decided to go with my second concept. However, this concept will be constantly reviewed and modified by the group as the semester progresses. The concept is more than likely going to change through further development.

Below is some of my preliminary research for the concept above:

      

Week 8

Theme: "Designing for Interaction"

Introduction

This week's lecture discussed theories and research relating to design led interaction and human behaviour. The speaker talked primarily about two different approaches to interaction design, these include the semantic approach and the action-centered approach. The semantic approach is a physical representation of digital information. For example an object that interacts with its external environment and creates a noise can be considered to be employing a semantic approach. The object is a container of digital information and is relaying a noise which can be transformed into a musical composition. An action-centered approach involves the kinetic movements or some type of human movement. This approach is explained as the carrier of information and a form of self expression.Both of these approaches may be used by a designer in an attempt to build on people's everyday embodied skills and way of knowing. Furthermore, the speaker stated there is now a move away from the cognitive focused design approach to a further in-depth look into physical interactions and the role they may be able to serve. 

It is my understanding that tangible interaction design is about focusing on ways of improving people's skills and experiences through their natural behaviour and predetermined abilities. New products are constantly being released onto the market but there is still a barrier that some users face when it comes to understanding how to operate a product. This process can be daunting and for others simply frustrating. This is where I believe interaction design is able to remove this barrier to learning and utilize people's own natural instincts and abilities in order to help them better understand how to use a product.  

Another point which I found to be thought-provoking was this idea that interesting actions equals difficulty. However, this does not necessarily mean designers should stay clear of such knowledge, but rather use this information to allow users to gain an emotional connection with a product. This emotional connection could possibly be one which creates a sense of challenge and motivation for the user to learn and succeed. Learning should not be an easy step by step guide with lengthy descriptions but preferably a stage of curiosity and development. 

Tutorial Exercises 

This week our design team had a meeting to discuss our semester's project - 'sensing the news.'  Our original concept was an office management system which would be used by a company to organise their projects and delegate tasks to employees. The idea behind it was to allow managers and C.E.O's to manage, control and regulate work load to allow a more efficient office environment. However, after talking with certain tutors we found that our concept lacked a well-resolved scenario and human behaviour. We were told that these areas needed more refinement and further development. The team took this feedback on-board and began to break down the original concept and identify possible alternatives and new applications. 

We decided to begin the tutorial by brainstorming some initial ideas and start generating new concepts and ideas. In regards to my individual concept my idea still related to the context of an office space but focused more on the human interaction aspect. Firstly, I looked at repetitive behaviours that are performed on a day-to-day basis by a majority of office workers. This repetitive behaviour was identified as typing. As a result, my concept involved a flexible typing board which uses vacuum suction and audio to alert employees of tasks and outstanding projects. The board works through a wireless receiver which collects information sent from the manager and displays it through audio, light and pressure.

When a task arrives a button simply lights up with an accompanied audio sound. When the task is urgent and has not yet been successfully completed, the pressure in the board will increase causing a specific button to rise up. This notifies the employee that they need to finish the task soon. The board suits the context well as it could be easily integrated into the context with minimal disturbance or need for new systems or infrastructure.

The other concept of mine related to the same idea but a new application. The same flexible board could be placed on the ground underneath an employee's feet. This application appears to be less invasive of an employee's personal space and a provides them with more space on their desk to work. The board works exactly the same way with lights, audio and pressure but it replaces the user's hands and gets them to use their feet as the control mechanism.  This application builds on the previous design by looking at this need for people to express themselves and show their emotions. When a task is not completed and a button on the board begins to rise, the user is able to gently hold their foot on it to show they are calm and in control or they are able to stomp on it in order to release their frustration.

The best aspect of this design is the fact that the object relies on the user to interact with it in order for it to work effectively. Without the user, the product would be obsolete and unable to function properly. As stated in the lecture, skill is not just about the individual but of the total field of context. Users gain skills from the content and learn through association. This concept encourages users to learn through interaction and association. User's are able to use their board differently to their other co-workers depending on their emotional state at the time.

Below are some images of the group's work and the overall concept which will be presented in week 9:

 

Week 7

Theme: "Universal Design"

Introduction

This week our class visited LifeTec which is located at Newmarket, Brisbane. LifeTec is a non-profit organisation and a leading provider in assistive technology which helps individuals to improve their quality of life and remain independent.   Assistive technology is an umbrella term for a range of adaptive devices for people with different types of disabilities. The main idea behind assistive technologies is to promote greater independence by enabling people to accomplish tasks that were previously difficult to achieve. 

Presentation

The staff at Lifetec set-up a short presentation which discussed aspects of design, a brief overview of their company and a small re-design project for the tutorial. During the presentation the idea of universal design was discussed and debated amongst the group. The presenter wanted to know what this term meant to us as designers.My understanding of universal design and the principles which underpin it, is a framework that promotes standardization and accessibility. It allows the greatest extent of usability for everyone including those with disabilities and those without disabilities.    

The project stipulated in the tutorial was to re-design a product currently in the LifeTec show room. Our design team selected a reaching arm aid. We assessed the current model using a marking criteria which evaluated three key areas, physically, technological and usability. The physical examination revealed there were numerous functional flaws in the design including, hard to grip handle, reaching beam was too long, uneven weight distribution and limited supporting mechanisms. During a usability test the team identified a major issue when grabbing objects and picking them up. Due to the fact that the length of the beam on the reaching aid  is far too long, when the jaw of the reaching aid clamps around an object it is difficult to support the weight of the object and the user is subsequently unable to maintain a solid grip causing them to strain their wrist. This problem can be seen as a hazard due to the fact it may cause even more damage to the user's wrist or hand joints due to the stress and uncomfortable weight distribution. 

The team brainstormed for half an hour and came up with numerous alternatives to the existing design to improve its usability and functionality. Firstly, the team decided to incorporate an adjustable arm to allow the user to change the length on the beam. Secondly, we decided to integrate a forearm attachment to provide increased support and a greater range of force. Next, we deemed it necessary to install different types of grips onto the jaw. Finally, the team believe it would be appropriate to use multipurpose and interchangeable jaws for different applications and environments. In regards to different applications of the reaching aid, the team came up with the idea of using it as a temperature detecting device for people with impaired vision to alert them when surfaces are hot and therefore dangerous to touch. 

The team's brainstorming and design solutions are displayed below:

Content including images and videos from other group's presentations and their work are displayed below:

  

Semester Project

The visit to LifeTec opened my mind to a range of new possibilities and design solutions to consider for this semester's project - "sensing the news." I have a concept in mind which involves an automated emergency service for the elderly and people with disabilities who struggle to use phones or similar communication devices. The idea of the product is to provide people with a sense of security, awareness and safety. The product will be an alarm system that can be activated through different buttons which immediately alert the relevant authorities and emergency personal. The buttons will have distinct hierarchical values for different types of emergencies such as non life threatening and life threatening in order for the service to be effective.