USE IT ALL
SIMPLE PRODUCT DESIGN_2021
R.V. Devatarsini
Industrial Design, 2nd year
NID, Andhra Pradesh
This blog is an documentation of the process and the complete thought and learning behind the course ‘Simple Product Design’.
“The only important thing about design is how it relates to people.”
— designer, educator and author Victor Papanek
As it clearly says ,the course began with many online discussions about Product Design in general and how even the simplest products can add a lot of value in people’s lives.
Following this we had a set of planned exercises through which we started our journey in this Design Process.
Week 1
IDENTIFYING OUR AREA OF INTERESTS
We stated with figuring out what inspires and interests us the most and what designs do we find intriguing. As a batch we had a lot of discussions and were introduced to know how one can channelize their approach to a particular direction .
Products from the web that caught my interest
We observed our surroundings and the internet looking for products which caught our interests also figuring out why these certain products were appealing to us. We recorded these observations and put them down for our further study.
The first week was all about researching and documenting anything and everything we found interesting related to product design . Then from this broad topic we studied a few products of our choice which we found very interesting and discussed their macro and micro aspects.
Moving ahead ,based on my interest areas and the discussions we had I was assigned with keywords to further work on were:
Minimalistic
Efficient
Packaging
Portable
Sustainable
Modular
Based on the similarities of our interests and our approaches, we were divided into 4 groups. The domains that were assigned to our group was ‘Simple yet Interesting’ and background research on anything and everything relating to it was carried out
SIMPLE YET INTERESTING
These are few of the products that I looked into while making the inspiration board that I created to further understand my domain and direction.
Design Approaches
- Efficient usage of the product
- Easily portable
- Using packaging as a part of the product
- Dissolvable packaging
- Multi purpose
- Modularity
- Sustainable- Reusable/Refillable
Feedback from peers and faculty and my interests led me to cut down to these as the approaches I could go by while I design the product.
Initial Research
To acquire a basic knowledge about my domain the first thing I did was to research and observe things around ,which lead to the common understanding of what it is and how is it integrated into products.
After looking up into many works of the specialized ones and referring onto several books and articles I managed to understand how this domain works and all that it constitutes .Going down this phase of research I got introduced to many properties and methodologies in this field that intrigued me …
I began listing down all the products that I came across in the internet regarding the domains I was working on. During this process simplicity was one aspect that caught my interest ,by further researching on it I was able to find many interesting perceptions relating it. Simplicity is sometimes elusive, but almost always present. Sometimes we just need to know where to look for it, or how to look for it. Luckily, the sages of the ages have shared lots of thoughts on simplicity in the form of quotes that I was able to borrow and build on.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
Understanding of Efficiency -integrated in products
I have always been keenly interested about maximizing the efficiency and usability of existing products. I tried to note down few of my thoughts on what all contributes to the process of acquiring maximum efficiency of an product .
“A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think.”
Importance of Packaging Design
It is very important as it complements a product and creates an instant image of what to expect and how to use. Packaging is not necessarily to be thrown away, by using a creative and thoughtful one which can go a long way and create a memorable experience for the users .
Colors, shapes structure and material used create a long lasting effect and definitely help the product stand out.
Week 2
FORMULATION OF DESIGN BRIEF
Started with mapping the products that I picked on a graph with axes naming Simple and Complex, Small and Big. Through this task i was able to arrive at a particular zone/sweet spot or to be specific the most interesting and comfortable area to work on.
Framing the Initial Design Brief
Considering our domain and the research we have done in the past week we were asked to frame a few Design Briefs and then choose one among them in the direction which we want to take forward our project. The brief being ‘Initial’, as it still is not inclusive of every factor nor does it carry all the insights ,observations and research that is required before being considered a final brief.
AEIOU Approach
In order to frame the Initial Design Briefs, we followed the AEIOU approach which lead to the consideration of the following factors that is consists :
- Activity -the task
- Environment - in and around which the activity takes place
- Interactions - detailed stepwise breakdown of the activity
- Object -tangible products with which the user interacts
- User -the persona/person performing the activity
With this approach the process of framing Design Briefs from the researches that were done became quite easy, it also helped us to keep in mind all the basic and important attributes which a Design Brief should cover and consist. Otherwise we could have deviated from the existing references with the domain being broad
I started doing some basic research before finalizing on one Design brief, the complexity vs scale graph method that we used earlier came in handy for this phase. Using this very logical method we were able to clearly see the topic areas that were complex and possibly might not work
Initial Design Brief —
“To design an device to dispense personal care products in the washroom ,focusing on a hassle free showering experience for the college going students.”
Week 3
SECONDARY RESEARCH AND OBSERVATIONS
After framing the Design Brief we began with the second phase of research which was much more brief oriented.
Research was divided into various different categories :
- Showering -the activity as a whole
- Packaging -purposeful and interactive
Observation phase:
Having the brief selected we went forward into observing things related to the particular fields that we took up and were suggested to use the same AEIOU and to note down all the different AEIOUs that is inclusive in this particular field . By doing it, I began to recognize all the interactions ,intricate details and various preferences that comes up in the act of showering and usage of personal care products.
During the initial observation stage the intent was to understand the activity, user and ergonomic aspects of dispensing personal care products followed by interviewing people about their experience during showering and with these products
Establishing Relationship to Observe Trends and Patterns
Process in which I started relating the interactions with one another and grouping them together with distinguished keywords based on the similarities . Made use of mind maps and flow charts to help visualize the research through a different perspective. This helped me identify some interesting patterns and insights within the activities and products that I observed and studied.
I noticed how showering consists of multiple activities in itself and started documenting that to further explore the various interactions, logical perceptions, habitual activities involved and that consistently keeps happening around this process.
Then I set out to explore all the different details, differences and similarities in elements, preferences, minor interactions, and all the variants of these that happen during a shower.
By taking inference from all of this I was able to come up with some significant observations that I could make and these observations weren’t limited to just a dispenser or the usage of personal care products ,but rather all around the entire system and series of activities and the habitual patterns that goes into ‘showering’.
Observations from the Activity
- Showering is an regular activity that is carried on by people of all age groups on a daily basis
- More than 2 personal care products are used during shower
- Majority of them are not aware of the reason nor the proper way to take shower and do things involved in it ,such as what temperature of water is idealistic for their skin and hair
- Impacts from superficial beliefs ,behavioral and psychological aspects are also seen
- Most of them are not sure of why and how to use the personal care products such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners etc. that are used while showering
- Not following a systematic routine has become a trend among the students(age group ranging from 17–25)
- Personal care products they use are greatly influenced by the on goin trends within peer groups and social media
SURVEY
conducted through google forms to learn the perception and though process of a wider range of target group concerning the product usage and problems faced during the activity.
Inferences from the research
Parallel Products
To have a proper understanding and to study about different dispensers, I started looking into a variety of them and also into different dispensing methods. From this variety of products I collected, I categorized them into different types and started analyzing their specific characteristics.
This is when I truly understood how lifestyle-oriented and user-based each product and activity is, with each aspect there is so much variation and inclination which combines to determine how these elements are used and perceived.
BENCHMARKING
Collecting and categorizing all the existing devices in the market then listing out the features, uses, pros and cons. to have a reference for our design studying and observing the existing soap dispensers
Consumer Psychology
Exceptional user experiences are rooted deep in cognitive and behavioral psychology. Being well aware of the users and their needs for which we are designing, as most of the times the users themselves are not or are confused. In such cases understanding their psychology and their problems solves the most in designing an experiential product for the target users . The observations we make plays a vital role in this part of the process
“To design products that stick, you have to understand what makes your users tick!”
A deeper understanding of the psychology behind the users’ decisions can help us build more powerful, engaging, and effective user experiences. The closer we get to reaching a goal, the harder we work to complete it — even the illusion of progress toward a goal can encourage us to push to reach a goal faster
TARGET GROUP
The target group addressed by is situated in the hedonistic Sinus milieu. Freedom, spontaneity, and a clear differentiation to the conservative Milieu are the central values of this young and geographical uncommitted Target group.
Flat shares or small apartments lead to a very creative ways of dealing with the confirmed lack of space. These needs are picked up by the device and are translated into a connection between the product experience itself and the user behaviour
Week 4
IDENTIFYING FACTORS AND OTHER ASPECTS THAT IMPACTS
Things to Consider:
- Environment
- Effectiveness
- Cognitive Factors
- Behavioural Aspects
- Form and Features
- External Factors
Further dividing these ‘Major factors’ into their corresponding ‘Attributes’…
- Environment-Macro/Micro, Allocation, Placement and Portability, Temperature
- Human Factors- Effectiveness, Usability, Posture, Accessibility, Habitual pattern, Cognitive ergonomics, Reflexes
- Tangibility- Package, Duration/Life span, Dimensions and Capacity, Usage and frequency, Disposal
- External Factors-Time, Cultural significance, Superstitions and beliefs, Situational considerations
System of Products
Every product that we see and use in our day today lives is a part of a much bigger system. All these components of the system are interdependent ,affecting each other in one way or the other and at times. The solution might not necessarily be a product as the actual problem might lie in some other component of the system in which they belong.
REVISED DESIGN BRIEF
Before starting to ideate on the concepts I listed out all the features and functions the product needs to consist of in an order of priority based on the survey and researches done so far.
FEATURES IN THE DESIGN SOLUTION
-Minimum interaction (Single hand usage)
-Control over the amount of soap being dispensed
-As a package of 2 or more products and features
-Ergonomic and adequate grip (while using the device with wet and soapy hand)
-Compact and Portable
Week 5
Conceptualizing and Ideating
CONCEPT 1:The concept was to make the dispenser in such a way that it holds 2 or more personal care products in it. Combining 2 containers/dispensers into 1 and thus started ideated a few concepts and making iterations.
CONCEPT 2: Pump
Dispenser with pump mechanism working in a interesting way to minimize the user interaction and to have an overall better experience ,also trying to integrate different features which would help accommodate a whole new products usage into it
CONCEPT 3: Squeeze bottles
User friendly portable dispensers with playful forms and features such as integrated scrub brushes and bottle stand .
After analyzing all the concepts in comparison to each other I made an MOODBOARD to build a visual library of thoughts , ideas ,color scheme ,patterns and forms aiding the process of concept to creation to articulate the whole idea of how the product’s visuals are going to be.
This was completely based on all the research and understanding of the domain itself and also the user phycology to evoke a specific look and feel .
With this a strong visual framework was built, giving a set of constrains within which I had to take forward the product idea ,finalizing it and making a prototype.
MOCK UP
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
NARRATIVE
- WALL MOUNTED-If you notice that you either don’t have enoughroom for all the shampoo bottles, or they are constantly spilling over. Now your soaps are within reach and stuck securelyto your shower wall. The shampoo bottle design sticks on the wall of your shower, so it not only saves space but makes your bathroom look more neat as well. This frees up a lot of space in the shower and bathroom neat and organized.
- MATERIAL-the dispenser is made of transparent material keeps it conveniently see through for being quantity conscious and easy refilling. It is also a quick dry material for it to dry up fast even during travel. It’s sturdy enough to stand free ,stuck to the wall .
- CONTROL OVER THE AMOUNT DISPENSED-The device ensures your soap and shampoo are dispensed in controlled measures so you do not use too much accidentally or waste it. This is great if you prefer high end products.
- ERGONOMIC – ensuring that the product is as comfortable and as intuitive to use as possible.
- AESTHETIC -the most obvious part of the design process and the first thing the users will notice about the way the product has been designed ,it becomes the deciding factor in a purchase as the people look at how nice a product is much before they look at the specifications or the functionality. The soap capsule blends in well with the ambience of any washroom, the transparency in the material not only keeps it functional but also makes the usage quite an interesting experience for the wide range of target users.
- The push-to-slide and the rotate-to-flip motions are very much soothing for the target users who are busy with their day to day hectic lives ,thus giving them the much required relaxing shower experience they need .
VALUE ADDITION
- SAVES SPACE is convenient for smaller spaces and for the person who likes to experiment with a few different products. It’ll keep your area clutter free and looking neat and organized.
- Ensures you get every last drop of product when washing your body and hair. a specially designed refill feature that is intended to replace the standard plastic bottle used for most personal care products.
- integrated suction cup in the product gives the ability to be attachable directly to tile walls as well as glass surfaces at individual heights. This unique feature results in an explicit optimization of the product application scenario.
- PORTABLE as it is easily carry able-replacable,quick drying and compact.
- TIME consumed during shower is distinctly reduced as the soap dispensing is made effortless and the whole showering experienced is enriched.
- It is also reusable, eliminating even more waste.