Tom Chi – Ted Talk

Here’s what I learned from the video about design challenge:

Prototyping is often times much faster than perceived. Prototyping uses very mundane materials, like the plastic cover Tom used that he bought from the drugstore. Often times, questions, challenges, and setbacks arise when prototyping, which are actually all beneficial to the design challenge. From these issues, we get to learn some of the weaknesses of the design. Many factors, like the ergonomical ones Tom mentioned, would not have risen if he hadn’t prototyped. Rapid prototyping is being able to learn very fast, which is not the type of learning taught at school. This is being able to create something new beyond the existing human knowledge, which goes back to the purpose of why we are designing. And sometimes, we can inadvertently discover fundamental theories through our design process.

List of Constraints:

• Available material
• Time
• Skillset/techniques
• Size
• Weight
• Budget

Craft a meaningful actionable problem statement

“My client would like to see a product that can hold up her iPhone at a comfortable eye level, while being able to charge and play music. The stand should be able to hold the phone at both horizontally and vertically and have a slot for the charging plug to run through. The product would ideally remain budget friendly and have a nice aesthetic, which may act as a canvas for the client to personalize further, should she wishes. The stand should be made out of sturdy material that will not heavily dent or scratch if it is accidentally knocked off a high table. If possible, there will also be an amplifying curve at the bottom to help accentuate the sound and not block it. Finally, all the buttons on the sides of the phone should remain accessible.

April 13, 2020

8 Design Sketches for Cardboard Phone Stand

April 20, 2020

Final 3D Model of Phone Stand Design

The Fourth Industrial Revolution Video:

From this video, I’ve learned that the fourth industrial revolution is more human-centric than before. It focuses on a strong relationship with life and the planet, such as investigating human genome, to prioritize human well-being. And because we now have access to so much resources online, the younger generations have been groomed to be able to process and overcome problems. Also building on the past decades is the greater embrace of individuality. But in the fourth industrial revolution, individuality will want to be found on every level. I see it relating to our Tech Design class in that we are given challenges, like the phone stand, that affects almost everyone on an everyday scale. So, we are bringing more equal access, with the focus on affordable pricing, with the focus on conventional, to the designs we created. 

April 23, 2020

Laser Cut Pencil Holder Sketches

April 27, 2020

Final Pencil Holder

April 29, 2020

Luminary Sketch

May 4, 2020

Transferring to Rhino File Day 1

Transferring to Rhino File Day 2 (In-Class)

May 10, 2020

Final Light Luminary 3D Model

May 12, 2020

Final Project

Empathize Mode: Understand your clients’ needs and the context of your design challenge.

Possible Problems and Challenges:

• How to bring more creativity into the Working-from-Home environment
• Jewelry holder for watches, earrings, and necklaces
• Organizer for all the different measuring equipment in the kitchen
• Slanted laptop stand for working on a flat surface

Define: Explicitly expresses the problem you are striving to address.

The Problem: With the monotonous pace of life continuing as we remain working and studying at home, there is a need to bring in creativity, imagination, and playfulness to bring back optimism. As seniors, it is saddening to lose the graduating events that were meant to signify and memorialize the end of our high school career. Many of us, however, are planning to shift these events to be produced at home. Though it is not possible to recreate prom identically, we can cultivate the familiar energy of the event by creating and bringing together customary objects. A Prom Queen crown is a recognizable object to the American prom world, and can also be a source of creativity and design.

The Constraints:

• Size (diameter of how it sits on the head)
• Extruding with a curve
• Sharper edges
• Thickness of material
• Pliability
• New Rhino technique on modeling the crown in 3D (but I have found a video on Youtube that explains the steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddiqzEFQUnc)
• Artistic balance with the limits of my Rhino knowledge and skillset

Problem Statement

My client would like a product that embodies symbolism with a focus on artistry and detail. The crown is a fairly simple object theoretically, but the pathway leading to its creation in 3D modeling will be the most challenging aspect. The crown should sit at a comfortable circumference on the head and be made out of sturdy material that can withstand some denting. There will be a strong attention paid to the aesthetics of the object, with a complete symmetrical element to the design. If possible, the use of negative space will be highlighted in the many curves and spikes of the crown, which cannot be too thin to ensure that the hypothetical 3D model will remain unbroken.

Sketch

Prototype

• Made on Rhino
• Designed to be 3D printed
• A thicker width so that structure can stay upright
• Final design merges elements