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Once you have identified the area for improvement (phase 2), you need to complete a Design Brief and a Design Specification for the improvement. The Design Brief and the Design Specification are only for the area of the improvement, not the entire product.
Example of a Design Idea sheet
How you should present this section
How you should present this section
You need to write a Design Brief for ONE proposed improvement of the product. This should be a concise Design Brief that accurately describes a design situation or need. Your Design Brief can include sketches.
You could (although be careful) use Chat GPT or Gemini to help you to write some bullet points. You would then need to reword anything that you get from these AI sources to make them yours!
I asked Chat GPT to write me a detailed Design Brief for a product improvement to a school hot glue gun to make it more ergonomic to hold
This is the response below (which I have slightly modified).
Design Brief for the ergonomic Improvement of School Hot Glue Gun
design brief - Project Overview
design brief - Project Overview
This project aims to redesign the standard school hot glue gun to make it more ergonomic, safer, and comfortable for extended use, particularly by young students in the workshop. The redesign will address the main issue of grip, weight, balance, and ease of use, which are all ergonomic factors, and this will also therefore have an emphasis on safety features. My goal is to improve the user experience by reducing hand fatigue, increasing precision and comfort, and minimising the risk of burns or other injuries.
Objectives
Objectives
Ergonomics: Redesign the handle and trigger to better fit a student's hand, ensuring comfort and reducing fatigue. I will give consideration to the grip texture, contouring, and trigger position.
Lightweight Design: Reduce the weight of the hot glue gun, making it easier for young students to hold and move without straining.
The additional points below could be side effects of making the changes I propose
Safety: Integrate additional safety features such as a heat shield around the nozzle, automatic shut-off, and a stable, insulated stand. The device should maintain consistent temperature without overheating.
Ease of Use: Simplify the mechanism for loading glue sticks and improve control for precise glue application.
Aesthetics and Durability: Create an appealing, student-friendly design with a durable outer casing that can withstand accidental drops.
Target Audience (User)
Target Audience (User)
The primary users of the hot glue gun will be school students aged (Y4) 8 to (Y10) 14, along with teachers who supervise D&T workshops. The hot glue gun should be optimised for children’s smaller hand sizes and lower hand strength while still being suitable for adult use.
Design Requirements
Design Requirements
Handle:
Contoured handle designed to fit comfortably in a student’s hand.
Soft, non-slip material, such as a rubberised coating, to improve grip.
Designed with a slight angle to encourage a natural wrist position, minimising strain.
Trigger Mechanism:
Positioned to require minimal force for ease of use by children.
Redesigned to allow a smooth, even flow of glue with a single squeeze.
Possibly a two-finger trigger to distribute pressure more evenly across fingers.
Nozzle and Heat Shield:
Heat-resistant cover around the nozzle to protect hands from accidental burns.
Extended nozzle option for detailed work without risking contact with hot parts.
Automatic shut-off feature after 10 minutes of inactivity to prevent overheating.
Weight and Balance:
Reduced overall weight, aiming for a lighter material without compromising durability.
Balanced weight distribution to prevent the gun from feeling front-heavy, aiding in stability during use.
Stand and Stability:
An improved, wider, and more stable stand that keeps the glue gun upright when not in use.
Non-slip rubber base to prevent accidental tipping or sliding.
Ease of Glue Stick Loading:
Consider a larger trigger mechanism to help push glue sticks smoothly.
Aesthetic Design:
Bright, fun colors and a sleek, inviting look that appeals to young users.
Durable, child-safe materials that withstand frequent classroom use.
Materials and Production Requirements
Materials and Production Requirements
Materials: Lightweight and durable materials (e.g., ABS plastic, silicone for grip areas).
Safety Compliance: Adherence to safety standards for electrical products used by children.
Manufacturing Techniques: Cost-effective production methods suitable for large-scale manufacturing to ensure affordability for schools.
Expected Outcomes
Expected Outcomes
By the end of this project, I expect to have a prototype of a school-friendly ergonomic hot glue gun that:
Reduces strain on young students / users' hands.
Minimises the risk of burns or accidents.
Is easy to use, durable, and appealing to young students and teachers.
Timeline and Budget
Timeline and Budget
Timeline: I need to design, develop and prototyping possible solutions before Songkran. I need to allow enough time for testing.
Budget: Subject to availability but will prioritise affordable, durable materials.
Evaluation Metrics
Evaluation Metrics
User Comfort: Feedback from user testing with students and teachers.
Safety Performance: Effectiveness of the stability of the stand.
Functionality: Ease of loading glue sticks and consistency of glue flow.
Aesthetic Appeal: Survey responses on design from target audience feedback.
specification
specification
You then need to write a justified (explaining why) Design Specification for your proposed improvement of the product. This should be a comprehensive design specification of justified requirements (stating why it is important) and it must be measureable. The Design Specification should cover all the elements of the improvement (not just certain areas). It should be presented as a short list of measureable bullet points. To achieve full marks for your Design Specification you should justify / explain each of your points. You should aim for at least 12 specification points that are fully justified.
Advice. You should number your Specification points i.e. 1.1, 1.2 etc. or 1a, 1b etc. and then in your design ideas use this numbering system to highlight how your design idea meets the Specification.
You could (although be careful!) use Chat GPT or Gemini to help you to write some specification bullet points. You would then need to re-word anything that you get from these AI sources to make them yours! As you will see below, Chat GPT has generated a detailed Design Specification although many of the areas of the specification are not relevant for this project as you should only be focusing upon ONE improvement. Also, some of the suggestions would be difficult to measure / test - highlighted in Red.
Chat GPT Prompt:
Please can you write for me a detailed, justified Design Specification for my proposed improvement of improving the ergonomics of the school hot glue gun. Please make sure that the specification points are measurable
ChatGPT produced:
Design Specification: Ergonomic Improvement of School Hot Glue Gun
This design specification outlines the measurable requirements for the ergonomic redesign of a school hot glue gun. Each specification is justified to ensure that the new design meets the needs of young users, improves safety, and enhances usability in classroom environments.
Handle Design and Grip
Handle Design and Grip
1.1 The handle must have a circumference between 60-70 mm at its widest point, designed to fit comfortably in an average child’s hand.
1.2 Justification: A smaller handle circumference ensures that children can comfortably grip the handle without excessive strain, accommodating their smaller hand size.
1.3 The handle must have a rubberised or silicone coating with a minimum Shore A hardness of 30 (providing a firm, non-slip grip) - how could you test this?.
1.4 Justification: A soft, grippy material prevents slipping, even when hands are slightly sweaty or sticky, thus reducing accidental drops and providing more control.
1.5 The handle angle should be set at 15-20 degrees from vertical, promoting a more natural wrist position.
1.6 Justification: Angling the handle reduces wrist strain during extended use, promoting ergonomic posture for the hand and wrist.
Trigger Mechanism
Trigger Mechanism
2.1 The trigger must require less than 1.5 N of force to initiate glue flow and maintain smooth operation, with a maximum travel distance of 1.5 cm - how could you test this?
2.2 Justification: Reducing the force and travel distance of the trigger ensures children can activate and control the glue flow with minimal hand strength, making it easier and safer to operate.
2.3 The trigger should allow for two-finger operation and have a contoured design to distribute pressure evenly across both fingers.
2.4 Justification: A two-finger trigger reduces localized pressure on any single finger, making it easier for children to control the glue gun for extended periods without discomfort.
Weight and Balance
Weight and Balance
3.1 The total weight of the glue gun should not exceed 200 grams.
3.2 Justification: Reducing the weight allows for easier handling by children, who may struggle to control heavier devices for prolonged periods.
3.3 The glue gun should have a center of balance located within 1 cm of the midpoint along its length.
3.4 Justification: A balanced design reduces the chance of the gun feeling front-heavy, making it easier to control and hold steadily during glue application.
Stand and Stability
Stand and Stability
4.1 The glue gun stand should have a base width of at least 6 cm with a non-slip rubberised base, ensuring stability on a variety of surfaces.
4.2 Justification: A wider, non-slip stand minimises the risk of the glue gun tipping over, preventing hot glue or the nozzle from coming into contact with surfaces or users.
4.3 The stand must keep the nozzle at least 3 cm above the surface when resting to prevent melted glue from dripping.
4.4 Justification: Maintaining nozzle clearance reduces mess and prevents melted glue from causing unintended damage or burns.
Temperature Control and Safety Indicators
Temperature Control and Safety Indicators
5.1 The glue gun should maintain a temperature range of 150-160°C for low-temperature glue, ensuring safety for school environments - how could you test this?.
5.2 Justification: This lower operating temperature is safer for young users and suitable for basic crafting, reducing the risk of burns.
5.3 An LED indicator should illuminate when the gun is heated and ready for use, and turn off when it cools - how could you test this?.
5.4 Justification: A visual indicator allows users to know when the gun is safe to touch, reducing accidental burns from an unanticipated hot nozzle.
Aesthetic and Durable Design
Aesthetic and Durable Design
6.1 The glue gun casing should be made from impact-resistant ABS plastic with a minimum thickness of 2 mm.
6.2 Justification: Impact-resistant materials ensure that the glue gun can withstand frequent drops without breaking, extending its lifespan in active classroom environments.
6.3 The glue gun should feature bright, contrasting colours for the handle, trigger, and safety shield, with no sharp edges or small parts.
6.4 Justification: Bold colours make the device visually engaging and help users easily identify functional areas, while a smooth, child-friendly design reduces risks of injury.
Testing and Evaluation Criteria
Testing and Evaluation Criteria
7.1 Grip and Comfort: Measured via grip circumference, comfort ratings from children (on a scale from 1-5), and grip slippage under simulated classroom conditions.
7.2 Trigger Functionality: Testing of trigger force required and smoothness of glue flow under different user conditions.
7.3 Safety Features: Stability assessment.
7.4 Durability: Drop tests from 1 meter.
7.5 Aesthetic and User Appeal: Surveys of users (children and teachers) rating the appeal and usability on a scale from 1-5.
This specification ensures that the new ergonomic school hot glue gun meets measurable standards for safety, ease of use, comfort, and durability, creating a valuable tool for young users in educational settings.
design ideas
design ideas
You will then generate your Design Ideas for the product improvement (function, ergonomics, sustainability, safety). You need to generate at least THREE design ideas for the improvement, using an iterative design process. You can submit more than three ideas for the improvement but you should focus on the quality of ideas rather than the quantity. You need to evaluate your ideas before selecting one of your ideas for development. Each idea should be presented from a number of views and include information on how it may work, construction, materials, fit together etc. etc. A bit like Development but for one idea at a time. The idea could include models or 3D CAD as well.
To help the examiner / moderator easily see how each design idea meets the specification points you should put the specification numbers i.e. 1.2, 4.1 etc. (whichever ones match) by each design idea, signposting the examiner to the specification point and making it very clear how your idea is meeting what you are trying to do to improve the product.
Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria
Example - Design Idea 1 for a new Ergonomic handle design for the Jisu Life hand held fan - to be finished by adding some CAD modelling
Evaluation of Design Ideas
Evaluation of Design Ideas
After completing your 3 Design Ideas sheets (slides) I would then add Evaluation of Design Ideas slides. This would comment upon how each of your ideas matches the Design Specification and Why (reasons). You should then choose one of your ideas to take forward to Development for further refinement as your Design Proposal. At this stage you should also be considering material choices and manufacturing processes / production methods that you could use to make your chosen prototype idea.
You could use a rating system (1-5 or 1-10) for each of your design ideas and how well they meet / match your Specification points.
You could use a Pros and Cons, or Advantages and Disadvantages of each design idea to help you summarise and evaluate your ideas.
You could use a survey / interview / questionnaire (Google Form) to get responses from others about your design ideas. The very best responses would be from a client or user group. The use of others opinions is recognised as being very good.
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