CONCEPTUALIZATION & PROTOTYPING
CONCEPTUALIZATION METHODS
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CONCEPTUALIZATION METHODS
The sections below represent the varied approaches we took to ideate new concepts that would meet our design objectives and pain points as identified above along with some representative examples of concepts we came up with.
**One disclaimer is that many of our initial conceptualization approaches focused on our initial and broader focus areas of making helmets more convenient. It wasn't until moving past many of these conceptualization exercises and conducting additional user research in parallel did we begin to narrow on our reframed design problem and objective of improving helmet portability through enhancements to its access and security when attached to a bike. Therefore, you will notice that some of the illustrative concepts that we have document down below serve the intentions of our initial scope.
Brainstorming
After getting to know our target users, daily commuters, through interviews and questionnaires, we learned that one of the problems our targets are facing is the inconvenience of using helmets. Based on the helmet use problem, we spent a few days brainstorming. During the brainstorming, we shared a lot of spontaneous ideas with each other and got a lot of ideas, such as a helmet that can be worn like a mask, can fit in a regular hat, can be collapsible in a bottle, etc. We began creating an extensive list of these ideas, as seen to the right.
Mind MapPING
In the classroom activity, we used mind maps to further expand our ideas about the convenience of using helmets. Expanding to nine branches centered on headgear, we started thinking about other dimensions related to biking, safety, mobility, and headgear more broadly. This included thinking about wheels, protection, clothing, general commuting, speed, quick access, and just circumstances in daily human life. As we continued to expand our ideas, by the end of the activity, we had over ninety ideas. The mind map helped us to layer the ideas we already had, and as the process continued, the hierarchical representation of mind maps allows us to be highly visual about ideas, and the hierarchical subdivision allows us to expand our ideas.
HEURISTIC CARDS
Mind maps helped us expand ideas, and Heuristic Cards helped us think deeper about ideas. We picked four Heuristic Cards to work on, they are CONVERT FOR SECOND FUNCTION, MAKE COMPONENTS ATTACHABLE/DETACHABLE, REPURPOSE PACKING and APPLY EXISTING MECHANISM IN NEW WAY. The Heuristic Card helped us to think on increase the usability of our product. For instance, one of our ideas is to support environmental protection by converting the helmet into a plant pot afterlife. We also have some ideas to add a boomerang component to our product, so it can meet younger users' needs; the re-usability package of our product; turning the helmet into a lock. We've provided a visual representation of some of our ideas from this exercise down below.
Conceptualization Tree
Once we completed the brainstorming and mind-mapping process, we had over a hundred ideas, and we used the concept tree to prune those that didn't address the problem we were trying to focus on. We wanted to solve the problem of helmets being difficult to carry. Our ideal product needed to be comfortable to use, and portable to carry. In the conceptualization tree, we started with comfort and portability as our branches, then listed the problems we wanted to solve under each branch, and finally listed the ideas we have under each of the problems. Once we completed the conceptualization tree, we had a clearer picture of the direction of the project and were able to narrow down our ideas. See more details on the concept tree down below.
Combinational Table
By following the design process, we used a combination table to combine solutions. In the Conceptualization tree, we categorized the main problem focusing and ideas, we selectively extract some of the ideas from different categories and applied them to the combination table. We had a lot of interesting ideas when it came to combining ideas. For instance, for the combination of “REMOVABLE ADHESIVES”,” ON NECK, AIR BAG COLLAPSIBILITY ”and ”BLOW-UP / INFLATED”; we thought of a product that could be designed instead of a helmet, decorated around the neck, and would pop open like an airbag to protect people when in danger. This resulted in us having some inspiration for product realization and narrowed the idea a step further.
FUNCTIONAL DECOMPOSITION
To ensure that our ideas are implementable, we tested each idea using the functional decomposition method. For example, in the case of the neck decoration inflatable helmet idea, we break every step of a function of the inflatable helmet and add what is the input (force, energy, motion) and what is the output (flap rotation, energy release). In this process, we filtered out many ideas that are not possible with current technology, such as the shape of the mask deformation helmet, etc.
CONCEPT TREE
We want to address the problem of inconvenient helmet use from two focuses, namely comfort and portability. Comfort means that the user experience should be comfortable both physically and mentally. This includes soft material, hygiene, breathability, and accessibility. In addition, portability highlights product attributes including attachability, small size, lightweight, and ease of assembly.
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