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The key questions we wanted to answer with our pretotypes are...
What are the ideal height settings for the crib, for users of different heights?
Qualitatively, how much easier it is to pick up a baby (of different weight ranges) from the lowered crib versus the upper level?
How important of the aesthetics of the crib for the users? What would an acceptable price point be for users?
Is the weight of a hiking backpack a common pain point for parents while hiking?
Pretotypes
Poster for Backpack
Emphasis on lightweightness, customizability, and adaptability to different situations.
Made in Canva.
Answers the question: Is this backpack actually a viable product?
Poster for crib
Poster for crib
Emphasis on height adjustment, customizability, and aesthetics
Made in Canva.
Answers the question: How important are the aesthetics of the crib? Is the idea alone enough to convince people or do they need a physical product to test? What is a good price range for this product?
MVP/Mechanical Turk Crib
Replaces the mechanical/motorized component with a manual adjustment
Made out of cardboard, tape, hot glue, rulers, and a pool noodle. We created a frame with a detached center platform attached to rulers sticking out of slots in the sides. The rulers can be used to adjust the height of the platform, simulating the height adjustability. This pretotype was a bit difficult to use with user testing as it was not able to support the water bottle we used, representing an 8 lb baby.
Answers the question: Is the height adjustment aspect enough to make this a viable product?
Answers the question: What are the ideal height settings for different ranges of people?
Answers the question: How much easier is it to lift a baby (qualitatively) at the lower and upper heights?
Selecting pretotyping users
How we selected our test users and why ?
Wide range of heights and sizes (MVP)
There are drastic differences in height adjustability settings that will change with people of all sizes. Incorporating design for the maximum number of users is the goal so testing this in pretotyping is very important. This will increase the ergonomics for the most possible users, increasing ease-of-use, comfort, and efficiency.
Mix of men and women (MVP)
Both genders of parents are important when evaluating the height ranges that are necessary to design for. Short and tall mothers and fathers are the ones who experiences these issues by being too short and not being able to reach their baby, or having to bend out of their range of mobility and not being able to reach their baby because they are too tall.
Parents with heights out of the IQR for their gender (Crib - Poster)
These are parents who may have experienced issues reaching their children due to crib height (this is based on our initial interviewing information).
Parents who like the outdoors (Backpack - Poster)
These are the users who would typically use the product and may have experienced the pain point of a heavy backpack with children. Making this product lighter will make parents more efficent, more comfortable, and able to hike further with their children, expanding their possibilities for adventure.
User testing
Before the pretotyping stage, our team had already mostly decided on our product. This allowed us to allocate the user testing portion to gain more information on the product specifications will we need in the next prototyping stage. We tested for ease-of-use, the importance of aesthetics, possible price point, and range of motion of the user. The basis of these tests were to answer the pretotyping questions we discussed above.
The User Testing Experience:
The user will view the backpack poster and we will give them a bit of background on the product. We then asked the user their initial thoughts and how likely they would be to use the product in their own life.
Next we moved on to the crib poster. This allowed us to evaluate the importance of aesthetics and price point. We first gave a background on the crib concept then allowed them a minute to look at the poster. The users then rated the importance of aesthetics on a scale of 1-5 and then gave a price or price range they think they would pay for the product.
Finally we moved over to the activities stage. Users would first help use measure height range. We asker participants to bend down, without bending their knees (to simulate bending over the rails of a crib), to a comfortable height without straining. Then the same comfort but without bending down. We measured the height of their hands in both of these positions.
The second activity was to have users pick up a one-gallon water bottle off the ground, to simulate picking up an 8-lb. baby from the lowest setting of a crib. They then would do the same from a 33 in. high surface to simulate the higher setting of a typical crib. They would then rank the difficulty on a scale from 1 to 5 for both of these motions. We then repeated this test with two water bottles, 16 lbs. total, evaluating at which age this makes the most difference. Interestingly enough, participants immediately commented that it was not as difficult with the heavier weight. (This could just be due to testing discrepancies or a bad setup.)
User Feedback
Overall, for the crib concept, we got fantastic user feedback. All participants had an initial positive reaction just by hearing the idea and the team's motivation to create the product. Users liked the poster and also let us know that aesthetics are definitely an important factor to keep in mind for out prototyping stage. Most users found a drastic difference in picking up the water bottle off the floor versus the raised surface, commenting that they immediately understood why this product could make such a big difference for parents.
Key Takeaways
Question 1: Is the backpack a viable product?
Maybe, users liked the product but maybe not enough for us to be confident putting further effort into a prototype.
Question 2: How important are the aesthetics of the crib?
Very important. This was a surprising insight from user testing, but almost all users ranked this very high on a scale from 1 to 5.
Question 3: Is the height adjustment aspect enough to make this a viable product?
Yes! Most users really noticed a drastic difference in ease-of-use when they no longer had to bend over. Most users had difficulty (even without weight) bending very far down to reach the bottle.
Question 4: What are the ideal height settings for different ranges of people?
The height settings are a huge range! We will need to determine a realistic range that the technology can move the platform, and determine how well we can fit the users within this range. Luckily, most height-adjustable desks have a very wide range of motion and should give us lots of flexibility for our users. Our upper range will need to be between 28-40 inches as of now.
Question 5: How much easier is it to lift a baby (qualitatively) at the lower and upper heights?
A lot easier is what most users said. Frequently they were even shocked at how much of a difference the height made in such a simple motion.
Bonus Question: What is a realistic price range for this product (the crib)?
The user testing for this question was not very accurate as many users did not have a good background on typical crib prices. We will need to do further analysis to answer this question.
Concept to carry forward
Height adjustable crib
Height adjustable crib
The concept we will be carrying forward is the height-adjustable platform crib. We think this is a very viable product based on research, interviewing, pretotyping, and now more user testing. We will use the data from the user testing to hopefully perfect this product and ensure we are able to design for as many users as possible.
Prototyping and Testing Plan
Moving forward the team plans to research a bit more into the existing technology we can use to prototype the lifting mechanism of the crib. We plan to utilize the woodshop for a large portion of the exterior of the crib and the sewing station in the Idea Forge for the mattress and interior. We need to do a bit more research in to safety standards for childrens products to ensure we design with those in mind. We have already done minor risk analysis but a more in-depth discussion will be helpful proir to prototyping.
Prototype 1: Proof of Concept – Standing Desk Mechanism Conversion
Goal
Repurpose the mechanism of a standing desk to serve as the height-adjustment system for the crib. This prototype will focus on achieving smooth, adjustable movement and ensuring the system supports the weight of the crib and the baby safely.
Key Features
Hydraulic or motorized height adjustment: Using a standing desk's linear actuator or hydraulic system to allow smooth movement.
Push to operate button mechanism: Ensures the crib stays securely in place once adjusted to the desired height.
Weight-bearing structure: Test the system’s ability to support the crib’s weight plus an additional safety margin for the baby (approx. 40–60 lbs total).
What It Will Accomplish
Verify adjustability: Ensures the height can be adjusted comfortably by different caregivers without requiring much force.
Test load capacity: Determine whether the hydraulic system can support and sustain the weight of the crib and baby safely.
Safety mechanism validation: Confirm the security of the locking system to prevent sudden drops.
Testing Methods
Load testing: Apply various weights (e.g., up to 50 lbs) to simulate the weight of a baby and additional accessories.
User trials: Engage potential users (mothers, grandparents, shorter parents) to interact with the system and adjust the height to test ease of use.
Stress test: Operate the mechanism continuously over extended periods to check for mechanical reliability.
Prototype 2: Crib Frame with Ergonomic Adjustments
Goal
Build a wooden crib structure that incorporates the height adjustment mechanism from Prototype 1, focusing on the design and ergonomics for different caregivers.
Key Features
Ergonomic design: Design the crib to have an adjustable height range that accommodates users of different heights and physical capabilities (e.g., 4'10" to 6'2").
Wooden crib frame: Use a lightweight yet sturdy material (such as birch or oak) to build the main crib body, ensuring durability and aesthetic appeal.
Safety rails: Incorporate child-safe, non-toxic finishes and childproof locking mechanisms for the side rails.
What It Will Accomplish
Validate crib dimensions and ergonomics: Test the crib’s accessibility for caregivers of different heights.
Assess frame stability: Ensure the wooden crib is structurally sound when connected to the standing desk mechanism.
Test ease of use: Confirm the crib’s overall functionality in a real-world setting, focusing on user interaction (lifting baby in/out).
Testing Methods
User interaction: Have a range of caregivers test the height adjustments and crib functionality to gather feedback on ease of use and ergonomics.
Stability testing: Apply stress tests (e.g., shaking, weight shifts) to assess the crib's stability during height adjustments and daily use.
Safety validation: Test for potential hazards, such as pinch points, crib railing gaps, and weight-bearing capacity.
Prototype 3: Full Functional Crib with Finished Design
Goal
Create a fully functional hydraulic crib that integrates the height-adjustment mechanism with a polished wooden frame and final safety features. This prototype will closely resemble the final product.
Key Features
Polished wooden frame: High-quality, durable wood with a smooth, child-safe finish.
Integrated height-adjustment syste: Seamlessly incorporated into the crib’s base, with a quiet, smooth mechanism.
Safety enhancements: Childproof locking systems, non-toxic materials, and padded edges for added baby safety.
What It Will Accomplish
Final product validation: Test the overall design, focusing on the full user experience, including safety, comfort, and practicality.
Durability testing: Assess the product’s long-term use potential and ability to withstand wear and tear.
Testing Methods
Real-world usage: Set up trials where parents or caregivers use the crib over an extended period, focusing on daily interactions.
Durability testing: Simulate extended use by applying repeated motions, weight, and force to test the crib’s longevity.
Safety certifications: Ensure the crib meets relevant safety standards for baby products (e.g., ASTM, CPSC)
Remaining Questions
Does the height adjustment system maintain stability during use?
Is the hydraulic or motorized system quiet enough not to disturb a sleeping baby?
How easy is the height adjustment for users of different strength levels?
How durable is the wood in terms of repeated use and stress?
Is the wooden frame sufficiently light and strong for portability?
Are the safety rails and locking mechanisms childproof and easy for adults to use
Can the mechanism withstand long-term use without wear?
Are there additional safety concerns not yet addressed (e.g., pinch hazards, entrapment risks)?
How easy is it to assemble and disassemble the crib for portability and shipping?
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