2nd Design Process (back posture)

Opportunity Space

The process begins with identifying what is the problem that the team wants to solve. In this case, the team is focused on the spinal issues. Within the team, the problem discovered was the lack of notification at whatever period a bad back posture occurred. This led to the users having potential spine problems

Stakeholder Analysis

The team then went to identify the stakeholders' importance and interests within the field. Due to the broadness of this project being able to affect almost anyone, the terms identified were little but broad.

The team believed that if the project were to be successful, it could be used medically for users that suffer from back issues. Thus the team added "doctors" as a stakeholder that not only can issue out the product, but also can utilise it as a non-surgical method of solving the spinal issues faced by users.

Persona

For the persona, the team aimed for an office worker whose job and lifestyle requires him to sit down for long periods of time, and because of that he is more prone to bad posture.

At the same time, he does not want to have a surgery due to money constraints. He wants a way where he can be corrected of his posture without spending huge amounts of money to fix his posture.

His posture also refers to when he is standing and walking around, not just sitting. Even if he were to buy a cushion for his sit that corrects his posture, his standing posture is not monitored nor corrected.

User's Journey

Based on the persona, the user spends about 12 hours sitting down in front of a computer doing either work or relaxation.

In addition, the user goes to the gym. However, he is might not be using the workout routine or equipment properly, harming his back and posture in the process. This results in him having an injured body during his gym session.

He takes little to no effort in correcting his posture as he is not notified about it.

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Interview

Below are a few of the interviews obtained in Day 9:

Back posture is important

No back issues

Don't take any precaution

Would wear detection device

Can prevent problem

Would not wear correction device

Too uncomfortable

Yes for medical

No for kids

More for adults

Back posture is important

Will be nice if you do not take care

When carrying weight injured when young

Wasn't careful with posture

Prefer exercise to device

May not be convenient or comfortable

Would use it if it fits with my active lifestyle

Correction device only during nighttime

Don't know for medical

Not for kids, just tell them to have good posture

All interview results can be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OcTDyQGQTFuHV0lniPXeJPrITiT--dZDy6CJOE9C-AM/edit?usp=sharing

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Consulting experts

The team consulted an orthosist and got the following answers

Quick Design stage

The team went to come up with potential designs used to monitor the body's function. There are 2 main ideas:

Jacket that corrects your posture
- This jacket is a wearable and requires less effort in wearing it. The main features are to track the posture and have compressed air push against the body to contract and relax the muscles, allowing a more fixed posture automatically.
- Other add-on features can be a heater that warms up the user. Mixed with the compressed air, the jacket can act as a hugging device as well as a corrective device.
- There are setbacks such as the jacket having to be tight to the user's body for more accuracy.
Inner back braces that corrects your posture automatically
- One of the issues with current back braces is that they have to be put on in a way that the users understand which muscles are less active, and by putting it on it will tense up the muscles for more even loading.
- This is difficult especially for users who are not familiar with the anatomy of the body. If done incorrectly, it can cause major issues with the spine
- Thus the idea is to have a brace that detects whether the user's posture is good or not, and then corrects it by pulling and/or relaxing on certain muscle groups. By doing so, it eases the need to understand the anatomy of the body and can be corrected with ease. It can also be hidden under a layer of clothing.
- However, this method is difficult to wear and there may be limitations with the electronics being bulky and other tools that makes it space efficient being expensive

The team will explore more options in the future

Value Proposition Canvas

The value proposition canvas was focused on the users who utilises the current braces, where limitations, muscle atrophy and comfort plays a factor in how they experience the product.

The product the team have in mind should be able to provide the best user interface while satisfying its efficiency and results.

The biggest issue to solve is based on the current braces, not on alerting the users. Based on the interviews above, users do not want a product that corrects your posture unless it is for medical purposes. They preferred a form of alerting, which has been done before and done as simple as possible for ergonomic usages for the users. So the project has to focus on the current braces which have the following issues:

Muscle atrophy
Limited movement
Heat
Uncomfortable

How Might We

How might we solve back issues that is convenient for the users that does not have the issues that other solutions have?

The overall aim of the project, so that if the project's prototype changes, the "How Might We" can still be satisfied and allow the project to not diverge too much from its original goal.

Quick prototyping

The quick prototyping was presented to an expert and she highlighted the pros and cons of the current design, as well as what can work in the future.

For the top design, these are the notes:

Not useful as it targets only the lower back. Need to target all of the body
Should not use cushion for the back. Can be hazardous to the long term effect on the spine
Occasional inflation and deflation to correct the posture can help tackle muscle atrophy.
Body should not be held too long as it causes tiredness. Recommended 20-30min interval

For the bottom design, these are the notes:

Can solve hunchback problems, but not scoliosis
Need to target upper, lower and mid back to be effective
Better than plastic braces that causes rigidness, muscle atrophy and potentially shifting the spine wrongly
If can target one side at a time, may solve scoliosis. Currently cannot correlate how it can solve scoliosis until the physical design is out

More of the interview insights and notes can be seen here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s8zYIw9C8mKi6sg1dGd68AHno8-p28Tj21aeiE4Z_PA/edit?usp=sharing

Business Model Canvas

https://realtimeboard.com/app/board/o9J_kyhLHCk=/

The business model canvas is useful to identify the sustainability of the project, what steps are required to change in product and work done and more.

The website above is used to document the business model canvas and allow easier updates and modification to fit the project. The final version may be vastly different from the first one.

Redesign of prototype

After realizing the air bags idea have failures, the team went to approach the alternative of using straps.

This design should be oriented around helping the hunchback issues, and if done right, can be used to solve scoliosis.

Research and prototyping will have to be done for understanding the limitations and feasibility of this idea.

Classifying needs

After working on the initial prototype, the "How Might We" had to change.

Needs have to be classified and the functions to solve these needs are expanded even further, regardless of whether it has been done or not feasible yet.

All points thought of are found in the photo. (orange: needs, black: functions)

Morph Matrix

To tackle the needs of the users, a morph diagram is used to explore as many solutions as possible. One solution can inspire the others or be an add-on to the final product.

The biggest needs classified are:

Shift back to proper shape
Non-rigid
Reminder
Discreet
Comfort
Non-constant acting mechanism

These will aid the design thinking process from an idea standpoint.

Concepts from Morph Diagram

After making the morph diagram, the team has to conceptualize a product using the features given in the morph diagram. The product has a mix of ideas implemented, from phone alert to vibration and other connections.

The photos represent the concept the team has in mind.

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