Mind Mapping
To help us define our problem, we spent time using a Mind Map to map out all our user’s problems.
Initially, we struggled to define the hierarchy of relationships between our users’ problems. We started with the main categories of wholesale, retail, and research. During the mapping process, we found that most areas had common problems, therefore the type of greenhouse was an unnecessary level. Once we determined our main categories (soil prep, overhead work, watering, moving, low work, planting, and contamination), we reorganized the subcategories and identified problems.
[First version of our Mind Map: a bit confusing]
[Our final version of Mind Map: clear and organized]
Problem Area Identification
From this, we identified 5 possible problem areas:
Problem Area: Manual planting functions specifically picking leaves, pruning/weeding
User Needs: User needs reduced strain and stress on repetitive finger-hand motions while in conditions involving moisture, dirt, tight spaces
Solution Attributes: Easy-to-use, accurate, ergonomic fit, efficient
Problem Area: Separating stacks of plastic pots
User Needs: Ability to quickly and efficiently separate plastic pots from stacks, reduction in repetitive hand motion
Solution Attributes: Easy-to-use, accessible, intuitive
Problem Area: Moving heavy objects
User Needs: Easy-to-use method to lift and move heavy objects; convenient, quick access so it actually gets used
Solution Attributes: Versatile, durable, compact, portable
Problem Area: Manual watering of plants
User Needs: Consistent watering for each plant; help user stay alert to amount of water dispersed
Solution Attributes: Waterproof, handheld, hose compatible
Problem Area: Hanging baskets overhead
User Needs: Ability to lift approximately 10-pound hanging baskets onto overhead hooks safely and with minimal strain on the employee
Solution Attributes: Easy-to-use, sturdy, lightweight, ergonomic
Problem Statements:
1. Design a product that reduces ergonomic burden on hands/wrists/fingers while performing manual work with plants and leaves.
2. Design a product that is intuitive and efficient for separating plastic pots from stacks.
3. Design a versatile, compact product that quickly and easily helps workers lift heavy objects.
4. Design a portable device that helps the user provide consistent, equal amounts of water to every plant during the course of watering.
5. Design a tool that assists in hanging baskets overhead while minimizing the strain on the worker caused by reaching and overhead work.
Reflection:
Initially, the mind mapping process was not intuitive and took our team a couple tries before we felt it was useful. Our initial mind map was a more like “spaghetti” with too many crazy connections, making it difficult for us to identify problems and connections. Once we stepped back and evaluated our first draft, we realized that one of our categorizations (wholesale/retail/research) was not necessary. Each of the three areas experienced the same type of problems, so we eliminated that breakdown. Although they all share some of the same problems, we may still need to take into consideration what area we will focus on as we move through the concept generation phase. Though the problems may be the same, the solution may not always be applicable across the different types of greenhouses. Overall, we felt that the mind map helped us visual the connections more easily and confirmed the problems we identified during the shadowing phase.
The starred areas on the map indicate the 5 problem areas the team is considering to choose as their main focus. These areas were chosen because they have the potential to allow for many novel solution ideas. Our main concern is that our designs do no become spinoffs of an already developed product that solves a similar problem. To avoid this, we will continue to benchmark products throughout our process. For most products in the greenhouse industry, a fully automated solution already exists; however, this amount of automation and capital investment is not feasible for all types of greenhouses. For this reason, we are thinking of targeting the product design area between fully automated and manual designs.