Introduction

Project Preview

This project will allow you to gain first-hand experience with the design process and ultimately propose solutions to well-defined problems. Our project will focus on creating solutions that will assist persons with one hand complete daily household tasks. The project will be broken into several phases or assignments, each of which will have an individual assignment sheet that clearly lays out the deliverables for that particular assignment. All assignment deliverables will be submitted as group work and graded as such.

Following are the assignments that will be part of the project:

  1. Project Introduction
  2. Website creation
  3. Research, w/ presentations
  4. Problem Defintion
  5. Concept Generation Phase 1
  6. Idea Presentations
  7. Concept Generation Phase 2
  8. Prototytpes
  9. Final Presentations

 

Project Introduction Activities

Complete the following in class on Thursday, 1/25/18:

1. Form Teams

  • We will have ten teams of 5 people each (we have 50 students in the class)
  • You will form your own teams!
  • Aim to have the most diverse group of people you can on your team to earn “points”:
    • 2 points for each student ranking (junior, senior, etc)
    • 2 points for each different college represented (Engineering, Fisher, etc)
    • 1 point for each unique major represented
    • 1 point for each unique minor represented
    • 1 point for each different US home state represented
    • 2 points for each home different home country represented

2. Enroll in a ‘Design Project Group’ on Carmen

  • Once your group is formed, each team member should self-enroll in your existing “Design Project Group” on Carmen. Learn how to enroll in a group hereLinks to an external site..
  • Note it is easier to enroll in carmen groups from a laptop than it is from a mobile device.
  • Enrolling in the Carmen group is critical for your grade! All work will be submitted as a group; if you are not enrolled in the Carmen group, you will not get credit for your group’s work. Should any group enrollment issues arise, be sure to bring them to Professor Abell’s attention today!

3. Brainstorming!

  • Create a mindmap
    In your teams, spend some time brainstorming and making a mindmap about the various everyday tasks and household chores that a person might engage in on a regular basis. Try to think of as many individual tasks as you can, and group them in different categories (e.g., laundry, yard work, getting ready in the morning, cleaning, etc.)
  • Consider how to do these tasks with one hand
    Consider which of these tasks might provide the most challenge to persons with the use of just one hand. Mark your mindmap accordingly.
  • Consider your team’s future immersion and research
    Consider which of these tasks you and your teammates might be able to conduct first-hand over the next few weeks. As you discuss, consider the following questions: Which tasks do you have the supplies/resources/time to do? Which tasks are part of your daily routine? Which tasks are NOT part of your daily routine, but might prove interesting for this project? Which tasks might require more than one person working together?
    (FYI: In the next step of the project you’ll immerse yourselves in your team’s chosen tasks and “shadow” one another as you complete a set of household tasks while you simulate the condition of just being able to use one hand.) 
  • Pick ONE task category as your team’s project focus
    Pick one category of task that your team would like to focus on for the remainder of the project. You should pick a category that offers at least four individual tasks.

    • Example 1: If you choose the category of laundry you could study at least the following individual tasks: sorting/carrying dirty laundry, loading/operatingwasher & dryer, folding clothes, ironing clothes, putting clothes away, etc.
    • Example 2: If you choose the category of ‘cooking’ or ‘kitchen tasks,’ you could study at least the following individual tasks: putting away groceries, chopping food, using the stove, washing dishes, etc. 
  • Document your mindmap
    Document your team’s mindmap(s), either with photos or by digitally recreating the work. You will need this documentation for your future project assignment!