Visualization

Challenge:

Designing a new product line always been a challenge for designers. Any design process  go through various stages, like observing and analysing the present situation, what are  the problem creating areas or the areas which can be yet redefined and finding relevant  solution for it. Any design solution can be an added feature in the currently available  product or it can be a complete new product.

I happened to design a cloth organizer for common house targeting mid salary range  users. It was observed mostly rooms get cluttered because of unorganised cloths. The  small size of room in such houses makes it look more messy and untidy. Currently  available wardrobe doesn’t serve it much competently.  It can be understood, present  wardrobe are designed only for storage of fresh washed cloths.

Though there is a provision in storage pattern as cloths can be stacked or hanged  accordingly but there is no provision of keeping soiled cloths (probably after one/two  wear) and dirty cloths piled for laundry (and even where to keep laundry bins ).

So the challenge is to design a complete cloth organiser.

Selection & application:

A team of three people was created and targeted to get more insights on real time  problem and real situation of a wardrobe user on everyday basis.

To get this situation clearer, I used the tool of visualization. To create a cycle of cloths  from washed and stacked form till it goes to laundry bin. The simple graphical  presentations of the situation made the scenario very clear to each team member, and  there was active participation and inputs from different team member and better  understanding of the problem area. Visualization tool helped to understand the clear  scenario of a common household. Inputs through simple sketches/or images made it  easier to realise how current situation needs to be improved and what all needs to be  included in the targeted design solution.

The final graphical input came in the form of relevant image collections and putting it in  the sequence. This simple technique encouraged more participation and hence  increased number of varied inputs.

The technique of visualization can be realized in better way ref. lecture:  1st week

visualization tool of Coursera ; Design Thinking and Visualization by Design Ideation.wmv  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usX9vkxK5xA).

Insight & approach:

Describing a common household situation and its understanding in the simpler way  team understood the problem of common people and everyday scenario. Once wore  cloths are kept on the doors or chairs (as it’s sweated and don feel like mixing with  washed clean cloths). Currently designed wardrobes are closed entity so no provision  for airing of sweated or soiled cloths. Two three days soiled cloths are either hanged  (not to ruin the creases) or piled somewhere. The complete dirty cloths ready to go to  bin are kept in laundry bin, but the bin itself kept somewhere inside table or behind the  door.

The learning came in the way that through this method of using graphical presentation  and discussion each thought was getting circulated in the team more clearly in less time.

Simple use of stick figure or through geometrical shapes encouraged more active  participation and thus varieties of approach towards a common goal. And I believe  visualization is the only language of imagination.

Given now we have various inputs on the current scenario, work will flow through  various stages towards prototyping, as the desired product needs to cater the various  requirements and needs to be more effective and better organiser as compared to the  present available solution.


Visualization Challenge : Designing a new product line always been a challenge for designers . Any design process go through various stages , like observing and analysing the present situation , what are the problem creating areas or the areas which can be yet redefined and finding relevant solution for it . Any design solution can be an added feature in the currently available product or it can be a complete new product . I happened to design a cloth organizer for common house targeting mid salary range users . It was observed mostly rooms get cluttered because of unorganised cloths . The small size of room in such houses makes it look more messy and untidy . Currently available wardrobe does n’t serve it much competently . It can be understood , present wardrobe are designed only for storage of fresh washed cloths . Though there is a provision in storage pattern as cloths can be stacked or hanged accordingly but there is no provision of keeping soiled cloths ( probably after one / two wear ) and dirty cloths piled for laundry ( and even where to keep laundry bins ) . So the challenge is to design a complete cloth organiser . Selection & application : A team of three people was created and targeted to get more insights on real time problem and real situation of a wardrobe user on everyday basis . To get this situation clearer , I used the tool of visualization . To create a cycle of cloths from washed and stacked form till it goes to laundry bin . The simple graphical presentations of the situation made the scenario very clear to each team member , and there was active participation and inputs from different team member and better understanding of the problem area . Visualization tool helped to understand the clear scenario of a common household . Inputs through simple sketches / or images made it easier to realise how current situation needs to be improved and what all needs to be included in the targeted design solution . The final graphical input came in the form of relevant image collections and putting it in the sequence . This simple technique encouraged more participation and hence increased number of varied inputs . The technique of visualization can be realized in better way ref . lecture : 1st week visualization tool of Coursera ; Design Thinking and Visualization by Design Ideation.wmv ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usX9vkxK5xA ) . Insight & approach : Describing a common household situation and its understanding in the simpler way team understood the problem of common people and everyday scenario . Once wore cloths are kept on the doors or chairs ( as it ’s sweated and don feel like mixing with washed clean cloths ) . Currently designed wardrobes are closed entity so no provision for airing of sweated or soiled cloths . Two three days soiled cloths are either hanged ( not to ruin the creases ) or piled somewhere . The complete dirty cloths ready to go to bin are kept in laundry bin , but the bin itself kept somewhere inside table or behind the door . The learning came in the way that through this method of using graphical presentation and discussion each thought was getting circulated in the team more clearly in less time . Simple use of stick figure or through geometrical shapes encouraged more active participation and thus varieties of approach towards a common goal . And I believe visualization is the only language of imagination . Given now we have various inputs on the current scenario , work will flow through various stages towards prototyping , as the desired product needs to cater the various requirements and needs to be more effective and better organiser as compared to the present available solution .