Shop Cart Re-Design Challenge
Problem Statement:
Back in 2013-2014, the Greengineering teacher at that time, Mr. Chinosi, re-purposed a series of multimedia carts as prototyping carts, each of which held a standard set of rapid prototyping tools, plus supplies such as hot glue, scissors, and cardboard. However, the prototyping carts were never successful, and they soon became used for general supplies storage.
For this challenge, led by senior Eric Zhang, the Xplorers are challenged to re-design these carts to be more useful.
Intro Video with Adam
Design Thinking( also known as user-centered design) is a design process which seeks to base design decisions on empathy- a deep understanding of the people you are designing for, and the problem you are trying to solve.
Back in 2013-2014, the Greengineering teacher at that time, Mr. Chinosi, re-purposed a series of multimedia carts as prototyping carts, each of which held a standard set of rapid prototyping tools, plus supplies such as hot glue, scissors, and cardboard. However, the prototyping carts were never successful, and they soon became used for general supplies storage.
For this challenge, led by senior Eric Zhang, the Xplorers are challenged to re-design these carts to be more useful.
Intro Video with Adam
Design Thinking( also known as user-centered design) is a design process which seeks to base design decisions on empathy- a deep understanding of the people you are designing for, and the problem you are trying to solve.
What is Human-centered Design? from IDEO.org on Vimeo.
Research:
These carts were intended to be team-based prototyping carts.
However, the carts were never used in this manner; rather, they have been used either as equipment stands, or as supplies storage.
However, interview and observation of users reveal the following:
(1) Team size varies from project to project, so the number of team carts needed fluctuates;
(2) Different types of projects require different types of prototyping tools- i.e. woodworking tools for one project, hot glue and tape for another;
(3) It is easier to keep each type of tool in a common single draw( i.e., scissors go in the shop scissors drawer), than storing them in 6-8 separate cart locations;
(4) There is frequently a need for mobile work surfaces for machines near where people are working;
(5) The carts take up more room than is typically needed for project storage; a large plastic 30-gallon bin is more than adequate for most projects, is stackable, and takes up less room than a cart, while some larger projects won't fit in the cart.
Is the issue the design of the carts themselves, or how they are used in the shop?
These carts were intended to be team-based prototyping carts.
However, the carts were never used in this manner; rather, they have been used either as equipment stands, or as supplies storage.
However, interview and observation of users reveal the following:
(1) Team size varies from project to project, so the number of team carts needed fluctuates;
(2) Different types of projects require different types of prototyping tools- i.e. woodworking tools for one project, hot glue and tape for another;
(3) It is easier to keep each type of tool in a common single draw( i.e., scissors go in the shop scissors drawer), than storing them in 6-8 separate cart locations;
(4) There is frequently a need for mobile work surfaces for machines near where people are working;
(5) The carts take up more room than is typically needed for project storage; a large plastic 30-gallon bin is more than adequate for most projects, is stackable, and takes up less room than a cart, while some larger projects won't fit in the cart.
Is the issue the design of the carts themselves, or how they are used in the shop?
IDEO "Deep Dive" Shopping Cart Video(22 min):
Sign at Stanford D-School