In today’s recitation, we practiced the process of Prototyping using the basic concepts of Look/Feel and Role. Below you will find those processes and the feedback I received for each stage.
Stage 1:
Words
• Emotion
• Coffee
• Winter
(AKA, my 3 favorite things)
I saw this video on Youtube one time that showed a ceramicist (person who makes ceramics??) make a mug that had a “hand-in” type of handle. By this, I mean your hand kind of goes INTO the cup through a slit on its side. The second I saw the word coffee, this was the first thing that came to mind.
Stage 2:
Feedback:
• safety: concerns about burning skin on hands
• Role of the mug is slightly confusing
• Gloves make sense, focus on mug/tumbler
I was sort of expecting this kind of feedback because I myself was wondering the same thing when I was drawing up my idea. As for the storyboard, I focused more on the use of the gloves because I felt that would have been the most helpful to see/know. The tumbler is more of an accessory to the gloves themselves.
My plan was to have the gloves be self heating and cooling in a way. Hand warmers are a necessity in the winter, especially when doing any kind work outside. This technology would be incorporated into the threads of the gloves and activated once the outside temperature got below 45-40 degrees fahrenheit.
Stage 3:
Feedback:
• materials are specific, and ones provided wouldn’t work
• Good idea for the homeless
• Think up of some handwarmer-type fabric to weave into gloves so that it self heats and cools down after x amount of hours
I mean this with respect, but the materials provided did not give way to any decent physical prototype I was going for! That’s okay. It’s the idea that counts. Based on the feedback I received, I wanted to go ahead with one of the suggestions of giving some to the homeless or those who don’t have warm enough clothing in the winter. I would love to do what TOMS does, and give a pair away for every pair bought.
Overall, this project was fun. I feel I definitely have a better grasp on prototyping and why it’s so important.
A Work in Progress 