Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

Alessi Alessi Project 1 Project 1

K e r r i e P a r k i n K e r r i e P a r k i n

Kerrie Parkin

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

C o n t e n t C o n t e n t ss

3. History of Alessi4. Consumer needs - Alessi Products5. Alessi Products continued…6. Alessi Products continued…7. Product Analysis8. Design Signatures9. Project Brief And Specification10. Consumer needs - Questionnaire11. Analysis of information12. Analysis of information13. Analysis of information14. Customer needs – Product disassembly15. Product Objective16. Specification 17. Initial Ideas 18. Initial Ideas19. Initial Ideas20. Initial Ideas21.Final idea 22.Development23. Development24. Modelling25. Modelling

25. Product analysis - Dyson26.Product analysis - Dyson27. Manufacturing methods28. Manufacturing methods29. Manufacturing methods 30. Plan of manufacture 31. Testing32. Testing – Questionnaire 33. Evaluation34. Evaluation

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

H i s t o r y H i s t o r y

The Italian company Alessi is made up of multiple designers such as the famous Philippe Starck who are employed to create retro, funky, unique designs, however they are all uniform.

Philippe Starck was born in 1949 in Paris he has been considered one of the most original and creative designers of our time. The Grand Prix National de la Création industrielle and the Honor Award of the American Institute of Architects are just some of the awards he has achieved for his outstanding performance in design. He considers himself as "a Japanese architect, an American art director, a German industrial designer, a French artistic director, an Italian furniture designer".Starck is famous for many of his designs such as the lemon squeezer which he designed for Alessi. He joined the business in 1986 and began working on the French project.

Alessi use modern and expensive materials such as plastics and stainless steal to create an individual design. Colour is very important to the designs created by Alessi and usually bright, eye catching colours are used, such as red, florescent green and yellows. In some cases pattern can also be used however, the same pattern has become apparent in all products. It tends to be made up of multiple small squares of colour. The fun, outrageous designs and colours attract a wide audience as unlike other designers who take a serious approach to their work, Alessi make their products fun. A lot of the products also use geometric shapes and curves an example would be the triangular kettles created.

Kerrie Parkin

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

C o n s u m e r N e e d s - A l e s s i P r o d u C o n s u m e r N e e d s - A l e s s i P r o d u c t s c t s

Kerrie Parkin

These are just some of the Alessi products I have included these pictures so the theme of the company can be seen.

These are bottle stops which have been designed forAlessi as you can see there are made from coloured plastics and use a simple but effective design.

The shape which they have used is that of a bird.

These are Alessi finger nail clippers. Again the bright colours have been used and the material which they have been manufactured in is plastic. The designing is again simple yet effective. The brightly used colours look very retro and as if they are attracting the audience of children. However children will not be needing kitchen appliances nor house hold objects as they’re not expected to have their own home.

This image is showing kitchen timers. It has been manufactured by using several materials such as plastic and stainless steal. However once again bright colours have been used along with a modern design.

The product comes in a variety of colours and I feel this is so it attracts a wider target audience, as peoples kitchens vary is colour and style, therefore Alessi have catered for every kitchen.

This style of design which resembles ears to me can be seen a lot of Alessi products again this is a design signature to the specific designer. It also makes it look very childish and this is the image they tend to work with,

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

A l e s s i P r o d u c t s C o n t i n A l e s s i P r o d u c t s C o n t i n u e d…u e d…

These are shaped in the form of people. The women has been made into a bottle opener and the man a bottle top.

In comparison with the other products seen these give the impression although they look childish they are for adults. This is because not just one bright colour has been used but a variety of coloured blobs have been put onto the product to give it colour and design, which look effective and modern. People happen to be used a lot throughout the company and

this is another design signatures. Other examples include the egg timer created by the same designer Alessandro Harequin. I feel that people are used a lot as the outline of a person can be altered and manipulated into so many designs which will then make new products. For example the bottle tops on the right.

Repetition of the form of the design is common throughout Alessi. This is so they can bring out a range of products which are all related.

The Coffee machine uses the same style of colour this shows that it is in the same range as the bottle people.

This is an egg timer designed also by Alessandro Harlequin, the same face of the person made of stainless steal has been used along with the plastic base. However unlike the other products only two main colours have been used, and again the child like appearance has returned.

These are also part of the Alessi range, and you can see how the same form has been used but they have been made to have a different appearance.

Repetition of design

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

A l e s s i P r o d u c t s C o n t i n u e A l e s s i P r o d u c t s C o n t i n u e d…d…

Kerrie Parkin

Animals and nature are also used throughout the Alessi range. This is an example of a kitchen roll holder which has been placed in the shape of a carrot as the theme is rabbits and a carrot can be linked to this animal as its what its stereotyped to eat. Also plastic rabbits have been placed next to the huge carrot to give it a childish look. This looks effective as its making nature look fun. Which will attract people.

The designing is very simple and like other designs bright plastics have been used. I feel that plastic has been used as it is very resistant, cheap to manufacture and comes in a variety of colours.

These are examples of flowers the plastic used however on this product is not transparent like seen with the rabbits. Plastic has been used as its strong and can withstand vast amounts of impact.

These are squirrel food bowls, again the design has been based upon nature however unlike the other products, metal has along with plastic been used. Metal will have been used as it wont scratch easy. The squirrels have been made out of plastic as a

mould will have been designed then it can be used in mass production and every product will be identical.

Rabbits have also been used in this design however instead of linking it with food they have put the rabbits in top hats, this is linked to magic and what people would recognize.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

P r o d u c t A n a l y s P r o d u c t A n a l y s i si s

Kerrie Parkin

These are Alessi cake stands. Plastic has been used to mould the people who are holding the glass circular top. Metal possibly stainless steel has been used as a base, this is because stainless steel is commonly used within the kitchen as it doesn’t stain and is very resistant to impact.Plastic has been used as its easy to manipulate and a its an easy method of manufacture using injection moulding. Using injection moulding will ensure that all the products are identical. Glass will have been used as its easy to maintain and it looks effective. Glass is also very strong therefore it’s a good material to use as if I were to use plastic it perhaps wouldn’t have held the desired cake.

The product has been designed to hold cakes and biscuits, it can also been used for show as it doesn’t look like your basic cake stand and this will appeal to the Target audience.

The product has been made safe to use as the glass edges have been rounded so they are not sharp. The stainless steal has also been used in the same way unlike the plastic which will be smooth anyways as it has been injection moulding and smooth curves have been used. This cake stand has been designed to be in the kitchen, I imagine that the house owner will use this stand to display there baked items, as its fashionable and unique. The style of the stand is very modern and fun to look at and yet it serves its purpose. This is because it looks as though its been designed for a child. Its modern due to the unique design and the inexpensive use of plastic with glass and light weight metal. Its very simple and appeals to a variety of people. To make the plastic people injection moulding has been used this is where a mould has been created and melted plastic is pushed into the it and then left to solidify, this will have been used as its cheap and guaranteed that all the products will be identical.

• I believe this product will be targeted at he younger generation and people who are starting their new home, this is because its very modern and stylish which is what young people will want in their new home, also they won’t mind spending a little extra money on a designer cake stand as they will have the money to buy everything new. •The appearance of the product is stylish, simple, child like yet modern. The materials used are not too expensive and they all compliment one another. I say its childlike as bold, primary colours have been used such as blue and red. These colours are usually associated with children. Its been designed like that as young adults which is the target audience will have just matured from childhood and this design is something childish to keep them still feeling like that however its modern and looks grown up. I think it looks grown up because of the materials used as they isn’t much colour which would be linked to a child. •I believe that to manufacture this product it wouldn’t cost too much money, however it wouldn’t be inexpensive either as there are a lot of manufacturing methods which are needed to create it.

The stainless steel base will have been press stamped this is where the a sheet of steel has been placed within a machine and its stamped down onto it causing it to bend and shape in the way which they wish. The glass will have just been cut however to keep it nice and smooth and safe it will have been sanded and treated.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

D e s i g n S i g n a t u r e sD e s i g n S i g n a t u r e s

Design signatures are what the designer uses to allow the buyer to know that all the work is uniform. It is used to identify the specific designer of the product.

An example would be Philippe Starck where he uses the curves and the known horn shape which can be seen on his latest Japanese architecture. This is so that when people admire the building they can link it directly with him. This technique is used commonly whilst designing.

Not only do designers have a design signatures but also companies can. I am researching into Alessi and although its made up of multiple designers, its work can still be recognized as being one of the countless Alessi products.

It can be recognized as Alessi tend to use modern materials such as brightly coloured plastics for products such as egg cups and dental floss holders. Stainless steal has been used in the past for products such as Philippe Starck’s lemon squeeze or the popular various kettles designed.

Kerrie Parkin

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

P r o j e c t B r i e f & D e s i g n S p e c i f P r o j e c t B r i e f & D e s i g n S p e c i f i c a t i o n i c a t i o n

Kerrie Parkin

I intend to design a product in the style of the company Alessi, using the design signatures and techniques of the various designers.

The theme I am to use is the one of which I have to design a product that can be used in the home. It also has to be modern and fun like the examples I have illustrated.

I will target an audience of young people possibly in their early twenties as Alessi’s designing methods are very modern and will appeal to the younger market. The product that I design and manufacture will target perhaps first time home buyers this is because they will want their house to look modern and they will have the sufficient money to spend on designer house ware. Alessi product’s are known to be modern due to the materials that are used of brightly coloured plastics, glass and metal.

First time home buyers would be interested in them as they will be designing their own home and will want to be up to date with the latest house hold trends, also they will have the money as majority of first time buyers do not have a family to support. Perhaps the products will appeal to them as they are buying everything new therefore they don’t mind spending the extra money on the name, as it’s what will last them along time whilst in the home.

Lupita – Dog BowlLupita – Dog Bowl

Specification - Specification -

• It needs to appeal to my target audience of young adults (18 – 25).

• It needs to be modern using a variety of materials.

• It needs to be manufactured using plastic.

• The colours need to be bright and use the style of retro.

• It needs to serve a purpose.

• It needs to use more than one colour.

• It has to look childish yet appeal to adults.

• It has to use the design signatures of Alessi so its uniform to other Alessi products.

• It will contain all components in a box, so it can be transported easily.

• I will compose a note so that it adds to the childish theme telling them how to care for their product.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

C o n s u m e r N e e d s - Q u e s t i o n n a i r C o n s u m e r N e e d s - Q u e s t i o n n a i r e e

Kerrie Parkin

Alessi Product Questionnaire

As part of my As Level product design course work I would be grateful if you could find the time to answer a short questionnaire. This will help me in designing a suitable product in the style of Alessi. I intend to create a small child like product and I am seeking the opinion of people to aid my designing.

What would you prefer the product to be in the style of?• An animal 8• A method of transport i.e a Boat 3• People 1• Nature 0• Halloween 8• Other (Please State) 0

What colour(s) would you prefer?• Yellow 1• Pink 3• Green 1• Blue 1• Orange 2• Red 1• Aqua 2• Purple 1• Black 4• White 4• A range of colours (Please State colours) 0• Other (Please State) 0

What material(s) would suite the product best? • Acrylic 7• Hardwood 4• Softwood 0• Man made wood i.e MDF 0• Stainless steel 8• Glass 1• Other (Please State) 0

Where would you wish to have your product?• Bedroom 1• Bathroom 2• Living room 0• Kitchen 8• Dining room 0• Hall way 0• Garden 8• Other (Please State) 0

Would you want the product to be childlike?• Yes 13• No 7

Would you prefer the product to be modern or traditional?• Modern 14• Traditional 6

Thank you for time we will consider you opinions whilst designing andmanufacturing our Alessi Product.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

A pie chart to show what theme people wanted

Animal

Transport

People

Nature

Halloween

Other (Please State)

A pie chart to show what colours people prefered

yellow

Pink

Green

Blue

Orange

Red

Aqua

Purple

Black

White

A range of colours (Please State)

Other (Please State)

A pie chart to show what room people wanted

products to be in

Bedroom

Bathroom

Living Room

Kitchen

Dining Room

Hall Way

Garden

Other (Please State)

A pie chart to show what materials people

prefered

Acrylic

Hardwood

Softwood

Man made Wood i.eMDFStainless Steel

Glass

Other (Please State)

A n a l y s i s O f I n f o r m a t i o n A n a l y s i s O f I n f o r m a t i o n

Graph 2

Graph 3

Graph 4

Graph 1

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

A n a l y s i s O f I n f o r m a t i A n a l y s i s O f I n f o r m a t i o no n

A pie chart to show if people prefered their product to be childlike

similar to that of an Alessi product

Yes

No

A pie chart to show whether my target audience prefered my

product to be modern or traditional

Modern

Traditional

Graph 6 Graph 5

I have conducted a survey of twenty people this is to ensure that I met all of the user needs. It also gives me an idea of what my target audience of young adults wants out of a product. I have had to take into considerations the likeness of Alessi products hence why the questions are not open ended. If I were to use open ended questions I don’t feel I would benefit from the primary research.I have displayed my results in the form of pie charts as I feel that the information can be easily read and understood.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

A n a l y s i s O f I n f o r m a t i A n a l y s i s O f I n f o r m a t i o no n

Kerrie Parkin

After looking at the information which I have collected from my questionnaire and by looking at my pie charts I am able to identify what the popular options are for my target audience of younger adults. Out of the twenty people questioned eight said they would like to see the product in the form of an animal and eight said they would like to see it in the theme of Halloween. Animals and people are common amongst Alessi and are one of the many design signatures, so this is beneficial to my studies. Nature is also a very popular throughout the younger generation so I am surprised to find that none of the people asked wished the product to be themed on this. I feel Halloween was so popular due to the time of year in which I conducted this survey. However it is typical of Alessi to create products based on a theme throughout the year.

Graph 2 shows which colour people would prefer the results are show that majority wanted black or white. I think that these colours appeared to be popular as they are used quite a lot within industry however Alessi tend to use bright colours such a green, yellow and pinks. Although they have created a black and white magic bunny (shown right). From looking a the pie chart you can see that although black and white were the popular colours the tended to be spread out.

Graph 3 shows what materials people would want to see my product to be manufactured from. Acrylic and stainless steel tend to be the materials which Alessi use and from my results people said that these two materials would be most suitable for the manufacturing of my product. I feel that these were the most popular as they are modern materials and are used a lot in today's society, therefore people are use to seeing them. Products change depending on their environment therefore I have to take into consideration where people would be wanting to place the finished product. An example would be if they want to put it outside in the garden than perhaps a waterproof finish will be needed, to protect and preserve it. As people won’t be wanting to buy my product if it isn’t going to last a long period of time. To give me an idea of where people will be positioning my Alessi product I composed a question, the results from this question had two clear places. They were the garden and the kitchen, each has more votes than the others, the least likely areas where the living room and dining room. I feel this was because Alessi products can be quite childish therefore they need to be put somewhere where they compliment the environment for example the Bathroom, or garden. Also Alessi design and create a lot of products such as condiments and there is a lot of ideas that can be generated from this. From Graph 5 I am able to identify that people want to see the childlike theme continue from Alessi products onto mine. Therefore it needs to be in a room where it will blend in however not ruin the room. Along with its childlike appearance people also wanted it to have a modern theme rather than a traditional which could be seen in other designers, for example Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Out of the twenty people questioned 70% said they would prefer for the product to be modern.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

P r o d u c t D i s a s s e m P r o d u c t D i s a s s e m b l y b l y

Kerrie Parkin

I have dissembled an Alessi product to see what methods of manufacture have been used also to see how the company have assembled the product. I am also able to see if the product works and meets all of its specification.

I am composing a product disassembly on an Alessi salt and pepper pot.

The product has been injection moulded using blue acrylic. Blue is a good colour to use as it appeals to both genders therefore your market audience is wider, also it’s a neutral colour and

will attract a variety of people as it blue tends to compliment most colours within the home.Along with blue acrylic stainless steel has been used. This makes the product look modern and from my questionnaire I was able to see that this is what the target market are wanting. The stainless steel not only gives a good appearance but it also gives the product strength. There were a stainless steel base of about 8mm in thickness and a thin, bendable rod. The rod has been put into place as it gives it the characteristics of a typical salt and pepper stand. Also to make the product a little more fun and childlike magnets have been put onto the feet on the men therefore you can attach them. However this is a disadvantage as whilst on their sides, the salt and pepper fall from the eyes of the men, therefore it isn’t meeting its criteria. On the other hand the steel base catches the wasted materials, so this could be seen as an advantage. The base also has the disadvantage that it gets dirty very easily, this can’t be helped as its due to the material which it has been made out of. As you can see from the image it collects fingerprints easily. So the base doesn’t scratch and doesn’t slip a plastic base has also been added. This looks effective as it isn’t the typical base. Its simple put makes

the product fun. The salt and pepper men are made up of two pieces of plastic, a top and the main section. These screw together to make a complete pepper pot. I think this looks good and is a good design as you can then use two different forms of plastic, like Alessi have. The two blues compliment one another and make the men look interesting. A disadvantage is the size of the men this is because there are very small and not a lot of salt or pepper can be placed within them. This isn’t good as it doesn’t appear practical within the home.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

D e s i g n O b j e c t i D e s i g n O b j e c t i v e v e

I aim to design a salt and pepper pot which are identical in shape and size, however I am going to use various colours to allow customers to identify which is which whilst using the products.

I want the product to look similar to an Alessi product and I will be using several techniques to do this such as, lack of detail, making the product look simple and childlike. I will use bright colours which will not only attract the audience but also give it an Alessi feel.

I will also be designing and manufacturing a stand which the salt and pepper pots can fit on. I will use several materials as this will give the product a professional feel to it and will also make it look appealing and aesthetically pleasing as other materials such as acrylic come in multiply colours.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

S p e c i f i c a t i o n S p e c i f i c a t i o n

Appearance –The product needs to be based on a theme like all Alessi products therefore I have decided upon the theme Halloween. I am going to make the product fun and use bright, vibrant colours, however these colours much compliment one another.

Materials – I am going to use acrylic and stainless steel to continue the Alessi trade mark however I am unable to manufacture these materials within school therefore I am going to create a prototype using the 3D printer and paint the product according to the material which will be used. An example would be metallic silver will be used to make a particular section look metal.

Processes – I will be using CAD CAM in order to manufacture my prototype. In order to do this I will have to design my product on pro-desktop and then manufacture it using the 3D Printer. Once manufactured I will have to then paint the product to give it the appearance that it has been made out of my desired materials.

Product Life – I will want my product to last a long length of time however I want the newness to fade so that people will go out and purchase another product.

Standards –My product will have to meet the legal requirements, such as the British standards and as Alessi world wide it will have to meet European standards.

Competition –In industry there are a lot of competition. I am going to make my product stand out and attract the potential audience which is about. In order to do this I am going to create a funky, retro and childlike product.

Packaging & transport – Once manufactured you may want to package the product this is to protect it whilst transporting it internationally to and from the retailers. The packaging needs to protect the product, therefore bubble wrap can be used as its cheap and readily available. I am not designing nor manufacturing the packaging due to insufficient amounts of time, however it could be an idea for a later project.

Quality – The quality of the product is going to have to be high, as Alessi products

are sold for a lot of money. People aren’t willing to pay the amount of money I’m selling it for if the quality is not up to standard.

Testing – I am going to test my product by allowing people to use it once made and then I will evaluate what they think of it. I will then be able to make improvements if necessary.

Environment – I am aiming to use a products which are friendly to the environment as this appeals to people in today’s society. In order to do this I am going to try and use a minimal amount of material and recycle the material wasted.

Maintenance – When the final Alessi product is created a small cleaning cloth could be included similar to that that you receive when buying jewellery, this is because it will allow the product to continue to shine however eventually it will wear off and the customer will be forced to purchase another. It will need to be cleaned as stainless steel scratches easily.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

I n i t i a l I d e a s I n i t i a l I d e a s

Rating Rating

I have rated this idea at level four. I like this idea as although its simple it still has design to it. I didn’t want the sides to be straight down as I feel it wouldn’t appeal to the target audience as it would be boring and not fun like Alessi aim there products to be. The grey sections will be made out of stainless steel this is because its commonly seen not only in Alessi products but also within kitchens; as its easy to maintain. However I wouldn’t consider manufacturing this product as not many kitchens are purple. The purple sections will be made of plastic, as the combination of stainless steel and plastic is a design signature of the company. The idea shown is just one of three as they will be used as tea, coffee and sugar tins, however I don’t have the machinery to create this idea so I will be making a prototype, using the 3D printer and I will then paint it according to the material I am wanting to use.

I have rated this idea at level two this is because its too complex for that of an Alessi product. Although it is based on the Halloween theme There is too much detail within the hat of the witch and also on the facial features of the two. This product has also been given a low rating due to the ergonomics. This is because it will be very hard to hold the cat in the hand due to its tail, also this feature will be brittle and perhaps could fall off. The hat of the witch would also be too heavy to stay on the head, therefore it wouldn’t fit the needs of the audience as the salt and pepper wouldn’t stay in the product. Also the broom will be very brittle and could fall off, as Alessi products tend to be expensive the customer will not want this to happen. I would indent the plastic to create the facial features, as then the salt wouldn’t fall out unintentionally. I plan to have the salt coming from the top of the witches hat and also from the cats ears. I would use stainless steel for the base so that the pots could stick to the base using magnetic. This is typically seen in the designing of Alessi.

Rating

I have rated this idea at level four as I feel that it has similar characteristics as those products from Alessi. This is a container it can be used to store sweets or other small items. I have designed it in the form of a pumpkin as pumpkins tend to be large in size and the design is fairly round, enabling more space. Also I am able to use the stork on the top as a lid. I will use orange paint as this is typical of a pumpkin. I have used bold colouring so the design is simple, yet effective, also this was seen with existing Alessi products. I will use plastic, this is because it is readily available, its resistant and comes in a variety of colours. I have chosen the ellipse shaping as Alessi tend to use simple shapes. I like this design as its simple and sticks to my specification.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

I n i t i a l I d e a s I n i t i a l I d e a s

Rating Rating Rating

I have rated this idea at level three as although I like the idea I feel that the colouring isn’t one which is seen within a kitchen. Kitchens tend to use natural colours such as greens and reds. If I were to create this idea I would change the colouring to suit the needs of the audience. I would use plastic to manufacture this idea, I would use opaque plastic for the lid and transparent for the base. This is because it separates the biscuit tin and also sticks to the design signatures of Alessi. I have included small circles on the side which will be indented into the product. I am unable to cut these out as the aim of the product is to preserve the biscuit and if air is to get to them it will make the food go moulding therefore not stick to its purpose. In order to stick to the Halloween theme I have turned the top of the lid into the form of a cats head, this is simple yet effective. I have not included any facial features as I feel that the detail of the circles adds the fun, retro aspect of Alessi however it still keeps it simple.

I have rated this idea at level four this is because I feel that the idea is appealing and aesthetically pleasing to my audience. Again it uses the combination of stainless steel and plastic. I have used the mixture of two materials as there is a lack of detail and the use of the two gives it simple yet attractive appearance and also links into the Alessi and Halloween theme. Again to keep it with my Halloween theme I have used the image of a bat. The idea could be used to store small items such as sweets or perhaps biscuits. However I wouldn’t consider this to be my final design as the shape looks outdated and doesn’t really have a retro or modern feel to it. I particularly like the colouring as blue is a popular colour, however you wouldn’t find any food which is blue and this could hinder its popularity within a kitchen. In order to take off the lid I will include finger grips which are shown on the bat wings, this is so it doesn’t spoil the design nor obstruct its ergonomic aspects.

I feel that this design doesn’t completely stick with my theme of Halloween hence why I have only given it a level two rating. Although the lid has been shaped in the form of devil horns it is hard to recognize and I believe that it could be mistaken for something astrological. Like the other idea I don’t like its shape and its appears to be outdated. I particularly like the red colouring as this is a colour which you would typically find in the kitchen. I would manufacture a prototype if I were to create this idea as I don’t have the sufficient machinery to manufacture the idea. I have used a rounded shape as this provides the highest amount of space and if it is used as a biscuit tin these tend to take up a lot of space. I think that too much stainless steel has been used as Alessi tend to use it in proportion with the plastic and this could put off customers as steel tends to get finger marks on it easily.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

I n i t i a l I d e a s I n i t i a l I d e a s

Rating Rating Rating

I particularly like this idea and am considering it for my final hence why I have given it a level five. I have given it a level five as I feel that its appearance is one which you will see in the Alessi range. Although its still linked to Halloween it still has the fun, childlike theme to it which Alessi use often in their designs. The base will be made from stainless steel and the witch figurines of plastic. In order to get the salt and pepper into the figures I am going to allow people to remove the heads this will also be the way in which salt can be poured out of them. This makes the design fun and is also practical. I don’t want my product tobe the same as others on the market as it won’t appeal to my audience. I have used the colours of blue and red as these are the typical colours of opposites. However I don’t favour the bat as this is too complex for Alessi design, yet I will need for something to separate the figures and also it can be used as a handle to hold the stand.

This design is similar to that of the witch stand however the two are identical and this could become a problem when identifying from the salt and pepper. To identify between the two I will include one hole for salt and several for pepper, this is commonly found in the kitchen. I have given this a rating of four as although the design is good and appealing towards the Alessi target market it wouldn’t fit into the kitchen like I feel the witch design would. This is because the red is very bold and stands out. I have altered the base from the ellipse shape to a bean shape. I have done this as the bat top wouldn’t have looked right therefore I included a sphere which made the design look simple and bland. Therefore the bean shape gives the design a more appealing approach. In order to insert salt and pepper into these figures I will include a bung on the base similar to that found on a piggy bank. A stainless steel rod has been placed on the base so that the salt and pepper can be carried about, it also splits the two pots up. Unlike the design I used for my product disassembly the rod will not bend as the pots will be very heavy and need the strength to support their weight.

This idea uses the typical design of a cake stand. I have included a two tier system as then the customer has more space and also it’s the standard design for companies. The tiers will be made of glass as although not often used by Alessi some designs do include it. The rod to hold everything together will be made of a strong stainless steel and the bat of plastic. I have chose to bend the rod as then it makes look a little more like something you expect to find at Halloween. I have chosen the bat as the top as due to its wings it can be picked up and balanced between the fingers. The glass sections will be laser machined out as this will be expensive I will use a prototype of clear acrylic however I will still use the laser machine. I particularly like the design therefore I have given it a level four rating.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

I n i t i a l I d e a s I n i t i a l I d e a s

Rating Rating Rating Rating

This has been based on the timer from Alessi however I have altered it to form a cat although it looks simple I think its effective. I have used the colour yellow/orange as it looks appealing and they are typical colours found within a kitchen. Although I like this design I have not given it a level five rating as I feel that they may be a problem with the timer standing up and this could be discussed in development. I would have to manufacture two individual sections and then using research find a way to allow the top to move to pull on the timer. However due to insufficient time and also lack of technology I would have to make a prototype which could then be presented to Alessi. By using a prototype I wouldn’t have to include all the mechanics of it. I mainly like the lack of detail as I believe this looks similar to an Alessi product. Although the design is based on a Halloween theme I feel that this isn’t as strong as perhaps with other designs.

This design has been based on the Alessi egg cup, however I have slightly changed the design so it fits with my theme of Halloween I have given this idea a rating of level three as although I think its good. It isn’t my own work. I could base my idea on the design of an eggcup however Alessi have designed a lot throughout the years and I’m aiming to do something completely different. I like the use of colours in this design. I have chosen to use the colouring of green as its found in a lot of foods therefore used in the kitchen. The two shades of green have been used so that the design can be split up into two this makes it appealing. I have given it a level three rating as it is very childlike and this is what I am aiming my product to be like. I predominantly like the way in which the spoon is also with the product and it can be stored in the hand of the man., this makes the product fun. This is something which I will consider with my final idea.

This is a salt shaker in the form of a cats head, it is one of two. I have given the head feet as due to its rounded base it can not stand without them another alternative would have been to flatten the base however this would look boring therefore unappealing towards my audience. It would also take away the fun aspect of Alessi designs. I have chosen to use stainless steel for this product and use no plastic which makes this idea different from others. I have chosen to do this as its different from other ideas although it could still be linked to Alessi. I would create a cylinder within the product which would hold all the salt, in order to insert the salt into the pot I would unscrew one of the feet. Although this makes the idea fun it could be likely that it could become fragile therefore be prone to breaking.

These are storage devices in the form of two cats. I have used two different sizes as they could then be used as perhaps pasta and spaghetti containers. I have slightly altered the shape from my first idea as I felt that this shape was aesthetically pleasing and designed according to ergonomics. This is as it fits snug into the hand. I need to take into consideration the fact that peoples hands maybe wet when picking it up so the shape improves the grip. I have given it a level four as it is I feel that it can be adapted easily to create a fun and enjoyable Alessi product. I have combined stainless steel with plastic which is common amongst Alessi designs. I have used blue and green as these look good together.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

F i n a l I d e a F i n a l I d e a

I have chosen to design and manufacture my idea of the witches this is because it incorporates Halloween and also looks childlike. I will also be able to include several materials as the idea is made up of several components such as a base and two pepper pots.

Base

I am designing this on pro-desktop which is CAD software this will allow me to decide upon the height and width of each section. It will also allow me create the bat top accurately and professionally. I am going to machine the bat, zig-zag stick and base all individually as it will be very fragile if it is made up of one piece and this could cause damage to the piece. Also it will be very hard to sand down in the shape that it is and this could also cause damages.

Once machined out I will need to remove all the access power from the product and sanding seal it, this will harden the surface and prevent it from breaking.

Other materials?Instead of using the 3D printer I could also take into consideration the use of acrylic. This would be a good material to use, as it comes in a variety of colours and is traditionally used in Alessi designs.

Unlike when designing the design in pro-desktop to be manufactured on the 3Dprinter, when dealing with acrylic you must use coral draw. Again this is CAD software however it is compatible with the laser machine and uses different coloured lines to do various things. I will need to make all the lines red, this will mean that the laser machine will recognise the lines to cut them out. Unlike black lines which the laser uses to etch out the design.

However I wouldn’t be able to create the 3D stick and bat on the top of the stand. This is because the laser machine uses 3mm thick acrylic, if I were to make a ball I would have to stick several acrylic pieces together

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

D e v e l o p m e n t D e v e l o p m e n t

This is a pro-desktop image of the head of the salt shaker. I am unable to draw it directly onto the bottom section as its an individual component. Originally the head and body were going to be attached together and the salt was going to be inserted into the product via a bung similar to that found on a child’s piggy bank. I chose to do this as it was childlike. However I want for my design to be fun like Alessi intend all there designs to be. In order to do this I have decided to allow the head to be removed. Not only is this different but its easier to design and use. I found it difficult to design, as I was unable to find a radius for the top of head, therefore i would have to use trial and error this isn’t very reliable and would cost a company a lot of money.

This is showing my final design of the cone which Iwill be using as the salt and pepper pot. I have developed the design by inserting a straight cylinder extrusion on the top of the cone. I have done this not only so the manufacturing is easierbut also the head will fit on correctly. If I have time I could insert a clicking device which willensure that the head doesn’t fall off from the cone. The idea is that the cylinder section will be placed inside of the head section. I have chosen to do this as then the salt is secureWithin the pot until the head is removed. This is fun yet practical to use in the kitchen, creating a modern addition to your kitchen utensils.

I have used the material of glass to demonstrate where the cylinder will be. Although I won’t be using glass on the real product but in fact plastic I felt that it allows you to see the length of the cylinder in which the salt or pepper will be stored.

I have re-designed the head and I am now able to know that it will fit the top of the cone perfectly. I know this as I have extruded the circle to remove material. I have only extruding in by 5mm as this is the height on the cylinder on the top of the cone.

This is demonstrating the 5mm extrusion where the cylinder of the cone will fit. This is also 5mm in height so that it doesn’t fall off.

This is showing the stand which my salt and pepper pots will stand on. I have chosen to create this out of stainless steel, this is so it breaks up the use of plastic, as too much plastic could make my product look cheap which would mean it wouldn’t fit my specification of Alessi work. Although my idea shows that the to of the base has a bat rather than a ball I have chosen to simplify the idea as this gives it the characteristics of an Alessi product. I have chosen to extrude the base rather than keep it flat as this gives the idea stability.Rather than have a straight bar joining the ball to the base I have chosen to create kinks in it which emphasise its shape and design. The kinks also remove all the straight line which I have used in the shape of my pots. This makes it more appealing towards the eye.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

D e v e l o p m e n t D e v e l o p m e n t

This is one of my original designs. As you can see I have stuck to the original idea that I will insert a rod between the two pots to separate them. However I have altered my first idea to suit the needs of not only the consumer but also Alessi. I have chosen to simplify the design so that it fits to the Alessi ways of designing. Also the broom would have been very fragile once manufactured and I wouldn’t have wanted it to break. Therefore I have changed the design to that of a stainless steel bat, as this is resistant and durable. Although I have since then changed my design again, in the sense that the wings of the bat have been removed to leave a ball. I have done this as I don’t want the audiences eye to be taken away from the design of the pots.

I have considered inserting the letter P onto the pepper pot and S onto the salt as this will not only allow people to identify the individual pots but it will also split up the large blocks of colour, which are to be used.

I have not only simplified the design by removing the design of the broom, I have also removed the detail from the characters such as there eyes, tail of the cat and stitching on the witches hat. This makes it look a lot like a product sold by Alessi.

This is a pro-desktop image of my designed head for the top of the pot. Again this will be made out of plastic like the other sections of the product. I have chosen plastic as it is resistant and also easy to maintain, and used a lot with Alessi designers.

I have altered the hat of the witch, this is because I didn’t want for the pots to be so tall. Therefore I had to remove some height from the hat as the cone shaped body as been designed using ergonomics to fit snug in the hand.

This is showing the hat on top of the head. I particularly like this smaller hat as I feel that it makes the design look childlike. I am able to change this bit of the design as originally I was going to allow the salt to be placed in this section however I have developed the idea sothat the salt is now placed within

a cylinder sector of the cone which is shown on the previous slide.

There is no link here, like in the original as there is no need for it no more due to the salt being stored in the main body.

I have intruded the circle to 5mm this is the length of the cylinder on the cone. This is so it fits snug on the top and can be removed when salt is needed.

This will prevent the spillage of salt or pepper and it will stop other items falling into the salt. The hole has a diameter of 1cm identical to that

found on the top of the cone.

I have extruded the ring around the hat so that it has the characteristics of a witch. I also believe that it improves the products appearance as it splits up the simple lines of design which I have used. Without this I feel that the design would look boring and this maymake it look unappealing towardsthe target market.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

M o d e l l i n g M o d e l l i n g

This is my first attempt at manufacturing my salt and pepper pots. However I have found faults within the design. I have used the 3D printer as I am creating a prototype which I will paint in order to give it a professional appearance.

Once manufactured the brim of the witches hat became very fragile which caused it to brake and fall off, as you can see from the image. This isn’t the professional approach that I am aiming for, and it wouldn’t be aesthetically pleasing.It broke off as it was only 1mm wide, therefore I have made it bigger to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.

This is the hole which the salt or pepper will be stored, from my modelling I realised that it was too long in length which would cause a lot of salt to pour out when not needed.

This is again showing how unprofessional the hat looks due to it falling away.

I feel that the head is too small in size as after researching into other Alessi products it has come to my attention that in order to make the product look childlike and cute they use proportions such as making the head bigger than the body.

Although Alessi keep there products looking plain and simple and this is one of their design signatures. My idea looks boring and unappealing, which isn’t what my specification says it will be like. It needs to be fun therefore I am going to include the letter S on the Salt pot and the letter P on the Pepper. This will also make it easier to identify which pot is which.

This is another paper based model, each are the same height of 80mm, however i have made the cone smaller in width, this is to test to see which feels better in the hand. I have also used a smaller beaded ball, this was to see which looked better against the main body. After these tests I have chosen to go for a larger head as it looks more in proportion.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

M o d e l l i n g M o d e l l i n g

This is another paper based model example of a tested pepper pot, however unlike with the others I have gone with a smaller, wider approach. This was just to see which felt and looked better in the hand.

This felt to small, and would easily brake. I could also not put any detail onto it which I have decided the product needs as it doesn’t look fun.

Also not a lot of salt of pepper would fit inside this product and this may put consumers off, as they keep having to refill it.

This is my paper based modelling. I used paper along with a ping pong ball to judge the sizing of the pepper pot. I needed to use ergonomics so that it was practical and would fit into the hand of the consumer.

I also didn’t know what sizing to use on the witches head therefore I used a ping pong ball, as this was 30mm in diameter and looked adequate with the main body.

This image demonstrates how the larger pepper pot, looks and feels better in the hand.

Due to its size the people felt more comfortable having it in their hand. Also in kitchens water is present and if the consumers hands are wet then the larger size will enable it to be easier to hold.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

P r o d u c t a n a l y s i s - D y P r o d u c t a n a l y s i s - D y s o n s o n The vacuum cleaner Dyson was designed and created by James Dyson. He doesn’t believe in the product looking good but in it working. However after looking into the product he’s made it look fun and interesting this is by the use of various components, colours and materials.

I will be analysing the Dyson DC08, this vacuum has been designed to fit in cupboard.

Appearance Although Dyson don’t believe in the products looking good they must take it into consideration, this is as its what catches the consumers eye. Dyson have used clear acrylic plastic, this makes the design look fun and appealing. As the plastic is clear it allows the consumer to see if it is working correctly and if it isn’t what the problem is. The way in which the plastic emphasises the technology and also makes the design fun and interesting.

Rubber wheels have been used, rather than the usual plastic wheels, although this is more expensive it allows the vacuum to be taken on all surfaces and it won’t scratch them. This makes the product practical and also appealing, which are Dyson’s aims.

As Dyson aimed to fit the vacuum in a cupboard therefore they introduced an adjustable wand. This was because the smaller vacuum was designed to save space and after research, due to the wand it was the same size as the stand up vacuum cleaners. It was based on the tripod method however they didn’t want to have to click the joints into place, so it expands and fixes into place itself.

I like the use of clear acrylic as I think it benefits the consumer as well as the company, this is because it allows the customer to see the insides of the vacuum therefore the technical side which Dyson want.

Materials Mainly a variety of plastics have been used, this is because it comes in multiple colours, is resistant, cheap and easy to manufacture.

Processes The machine has been injection moulded, this is because it allows products to be manufactured easily and cheaply. Another advantage is that all the products are identical. This is something which Dyson will want as if the designs were altered each time, then if something broke on the vacuum there wouldn’t be able to fit another piece. Also they know that the particular design works well, therefore each will need to be the same as faults may occur. Injection moulding also ensures that there is less waste, which is beneficial to Dyson. This is because money isn’t being wasted as all the materials are being used.

Joints Dyson rarely have no joints, this is so if the vacuum breaks down then the consumer is able to open it up and find the problem, and this prevents them from ringing the helpline. Also due to all the components being with the machine it can be easily put back together. The clear plastic also helps with locating the problem. I like the use of joints as it allows the vacuum to move about easily, this is demonstrated with the head attachment.

Flexible tubing

Joint, allowing head to move

Rubber wheels

This is so it doesn't have to be lifted from the floor, which could cause damage. It also allows the head to reach harder places which other vacuums haven’t been able to reach. The use of joints also allows the machine to be made small as all the attachments come off, this is shown in the picture. This was Dysons aims so that it can fit into small areas.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

A fan has also has also been put into place which cleans the dirty brushes, this prevents the machine from breaking down. On standard vacuums the fans are cleaned by the suction of air from the carpets, however Dyson realised that this was dirty air and reduced suction and power, due to the dirt getting clogged within the vacuum. Therefore they have inserted another hole which air passes through, this also adds power and uses clean air. To prevent damage to hard floors it can be closed off.

DesignThe design is simple as Dyson don’t believe in what they look like but how the technology works. Another reason is that if the design was complex then it would be costly, as the company would have to design complex moulds for the injection moulding process. Also the moulds would take longer to make and they are more likely to go wrong. I particularly like the Dyson design as I feel the simple design gives it a modern feel and this will entice customers to purchase the products along with its well known technology aspects. Another reason why I feel the simple design is the right route to go down is because in today’s society people want good technology but at a cheap price, therefore money shouldn’t be wasted on making the design complex, if the simple design works best.

P r o d u c t a n a l y s i s – D y s o P r o d u c t a n a l y s i s – D y s o n n

Energy efficiency I feel the Dyson DCO8 TW Animal is energy efficient. This is due to the technological aspects such as the shape and design of the product. The way in which the fans has been used, so that new air is placed into vacuum helps suction which means people aren’t using the product for as long and this reduces the electricity used etc.

Top view

Front facing view

When assembled

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

When the paint is dry then the product is sanded down this removes the lines which have been created from the 3D printer. The paint needs to be sanded off. Once this has been done then another layer of primer is sprayed. The process is repeated three or four times to ensure that all the cracks and holes have been removed. You know when the product is ready for its first coat of paint as the surface will be very smooth and no lines will be present. Once at this stage a layer of primer is sprayed on so the product was one colour, it was then left to dry.

M a n u f a c t u r i n g M e t h o d sM a n u f a c t u r i n g M e t h o d s

Once sanded down a primer of grey spray paint is used. This is to give it a smooth and professional finish which would be found on the real product. A thin layer is needed because if the paint is put on too thick then it can take a long amount of time to dry. Also the paint can soak into the powder and cause the product to become fragile and brittle.

When the product had dried then the design is to be sanded down, although its been harden its still very fragile therefore you must handle it gently. Wet and dry sand paper is used as this isn’t as rough as others, therefore it won’t damage the design. If rougher paper were to be used then this may result in the loss of detail.

Once my design has been printed off it is very fragile and delicate therefore to prevent it from breaking I used sanding sealer which seals and hardens the product. The product is so delicate as it is made up of powder therefore the resin helps to harden it and reduce breakage.

With primer

Once sanded

When it was dry, then layers of your desired paint must be applied to the product, this was done by the means of spraying it onto the surface. However I did not spray a thick layer on first I built it up. This gave the product a nice finish.

3D Printing

Laser machine - BaseTo make my product look similar to Alessi I have designed a base for my salt and pepper stands. I have created the design in coral draw and then used the laser cutter to produce an acrylic shape. I have designed it as a eclipse shape as I feel that there are a lot of straight lines in the design of the salt and pepper pots, therefore it makes it look appealing. I have chosen the colour black simply because my theme is Halloween and my salt and pepper pots are very colourful and I didn’t want the attention from them to go onto the base. Although the base colour of black doesn’t fit into a kitchen environment from my questionnaire you can see that black was on of the top choices I feel this is because it is a modern colour, along with white. Also the colour black won’t show dirt and perhaps this could appeal to a customer, as it won’t require a lot of maintenance. This is my first attempt with the base as you can see the pepper pot only just fits on it. I want it bigger than this because I want the user to be able to carry the salt and pepper about and I feel it could fall off this easily. Therefore I have made it slightly bigger however still kept the hole in the centre the same size. The hole needs to be the same size as a aluminium bar is to be place through the centre of it. This is so it can be carried about. Although my original idea was to produce the stand on the 3D printer, it came to my attention that this would take too much time and also not meet the Alessi design of using multiple materials.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

M a n u f a c t u r i n g M e t h o d sM a n u f a c t u r i n g M e t h o d s

This is my second attempt at the base and as you can see the pepper pot fits on comfortable with space to spare. This is what I was hoping for as I don’t want the pots to get broken due to insufficient space.

Laser machine - CatOriginally I was to have a cat designed on the bottom of my design however due to my design breaking I had to fill in the hole which I had made. Whilst trying to sand down the filler I noticed that cracks were appearing around the fault and I didn’t want the hole to get any bigger therefore I decided to create some acrylic pieces which were to be placed on the base of the witch pot. This will not only hide my fault but also incorporate the plastic material of acrylic which Alessi tend to use a lot. This is the original design of the salt and pepper pots. Originally I was going to machine out the same cat design and slot it into the intruded cat. However the filler wouldn’t sand down enough for me to do this and left it to stick out thereforeI needed to think of another way to insert the acrylic pieces therefore I decided on creating a new base, design from acrylic. Due to using the laser machine I could machine out the cat and the outer circle on two different coloured and acrylic pieces however they’d slot together perfectly.

In order to get the same sized cat design I exported my pro desktop design on my pepper pot and used it as a guide to draw the new design in coral draw. Once I had drawn it I did a tester to see if the pieces fit, before machining my final design.

This is showing my testing of the cat base. You can see that the cat fits perfectly within the outer circle. This is what I am wanting to do however I want to use multiple colours so make it look more effective.

The line you can see on this image is where the laser machine has cut out the cat design. I have made the outer circle to have a diameter of 60mm this is the same size as the base of the salt and pepper pots.

I have machined out just the cat for the black section this is because I didn’t need the outer circle however with the clear plastic I had to include the cat design within the circle so that it could be removed to leave the cat shape and wasn’t a whole circle. I had to make sure that the cat was central so that once glued to the pepper pot the fault couldn’t be seen. Due to the acrylic being clear it will show the glue therefore I have designed and machined out a whole red and blue circle. I have chosen these colours as these are the colours which the salt and pepper pots have been coloured in therefore it will still look apart of the design. From the picture you can that that I have then glue them together this is to give the design stability.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

M a n u f a c t u r i n g M e t h o d sM a n u f a c t u r i n g M e t h o d s

BoltsIn order to make my product look professional I have designed my own bolt which is to be placed on top of my threaded bar and aluminium tubing. This is combining both metal and plastic which is similarly found with Alessi products. In order to do this I have used the Lathe CAM Designer - 1214.LCD. This is the machine which will create my bolt once designed.

I have made my bolt, to have an insert of 5mm and a diameter of 6mm this is because my threaded bar needs to fit comfortably within the bolt and that also has a diameter of 6mm. I have designed the bolt to look simple yet still have some design to it as it was replacing the originally designed bat which was to be made there.

A normal M6 bolt has been placed on the bottom of the threaded bar therefore when the base was put into place it wobbled to prevent this from happening I have used the same designed and machined out four other knobs which will act as feet and make the base stable for the salt and pepper stands. I have glued these onto the acrylic using araldite, I am able to do this as the acrylic I have used is black and not transparent so the glue won’t be shown.

This is the Lathe CAM Designer - 1214.LCDand what I manufactured my knob on.

This is my bolt getting machined out.

Aluminium tubing and threaded bar I have used threaded bar for the bar of the stand because it is very strong and I didn’t have sufficient time to manufacture it with the 3D printer. As the threaded bar is already made it needed to be cut down to size, therefore I measured the length of the base which was 180mm and cut the threaded bar down to this size. However I need to leave a 5mm gap at the top as this is where the knob would screw on. I needed to take into consideration the gap for the base and also the bolt on which will hold everything in place. I wrapped the threaded bar in material so it wouldn’t

scratch and placed it in the vice, I then used a hatch saw to saw it down to my desired length. I used the same processed on the aluminium tubing however it needn’t be as long as it weren’t going in the bolt no below the base.

Matching Bolts

Aluminium tubing and threaded bar

Acrylic base

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

P l a n o f m a n u f a c t u r eP l a n o f m a n u f a c t u r e

START

FINISH

Does the design fit the final design?

Create the design on Prodesktop CAD

software No

Yes

No

Are all the materials available?

Go & collect materials

Is all machinery .working ?

Yes

No

Check ..machinery

Are you taking safety precautions?

Yes

Has the design machined out well?

Yes

No

Go back and redo the product

Yes

Have you put sanding sealer on the

product?

Yes

Have you sanded down the product?

Yes

Is the product smooth?

Yes

No

Add another layer of sanding sealer

Have you added a layer of primer?

Have you sanded off the layer of primer?

Yes

Is the product smooth without dimples?

Yes

Have sprayed a coat of primer?

Add another layer of primer

No

Yes

Add a layer of primer

No

Have you sprayed your first coat of

paint?

Yes

Does your finish look professional?

Yes

Sand down and add another layer of paint

No

Does your finish product need

components adding?

Yes

Yes

Add components No

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

T e s t i n g T e s t i n g

Once I had created my product I had to test it to see if it met its specification.

In order to do this I had to give it to the customer and use their opinions to judge whether the product could be used like I hoped.

From the image 1 you can see that it fits in the hand of an adult hand snug and this was want I wanted, as these are the people that would be using the product. The shape of the product was an advantage, this was because is easy to grip which meant that it didn’t slip out of the users hand. It didn’t slip as the base is wider than the top not only did it improve the handling of the product but it also meant that the product would stand up and can support the weight of the large head (shown in image 2).

It also came to the attention from testing my product that by enlarging the head it meant it was a lot easier to hold and remove from the base. Originally the head was enlarge in order to make the design look more childlike as this was a design signature of Alessi. When questioned people said the idea of a stand was useful to the design of the product as it meant

Image 2

Image 1

Image 3

that the product could be moved from one room to another and also they felt that it took away some of the childlike aspects of the product and made it look modern with the combination of metal and black acrylic which worked well, this was because it didn’t take the vibrant colours away from the salt and pepper pots.

The base also looked good when placed within its designed environment of a kitchen. The base meant that the salt and pepper pots couldn’t go a stray and could be placed together, it is also aesthetically pleasing.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

T e s t i n g – q u e s t i o n n a i r e T e s t i n g – q u e s t i o n n a i r e

I asked twenty people to give their opinion on my final product, this was to see if it met my specifications. I asked my target audience of young couples.

Does it feel comfortable when held in the hand?

Yes 15

No 5

Does it look like an Alessi product?

Yes 17

No 3

Does the product fit comfortably on the base?

Yes 13

No 7

In your opinion do you think the colours fit in the kitchen environment?

Yes 15

No 5

The 5 people who said that the product didn’t fit comfortably in the hand where men who had large hands. I had to take into consideration the majority of my target audience and I feel that with 60% people agreeing that it was comfortable that it was.

68% of people agreed that the product when compared against an original Alessi product had similarities, this met my specification.

Majority of the people asked said it fit on the base comfortable however 7 people disagreed with this. When questioned they said that the salt and pepper could fall off of the base as it was acrylic and slippery. Perhaps an improvement could be that I could make the pots magnetic when being manufactured in industry, this attract them to the base and keep them in place.

60% agreed that the colours which I have chosen fit in with the kitchen environment this was what I wanted and I carefully chose the colours I were to use this was so it would be useful and appealing for my target audience.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

E v a l u a t i o n E v a l u a t i o n

How the project went? And problems encounteredI feel that the project went very well and I am pleased with my final outcome. Although the product isn’t what I first hoped it would be I think that the changes have made it an appealing piece of work and also improved its appearance and uses within the kitchen. The changes were made possible by the organisation of time, and the research of similar products.

Although I experience several problems such as the bottom of my salt pot collapsing and my finished product being misplaced. The ways in which I dealt with the problem have proven to be successful and the whole project has turned out well. I used filler on the base of the pot to hide the cracks and make it one level rather than have the cat design on show. However this looked unsightly and was causing the pot to collapse more, therefore I came up with the idea of designing acrylic pieces which were to replace the original cat design. This looked effective and hide the problem.

I was unable to find my finished pot top as it had been moved within the college holidays. Therefore I had to manufacture the head again., within the short time period I had. This lead to the head not having a professional finish, like the original however all the other components are finished to the highest standard.

StrengthsThe strengths of the product are that I have used a constant theme of Halloween throughout the project. Also my product can be recognized as a witch, which was the intention after testing my product on my target audience. They also said that it had a childlike theme to the design which was in my

specification. The product looks similar to that of an Alessi product and I feel this was down to changes that I made. I combined the plastic with metal along with my prototype of a childlike design. If I were to stick with the original idea of basing the whole project on the 3D printer I feel it wouldn’t have the same effect.

The idea of creating my own bolt makes the stand look unique and people will pay vast amounts of money to have something which no-one else has. This will appeal to customers. Not only did I design a bolt for the top of the stand I also manufactured matching metal feet which are glued to the acrylic base, the combination of black acrylic with metal feet look effective and modern which is another Alessi theme.

I like the fact that I have combined acrylic with my 3D printer pots this looks effective and again is sticking with the Alessi theme. I have used two layers of acrylic at the bottom, this was so I could include the cat design so the pots resembled Halloween. I used the colours similar to pots so that they look effective and not out of place.

Not only do the acrylic pieces look good but they will also improve the maintenance of the product as it is less likely to scratch and the bottom won’t fall away.

The technique from the use of primer and sanding the product down with wet and dry has left a smooth finish with hardly any dimples this gives the prototype the plastic look I was hoping for. The use of the letter S & P have finished of the design and made the pots easier to recognize and also given it a childlike appearance.

Alessi

Kerrie Parkin

E v a l u a t i o n E v a l u a t i o n

From the questionnaire that I carried out I was able to see that people wanted to use the colour black therefore I created a stand with metal feet this was so the salt and pepper pot could be situated on something and also be carried about from one room and another. The combination of dark acrylic and metal looks modern and this will appeal to my target audience of young couples. The use of metal is also very strong therefore it will be very resistant.

WeaknessesThe weaknesses of my product include an indent which can be found on the hat of the witch, this was created due to too much sanding and once done I couldn’t smooth it out, this could have been prevented if I had sanded lightly and not continuously in the same area for long periods of time. The paint which I have used has made the error become not as noticeable.

Along with the indent of the hat the salt pot has been sanded too much about the neck where it joins with the head, again this was due to sanded hard upon the product. However this doesn’t effect the product once the head has been placed upon it. Although the acrylic bases hide the filler which I used to hide the crack, I feel that the design and product would have looked better and more professional without them. Also it took vast amounts of time to incorporate the head of a cat on the base and this wasn’t shown in the final outcome. Although I only broke one of the pots I needed to make both the identical therefore what I did to one I had to do to the other. I feel that it was a good idea and works well but it hides the better design beneath it.

What I would improveIf I were to do this project again I would improve the finishes of my products. This would include being gentle whilst sanding the product so I can keep the original design and not have to cover it up with acrylic pieces.

I would also manage my time more wisely and create components or mask off sections so they can be another colour although this is not typical when designing Alessi products I feel that one component won’t take away the design signature of Alessi perhaps this could have been the original bat on the top of the stand, or perhaps a broom for the witch to hold.

Does the match the original specification?

I have used vibrant colours and stuck to the Alessi/Halloween theme which I said I would. I have done this by designing the pots in the theme of a witch and also used blues and reds.

I have also used a combination of metal and acrylic which is found within Alessi designs once researched. This makes the product look similar to my chosen design company and also uses a variety of materials which will make it fit in other areas of the house not just my chosen area of the kitchen.

In order to compete against other companies I said I were to keep my product looking childlike, I feel I have done this well. By developing my idea to make the head larger than the body. This is found in a lot of cartoons which appeal to children. This makes the idea look cute.