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June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Enhancing AT Solutions ThroughIndustrial Design Techniques

Scott Haynes, MBME

Natasha Powell, BSME, MID (candidate)‏Srikanth Jalasutram, BSME, MID (candidate)‏Georgia Institute of Technology

June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Acknowledgements

• National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDDR)‏– Workplace Accommodations RERC

• Colleagues at Georgia Tech

– College of Architecture

– School of Industrial Design

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June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Workshop Agenda

• Introduction

• Workstation studio project

• Industrial Design process

• Common Industrial Design techniques

• Brief “in-class” exercise

• Discussion– ID vs. “Typical” AT development methods

– Adding ID professionals to the team

June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

UD Workstation Studio

• Engage undergraduate students in ID studio to generate preliminaryconcepts

• Select products for further development in graduate design studios andthesis projects

• Work with project partners to commercialize new universal designs

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June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Workspace Observations

Airport check-inNursing Radio Stations

June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Workspace Analysis

• Analyzing work flows 4 traits were used to organize occupations

• Openness of workflow to customer input

• Distribution of Tasks in the workspace• Number of Tasks

• Ownership of workspace

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June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Universal Design Studio - Simulation Exercises

•Observation and role playing techniques were shared with the Junior Studios fora Universal workspace design exercise.

Bartender Workspace ticket office workspace secretary workspace

June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

Some project results…

• Supermarket• Primary Stakeholders: Employees with little reach• Final design: Retractable Shelving

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June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

• Dental Hygienist

• Primary Stakeholders:• Dental Hygienists with back pain, RSI

• Final designs:• Forward Support Chair

Some project results…

June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

“Typical” AT Approach

Data Gathering:•Person•Environment•Activity

Referral

ImplementAccommodation

Solution

Follow-up

Analyze Data&

Determine Solution

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The Product Development Process

• Balancing broad and narrow focus• Focus on user(s) experience• Weighing the emotional equally with functional• Make tangible solutions based on users’ behavior and

beliefs

Defining Opportunities Visualizing and Analyzing Concepts Engineering Distribution

Data Gathering

Data Analysis Synthesis

ID Techniques

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Data GatheringCapturing information about user context and Behavior

Data Gathering

•Used to study a set of users or user behaviors ,in participation with them.

•In Product Development, ethnographic tools can be used to study userbehaviors, contexts of product use, and cultural settings prior to designing.

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Photo/video

Researcher captures relevant datain the primarily capture moreinformation than words aloneprovide (audio as well) ‏

Journals/Diaries

The user is asked to recordactions, feelings, ownobservations at a regular time orduring a particular situation

Drawing/Collage

Asking users to elicit opinionsdrawing or choosing artifacts/images provided by the

Data Gathering

Comparison of tools

Time

Money

Data Depth

less more

less more

less more

Data Gathering

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• To pick up on users context ,experience and things that areimportant to the User

• Requires more effort from user (user error more possible)‏• Best to combine with simple technologies such as Cameras,

Phones etc

• In Design: Lextant allowing teens to document via picturesand vocal notes their shopping

Journals/Diaries

Data Gathering

• To elicit priorities hard for user to articulate• Used to understand user’s perception of attributes

• Collages can be made from images, drawings, words andartifacts

• Use a combination of multiple things to convey user insight.

• In Design: Lextant used collages to determine what ruggedphysically meant to consumers

Drawings/Collages

Data Gathering

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• To capture implicit user behavior

• Video analysis can be time-consuming

• Combining quotes from users withimages is best

• In Design: Steelcase set upcameras in part of a health carefacility to determine workflow/spaceissues for variety of users

Data GatheringPhoto/Video Capture

Data Gathering

Data AnalysisAssembling information into main ideas

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Data Analysis

AbstractionDeconstructionManipulation Aggregation

NOTE: Add to Resources List

Holland, Johnny. Deconstructing Analysis Techniques.

http://johnnyholland.org/magazine/2009/02/deconstructing-analysis-techniques/

Manipulation

Data Analysis

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•Sorting and rearranging (but not changing existing data)‏

•All most all types of research results are approached this way first

•Example: To determine technology importance patterns based on age photoscollected of each persons bag contents are divided into age groups

Manipulation

Data Analysis

Data Analysis

•Looking at multiple sources of information to ensure a BROADER understanding ofdata context

•Often used to gathering various perspectives to define the USER EXPERIENCE

•Example: Looking through data from students schedule, study habits, teacher andparent interviews to learn more about student focus issues

Aggregation

Data Analysis

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Data Analysis

•Breaking down data into components that are easier to analyze

•Often used with large clumps of data

•Example: Separating parts of video of user in work environmentaccording to time of day to better determine what aspects ofhis/her environment are the most stressful

morningmorning noon afternoon

Deconstruction

Data Analysis

•Using to simplify complex data to find patterns to form a hypothesis

•Hypothesis requires further testing to be validated

•Requires planning in the gathering stage of exactly what question to ask

Abstraction

Data Analysis

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SynthesisTranslating Ideas into Physical Forms

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Exercise: Observation of Dental Hygienists:

• Hygienists frequently in forward or side leaning position

• Hygienists move back and forth to grab tools from desk then get topatient

• Hygienists use a large quantity of tools that have a single function

Synthesis

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V

Design Goals

•Allow tools to be multipurpose and reduce need for forceful grippingand wrist bending

•Arrange the work environment to allow hygienist to efficiently grabtools

•Support multiple postures in hygienist’s chair

Synthesis

V

• explorative sketches and prototyping

• Initial sketched forms were allowed to be low indetails (low fidelity)‏

• “quick and dirty” approach building prototypes

• Refinement done in successive iterations

Prototyping

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Value of physical Prototyping

V Value of physical Prototyping

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Video

Exercise

•You are given the task of re-designingthe interior of this airplane.

•Take notes on users overall experience.•Pick top three areas for improvement.

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Data Gathering

Data Analysis

Synthesis

Diaries/ Journals Drawings / Collages Photo / Videotaping

Manipulation Aggregation Deconstruction Abstraction

Sketching Prototyping

Summary

June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

• ID vs. “Typical” Rehab methods

• How does this process differ from yours?

• What do you see that you could implement?

• Adding ID professionals to the team

• Who would / have you contact(ed)?

• Where would you go to find one?

Q and A / Discussion

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June 27, 2009 RESNA Annual Conference 2009, New Orleans, LA

• Enhancing AT Solutions Through

• Industrial Design

• TechniquesGeorgia Tech – CATEA

www.workrerc.orgwww.catea.org

Thank You!!

Industrial Design References and Resources

Presentation Sources

Lextant : a design research company that helps corporations bring new products tomarket

•http://www.lextant.com/ site’s blog has methods and examples

• company presentations

•http://www.slideshare.net/koovus/lextant-icsid-presentation

•http://www.slideshare.net/koovus/people-cant-tell-you-what-they-want-and-nine-other-design-research-myths-presentation

Steelcase: office furniture design company that openly documents their design insights

•http://www.steelcase.com/na/Research.aspx?f=17554 (site with case studies)‏•Radiologist case study: http://tinyurl.com/radiologistcasestudy

Johnny Holland (interaction designer): Deconstructing Analysis Techniques

•http://johnnyholland.org/magazine/2009/02/deconstructing-analysis-techniques/

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Industrial Design References and Resources

Industrial Design Sources

Websites

• http://idsa.org/ IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America) large resource forfinding Industrial Design companies and schools in the US

• http://www.icsid.org/resources/library.htm International Council of Societies ofIndustrial Design site with examples and case studies of Industrial Design

• http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/ United Kingdom Design site with many studies

Blogs from Design Firms (sites that provide a look inside design thinking and the IDprocess in practice)‏

• http://designmind.frogdesign.com/blog/ frog design

• http://www.ideo.com/thinking/approach/ IDEO

Books

• Design meets Disability by Graham Pullin

• Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman

• A list of other design books and resources can be found here:http://www.core77.com/resources/