pss diary

Can be found here.

Product Service Systems: Ground for Ground pt2

Out of the three categories to choose from (food, mobility, and health) my group chose to create a product service system around the food sector. We began to brainstorm possible sectors within the food category to see which areas we could further explore. Mind maps as follows:

Our proposed system is to redistribute coffee grounds from cafes to be utilised on both a household and commercial level. The current system was mapped out in order to determine where the problem areas were.

One of the major problems associated with spent coffee grounds was the disposal. The majority of used coffee grounds were being thrown away with everyday rubbish, instead of being utilised to their full potential. A new system was mapped out to include our proposed concept:

The products in the service system are the dump bins used in cafes, the coffee ground station, and the coffee ground container. The dump bins were designed to be an improvement on the current ones used but also a multi purpose product as they double as stools. This way, the stools can be used in the cafe and with the logo being visible it promotes brand awareness. The 'Grounds to Go' station allows customers at the cafe to fill up their container with grounds and take as much or as little as they like. The 'Grounds to Go' container is conveniently sized to fit in a small handbag and seals tightly so as not to take up much space or omit odours if carried around all day.

Products:

Tech drawings:

Scenario boards:

Information booklet/starter kit:

In order to educate customers about the 'Grounds for Ground' service, the 'Ground to Go' container used for customers to take home their own grounds was accompanied by an information booklet. The booklet was part of a starter kit that customers could obtain after purchasing 5 coffees on their loyalty card. It gives customers the opportunity to start their own garden, even if they just have a couple of pot plants. The booklet is printed on seeded paper and comes with instructions so that beginner learn more gardening.

Powerpoint presentation can be found here.

Product Service Systems: Ground for Ground pt1

Reflection:

The task of designing a whole product service system rather than just a product was challenging to say the least. It was quite difficult to understand the concept of an actual product service system, I found it confusing to begin with because I understood it to be just a vending machine or kiosk. Once I understood what a PSS actually was it was difficult to begin brainstorming for original ideas that haven't been done before. Our original concepts were quite basic and didn't have much of a 'system' to them.

Industrial designers should definitely consider product service systems among their solutions as I found that it was a good experience to create a whole system, start to end rather than just one product. It's always good to know more than you need, being able to understand how a product service system works is an asset to an industrial designer. If an industrial designer is designing an interface for a product, it's important for them to understand the process from start to finish including the user interaction of the product, distribution, manufacturing, etc.

I liked the fact that there were basically endless possibilities when creating a product service system. The brief started off as relatively free until I realised what was actually involved. I think the fact that there were so many factors to consider was the most difficult part of the project. Once we figured out one part of the concept there was a myriad of other factors we had to consider. I greatly value the input we get from our tutors, but coming week to week with progress and having to change directions was also a really trying part of the project. With so many varying suggestions of what we should do, it really just made us confused on which direction to take. I would have liked to decide on a final concept well before it was due to work out any problems that occurred along the way, but this was difficult to do when even in our final week before presentation our idea was still changing.

An advantage of designing a product service system was the fact that it was so broad. We had no choice but to understand every little component that went into creating the system, from each individual product to the distribution factors, and user interaction. It definitely made us stronger designers for that.

I definitely think I learned a lot from this project, not only from our product service system, but from everyone else's as well. It was interesting to see everyone's solution to the project and considering we only had three categories to chose from everyone's projects were so different. This project also made me learn more about working in a team, although group work is often challenging I was fortunate enough to have a really solid group to work with. Everyone was always open to ideas and there were never any negative attitudes. We were able to play on everyone's strong points to ensure that everyone did an equal amount of work.

video reflections: ethical design issues

After watching the Design for Life series, the final installment was the most interesting to view. I could definitely relate to the two final contestant designers (especially the crying part) as they completed their projects to meet deadlines while battling obstacles. I think that one of the most important part of the installment was the evolution of their designs. I kinda wonder where they found these designers though, I was pretty floored that this kid 'Mike' didn't even bother putting dimensions on his illustrator drawing when he went to meet with the injection moulder. Apparently, a 'recent design graduate', I wonder how he got away with it in university??? Pretty sure I wouldn't even bother showing a drawing of a design to a tutor or even a fellow classmate without at least a couple of overall dimensions on it.

They both worked really hard though and pushed themselves to the limit in order to finish their designs, get them to the model makers and work on their ad campaigns. Ilsa was clearly the stronger designer though, and the decision to give her the internship seemed fair. I was just a little unsure about her overall aesthetic, she didn't quite seem to get the idea of creating an effective ad campaign, and hers ended up being the weaker one in the end. Luckily for her, the design was enough to get her the job. The video made me think about the way I design, and the importance of a strong presentation and back up material i.e. posters, model etc.

video reflections: climate change

In the environmental documentary An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore explore the causes and effects of global warming. Even though climate change is such a heavy topic, Gore presented the issues clearly and the film was extremely informative and eye-opening. The short animations made the presentation easier to take in, although I found some parts to be pretty emotional (poor little polar bears).

Gore explains that it is unethical human behaviour that has raised the CO2 levels in the atmosphere and within 50 years it will be off the charts. It was shocking to see how the effects of global warming on natural landmarks like Mt Kilimanjaro and the Himalayas. It was also shocking to understand that so many natural disasters occurred as a result of the changes in the earth's atmosphere, particularly in the example of Hurricane Katrina. Human behaviour is destroying the earth and as a result we are destroying ecological niches as well as each other.

Ultimately, it is a change in human behaviour that needs to be addressed, we need to move away from the habits of unrestricted burning of fossil fuels and land clearing. We seem to be slipping into a downward spiral, and people need to be educated on the matter; I thought it was ridiculous when it was highlighted that there are skeptics that believe the notion of global warming is a hoax. It is this type of ignorant behaviour that needs to end, industrial designers need to be conscious of these important issues to ensure a step in the right direction.

designing for disasters

Rationale:

My group studied the Russian wildfires and the subsequent heat wave of 2010. Research was undertaken to decipher the needs of the people affected by the disaster. One of the most notable problems was the need for people to keep hydrated during the heat wave. During the research process, the interview with a Russian resident that was in Moscow at the time, revealed that many people were not drinking an adequate amount of water and simply did not have the knowledge to cope with the rising temperatures effectively.

The main focus of my concept was on the recovery and relief. During the disaster individuals had many issues to deal with, such as the smoke inhalation, as extreme smoke was blanketing the area; staying cool (many of the residents did not have air conditioning) and ensuring they did not dehydrate. Children are often distressed in these situations and aren't able to cope as well as adults, I felt the need to design a product specifically for children during the disaster, to not only relieve physical symptoms but the emotional and psychological issues they may face at the time. This lead me to design a water bottle for children to stay hydrated that also doubles as a toy for them to play with in order for them to take their minds off the unpleasant circumstances.

The major feature of the water bottle is that it can be put together like a jigsaw puzzle. The bottles simply slot together and various configurations can be made with them. As the product needed to be highly cost effective, rather than designing a brand new product and incorporating a mass of expensive technology, I found it necessary to take an essential product like a water bottle and add value to it. The inspiration for the logo, was created as a stylised geometric typeface that reflected the Cyrillic alphabet.

The bottle was initially created with transportation in mind; it is square shaped to ensure optimum packing efficiency. The square design allows the bottles to be packed in boxes and minimises transporting ‘air’ or wasted space.

The most suitable material for the bottle is polypropylene for various reasons: it is easily available, cost effective, recyclable, and durable enough to withstand being handled and knocked about. I also wanted to be able to make the bottle out of only one material so recycling would be easier. The bottles could easily be manufactured in Russia therefore minimising the part of the transportation process, this also means they can be recycled locally. By eliminating the labelling it made it more cost effective and by removing extra material it makes the recycling process easier.

Tech drawings:

Product poster:

Scenario:

Reflection:

This project was challenging to say the least. There were so many significant factors to consider in the design such as keeping it at a low cost, making it easily available, ensuring that it is environmentally friendly, and most importantly really understanding the victims in the crisis. Research was one of the most difficult tasks as most of the sources with good information were in Russian and a lot of time was spent translating then trying to make sense of the translated text.

Developing the concept seemed like it would be easier than it actually was, I learned that trying to make something clever and simple is really difficult. The project was very time consuming and I definitely found it very difficult to dedicate the necessary amount of time and I know that the concept development stage was affected by it.

The model making process was extremely arduous, trying to achieve a decent model was not easy due to many factors. I initially made a mould and attempted to vacuum form the bottle, but was unsuccessful. In the end I had to make the appearance model out of wood and paint it up to look like the product, although it wasn't what I had planned I think it still turned out fairly ok.

I can see definitely see the learning benefits of the project; it was a test to grasp the concept of developing a product with such strict parameters (low cost, environmentally concerned, easy to obtain) as opposed to the briefs we are usually assigned. I can honestly say that I'm happy for this project to be over, it was definitely a tough learning experience and the whole process really tested my creativity and skills.

Peer comments:

Charmaine Chen

Ryan Daugherty

Shan Shan Wang

Sam Whipp

Claudia Zhang

video reflections: sustainable consumption

After viewing The Story of Cosmetics and The Story of Bottled Water I think key message to take away from the videos was the reduction and prevention of pollution - both to ourselves and the environment. It was interesting to find out just how many toxins are in everyday cosmetics, and just how much energy goes into making disposable water bottles. The narrator, Annie Leonard, simply breaks down the business behind the cosmetic and bottled water industries to highlight key environmental issues.

It is common knowledge that things such as drugs and alcohol are harmful to the body, but personal hygiene products? The average woman uses 12 personal hygiene products a day, the average man uses 6 - so I found it appalling to learn that only 20% of ingredients that go into those everyday products are actually checked as being safe. A number of harmful toxins enter our bodies, many of which being carcinogenic. With countless amounts of cosmetics and personal hygiene products to choose from, the cosmetic industry conveniently hides the fact that a lot of products contain neuro toxins and lead which can seriously interfere with vital body processes like the heart and bones. Which makes me think that if people knew this, would they really fork out money to ingest lead and other damaging ingredients? I found it quite ironic when it was pointed out that brands such as 'Estée Lauder' advertise charity towards breast cancer research when in fact a lot of the chemicals used in the product itself are known to cause the cancer they are claiming to help! I've learned that it is clear that the 'better living through chemistry' mindset is outdated and needs to be changed. It is good to know that many companies are taking the step towards 'green chemistry' to reduce the toxins in cosmetics and create products made from natural ingredients.

Leonard speaks about 'Manufacturing Demand' - companies creating a desire for something most people can get for close to nothing in their houses. Wily companies are using scare tactics to make people think that tap water is bad for them, creating a false belief that they have to buy bottled water. They are also using serene imagery on packaging to seduce consumers, all the while the water is usually just regular filtered tap water. The energy that goes into producing plastic water bottles harms the environment on a number of levels, the oil that goes into them could fuel 1 million cars! After the water is consumed the bottles are either put into landfill or recycled. Not that recycling is the perfect solution anyway, recycled bottles are shipped overseas to be downcycled into cheap products that will eventually end up in landfill. The unnatural part of it all is the vicious cycle these companies have created - the pollution generated by the production of bottling water is the reason why the water is polluted in the first place. The solution seems so simple; eliminate the need for bottled water by taking some of the millions of dollars put into buying bottled water into programs that promote using tap water. It was good to learn that the sales of bottled water has decreased while the sales of eco-friendly bottles has increased, the next step would be to make clean tap water more readily available with fountains etc.

Both the videos were extremely insightful into revealing what really goes behind making these everyday essentials. I must admit that I do tend to use a lot of cosmetics and I certainly don't know what is in them, but I think I will start to make a little more effort into selecting eco-friendly products. Although I am fortunate enough to live where tap water is clean and safe to drink, I can't say that I don't purchase bottled water (almost) on a daily basis. Even though I make the conscious decision to recycle plastic bottles, after finding out that recycling isn't actually a idealistic solution to the problem I will definitely start to make the conscious effort to bring a bottle to fill with tap water. After gaining an understanding of how these industries work, it will definitely make me think twice about the products I choose.

ecoredesign

Results can be found here.

video reflection: giving packaging a new life

The segments of "Giving Packaging a New Life" undoubtedly educated me about the various innovatory technologies utilised in the process and how extensive and thorough recycling actually is. It definitely makes me understand the importance of my role as an industrial design student to consider every facet of a product's life in order for the materials to be recycled.

The video displayed some really clever innovations, I was particularly fascinated with the idea of conserving resources through the aid of mixed plastics to produce pig iron. The process not only recycles mixed plastics produced by many sorting plants, but supports the production of pig iron as it replaces heavy oil on a 1:1 ratio, therefore conserving precious resources. I think this is a profound invention; reusing mixed plastics seems amazing enough, but to then use it to produce pig iron is an incredible way to add value to the material. I also found that that utilising various fully automated processes like infared scanners to detect composite carton in order to replace sorting by hand was an outstanding innovation. It is methods like these that make me understand the significance of recycling.

It is clear that with implemented recycling plans, consumers can take the necessary steps in order to contribute towards creating a more ecological friendly planet. It was pleasing to see that in the glass segment of the video, consumers care enough to sort glass into colours using the labeled bins to aid in the recycling process. Although sorting glass right down to colour seems a bit strict, I think by having glass, plastic, and paper bins and not just general rubbish bins available in public areas, people would choose the appropriate bin. It would be nice to see Australia implement similar programs as education plays a major role in the process, by streamlining the process it makes it less labour intensive for environmental services down the line, and ensures a more overall efficient process.

I believe that an eco-friendly world starts with knowledge, if people (not just designers) are educated about the affects of products and packaging on the environment, the necessary steps can be made to ensure the best possible waste disposal. The content in the video is beneficial for industrial designers to become aware of how to intelligently utilise resources in order to support the recycling process to its full extent. Educating ourselves about keeping up with technological advancements is an essential part of making clever decisions in the design process.

Image: gettyimages

my ecological footprint

Well, this was an interesting and eye-opening result. My carbon footprint is well above the average; yet my food, housing, and goods and services footprints are below average. This definitely highlights that extensive daily commuting by car and public transport, as well as taking overseas trips are negatively affecting my carbon footprint.

However, it is good to notice that leading a vegetarian lifestyle dramatically reduces my food footprint. It is also nice to see that obsessive household recycling combined with having a backyard vegetable garden substantially lowers my housing footprint. But it is in the goods and services footprint that shows the most noticeable difference; buying second hand items and keeping a product until its end of life is evidently paying off.

This assessment has made me realise the impact I have on the planet. The high carbon footprint outcome has made me reassess my lifestyle and think about ways to reduce it considerably.