portfolio :: winter 2011
DESCRIPTION
Undergraduate PorftolioTRANSCRIPT
As a child, I was always interested in building things: skateboards, pine-wood derby cars, tree houses. Fast forward nine years, and I am now an energetic designer with two internships (at Insight and Rocketship) under my belt. I now strive to build meaningful experiences and holistic designs.
Since my Junior year of college, an interest in branding, design strategy, and especially inter-disciplinary team design has developed. I am currently seeking professional opportunities that promote and implement a collaborative, holistic design methodology. I am also an avid sketcher, practicing this skill every day. In addition to design, I cycle, snowboard, and enjoy the outdoors and photography.
My design philosophy is constantly evolving and maturing as I myself mature as a designer. Good design to me is not a hot sketch or a flashy render. While these tools are essential to thinking and communication, they are not the solution.
Good design serves a purpose. It assists the user to complete a desired task and helps create a more enjoyable experience. Good design is emotion. Design should evoke a sense of connectedness that ties the user to the product. And, it is responsible. Designers should be aware of their impact on the environment: the types of materials used and the type of manufacturing processes required to produce design.
About Me What I Believe
hQ
hQ Concept Development
Dell sponsored a semester long project that focused on designing the next generation computer to address the needs and wants of college students, the project’s target market. This was a team project composed of four students including myself, Andrew Chin, Tori Brock, and Matt Manganti. I was appointed as team leader for this project.
How can a computer add a human element to collaborating, socializing, and working among college students?
hQ Project Brief
hQ Ethnographic Research
The form-factor of a traditional laptop makes it extremely difficult for students to collaborate and share visual information
Students use unusual locations to perform work while on-the-go in between classes
Students require the ability to view information through a large-format screen on-the-go
Students require a multitude of devices to multi-task and perform work
Observations = The Problems
Hard to collaborate
Unusual workspace
Awkward socializing
Photo ethnographyVirginia Tech studentsInsightful observations
1
2
3
+
+
2
1
3
hQSurvey + Analysis
Online survey165 ParticipantsInsightful results
62%38%
23%
use laptops at home the most
use laptops in an academic setting the most
have never backed up their computer before
our team going over our research findings
User demographic overview
Social networks
Communication
Organization
Portability
Social/Involved
Artistic/Creative
Tech-Savy
Documentation
Storage space
Personalization
Computing power
Specialized
Components
Customization
hQ Concept Development
Ph
ase
II
Permanent workstation with a removable, portable interface
Idea was dropped because college students require more flexibility
Ph
ase
I Non-traditional forms
Intuitive physical computer to computer interactions
Intuitive physical forms
Permanent workstation
hQConcept Development
Ph
ase
III Portable hub that acts as an
external hard drive, charger, and projector stand for an interface
Everything on -the-go
hQ Refinement/Validation “It seems stable, especially since I’m not
interacting with the top corners”
“After a few minutes of using it, I wasn’t
even thinking about it [stability]”
Ph
ase
IV
Form/feature refinement through digital sketching
Project your ideas
Feel the vibe
Get connected
Concept validation testing the form stability through use
hQSystem | Collaboration
Project an idea
The interface incorporates a projector, two USB ports, and a SD/headphone jack. The projector allows college students to collaborate and socialize with others by projecting on a table or wall surface.
Projector
hQ System | Workspace
Feel the vibe
The interface has a “vibe grid” which is a layer of embedded magnets that vibrate when touched, creating a more tactile feel.
Scratch resistant glasstop
Electro-magnetic vibe grid
Circuit board + processors
Co-injected plastic body
Inductive charging + auto file backup
hQSystem | Socializing
Scratch resistant glasstop
Electro-magnetic vibe grid
Circuit board + processors
Co-injected plastic body
Get connected
The core acts as the docking station for the interface: charging and backing up the interface whenever connected. It also acts as a hub: allowing the user to connect to other external devices. Finally, the core positions the interface in an ideal angle to project on a table or wall surface.
hQ Project Brief
This project called for a multi-functional furniture solution for the modern city-dweller in a one-person flat. Attention should be given to size and weight of the unit, possible combination or manipulations of multiple units used together, and possible nesting or stacking of units to conserve space.
How can furniture provide multi-use within
a cramped space? Increase function, decrease footprint
hQ Construction Phase
Raw poplar
Machined aluminum
Finger joints
Joined/plained
Mechanical fasteners
Biscuit joints
Selected by faculty to participate in a week long interdisciplinary workshop composed of industrial designers, architects, and interior designers sponsored by and held at KEM Studio, Kansas City, MO. Group members include: Hannah Cao (Architecture), Calli Scheidt (Interior Design), & Liz Crim (Landscape Architecture).
Allow Quixotic, your client, to perform guerrilla style performances in a way
that showcases their talents and brand image
hQ Project Brief
KEM STUDIOinterdisciplinary collaboration
hQ Project Context
Guerrilla Performance
Design Direction
Attracting a crowd and sparking an interest through an iconic form.
A tool that is open for interpretation and manipulation. It frames the performance or the environment in which it is in.
An opportunity for Quixotic to showcase their brand identity through their performance and a “brand mark” left by the stage.
A spontaneous, surprising performance in unlikely public spaces to an unsuspecting audience
A r r i v e | R e v e a l | P e r f o r m | L e a v e
?composed of musicians, dancers, aerialists, composers, designers, and choreographers
collaborate to produce new forms of artistic expression and a total sensory experience for its audience
Client Overview
hQ Project Brief
Betacup held an international design competition asking designers to create a sustainable alternative to the traditional coffee cup-to-go. My solution explores the idea of creating an emotional bond between the user and the product through visual and gustatory senses.
Eliminate disposable coffee cup consumption by creating an emotional user connection to a sustainable alternative.
hQ Project Background
58 billion coffee cups thrown away every year
0 coffee cups thrown away every year
Current Problem
Disposable cup
Travel Mug
Design Direction
Convenient
Throw away easily
No emotional bond
Doesn’t portray user
Give the user a reason to prefer a sustainable solution over the use of a disposable cup
The coffee cup should grow with the user over time creating a more meaningful interaction
It should allow the user to create a statement for why they are using it over a disposable cup
Project Goal
hQConcept Development
Ph
ase
I Collapsible cup
Cleaning and leaking issues
Bag insert filled with coffee and disposed of when done P
has
e II Iconic form
Create an emotional bond
Wood insert to retain flavor and aroma
Collapsble cup
Disposable bag
Wood stirrer
Iconic form
hQ Final Design
Wood Spout
Neoprene Top
Wood Stirrer
Ceramic Cup
Molded Wood Sleeve
Meet betacup
Betacup is an environmentally smart coffee cup that wants to get to know you. The cup takes on the traditional coffee-cup-to go appearance with the use of non-traditional materials. Enjoy!
Hello
Neoprene Top
Wood Stirrer
Ceramic Cup
Molded Wood Sleeve
hQThe Concept
Create a bond
Betacup comes equipped with a wooden stirrer that can nestle in your cup before and after use. Each time it is used it will slowly start to retain the flavor and aroma of your favorite brew to enhance your drinking experience.
Good morning...
hQ The Concept
Make a statement
Betacup’s molded-wood sleeve allows you to express your green actions. Each time you purchase a cup, the sleeve receives a branding from your store so that you can showcase how awesome you are being. Once it fills up, return it for a new one and your local coffee shop can display it proudly.
1 coffee order = 1 brandfill it up give it back
Look, I’m responsible
hQThe Concept
Be sustainable
Betacup’s square shape allows for tighter tolerances when shipped. This means less space, less material, smaller carbon footprint. Since the majority of items are shipped in a square or rectangular form, shouldn’t your coffee cup be square too?
I like being square