Backpack Project
Sol Manuel Garza
This was one of the year's first mini projects. In this project we were put into groups of 5 and given the challenge to come up with a new backpack design. his project was meant to introduce us to the concepts of design by creating a backpack that improved upon existing models. However, before we started designing our backpack we learned about the main design concepts.
Main Design Concepts:
- Step 1, empathize. We had to understand the problems people using the product faced. Though this step can require research, in the case of a backpack, a product that virtually all students use, we simply had to share the pro's and con's we had experienced with our backpacks.
Here are the pros and cons we came up with:
Backpack pros Backpack cons - Designated pockets for materials
- Durability
- Light weight
- Designated computer sleeves
- Different sized backpacks
- Buckle across chest - Cannot carry enough materials
- Can be too navy or bulky
- Zipper's break
- outside pockets can be opened by other people
- other people can turn your backpack inside out
- not waterproof
- messy on the inside
- sometimes too many pockets, overcomplicated.
- Step 2, define. During this step, we defined what needed to be done to improve the product. In our case, we found that our main problems were weight, accessibility to materials and security.
- Step 3, ideate. During this step, we came up with several possible designs for out backpack features. Since we were not limited to the confines of reality our group came up with some unrealistic ideas.
Here are our ideas for the "backpack" design:
Expanding backpack 1
-A backpack that would have metal bars on the side that allow it to expand and contract.
Expanding backpack 2
-An expanding backpack that would have a floor that would expand. It would be made of metal or hard plastic to have a hard flat surface for your materials
Refrigeration
-We would have the interior of the backpack be made of lunchbox material to keep your materials cold.
Waterproofing/fireproofing
-Our backpack would be made up of a fireproof/waterproof material on the outside.
Accordeon binder clip
-The wall of the backpack closest to your back would have hard plastic sheet with clips on it for a specialized accordion binder. This way all of your papers would go in one, color coded folder.
Glove packpack
-Instead of carrying your material in a backpack, you would have a glove with a portal in the hand. The portal yes to a secure locker under the school. You could have access to al of you materials without having to carry them.
Watch backpack.
-A watch that has a holographic display of your material. You can flip through them and them the one you choose materializes in your hand.
Fingerprint scanner
-On the zipper there would be a fingerprint scanner so that only you can open your backpack.
- Step 4, prototype. During the is stage we would create several prototypes of our product ideas. However, we did not have time to do this step in this mini project. Unfortunately, because this was only a two day project we did not get to this step.
- Step 5, create final product. After prototyping many of our ideas, we would choose the one that worked the best and finalize it.
Although our final project was not a real product it was our finalized backpack design. Here it is:
"The Slackatron 3000" This backpack has a binder clip to keep all of your papers in one place. It is waterproof and fireproof on the outside and is refrigerated on the inside. It has bluetooth speakers and, a iPhone charger and a fingerprint scanning zipper.
- Step 6, revise final product. After finalizing our final product, we would make any final improvements to make the product ready for distribution.
Reflection
I enjoyed the design process. I have done some of these sort of exercises in the past and have always foud them enjoyable. I like being able to combine the creativity of designing an improved product and my artistic capabilities in one exercise.
My backpack design sketches for our group's backpack scan be seen below.
This was one of the year's first mini projects. In this project we were put into groups of 5 and given the challenge to come up with a new backpack design. his project was meant to introduce us to the concepts of design by creating a backpack that improved upon existing models. However, before we started designing our backpack we learned about the main design concepts.
Main Design Concepts:
- Step 1, empathize. We had to understand the problems people using the product faced. Though this step can require research, in the case of a backpack, a product that virtually all students use, we simply had to share the pro's and con's we had experienced with our backpacks.
Here are the pros and cons we came up with:
Backpack pros Backpack cons - Designated pockets for materials
- Durability
- Light weight
- Designated computer sleeves
- Different sized backpacks
- Buckle across chest - Cannot carry enough materials
- Can be too navy or bulky
- Zipper's break
- outside pockets can be opened by other people
- other people can turn your backpack inside out
- not waterproof
- messy on the inside
- sometimes too many pockets, overcomplicated.
- Step 2, define. During this step, we defined what needed to be done to improve the product. In our case, we found that our main problems were weight, accessibility to materials and security.
- Step 3, ideate. During this step, we came up with several possible designs for out backpack features. Since we were not limited to the confines of reality our group came up with some unrealistic ideas.
Here are our ideas for the "backpack" design:
Expanding backpack 1
-A backpack that would have metal bars on the side that allow it to expand and contract.
Expanding backpack 2
-An expanding backpack that would have a floor that would expand. It would be made of metal or hard plastic to have a hard flat surface for your materials
Refrigeration
-We would have the interior of the backpack be made of lunchbox material to keep your materials cold.
Waterproofing/fireproofing
-Our backpack would be made up of a fireproof/waterproof material on the outside.
Accordeon binder clip
-The wall of the backpack closest to your back would have hard plastic sheet with clips on it for a specialized accordion binder. This way all of your papers would go in one, color coded folder.
Glove packpack
-Instead of carrying your material in a backpack, you would have a glove with a portal in the hand. The portal yes to a secure locker under the school. You could have access to al of you materials without having to carry them.
Watch backpack.
-A watch that has a holographic display of your material. You can flip through them and them the one you choose materializes in your hand.
Fingerprint scanner
-On the zipper there would be a fingerprint scanner so that only you can open your backpack.
- Step 4, prototype. During the is stage we would create several prototypes of our product ideas. However, we did not have time to do this step in this mini project. Unfortunately, because this was only a two day project we did not get to this step.
- Step 5, create final product. After prototyping many of our ideas, we would choose the one that worked the best and finalize it.
Although our final project was not a real product it was our finalized backpack design. Here it is:
"The Slackatron 3000" This backpack has a binder clip to keep all of your papers in one place. It is waterproof and fireproof on the outside and is refrigerated on the inside. It has bluetooth speakers and, a iPhone charger and a fingerprint scanning zipper.
- Step 6, revise final product. After finalizing our final product, we would make any final improvements to make the product ready for distribution.
Reflection
I enjoyed the design process. I have done some of these sort of exercises in the past and have always foud them enjoyable. I like being able to combine the creativity of designing an improved product and my artistic capabilities in one exercise.
My backpack design sketches for our group's backpack scan be seen below.