Jonathon Harley. IDesign
Monday, October 15, 2012
Project 1: Focus Group Discussion
In studio our class was split up into groups of 4 where we had a focus group discussion about each others posters while the designer was unable to comment. As a result of the discussion of my posters it was evident that there were a number of issues. Firstly it was commented that the blue curve in the background was too dominant. It was suggested that the shape of the container be improved am move it away from a rectangular form. Another point made was that the context poster could be incorporated into the first poster which would allow me to make greater use of the 4 poster limit. As a result of the discussions i was able to make not of these recommendations and alter the posters.
Product lifecycle analysis
On the 6th of August in our studio class myself and a group of other students set out to disassemble a domestic iron and assess its components with the intention to improve its lifetime and ability to be disassembled and recycled. In today's society consumers are constantly wanting the latest and greatest products and as a result they are prone to throwing away still functioning products. These products mostly end up in landfill as they are difficult to disassemble and reprocess. Throughout the process of dismantling the iron we discovered just how many parts go into a single appliance and the vast range of materials that are used. As designers we have an ethical responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of the products we design so it was very interesting to explore the ways in which other designers create products and to observe the material choices them make. After 30 minutes we had disassembled thee iron and grouped the materials. We were unable to separate one part due to the ultrasonic welding that had been used in the manufacturing process. After grouping the materials it was evident that we could significantly reduce the different types of plastics being used. Our focus was on the ability to redesign the iron with just 2 plastics (PP and Bakelite). Our group learnt a lot about the make up of domestic products and how easily these products could be converted into more environmentally friendly products allowing them to be disassembled with ease.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Project 2: PSS - Eco Lunch
Eco lunch is a sustainable solution to the issue of
employees skipping lunch due to tight time frames. Studies have found that a
large proportion of employees have a tendency to skip Lunch breaks on a regular
basis as they do not have time to leave the office to buy lunch. Eco lunch is compact unit which offers a
range of different herbs, salad greens and dressings for employees to consume
for lunch. Eco lunch addresses the worrying environmental issues of take away
food packing waste. The product service system which Eco lunch offers is
sustainable and encouraging of ethical social behaviours.
The product service system begins with the Eco lunch
Company who germinate a variety of lettuce greens in the innovative Eco lunch
pods. As shown in poster 4, seeds are sown directly into the pods into a
mixture of perlite and vermiculite. The pods are lined with a layer of
geotechnical fabric then a piece of agricultural grade Rockwool is inserted
into the bottom and the perlite mix is then added on top to fill the pods to
the top. Covering the mixture is another sheet of geotechnical fabric which has
a number of small holes for the seeds to be sown into. The pods remain upright
throughout the period of germination as to let the roots take hold. After the
seeds are sown each pod is watered a substantial amount to allow the Rockwool
to fully absorb the water which acts as a constant water supply for the greens.
When the pods are one week from maturity they are
delivered to the workplace and in replacement of used pods. The pods are placed
in a sunny spot in the office where they will continue to grow until the pods
in the vertical garden unit are ready to be replaced. The pods are turned on
their side and slotted into the unit where the greens await consumption.
The Eco lunch system provides a range of organic salad
dressings which perfectly accompany the salad greens. This system overcomes the
barriers surrounding the time taken for lunch breaks as it eliminates the need
to leave the office to grab a bite to eat which significantly reduces the time.
Supplying employees with a free healthy lunch is a good way to improve work
performance. Eco lunch assists in reducing the waste caused by take away food
packaging. A study taken by Newstatesman revealed that only 50% of workers
bring a packed lunch, meaning the remaining 50% either buy lunch or skip lunch
all together. Out of the 50% who do not
pack lunch it was found that 48% leave the office to buy lunch. With almost one
quarter of all workers purchasing lunch there is a significant amount of
packaging waste being generated each day and Eco lunch is a sustainable
alternative which can reduce this waste.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Cormack packaging awards: Patchy Pack
Current adhesive bandages are sold in cardboard boxes which
the individually wrapped bandage is stored in until use. This type of packaging
is insufficient for use in a portable application as the cardboard box becomes
crushed and is susceptible to water damage. Patchy Pack, designed for use by
children aged between 8 and 11, and their parents, is an innovative portable
adhesive bandage dispenser which stores bandages in a sterile environment. The
dispensing system allows users to easily tear off the required amount of
bandages (Patchies) while holding the Patchy Pack in the other hand. Each
bandage is individually wrapped in a unique ticket like pouch which assists
users to open the pouch easily and allows the bandage to be easily accessed when
inside the Patchy Pack case. The overall experience of using the Patchy Pack in
enjoyable and allows children to interact with the product at a higher level than
existing packaging designs.
Sustainable design approach is at the forefront of modern
innovative product design. Patchy Pack has been designed through a sustainable
approach, as it reduces the amount of packaging required for each lot of
bandages. Current adhesive bandages, on average, are sold in packs of 20 and
many bandages designed for this age group are smaller than adult bandages,
however often require twice as many bandages to cover the injury. Patchy Pack’s
refill system allows rolls of bandages to be sold with a clear recyclable
plastic film and a small stick on label. This packaging system significantly
reduces the amount of ink required to print conventional bandage packaging and
also allows the bandages to be packed tightly on the roll which takes up less
room than conventional designs. The Patchy Pack case is 100% recyclable so it
can be recycled at its end of life.
The Patchy Pack is ideal for use at children’s sporting
games to patch up any small cuts and scratches. The Pack can also be used as a
replacement for existing bandage packages at home and it is compact enough to
be kept in a parent’s bag for any time an injury occurs. Overall the Patchy
pack system is an innovative addition to the adhesive bandage market and offers
a supreme packaging and storage alternative to conventional products.
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