PARAPLUIE
Motion-activated sound dome for office short breaks.
#Product Research, #Physical Design
OVERVIEW
How might we design a system/artifact that encourages employees to take short breaks more frequently? Parapluie addresses the issues of lack of private space and natural environment in open floor offices. Through immersive sounds, the device provides refreshing and immersive experiences that encourage people to take frequent micro-breaks. It also absorbs noise with its felt cover on the inside.
Duration: 8 weeks
Team: Individual
ROLES/CONTRIBUTION
User Research
Conducted literature review, prepared usability testing guideline and questionnaires; user testing & in-depth interview 15+ target users.
Product Design
Designed and developed Parapluie prototype from low to high fidelity, using laser cutting, Arduino, metals, sewing goods and various materials.
OBJECTIVE
How might we design a system / an artifact that encourages employees to take short-breaks more frequently?
OUTCOMES
Parapluie in the Office Lounge
Structure Overview
Exploded View
Product Photograph
Detail View
Detail View
Research Highlights
A brief highlight of the thinking process.
Site Observation
Through my own work experience in a highly-industrialized city in Shenzhen, China, I identified some common issues in the existing workspace in the corporate:
(1) Intensive work culture in the office (high workloads, strict deadlines, and long hours);
(2) No pairing greenery inside or outside the workspace;
(3) Lack of personal space in the open-floor office environment.
Assuming that the workaholic culture in industrialized cities will still progress, how can the corporate enhance the welbeings of their employees with simple designs?
Problem Scoping
Reviewed scientific reports to understand parameters that contribute to a healthy work environment, as well as the future design trend of an office. I identified some key factors as my key design opportunities: nature, privacy, micro-breaks, and mental health
.
Interview
Interviewed 17+ workers in industrialized city and analyzed their user needs and behavior patterns. Incorporated findings from literature review and data analysis to ideate design ideas.
Narrowed down design problem to the lack of healthy breaks in the open office. Put privacy as one of the main solutions to address the problem.
Design Highlights
Conducted a 5-phase design sprint to prototype design from ideation.
Expert Interview
Connected with experts at the RISD Digital Media department and included sound in the design consideration. Created a dual-channel sound system and prototyped with Arduino for the best immersive effects.
User Study
Recruited users to test the prototype in each design iteration. Observed how they interacted with the prototype and interviewed them after they used the prototype. Studied users’ preferences on size, form, material, functionality, etc. Synthesized results in the user testing log.
In-Street Public Testing
In my final design phase, I tested with the public on the street and mocked up the sound. I designed questionnaires and asked for their initial impressions and feedback after entering the sound canopy. I adjusted the length and shape after the public testing. Most testers commented on the effectiveness of the sound.
Design Summary
Key summaries of the final design concept.
Parapluie, the office sound dome, provides temporary privacy space for workers to take short breaks. The object per se acts as a physical incentive and acknowledgement for healthy micor-breaks. It changes the break route of employees by providing refreshing and transformative break experience.
Keywords: #Nature, #Privacy, #Sound
REFLECTING FORWARD
Research and Interview // Conceptualization // Prototyping // Project Management // Embrace Ambiguity
This was a fun project because the findings from the interview aligned with my initial assumption from field observation. I honed my skills in usability testing and rapid prototyping. And it was rewarding to turn all the research into a concrete-designed object in the end!
Finally, a picture of public user testing for your pleasure :)
