Working with the case person 

The collaboration with our case person went very smoothly and professionally. We were able to have many meetings which helped us a lot in the design process. We as a group gained a lot of experience in user-centered design, also for a specific user. Although we as a group had a bit more trouble finding a good topic to help our case person, this research phase helped us a lot in the process. The communication was mainly dependent on e-mail and our schedule, and this went very well. During the meetings on location, we got a good picture of the entire situation, and the project also became more personal which was very nice. 

 

Prototype development 

During the prototype phase we used 2 workshop hours and a previous work meeting. During this first work meeting, we discussed the workshop plan with the entire group. This way we were all on the same page about various crucial decisions such as dimensions and mounting methods. This was also a good test moment to test whether our design still met our requirements. During the 2 workshop hours, we were able to use our time efficiently due to the workshop plan that was made, which made everything go very smoothly. We were also very motivated to be able to deliver a well-functioning prototype to the case person. We were all able to work on our skills within the workshop and the accurate finishing of a product. The product is mainly made of wood, which is why the hours were mainly spent on sanding, sawing, and glueing/mounting. This did cost a lot of time, for which the industrial processes will have to be considered in the future. 

 

User Testing and Problem-Solving 

The testing of the growing gym did not go as planned due to the amount of time available for this. However, we did ask for interim feedback during the making of the prototype so that we could apply this immediately. We mainly received a lot of positive feedback and did not have to adjust much to the prototype. We are going to demonstrate the prototype during the exhibition so that we can already do the first small test with the case person, and she can see it in real life. Afterwards, we could always adjust/improve small things here. 

 

Team Dynamics and Project Execution 

The team maintained effective communication through regular tutor meetings and work meetings, which ensured progress and exchange of ideas. Each member contributed actively and promoted a wide range of perspectives for the project. The division of tasks went well, but there were always some inequalities per phase. However, we solved this well, discussed it and stepped in where necessary. The later phases such as making the prototype and finishing the website went very quickly for us and the workload was high. This was also caused by the longer analysis phase. In retrospect, this only helped us in the future and we were able to handle and distribute the workload well within the group. 

 

Key Takeaways and Future Recommendations 

This project has given us a good insight into designing for a specific user and the real-life implementation of this. We were pleased to notice that we could contribute to helping the case person. By working well together, we as a group and together with the case person were able to create a beautiful final design that we are proud of. The final design successfully tackled the design challenge, with an emphasis on adaptability and a durable design. where the needs of the mother and also of the baby are taken into account. 

 

In addition to these learning points, we also learned a lot within the group. We were exposed to many new experiences and this alone was useful for the future. As a group, we looked for problems but certainly also for solutions to them. There were difficult moments, but this was tackled well and the project wouldn't have been possible without the supportive help of our tutor and project coordinator that guided us towards a clear structured path.