Today, the vast majority of people own and
make regular use of a smart device, which they rely on for various functions
such as; phone calls and messaging, email, internet, schedules/planners, apps,
etc. However in many situations it has been observed that most peoples smart
devices, due to extensive use, are becoming more prone to being dropped or
damaged. This is usually the case in the work environment where more workers
are spending more time being active and on the go.
Although a substantial range of phone cases
are available, more consumers are buying less protective cases in lieu of the
attractive styles which others provide. This aspect results in insufficient
protection of the screen and other fragile components of the device when
dropped or damaged. Furthermore, those phone cases which do provide protection,
often result in being bulky and aesthetically unattractive.
The target population for this scenario are
clearly users who demand constant access to their smart device while active and
on the go. A solution which could address the mentioned issues would allow this
population to feel:
Reliant/Dependable on
their smart device and accessory to cater for their constant usage.
Comfortable with the
profile of the smart device when used with the accessory/case.
Reassured that their
smart device is protected from damage, i.e. device is safe.
Design Brief (Objective)
In response to the design problem, the
objective is to design an accessory/case which attempts to minimise accidental
damage to a users smart device. In addition to protecting the smart device from
accidental damage, the accessory/case must do so without compromising the
appearance or functionality of the device. In other words the accessory must
protect the device while at the same time keeping an integrated/streamlined yet
stylish profile.
At this stage two possibilities arise, one:
to design an accessory which serves as a protective barrier around the device
to minimise damage, or two: to design an accessory which prevents the dropping
of the phone itself. Furthermore the accessory must not impact the
functionality of any of the devices interfaces, such as; screen estate,
usb/charging, audio input/output, camera/s, microphone/speakers, wireless
antennae, external buttons, or other any interfaces which the device may have.
Concept designs/sketches which fulfil these requirement's will explored in this portfolio.
Field Research
In field research included taking various observations of how people use their smart devices and how often they use them. This was done over three environments, those being; home/recreational environment, educational environment and a semi-laborious work environment. When comparing observations over the three environments we found that people are most active in using their smart devices and technology in an educational environment.
Most observations showed that people tend to be more rushed and often forget about the delicacy of their devices, on some occasions this resulted in damage mainly to the LCD and touch module, this occurred to the extent that fragments of glass began to break away from the device. Furthermore this was observed more than once. Another occasion showed a smart phone being damaged when stored in a pencil case which was accidentally dropped from a table, this again resulted in serious damage to the glass components of the touch and LCD modules.
In addition to observations, people were also asked to describe how they use their phone, where they use it most, how reliant are they on it, what do they do / what would they like to do with it, have they ever damaged or broken their phone, what they look for in a case, what costs they are committed to on a case, etc.