Interactions: Project Process Journal

Edward Allbutt

22/3/16 to 18/3/16

Interactions

Glasgow School of Art 2015/16

Product Design Year 1 Icebreaker /// 21/09 to 25/09 Evolution /// 28/09 to 16/10 Cross School /// 19/10 to 30/10 Layout /// 09/11 to 13/11 Guerrila Interventions /// 16/11 to 11/12 Semantics /// 4/1 to 15/1 Make/Remake /// 18/01 to 12/02 Interactions /// 22/02 to 18/03 A day in the life /// 18/04 to 13/05

The Design Process Research, Observations

Analysis, Critical Thinking, Identification of idea

Experiment, Reiterate, Improve

Solution, Developed, Justified,

Discover Define Develop Deliver

Project Brief: To analyse, evaluate and critique a specific user-product interaction and context. Identify the various tasks involved: the human, physical and digital, paying particular attention to visual, tactile and sound elements related to the sequence and choreography of events.

To then propose and develop a redesign of the user-product interaction that addresses the identified ‘points-of-friction’ and delivers an improved experience for the user.

In our daily lives, we interact with a range of products to undertake a range of specific tasks and to achieve specific outcomes.

Sometimes these interactions are straightforward and pleasant, sometimes problematic and unpleasant.

Unfortunately, as designers, we are usually criticised when interactions don’t work, are unpleasant or inappropriate. Good interaction designs should be so intuitive as to be almost unnoticeable.

Systems of local private and public services, such as the transportation, banking, entertainment, shopping, catering, etc., deliver a number of services. Each of these services, in turn, is experienced by users through a variety of interactions with products that provide elements of, or facilitate, that service.

Daily we come into contact with a range of products delivering equally good and bad user-interaction experiences.

Assigned Group: We were collected in to a group of 6 designers for the duration of the project.

The belief behind this was that we would be strengthened by working together.

Each resultant deliberation and working outcome had been through a good amount of discussion. This also allowed the division of labour, work could be allocated, and certain people were allowed to work through that which interested them.

As with all group projects, the resultant difficulty was in encouraging all members to work on the same schedule and work in equal measure. The collaborative creative atmosphere however was heavily strengthened by this group of people.

Morrighan Humpleby

Eddie Allbutt

Marta Kawecka

Euan Robertson

Mary Kristiani

Olive Harty

Chosen Subject: Liquid Dispensaries The interaction design that we became interested in was that surrounding liquid dispensaries. This entailed experiences such as buying a coffee from a self-service machine, taking water from a fountain in a dentists’ reception, coke from a machine in a fast food restaraunt, and so on. This provided a fairly broad area in which to begin looking. It seemed a natural evolution from an earlier project in first term, in which myself and Olive had worked together on the subject of coffee shops.

DISCOVER We made the decision to pursue the design of a coffee machine, the belief being that there would still be a fairly wide opportunity of ideas by which we could make an interesting design, still remaining within the confines of caffeine. The coffee machine was applicable and of interest to all members of the group and seemed a natural evolutionary choice.

It was at this point we gathered a good amount of observation into the various designs of coffee machines.

Just slowing down and watching, thinking about the micro-interactions involved in ordering and receiving a coffee; looking at the actions the barista must go through.

We spent some time breaking down the process and deciding what we valued from it.

What was vital from this particular machine, situated in the Glasgow School of Art refectory, was the noise, the ambiance and the ‘feel’.

The machine was full of captivating noises and movements. The barista physically pulls and and pushes the levers and buttons in front of you.

There is a sense of intimacy and reality in this interaction.

Context: Coffee Machine by chain Tchibo, found in Newsagents, situated between shelving units.

Process: Upon buying a cup from the storekeeper, the customer is to simply push button on right hand side and place cup on shelf, whereby liquid will be released in to cup below. Additives such as sugar provided seperately, atop the machine.

Lids, stirrers and milk available from beneath the machine in a seperate shelf.

Faults: Cheap aesthetic, unkept- need for maintenance, cups given seperatelyhassle,

RESEARCH

Observations:

Format: Context: Demijohn- Oil and Vinegar Merchants, situated in Glasgow’s West End

Customer retrieves glass receptacle from lower shelf.

Tap opened by switch mechanism and liquid empties directly into lowered awaiting glass.

Shop very much artisanal.

Content locally and responisbly sourced.

Helpful expert on hand to advise on which product might be best for certain customer.

Each jar comes with descpritive label outlying the liquids origins and specifications.

Context: Puregym, protein shake dispenser, post-workout recovery hydration

Observations: Format: Cup retreived from nearby attendant, customer prompted on ingredient expectations and provided suitable liquid to meet “workout goal”, cup held up to dispensing spout and drink given

Personalisation of drink really nice feature, A bit too “machinist” on the whole however, human feel required for more intuitive usage, also imperfect in that often requires supervision

Context:

Format:

Branded machine, “Costa� located in busy, small city centre tesco.

Large machines dominates spaces between food aisles, visible from a distance in contrast with food packaging

All cups, lids, stirrers and condiments provided around the screen as shown. Cup taken and placed in below recipent shelf.

Interactive screen guides through basic coffee options. Liquid dispensed slowly in to awaiting cup

Observations: This particular machine benefits from strong branding and visual language; instantly recognisable. While physical process is basic, the interactive screen is highly modern and inviting

We spent some time trying to understand the various stages undertaken in ordering a specific coffee.

Again, breaking these down and streamlining them into what we believed what was important. These individual frames show each exact stage in the process

Video Prototyping: The second week of the project saw us encounter video prototyping, for the first time in my case.

Our tutor at this point, Liliana Rodriguez, encouraged big, lateral thinking and the exploration of an extreme user. By creating a very hyper-specific, even comic situation, the hope would be that we develop a design that delivers more naturally.

In the process we would develop a more refined idea and gain new skills in creative programs and the filmmaking process

The Machine Must: Understand who you are Converse in your dialect Emulate the Barista experience Entertain the customer Be a safe, secure option

This saw us experimenting with multiple personalities to use for our machine.

We wanted the interface itself to convey a sense of elitism and absolute perfection and its craft, a cheeky servant that makes the best coffee, regardless

VIDEO PROTOYPE

Customer approaches atm style inlet in street, looking for coffee

Cup taken from clearly postiioned slot

Options given and full price for drink

Customer interactively adjusts ratio of ingredi in coffee

y ients

Interacts with screen, beginning to choose coffee

Placed in position, machine responds with chime and vibration indicating cup is in place

Animation shows Coffee descending into cup, gives idea of process and time until completion

Price shown for empty cup

This is the design idea Considering the location of the machine, in a public setting such as a road, building reception, train station or shopping centre, privacy during its use, and the size of it (must be compact), becomes important. This being the reason we chose our design to be within the wall.

This revised idea shows a more clearly imagined design, one which modern citizens expect to see and understand immediately. Similar configuration as atm. Cups stored on side while the screen proves to be the central concern

Simple Design Ideation

In these exploratory design sketches, we intended to show our intentions for the coffee mahcine to be transactionary, giving out the necessary product quickly and efficiently in the same way that an ATM gives out cash. The other advantage of this design is the privacy a machine within the wall provides. In addition, we included this column, in which all the machinery needed for making the coffee would be situated. Accompanying this is a simple flat screen by which the customer would interact and make their order, This gives the machine its defining name “coffee column�.

Design Development

A vital and successful stage of the design process was a result of physically building a mock up of the design. It was by this method we understood exactly how the machine would be used, the necessary ergonomics and layout of the screen, cup shelf, dispenser and everything included in the machine.

Machine construction

The resultant machine stands around 2 metres in height, with a matte steel finish. These pictures show its process of building in the studio. The thinking throughout the process was in combining an air of professionalism and competence with authenticity and warmth.

Coffee Column

We began to consider branding. In sticking with our monolthic column, we decided to continue with our design under the name “Coffee Column”, the emphasis being on the name being memorable, accessible and easily understandable of the product’s function.

Design

Advertisement Coffee Column

Desk worker fancies fresh coffee

Chooses condiment

Chooses dusting

Customer locates machine on street

Wirelessly gives order to machine

Coffee ready to collect

Lid taken from inside column

Orders

Takes out coffee column application, welcomed

Price Given

Chooses from common choices

Location of coffee machine displayed on map

Recipient cup presented

Machine shows barista making coffee

Collect freshly made coffee

Continue

Coffee Column

“Coffee Column is a convenient coffee option for the modern, urban user. It knows you, understands your preferences in caffeine and delivers with ease and authenticity�

FINAL DESIGN

Interactions ////// Coffee Column

Edward Allbutt Glasgow School of Art Product Design Year 1 2015/16