GLO STIC Anna Skaret-Ball anna_skaret_ball@hotmail.co.uk
PROBLEM SPACE AND RATIONALE FRAMING THE PROBLEM
“Sleep is a required activity not an option”
‘Sleep is a required activity, not an option’ (National Institute of Health, 2003). From initial research, reading of literature, journal papers and books, it was clear that sleep is an important activity. Although the function of sleep is yet to be confirmed and are still only theories, what is definite is that it is required for our bodies and brains to function effectively. Although we recognise the importance of sleep and that good quality, uninterrupted rest each night is the ideal, this is often not experienced by many, with a recent growing concern of this in adolescents. Recent newspaper articles, journals and research papers can all be seen to document clear evidence that 21st century gadgets are consuming the lives of teenagers, with the main concern focused on the negative implications it can have on their sleep. Utilisation of such digital devices before bed has been evidenced to impact the bodys’ internal body clock, the circadian rhythym, potentially delaying it so the user doesn’t feel sleepy until later on in the night. Not only does this impact on the teenager, who, as a result, experiences less sleep which is also likely to be broken from device distractions, but it also has an impact on the parent. Although parents are usually aware of night time device use by their teen, due to the inability to relate to the excessive activity and sometimes unfamiliarity with the devices being used, it can be difficult to enforce rules on their use. The design process has been focused on looking at how these problems for both the primary user, the adolescent and secondary consumer, the parent, can be addressed through the creation of one product solution.
National Institute of Health
Anna Skaret-Ball
THE DESIGN BRIEF
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PROBLEM SPACE AND RATIONALE
When beginning the project, the initial brief set was to design a product which improves the quality of adolescent sleep, by reducing the need to use electronic devices. The brief was primarily focused on the adolescent needs and although the parent was recognised as a secondary user, it wasn’t until speaking to to them as research participants, that it was fully understood that their needs within the project were equally as important and thus equally influential on the designs. Having a better understanding of both users and the problem in more detail, the final brief which the solution, GloStic, addresses is: ‘To design a compact light therapy product which connects to devices, for use by the adolescent and implementation by the parent, to improve adolescent sleep quality by reducing device use before bed. Thus creating better sleep routines and improving the lighting environment for the adolescent.’
DISCOVERY PHASE Anna Skaret-Ball
DISCOVERY PHASE PROBLEM AND CHALLENGE ANALYSIS Initial research was broken down into 3 areas; understanding sleep, understanding adolescent technology use and finally understanding the parent, with these areas providing good foundations for the project. The results from this initial broad research provided necessary confirmation that a sleep product aimed at adolescents would be hugely beneficial, aiding them in being productive and alert during the day. Not only this but the product would also benefit those parents who can struggle with controlling and monitoring evening device use, due to increasing portability of devices and the unfamiliarity the older generation sometimes face with 21st century gadgets. These 3 research areas proved to be particularly useful in identifying more specific issues, which aided in providing design direction. The first was Zeitgebers, external factors which influence the circadian rhythm (the internal body clock) and thus have the potential to trigger phase delay of sleep. This initiated a focus on artificial light reduction, due to the impact this has on melatonin production, the hormone which induces the feeling of sleepiness. With adolescents experiencing bright light projected straight into the retina from device use, this does not make for an effective sleeping environment, expecially as blue light has been identified as being the most stimulating (with red the least). The second research was sleep association with the bed. With ‘internet connectivity increasingly moving off computers and into the mobile and wireless environment’ (Li et al, 2014), devices now invade the space which should only be reserved for sleep. This removes the association our brain should have with the bed as a place for winding down, not brain stimulation, meaning the teen can experience increased sleep latency, increased bed resistance and sleep disturbance. The final research area was parental education. Parent research participants all
expressed a concern that reducing evening device activity would be difficult for them to achieve. However there was consensus that they wanted education for their teenager to see how ‘their sleep and health becomes compromised by technology befor bed’ and they wanted to feel part of this somehow. Understanding the market is equally important to the design process as the user input. The product will sit within the sleep market, where there is currently little available for the sleep conscious adolescent consumer, especially when compared with the rest of the health and wellbeing industry, such as fitness. With a global sleep market estimated to be worth £20 billion, the sector experiencing an 8.8% value increase a year (Time, 2012) and Europe the sleep industries second biggest market, it is a exciting time to launch a fresh product into a stagnant market.
“I want to educate my teen, so they can see how their sleep & health is compromised by technology”
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Parent A
USER INSIGHT
IMAGE: SheKnows,2011 Getting to know the teacher [Online]
PARENT PARTICIPATION HAS BEEN IMPORTANT FOR PROJECT PROGRESSION
GRAPH TO DISPLAY THE MOST POPULAR DEVICES INTERACTED WITH PRIOR TO SLEEPING (48 PARTICIPANTS)
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Anna Skaret-Ball
Finally speaking directly to the parent, meant that the views and opinions of the other key stakeholder in the project were also considered. Although there was a clear desire amongst parents to reduce device use, actually implementing and enforcing rules regarding this is something they rated as being difficult (scored 7.5/10).
USER INSIGHT
Throughout the project, user insight has been required at key stages to aid in making key decisions, driving product development and simply for feedback. The objectives of the user research was broken down into two clear sections, initial primary research and user testing. Primary research was carried out at the beginning of the design process and involved understanding as much as possible about the users. With a handful of parent and adolescent participants involved, users surveys, sleep logs, questionnaires and interviews were all used in order to gather information on the target user. This research highlighted some key points, which were influential to the design process. The first was adolescent sleep routine insight, which the research provided key informtion for. Not only the confirmation of late bedtimes, teens require 8 to 10 hours a night and yet 50% of those surveyed went to sleep past 12pm, but also the confirmation that adolescents had little routine and lots of freedom in relation to when they went to bed. Research also provided evidence that multiple device use before bed was popular (as displayed in the graph opposite). When also asked to choose which they engage with the most, 54% chose mobile phones.
DESIGN PHASE Anna Skaret-Ball
DESIGN PHASE DESIGN PROCESS AND RATIONALE The design phase was an important project stage, when ideas providing possible solutions to the brief began to be generated. To achieve this, a clear design process allowed for fixed timelines, transparent project objectives, along with the main benefit of having a structured plan to follow. The design process involved continual ideation through sketching, low fidelity prototyping, user input for idea refinement, interim exhibition, more user input, and high fidelity prototyping for the final design. Rationale has also been included throughout the design process, utilising prototypes and user feedback such as interviews, surveys and prototype interaction. The design phase has followed a process from initial concepts through to final design development. This creative journey can thus be shown by being broken down into these two sections, concept and opportunity mapping and design development, documented below.
CONCEPT AND OPPORTUNITY MAPPING
1. MIND MAPPING AND SKETCH DEVELOPMENT OF INITIAL IDEAS FUNCTION 78% FORM 73%
68%
OVERALL 76%
71%
2. THE INTERIM DESIGN DIRECTIONS WITH THEIR EVALUATIONS. LEFT-RIGHT: An alarm clock removing devices from the bed, a lighting environment and device controller and a clicker for the parent to subtly encourage device switch off UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS 20 PRODUCT DESIGN
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Developing the environment and device lighting controller, as identified as the most sucessful at the interim exhibition decision point.
1. SKETCH DEVELOPMENT A selection of sketches to show progression of the product shape, points of interaction and understanding how the components fit together
Anna Skaret-Ball
2. ELECTRONICS Using LabView and a myDAQ to prototype the electronics element of the product. The prototype represents the lighting of the main product and the connection to smart devices.
3. BRAND IDENTITY In order to bring the product to market, the commercial viability of the product needs consideration, along with how the product will be marketed to the consumers. This involved creating a brand, marketing collateral and exploring the online platforms the product would branch into to achieve different objectives (shown below).
1 Facebook- Attract 2 Amazon- Sell 3 The App & Website -Provide 1
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DESIGN PHASE
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SOLUTIONS SPACE
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Anna Skaret-Ball
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THE FINAL SOLUTION The product being presented to address the brief is GloStic. This is a bedside device for use within the adolescents room, with interaction from both the parent and the teen. At the heart of this product lies an alarm clock, utilising how an alarm clock provides routine and consistency to a working week. It is the features built into this alarm clock which distinguish this from other bedside assistive devices on the market. Firstly, to show the components within GloStic and how they all fit together, the visual above shows an exploded view of the product. The components have been highlighted as labelled opposite.
RRP: £54.99 COST: £37.27 PROFIT: £17.72 SALES: 26,000 COST AND PROFIT PER UNIT SALES BASED ON SECOND YEAR SALES
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LCD 1 - This is the LCD display intended for parent interaction to set the GloTime. It is angled in order to ensure the parent can view the screen with ease BUTTONS - Tactile buttons were the interaction of choice by the parent. Therefore these have been included within the product, with the circuitry underneath to register the ‘clicks’ of the parent, done through click domes LCD 2 - This rectangular LCD display is for the adolescent to view the time and notifications
HOW IT WORKS The product is focused around the GloTime, committed to aiding the parent in reducing adolescent technology use, whilst aiding the adolescent in improving sleep. The product function can be broken down into night and morning functions. Night functions 1. The screen side of the product faces the teenager. The parent turns the device round, so the lighting side faces the adolescent. The parent and adolescent decide on the GloTime for that evening, this is input into the product, either directly or through the app. Whilst doing this, the morning alarm time is also set 2. The product begins to glow red, whilst the phone and tablet change colour. The light then dims, accompanied by dimming device lighting too. When the GloTime is all consumed, the devices completely turn off and although they can be charged, they cannot be used
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SOLUTION SPACE
STORYBOARD TO VISUALLY DESCRIBE HOW GLOSTIC WORKS
Anna Skaret-Ball
MAIN FRAME & POWER CONNECTOR This frame has been designed so the other components can quickly and efficiently be ‘snapped’ into place, aiding in lean manufacture when assembling the product. At the base, the product utilises a connector similar to that of a kettle, allowing the product to rotate, whilst at the same time providing power. This features a clip mechanism so the product cannot be removed from the base Morning functions 3. As the time set by the parent and teenager OUTER CASING & LED STRIP - Translucent is reached, the product increases in blue light casing to emit LED lighting and house the 4. To turn the alarm off, the product must be internal components. Down the spine of the turned back around, with the screen facing the product is the LED strip, with a strip of plastic teen again. The front screen will display the which it fixes to, preventing LED movement social media, text and call notifications from the adolescents phone aiding in waking up BASE UNIT - The base unit consists of two halves which clip together with snapfits, GloStic comes with a control app, aimed for housing the battery and circuitry within use by the parent. This app allows for those parents with a smart phone to remotely set the GRIP - To ensure the product can be turned GloTime and as some parents don’t physically with ease on the surface it sits on, the product go in to say goodnight to their teenager, the app features an isoprene grip on the base is a way of interacting with the product without physical contact.
SOLUTIONS SPACE Anna Skaret-Ball
EVALUATION REQUIREMENT
SCORE
WEIGHT
TEST METHOD
EVIDENCE
FINAL SCORE
LIGHTING REDUCTION Must expose the adolescent to a more suitable lighting environment
5
Comparison with the current lighting environment and proof through the electronics included
Electronics will ensure lighting changes are gradual and colours appropriate for the time of day
90%
RESPONSIBILITY Must engage adolescents in starting to take responsibility for their own bedtime
4
Feedback from the parent and teenager research participants
Positive feedback from the parent and adolescent will acknowledge a responsibility shift
80%
COMFORT Must be comfortable to interact with (for both parent and teenager)
4
Interaction of the high fidelity prototype with the research participants
Positive feedback from prototype interaction
75%
SIMPLE GloTime should be easy to set and the product simple to install
4
Interaction with the prototype, app interface and research participants
Positive feedback from prototype interaction
95%
CONSISTENCY Must aid parents in setting regular and consistent bedtime routines
5
Surveys with the parent research participants, detailing how the product works
Parent feedback will confirm that their confidence in setting bedtime routines has improved
73%
GloStic sucessfully meets the needs of both the primary and secondary user, which were established at the beginning of the process, in relation to form and function.
83%
EVALUATION
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