Process & Case Study
Process & Case Study
project brief Find a problem and solve it using a systematic approach to understanding the challenge and its need to be resolved!
GRDS730 3D Graphics Studio Packaging a Design Problem Learning Objectives: • to propose a 3D design problem • to interact with multiple problem solving methodologies • to document and user interaction as a component of problem solving • to interact with an related industry professional in a collaborative manner in the problem solving process • to document (in an organized manner) the complete journey–from start to finish–of a design problem
As stated on day one of this course is not about “what?” the box looks like. It’s about why the box? Why a label? Why the bag? Why plastic? Why box-board? Why printing? Why canvas? Why rubber? Why the experience?
Your challenge over the next ten weeks is to seek out, research, investigate, discuss, write about, collaborate and resolve a three-dimensional design problem. What is this, you ask? The best place to start is the simple tasks and experiences you interact with every day. Experiences you are close to. Experiences you are passionate about. Doing laundry, Shopping for groceries, exercise, medical needs, waiting in triage at the emergency room, riding your bicycle, playing the piano, etc.
“Tackling obesity and encouraging healthier eating is something that I believe design and design thinking can make a significant contribution to.”
Tim Brown, President IDEO
Your task is to “package” the solution and create a trade show experience that informs (or “sells”) the solution. Make no mistake, this is no small task, ten weeks sounds like plenty of time, however be warned, ten weeks goes quickly. The schedule in the syllabus will keep you on task. Although you will be required to collaborate (and document the interaction) with a professional in a field related to your problem, much of our “collaboration” will be with each other. Critiques will be with the entire group and rarely instructor only discussions. No question, no suggestion, no sketch is insignificant or dumb. All are included in process and all are taken seriously within the scope of a critique.
DO NOT “FILTER” YOUR THOUGHTS!
project proposal An all-in-one oil change kit that will allow the user to eliminate many cumbersome steps in the process of changing their own oil while extending their oil change intervals and reducing the waste needed to do so.
Twenty years ago the interaction between a vehicle and its owner was very different. Shade tree mechanics existed on every block. Working on your car was a weekend activity shared by many people. You knew the ins and outs of your automobile because you worked on it, you had taken it apart and you put your elbow grease into its daily performance. But with computer integration becoming increasingly prevalent in vehicles, many have left simple automotive maintenance up to the professionals. The process of doing oil changes and replacing simple items on a car is virtually unchanged in fifty years. There is no need for consumers to be weary of working on their automobiles. This process, integrated within a commodity society, has left the auto industry in power over the consumer. New products are kept from a commercial setting and out of the consumer’s eyes so that the automotive maintenance industry can continue to thrive. Because of this the industry has the ability to control the purchasing, use and disposal of all materials in customer vehicles. As consumers become more and more removed from their own possessions the gap between automotive technician and educated consumer grows larger.   The time for the decisions to be put back into consumer’s hands is now. It can be proven that when you connect with objects on a more personal level you become more invested in them, you tend to take care of them more and you do what you can to extend their existence. Also with this process becomes the power of choice. When doing your own automotive maintenance a brand loyalty starts to develop. From the tool brand that you work with to the brand of oil that you purchase, the choices go back into the hands of the consumer. Also users can be in charge of the responsible disposal of their automotive fluids and products. There are many great opportunities for reuse and disposal of automotive oils such as waste oil burners for heating as well as binding agents within tire production.
  Along with reducing the amount of waste associated with oil changes there is a much larger argument to be had about reducing Americas reliance on crude oil. Because we as a country seem to have a reluctance to change our dependence on foreign oil this kit will feature synthetic oil, which has far less crude in it then conventional oil. In this scenario there would be a drastically reduced draw on the need for crude over a long term. If this system were adapted holistically our only automotive crude oil usage would come from gasoline. This kit comes at a perfect time for a society who are currently undergoing massive changes in the automotive industry. The economy also does not support an unneeded cost of routine oil changes. Consumers are looking for solutions to reduce operational costs in their vehicles. Increased insurance rates have caused the overall money needed to keep your car on the road to skyrocket.   The oil change is a very wasteful process. Though systems are in place to recycle waste oil there is a lack of correspondence to the customers about them. This loss in communication causes much of the wrongful disposal of oil. A container that allows a consumer to take the oil to a facility by auto without the chance of spillage has not been developed. Though automotive motor oil is currently packaged in a highly recyclable number 2 containers, under many circumstances it cannot be recycled because of inability for the contents of the bottle to be cleaned out. Because oil is not harmed my heat or cold there could be a more sustainable solution to this problem such as paperboard or glass containers that could be burned with waste oil burners or melted down and recycled into new containers.   As a way to push Americans towards becoming more sustainable with their cars I will produce a kit that allows consumers to make more environmentally sound purchases for their automotive maintenance. This kit will consist of oil packaging, oil filter packaging, fuel filter packaging, air filter packaging and an all-encompassing box that will double as a transportation device to the waste fluid return facility. The oil included will be at the proper viscosity but will come as a longer lasting synthetic, which will allow for fewer to no future oil changes, and in turn less waste. If a consumer is willing to spend a higher amount one time for an oil change then they can relieve themselves from ever having to do them on their automobile again. The products will also be packaged in a manner that they can be sold separately. By allowing the consumer to buy these items individually there will be an opportunity to enter the brand at a lower price point. Also this tactic will allow items that do not last the life of the automobile, such as the fuel filter, to be purchased as a lower cost then the entire kit.
A consumer would purchase an entire kit to give their car a tuneup. By purchasing entire package they are insured to have all the products needed to complete the necessary jobs. This package will be easy to carry and understand the function of. When the package is opened it will reveal the products inside. These products will be packaged individually. The user will be able to remove the contents of this package and use the container as a waste oil catch. The internal components will be minimally packaged to reduce waste. All components will have recyclable or long lasting materials to reduce the overall landfill impact from the tune-up. This product will be aimed at young to middle aged adults both male and female because this is a demographic that is already concerned with environmental issues and may be searching for solutions to the overpriced service industry and would also like to make choices about their own environmental impact. Obviously any market of less then 16 years old would be foolish because they are not dealing with car issues. An older demographic may also turn irrelevant because of health problems that prevent users to do their own automotive work. Also with this generation there may already be a sense of pride towards their automobiles because they have worked on them and dealt with their maintenance in their early driving experience. To make the best possible solution there needs to be investigating into what the major hurtles are in many different facets of the oil change process. Investigation into the way oil is shipped and stored in a retail environment may have possibilities for improvement. Discussing issues with an auto parts store could gain this information. The process of doing an oil change can also have many issues, because of this it would be important to survey many people to see what keeps them from doing their own automotive work. An overwhelming sense of information keeps many from performing automotive work. There is a need to streamline the product information so that it is more easily understandable to an elementary consumer. Also, I would need to talk with someone who deals with waste oil to see what can and can not be ran through waste oil burners and recyclers. If a direction of glass is taken then there would need to be research into the different levels of glass recycling and the local facilities acceptance of such as product. From this product there is an increased comfort in the vehicle in which you trust your life with every time you are inside of it. By decreasing the amount of oil changes that need to be preformed while also increasing an owners comfort within a product is a double win scenario. By reverting back to a society where consumers are performing their own automotive service it would allow the industry to
start designing higher quality and longer lasting products once again. Not only will this product be more sustainable, it will also allow for an easier oil change process. By making the packaging more understandable, a new demographic will be inclined to use it. Also the way in which we handle the bottles, how they poor and how the store on the consumers shelves can all be improved.   By reducing the long-term cost of oil changes a consumer would be inclined to use this product. Also by allowing the oil change process to happen in a more stream lined way this product hopes to get more customers interested in their own automotive maintenance. The packaging will display information in a clear and understandable matter for this purpose. This product will also be packaged in a much more sustainable way then current tune-up materials. By educating the consumers on the high recycle ability of this product there will be a drastic reduction in associated waste. By providing a container that allows for easy waste oil transportation as well as a better catch system, the percentage of oil return will increase.
industry interviews Stephen Sidella is an automotive technician with over 12 years of experience in various facets of the industry including sales, transmission service and direct manufacturer service. I discussed with him my project goals to better understand how they would function in a real-world scenario, how he perceived the kit functionality and if he believed the project to be viable.
Steve Zimmerman – July 3 at 3:27pm Hey Buddy! I am working on this school project dealing with 3-D packaging of oil products to create a process that is more economically feasible, environmentally responsible and packaged sustainable. I’m coming up with a brand that will work with companies like AMSOIL to package their products in a kit allowing you to do “the last oil change you’ll ever need to” on your automobile. Because AMSOIL is producing synthetics that are at the point of million mile motor oil this is a kit that could actually be marketed. I was considering packaging it in such a way that when it came in a box, you could remove the contents (oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter) and drain your oil directly into that box. It would be engineered so that it could be resealed for transport back to a facility that could dispose of your waste oil responsibly so that you did not have to deal with transferring the oil from a catch pan back into a container.
Because of all the high end products that would be included it would probably end up being a pretty expensive kit. But because of the long lasting synthetic it could be an option for cars requiring synthetics to produce the last oil change you need to do. My question to you would be… Do you think that a kit like this would be deemed necessary in the current marketplace? Of course we are talking about a consumer purchase and consumer labor. Would this be something you would by if you car took synthetic oil? (spend $200 or so dollars and you don’t have to worry about changing the oil anymore does sound pretty enticing) What do you think about the contents of the package, is it missing anything or should something not be in it? Sorry to kind of throw a lot at you. I was just thinking that it would be stupid of me to work on something like this and not at least discuss it with someone that is dealing with customers, money and
A Cost Breakdown
Oil filter Oil Air filter Total -
the market. My opinion is by no means gospel so any insight you have I am more then happy to hear. The project is still pretty elementary. I plan to move into the way that oil is packaged, which will probably result in moving away from plastic containers to something more sustainable with the ability to be recycled or that will breakdown in a waste oil process. Stephen Sidella – July 4 at 1:19pm My thoughts are this, most people don’t even change their own oil anymore nor do they want to, its a great idea, but in today’s market place its just to damn cheep to get it done elsewhere, it probably wouldn’t be a big hit. Steve Zimmerman – July 5 at 6:01pm Not to start an argument at all because you make a valid point. But the main selling point could be that over time you would be saving money by not paying for routine oil changes. Also you would be making a substantial environmental impact by drastically reducing the amount of oil needed to keep you car on the road. Also the kit would work to make the process of changing you oil and returning it to a
$20 10 x 5 = $50 $50 $120
waste oil facility easier. Which may entice more to become hands on with their routine maintenance. Understandably with that said, there is no solution out there which is a catch all in the marketplace. Not everyone would be interested in something like this kit. But it was just an idea that some would... Or would you still think that there is no way that something like this could exist and be profitable. (hypothetically because this is just a school project) Stephen Sidella –
July 5 at 6:46pm
I think it is a great idea I really do, it’s just not economical when even a synthetic oil change is like 69 bucks. I like the idea but it really isn’t practical. You will find this out when you research cost. Steve Zimmerman – July 5 at 6:51pm Ok fair enough. I figured I would ask professionals before getting too far into it.
Bradley Schreckengost is an automotive service writer with roughly 8 years experience. In his daily job he deals with customers and monetary issues that relate to the automotive industry. Because of this Brad became a great resource to bounce ideas off throughout my project. In our first interview he was able to grant me insight into the current state of the auto industry (with economic issues pressing any business) and help with making my kit a fit what is necessary for the consumer.
Steve Zimmerman – July 3 at 3:25pm Hey Brad! I am working on this school project dealing with 3-D packaging of oil products to create a process that is more economically feasible, environmentally responsible and packaged sustainable. I’m coming up with a brand that will work with companies like AMSOIL to package their products in a kit allowing you to do “the last oil change you’ll ever need to” on your automobile. Because AMSOIL is producing synthetics that are at the point of million mile motor oil this is a kit that could actually be marketed. I was considering packaging it in such a way that when it came in a box, you could remove the contents (oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter) and drain your oil directly into that box. It would be engineered so that it could be resealed for transport back to a facility that could dispose of your waste oil responsibly so that you did not have to deal with transferring the oil from a catch pan back into a container. Because of all the high end products that would be included it would probably end up being a pretty expensive kit. But because of the long lasting synthetic it could be an option for cars requiring synthetics to produce the last oil change you need to do. My question to you would be… Do you think that a kit like this would be deemed necessary in the current marketplace? Of course we are talking about a consumer purchase and consumer labor.
Would this be something you would by if you car took synthetic oil? (spend $200 or so dollars and you don’t have to worry about changing the oil anymore does sound pretty enticing) What do you think about the contents of the package, is it missing anything or should something not be in it? Sorry to kind of throw a lot at you. I was just thinking that it would be stupid of me to work on something like this and not at least discuss it with someone that is dealing with customers, money and the market. My opinion is by no means gospel so any insight you have I am more then happy to hear. The project is still pretty elementary. I plan to move into the way that oil is packaged, which will probably result in moving away from plastic containers to something more sustainable with the ability to be recycled or that will breakdown in a waste oil process. Brad Schreckengost – July 4 at 3:07am It sounds like a really good idea, sure to grab some attention too right now. Another selling point would be that by eliminating the need for people to continue buying oil less plastic bottles would be made and oil is used in plastic production. If you figure a cheap conventional oil change can be had for about 20 dollars and the average car goes
12,000 miles a year and the average car is kept for 7 years. That would mean with your product you could avoid 28 oil changes at 20 dollars a piece, that is over 500 dollars. I figure the product and project is viable. If sears can sell bullshit fuel system cleanings that have little to no guaranteed benefit I cannot see why you would not be able to sell something like this. I understand that you are planning this out more for the package design and marketing plan design aspect and not the application itself, lets face it you went to design school not engineer school. I will leave that part up to you, but maybe some of the numbers I threw at you can give you an idea of how you would want to build the marketing plan. The only thing I see you not hitting on is the oil filter. You and I had this discussion a long time ago, they can make oil to last forever but I have yet to see an oil filter in the common marketplace that is engineered to last beyond 3000 miles. You also need to keep in mind that another job of motor oil is to keep the engine clean. When combustion occurs combustion gases are released, the motor oil absorbs these gases. These gases are acidic and over time can make the oil have an acidic content. A filter has not really been designed to take care of this. You obviously know all this shit because you worked on stuff for how long, I am just trying to mention some things you may get knocked on if you present this in a class. So I think you may need
to use some other form of oil filter technology in your package. That said I recently read some articles about oil refine filters. They actually don’t fill up like a traditional filter and have something in them to neutralize the oil. Currently most of this style technology is available on a bypass filter rather than the standard full flow filter that is on a vehicle. You may want to do a search on this technology. I happened to stumble on it when I opened AIM the other day. Another article I read mentioned a filter that was in the planning process that used electrostatic technology and I guess worked kind of similar to that stupid ionic breeze thing that filters home air. I am not so sure how well that would work. With your experience you also know on some vehicles there isn’t much room for any extra equipment such as a bypass filter. Some of this bypass filter technology has been around for awhile, here is a link to an article I had book marked awhile ago since I thought it was kind of neat. http://www.mnn.com/transportation/cars/stories/ never-change-your-oil-again
As far as the fuel filter in your package, I am not sure you would need that in an oil change package, I could see an air filter before a fuel filter. As far as the air filter goes that technology is already there, from K&N to those rechargeable cones that every
douche bag kid in Lebanon puts on his Honda and thinks gives him 50HP If you want to go with the fuel filter anyway you may want to look at some marine applications. Some of the boat fuel filters have a built in separator that kind of works like the air water separator on an air compressor. If you get shit gas or moisture in the gas you can disconnect them, hit the relief valve and the moisture comes out. I think it was Ashley I was talking to about them the other day since we were talking about someone getting water in their gas tank. While I think it is a great idea and very marketable remember I live in Lebanon county PA and hate change, I probably would not buy it, but then again I don’t mind changing my oil. For your marketing or packaging plan you may want to try something to convince people like myself who do not like change that this is the wave of the future and this really is the proper way to care for a car. People such as environmentalists and people from the mother nature network (the link I sent you) would be in your hip pocket the whole way. The first one you would sell would be to a Prius more than likely not an 84 f-150. Sorry if I rambled on and got off subject at all. I know I probably made some points that really don’t matter to you, I am just trying to think of every possible angle and possibly spur some thought on. Good Luck with your project and let me know how it goes. Steve Zimmerman – July 5 at 5:54pm No problem with the rambling on, you made some good and valid points. From what I understand, and how I was planning on marketing this was, that AMSOIL is a full synthetic and because of that I was only going to push it towards consumers with cars that require a synthetic oil. Because of course a synthetic oil in a conventional oil motor is only going to reap havoc over a long period.
With the price point and the style of vehicles that require synthetic oil we are probably talking about a longer life then 7-8 years because the newer cars are the ones that require synthetics vs the 92 civic that everyone drives. I would also argue that you could sell the car with the aspect of the oil never needing to be changed until x amount of million miles because these types of cars are not becoming junkers when they are sold, they are probably being traded in or resold in some way, shape or form. According to AMSOIL their fully synthetic is a maintenance free oil that can be left alone for the full life of the oil. And when they do testing on their oil they do no change the filter or have to add additional oil because of burn off. But then if you check on the traditional filter packaging they say that the filter is only designed to last 3-5 thousand miles. So it’s hard to figure out what is the truth or not. AMSOIL does design oil filters http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eao.aspx
which are designed to last roughly 25,000 miles. That is an improvement over traditional ones, but would still require some sort of maintenance on the oil system. (But that is not really a make-it-orbreak-it fact for me) I had the same thoughts on K&N filters as a good solution to the air filter problem. But was thinking that maybe the fuel filter being included in the kit is probably a bad idea. There are too many variations on fuel filters and many cars come with multiple filters now a days. Also it is probably good to just not have consumers messing with fuel related maintenance for the obvious related hazards.
Never Change Your Oil Again Installing an oil refiner lets car owners eliminate oil changes forever.
this article courtesy of Mother Nature Network at MNN.com
With news of the BP oil spill in the Gulf making headlines on a daily basis, oil is on everyone’s minds. What may not be on your mind is an oil change for your car. Every 3,000 miles you dutifully go to the local service center and get your oil changed — but what if you never had to change your oil again? That would be nice. What if you could skip future oil changes and increase your fuel economy? That would be even better. A product called the ElectroLube Oil Refiner may help you eliminate oil changes forever and improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency at the same time. Although you may have never heard of the Electro-Lube Oil Refiner, it has been used for decades. The product was launched in the 1970s and has been used in tugboats and merchant marine ships for years. However, the product can be used in commercial vehicles, cars, delivery vans, and just about anything else that uses oil. The product is attached to the engine where it then cleans the oil for continual use. The refiner removes solid particles, prevents the accumulation of water in the oil, and neutralizes acid. This leads to a longer engine life and increased fuel efficiency, with autos utilizing the refiner realizing a 3 to 4 percent improvement in fuel economy. Although this product can help consumers save money, it can have an even more noticeable impact when integrated into a corporate fleet. The reduction in fuel consumption, oil consumption, and used motor oil waste can be significant over the life of the vehicle. When you compound these reductions by the number of vehicles in a fleet, the savings can be significant. The average price is around $600, plus shipping, taxes, fittings and hoses. It also needs filter repacks, which are changed every 25,000 miles or 500 hours. Currently, Electro-Lube provides installation services only on fleet vehicles. AG Van & Truck Equipment company has partnered with Electro-Lube Green to help get the refiner installed in more commercial fleets and to bring the product to the streets of America. The product is available with installation instructions through AG Van at 800-638-8818.
consumer interviews It was important to talk with people at a consumer level because they are the market that my product will reach first hand. To better understand the viability of my ideas I had to ask the public what they thought. From this data I gathered pivotal resources that helped shape my project’s contents and price point. The way my kit is sold was completely developed from this data.
It was important to gather information from a large cross section of the market. Because of this I chose to conduct interviews at various types of businesses in the automotive industry. These interviews were made as impromptu as possible. But several questions were asked to all the participants I spoke with.
The Questions: What keeps you from changing your own oil? Do you know how you change your own oil? Would you pay for a high initial oil change to not do another for the life of your vehicle? Do you keep up to date on routine oil changes? Do you know how your waste oil is disposed of? Are you loyal to any auto parts brand? Do you understand all the information shown on consumer oil packaging?
What keeps you from changing your own oil? place to do it: 7 equipment: 5 know how: 3 time: 3 heat: 1 husband deployed: 1 price: 2 usually do: 11
Do you know how to change your own oil? yes: 27 no: 6
Would you pay for 2 oil changes at 1 time to not have to do another for 1 million miles? yes: 28 no: 5
Do you keep up to date on routine oil changes? yes: 12 no: 21
Do you know how your waste oil is disposed of? yes: 9 no: 24
Do you consistently purchase any auto parts brands? no: 16 Chevron Gas Rain x Goodyear American: 2 Jeep Dealer Michelin Valvoline: 3 Cheapest: 4 Parkers Fram: 2 Pennszoil: 2 Shell AutoVal Turtle Wax
Do you understand all the information shown on oil packaging? yes: 19 no: 14
Quotes “Synthetic oil costs are so high I can barely afford oil changes.” “I try to buy anything American whenever I can.” “Things are just too expensive, so I tend to let them go.” “I’m very busy in the summer and it needed to get done before my vacation.” “I enjoy getting my hangs dirty.” “I buy whatever I’ve always bought.”
market research For my kit to be considered successful I also needed to research what existed in the market already. Before formulating a brand I needed to size up the competition to see where they were lacking and how I could exploit their shortcomings. I believe that because of this research I was able to make a more successful project.
The automotive industry is flooded with brands that lack personality and rely on rich history to sell their product. Because of this new manufacturers have a great opportunity to establish themselves as a foreword thinking companies, by developing new strategies, experiences and products that will set them apart from their competition.
existing kits I was concerned that with a product that seemed so obvious that there would already be a company making a kit like mine. I was not able to find any existing oil change kits that were sold in the consumer market. Many kits do exist for smaller
engines, such as 2-stroke motors on quads. This research informed me that there was a niche place for this kit to exist.
oil changing The experience of doing an oil change yourself is so bad that many have outright stopped in favor of a company that can facilitate it for them. An important part of my kit is to make the process of changing your own oil more streamlined and easier
to understand. Changing your own oil is not a complicated process, it is just an unenjoyable one.
existing oil logos The oil marketplace has become flooded with the “web 2.0� look identities. This aesthetic has cause many companies to be dehumanized in choice for a more trendy or contemporary look. I found that older identities to be far more effective on com-
municating a brand and it’s values, because of the clean shapes and understandable graphics, then newer brands that feature gradients, overlays and halftone patters.
old oil containers Outdated oil packaging often featured highly understandable graphics that were approachable and effective. Oil containers of today have swapped easy to understand forms and graphics for a more flashy look that will allow their product to pop. But
because all oil companies have adopted this look, the oil shelf becomes overbearing and intimidating to users. I believe this is why many consumers stick to brands they have always bought.
shelf layouts The motor oil shelf is an intimidating place because of the overbearing colors and complex graphics that bombard the viewers eyes. These graphics often sacrifice readability and hierarchy for an image that will pop. Repetition of shape further
pushes along the overwhelming feel. Many consumers develop brand loyalty because of the easy of recognition of a product, not necessary because they believe the product to be better. This philosophy can be exploited.
oil changing equipment The oil change is much more in depth then just getting a couple quarts of oil, and filter and a half hour of your time together. Other materials are needed. Catch pans, tools and rags are all things you’ll need to take on this task. Many of these resources
cost a large amount of money that keeps many consumers from entering into the oil change market. If there was a lowered cost or added incentive to the process many more consumers would be willing to “deal with� changing their own oil.
shelf layout critique Because of the complex issues that surround the motor oil wall I needed to take an in depth look at what was causing this overwhelming feeling. I examined how the self and bottle interacted with each other as well as the ways important informa-
tion was being expressed to the consumer. From this information I would be able to have my product fill in the gaps to make a more enjoyable experience then what was currently existing.
The motor oil shelf had many problems that immediately jumped out to me. I was amazed that companies were so invested in their brand image that they would sacrifice the accessibility and usability of their product.   Oil is sold in quarts unanimously. The shape of bottles between manufacturers are very similar. Tall skinny bottles flood the shelf. Though this shape does fit nicely into your hands, the proper way to pour them is not clearly translated. Many users do not know that there is a proper and improper way to pour their oil. Some companies, such as Castrol, have moved the pour spout from a right side to the middle of the bottle to aid in this misunderstanding. But the fact of the matter is that most people do not pour out their oil in the most effective manner because the bottle form is new to them and they traditionally do not understand it. The low contrasting infographic on the bottle is passed over instead of understood.   Though Peak Motor Oil has began to develop a color association to their various weights of oil, this communication is lost due to the design of the shelf. Peak has chosen to make their blue colored bottle the important color association (understandably why) but because of this they sacrifice the sub dominant information that the user needs to purchase their product.   Thirdly, the current oil containers have a large amount of wasted space surrounding them because of the needed room to remove them from the shelf tray. This space causes wasted space in the shipping boxes from the manufacturer as well as reduced product amounts on the shelf layout.
naming process The naming of my product was difficult because I needed to find a name that not only had significance to the product and its unique placement in the market, but also needed to be easy to pronounce and have a quality that makes you remember it. After much research the name Olefin was chosen for the oil and products while the full Olefin ext. was reserved for the entire kit.
Drake Oil Company- named after the first oil well in the USA OilFlex Frain Oil Products Parvenu- a person who has suddenly risen to a higher social and economic class but has yet to have gained acceptance by others in that class Dendro MainTain MemOil Fil ReJuvenoil Ext. Oil Products- environment multiplied by time Patroil- synthetic oil is petroleum based rather then made from crude based oil Olefin- long chained synthetic fiber, part of the additive that makes synthetic oils superior and helps to ease process of starting and reducing soot deposits
the brand Olefin has more concentration on developing enjoyable interactions and understandable products then it is devoted to plastering its identity onto everything it makes. Doing this has created a brand that is perceived as clean, stripped down and most importantly approachable.
The Olefin brand focuses on the three main principles of the company, oil change process ease, oil change interval extensions and sustainability. In doing so Olefin needs to produce a product that balances desirability, viability and feasibility. Olefin’s brand positions itself at the higher end of the spectrum because it needs to. The oil it sells is at a higher quality then over typical over the counter synthetics. The products it markets are longer lasting, and because of that the gross units sold is much lower then typical automotive products. Also, because of the current marketplace for synthetic oil where not every automobile accepts synthetic, a higher end clientèle would be the market where Olefin is selling.
thumbnails Once I knew the name for my product I was able to begin visually ideating on a logo for my brand. Because I had knowledge on the shortcomings of other oil brands I was able to exploit what they could not. As a new company I had the upper hand, for once.
The Olefin identity was focused on becoming more humanistic then other current oil brands. I was intrigued how many interviews I conducted talked about a loyalty to products that are made in the United States. Because the internal components of the kit were going to be American based whenever possible I though that ideology is something I could play up.   I wanted to stay away from making the look of the logo overly sustainable or recycled. Though it is a principle of the company, it is not the main philosophy that Olefin wants to project. The look of sustainable logos is beginning to be overdone in any marketplace. This look does not practice it’s own sustainability. I am a firm believer that all companies should practice sustainable behavior, so making the logo overly state that ideology is redundant.
digital roughs Once I was comfortable with moving foreword from the thumbnail stage of identity development I began to move to the computer to tighten up the layout of the Olefin logo. During this stage I was able to experiment with different terminals on the individual characters. The letter forms were individual design to be appropriate for the logo.
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olefin
final logo
product design process The design of the Olefin ext. product was an in-depth experience with many twists and turns along the way. Because the Olefin kit was designed to make the process easier for everyone involved it was important to not make any decisions without having just cause. I ran into several issues with throughout the packaging that needed to be systematically resolved with the end users interests in mind.
The Olefin product design started with an problem. How to make the oil change experience easier for consumers while extending oil change intervals and reducing waste. This was quite an extensive problem that required research, innovative thought and precise development to create a product that was justifiable from all spectrums. I called on my own experiences, five years as an automotive technician, to relate now products to the current state of the old. By utilizing information obtained from industry professionals I was also able to tackle complex issues that exist in small interactions that happen during retail sales. It was important to make the Olefin kit not only a more pleasurable experience for the end user, but also for the sales associate who is recommending it. Removing timidness from an automotive setting, which is usually filled with “know it alls,” was a fine line. The users interaction was put front row, center throughout the design process. Prototypes were needed to accurately critique the functionality of a handle, the way weight was handled and the organization of how products were laid out in a modular system. Because of this detailed development the final product was made from entirely justifiable decisions. The product is not only viable from a consumer demand stand point, but also economically accurate due to a well understood price bracket.
package contents Though Olefin is a new and unique brand it will be working with many well established product manufactures. Because of this the start up costs of getting Olefin off the ground would be reduced. The manufactures Olefin is working with would understandably offer them products at a reduced cost. The price points I established worked with retail prices from the brands, making this kit even more viable in a real world setting.
AmsOil is the number one manufacturer of synthetic oils in the world. The first company to offer synthetic oils to a consumer market, AmsOil has pioneered the motor oil market ever since. The new lines of oil boast a million mile longevity. The
increased life helps to reduce waste as well as hassle with routine automotive maintenance. By making this oil available in smaller amounts for top-offs, AmsOil and Olefin would be able to reduce costs and maintain customer satisfaction.
Bosch is a well established brand in the automotive industry. With contracts involving many of the worlds largest auto makers, it would be quite possible to say you have Bosch products in your current automobile, and may not even know it. Bosch has developed a long lasting oil filter whose properties allow it to last 400% longer
then it’s counterparts. By including the new Bosch filter Olefin is able to drastically reduce the cost of filter replacement as well as the amount of occurrences of filter changes/ top-offs.
The brand K&N is world renowned for their innovative air filter designs that feature infante life due to their ability to be washed and reused over and over. Not only do their products last longer, but they also work better then factory replacements. By
including the K&N brand, a well know American manufacturer, the Olefin kit will be tied to a rich history that not many automotive products have been able to get close to. K&N’s air filters come in a variety of applications at an obtainable price point.
Pig Mat is a brand usually represented in a commercial setting, though with recent issues on the Gulf Coast the brand is looking to break into a retail setting. Because of this the Olefin ext. kit would allow them to tentatively experiment with this market setting. By getting their products into the hands of users they would be able to
develop interest in their products while solving a very important purpose in the kit, to soak up any oil that does not make it into the bladder and keep it from staining your garage floor or entering into the soil.
air filter and oil filter Current air and oil filter packaging is quite sustainable. Typically it is packaged in a recycled chip board container with single sided printing on it. The products also tend to be unwasteful. Why my product excels is because of the extended life creates reduced waste over a long period of time. The oil filter and air filter will be sold inside
of the kit and through a counter interaction, because of this the filters can be packaged with minimal printing and material. These products will not serve as point of purchase under the Olefin brand.
catch pan Developing the oil catch pan was a unique project because it is not a product that exists in the real world. Though I could model it after existing catch pans, it was important for me to look at resources outside of the automotive world. My initial thoughts on the catch pan design was to have oil drain directly into a well designed box. But
because of shipping and sealing issues I quickly realized that a bladder system was needed to effectively allow oil to seal and transport correctly. I began to reference soda syrup packaging because it allowed me to see how oil could be sealed.
oil bottles The Olefin bottle design is something that sets the brand off from all of its competitors. The liquid amounts and form of the bottles has been a well educated decision because of the uniqueness of the kit. I chose to further develop a milk carton styled
bottle because of the ability for the paper to be recycled. This shape is something that consumers are comfortable working with. Because of this it is not as necessary to educate the user on proper pouring techniques.
prototypes As Tim Brown would say, it is important to make quick prototypes in an effort to get the interactions your have working. By making quick prototypes I was able to have tangible evidence that you can experience without a huge investment in the form or functionality. Because of this I made several rough mock-ups of the product design that became increasingly tightened throughout the process. After making a prototype I was able to understand the problems it was having and fix them in a quick manner, all it took was some scissors and a little tape.
Before entering into the prototype phase I had researched the needed elements and the way they needed to function. Because of that I was able to identify that I needed to develop a box that would allow for easy carrying and double as a catch pan that eliminated the horrible step of finding a way to return your waste oil to a recycling facility (usually where your bought your oil from).   My first design featured a top side handle that unfolded to create a large container where waste oil could be contained, sealed and returned. Though it would have been possible to create a box that could be water tight, it would have created too many steps from the user to make it this way.   The handle also became cumbersome because of the configuration the heavy box did not allow for your arm to rest comfortably as you carried it. The box would hit your leg, rub off dirt onto you and try to pull your hand apart as its weight worked against you.
prototype – oil bottles The oil containers were one of two point of purchase items in the Olefin line. Because of this is a new product with innovative philosophies it was not necessary to stick to how things were being done in the past, but rather focus on more appropriate ways to package oil. By doing so I was able to create a better user interaction.
Anyone who has ever changed their own oil knows the headaches you need to deal with when pouring the new oil into your car. An entire product , the funnel, exists because of the oil containers poor design. Many users poor oil incorrectly and spill large amounts of product because of it. This is an expensive and frustrating mistake. Because Olefin features a unique million mile synthetic oil there is never a need to buy large amounts of oil again. A typical top-off from a filter change will only require you to put a half quart or pint back into the motor to maintain proper oil levels. Olefin can be sold in top-off sized containers because that is all users would ever need, other then the one time they use the ext. kit. By lowering this amount of purchased oil Olefin is able to charge a lower price for top-offs, which is good because a quart of AmsOil goes for about $10 when all you need is a pints worth, or $5. This unique amount of oil allowed me to work with a more familiar container shape that users are comfortable with and understand its proper usage for pouring. Because of this the need for a separate filter is not need for easy pouring. Also the paper style container is recyclable. Though it would need to come from new food grade paper, it is possible for the empty containers to be hydropulped and turned into lower quality recycled paper. Please note that current oil containers are not recyclable due to the residual oil left in the container.
prototype – box v2 The second version prototype allowed me to further nail down the sizes of products and how they interact with the layout of the interior of the package. This stage of the project made me go back to my earlier research to make well informed decisions. The help of my peers gave me an outsider view of how my project was shaping up.
I assessed some of the major issues I was having with my first prototype in this phase. I realized that designing a box that had to seal upon itself was a troublesome issue. Though it could probably be done, it was a far too delicate mechanism that was not durable, created problems, and if failed created catastrophic results. Also, the design of the handle was limiting to the way the user interacted with the process of changing their own oil. Many steps were added that did not need to be there. Instead of streamlining the process of changing your oil I felt as if I had complicated it more. I began to reassess the direction of form that I had chosen. To accurately depict the items that I was working with I needed to start building closer to final scale. By doing this I was able to understand how this product would interact underneath a vehicle as well as its interaction with the human body. I began to layout the oil containers with a rough sized air and oil filter. Many arrangements were explored to find the best possible solution. Originally I favored a choice where the oil blocked off two-thirds of the box allowing for the oil and air filter to fit snugly into the remaining space. What I did not realize at this time was that the prototype I was working with did not deal with the final weights of the products. Because all the oil inside the package was to one side, the box became way too hard to carry. Along with this the handle at the top became stressed because of the added pressure and twisting applied to it.
At this point in the development I also began to asses the catch pan idea. I decided that an internal bladder would allow for the greatest amount of reassurance without being too overly difficult from a usage and manufacturing standpoint. This bladder was designed to have a fitting on it that pushed through a perforated hole to the outside of the box. This fitting created connectivity to an included catch pan, easy sealing for transport and easy pouring at a return facility. By this time I had developed a selling process for the product where a counter interaction was necessary for purchase. I wanted the experience to be enjoyable for both the end user as well as the sales associate. Because the oil and air filters were not working as a point of purchase I was able to design them with minimal waste. I reworked the typical information hierarchy so that product numbers and crucial information took the forefront. I realized this was necessary after interviewing several automotive sales associates. From their point of view, they explained that comfort and reassurance they got from face to face talks with associates. This reassurance face time became a great time for associates, who prefer to deal with Olefin’s easy packaging, to boast about the features of the Olefin ext. and it’s increased usability.
prototype – weight issues One of the biggest issues I ran into with this product was how to handle the properties of liquid and how that liquid transferred weight. Dealing with this problem became rather in-depth. I needed to figure out the best solution for my problems by making lots of mock-ups. Handling the liquid allowed me to see how it reacted to different solutions. The placement of the handles and the dimensions of the box are all direct reflections on this stage.
I realized rather quickly that my product had to be durable enough to deal with a heavy weight in it. A pint of motor oil weights about 1 lb. when you figure you have 10 pints of oil as well as the filters and packaging you are looking at roughly a package that needs to be rigid enough to handle roughly 12 lbs. This solution to this problem did not come from a lack of experimentation. I needed to figure out a way that allowed for stable and reassuring handles to interact with the user. I also needed to engineer a way for the products to feel balanced within the container. The result of this would effectively “lighten” the feel of the package. I found that two side handles versus 1 top, brief case style, handle was far more effective to deal with this weight. Also the rigidity of the package needed to be reassess. I found it viable to line the sides and bottoms of the interior package with corrugated cardboard. Doing so added little to no weight or added size requirements, but drastically increased the amount of stability to the package. Because these items are not printed and can be made from recycled materials made this solution the obvious choice.
prototype – catch pan The catch pan is another unique product to the Olefin ext. The catch pan allows you to easily remove the waste oil from your vehicle to put it into the internal bladder. The catch pan attaches to the outside of the Olefin box through the bladder fitting.
The included catch pan allows users a comfortable way to remove the waste oil from their oil pan while giving this stream an easy trail to enter into the contained bladder. This pan attaches to the outside of the Olefin ext. box through the bladder fitting. The added height of this catch pan allows for minimal splashing from fast moving oil. A screen is placed over the main drainage hole to keep large contaminants including the drain bolt from falling into the sealed bladder. Once used for waste oil, it can double as a funnel for wearily oil pourers. This particular catch pan was manufactured by heating a galvanized pipe on the stove and then quickly pressing it through the thin plastic. This technique created impressive results with minimal required sanding or finishing. After this stage, the container was painted to better match the aesthetic of the kit.
prototype – waste oil bladder The waste oil bladder is made from highly strong, air tight bags. This bag has a fitting on it that allows for it to be sealed once full and adapts for connectivity to the included catch pan. This system allows the outer box to serve merely as a container to housing the already contained oil. This bladder adds reliability to long storage situations and insurance for transport.
The waste oil bladder needed to be mocked up so that I could better understand how a large amount of liquid would function inside of my container. Five quarts of oil weights more then you think it would. By producing this bag I was able to keep the outer box from becoming contaminated. This factor kept the box in state where it could be recycled.   A fitting was included that had a large enough diameter to allow liquid to quickly flow through it and into the bladder. The size became dictated by the overall size of the outer ext. box. By allowing oil to spread evenly throughout the bottom of the box the sloshing oil became easier to carry into a recycling facility.
prototype – v3 It took me until my third mock-up to resolve the major issues that the product was having. By the time I had made it to my third prototype I had chopped up and modified my previous two enough to have justified decisions going into my last attempt.
One of the biggest reasons to move from my previous prototype to a new construction was to develop a single pieced box. I knew this was necessary to add rigidity to the structure, but also made the production of the product on a large scale more reasonable. I wanted to design something that could be produced from a single piece of flat paper. I didn’t want to design a hypothetical project that had no place in the real world. Lucky I was able to figure out this construction with only minor changes to the initial design. All three products, 2 boxes and the bottles, were given a similar design so that they had this printing ability. It took me several revisions to determine the best handle set up for the box. In this prototype I was able to implement the proper hand holds for the product. Once I did that and tested it out it was an almost immediate realization about the details making a huge difference. I was happy to finally find a solution that worked and made sense. A main part of the package that I was still trying to figure out at this point was how to have a modular system that would allow for many different sized oil and air filter to fit inside it but at the same time not add too many steps or moving parts. I had decided to prototype an idea where a baffle was placed in at purchase. This wall would slide into the sides of the inside tray of the ext. and create stability for the filter placement. By doing this I was able to keep the
oil filter stationary during transport. I then moved on to figure out how I would be able to keep the air filter from moving too much. This solution came from reducing the height of the catch pan so that it fit correctly into the remaining space above the filter and the lid of the box. Doing so created a nicely packed center area to the box that helped create a stable and stack able product.   At this stage I also fooled around with the idea of the box sealing completely, similar to the mechanism of a FedEx box. Though doing this would create a sense of security during transport, it was a false sense of security. I felt that the bag created a stable enough vessel for transport. Also by creating a seal there is an added and unnecessary step in the oil change process. In addition, if the bag did somehow puncture or leak the seal would keep the user from being able to make a quick solution to this issue.
production dies The following dies display how the box, tray and oil containers could be produced using current printing, cutting and folding techniques. Because of the developed die, the three current elements can be made from a single piece of flat chip board. This process will reduce the production costs of the kit, which are savings that can be passed along to the end user, again making this kit more viable.
manufacturing to sales diagram This diagram is used to showcase how the Olefin products get from manufacturing, to the sales environment, to the user and untimely are disposed of responsibly. It is important to note that many of the recycling aspects of this product still rely on the end users efforts to make responsible decisions.
Olefin sources its products form vendors. In addition to this supply Olefin also obtains recycled components and manufacturers new materials where necessary. This stage of manufacturing all happens at a remote facility. From this facility products are shipped out in 1 of 4 ways. As just oil for a POP environment, just oil filters for a sales associate environment, just air filters also for a sales associate environment or as the ext. box.   Once the product reaches the retailer POP products are put on display. The ext. kit must be purchased through a counter interaction. Consumers would be prompted to discuss their needs for their particular vehicle. Once the Olefin ext. is decided to be a viable solution (vehicle needs to accept synthetic oil) the sales associate would add the proper oil and air filter to the POP kit.   At this point the consumer has all the necessary items needed to perform their oil change. Once completed users have a vessel to easily transport their waste oil back to a recycling facility, which in most cases is the same place they purchased the kit.   Once the waste oil is returned it can be easily poured into bulk waste oil containers where it is recycled. In addition to this the box is made from recycled components that can be put into any industrial cardboard compressor so that it can again be recycled.
Soy Inks
AmsOil
Cardboard
Chip Board
Bladder Bag
Bosch
Gloves Pig Mat
K&N
Vendors
Recycled Components
New Materials
OLEFIN MANUFACTURING
Shipping Oil as POP
Air Filter
Box/OilO
il Filter
AUTHORIZED RETAILER
Counter Interaction
Oil Filter Added
Air Filter Added
Shelving
Box Seen From Sales Area
Top Off Sized Containers Used Container Recycled (Hydropulping)
CONSUMER PERFORMS OIL CHANGE
Used Container Recycled (Hydropulping)
Air Filter Washable and Reusable
EXT BOX RETURNED
Waste Oil Sent To Recycling Facility
Box Recycled
Oil Filter Longer Lasting
experience The experience was a major consideration throughout the project. It was important for the consumer to enjoy a streamlined process of the oil change. By making and testing design decisions throughout the process the many headaches associated with performing oil changes were able to be avoided.
The design of the Olefin ext. concentrated on creating a process that would be streamlined and enjoyable for the customer to experience. Many flaws in design occur during the consumer oil change. By using design thinking it recognize and address these problems, the process becomes better.   Consumers are no longer responsible for remembering the product numbers for their oil and air filters. By facilitating a counter interaction the user is assured that the proper products for their vehicle is bought. This interaction also gives the sales associate an opportunity to answer questions that the user has, or inform them of the advantages to the ext. kit.   Once the Olefin ext. kit is purchased, the product is designed for easy transport. By creating a removable tray and oil bladder the waste oil return system is easier to access. The contents that are included are in place to create a more thoughtful experience.
final solution Because the Olefin ext. was a well thought out product there is a confidence behind its success. the products inside of the kit are justified in their need and selection. By creating a product that is at a competitive price point it is something that will sell in a real world scenario.
final critique
The important thing to state right off the bat is that my personal opinion is not a valid excuse on a reason to like or not like something. To say, I don’t like how this looks or oh, I wish this did this is not important. Rather I should critique that mechanisms and how they work for the user.   Overall I think that the Olefin project has served as an effective exercise on formulating viable solutions using design thinking as a tool. The kit (for lack of a better word) has components that are justified and work as a great selling point in a desirable marketplace. I believe that one of the most unique and best functioning parts of the project is the change from quart to pint sized, milk carton style, containers. Because the top-off sized containers are all that a consumer would need to purchase, I was able to develop a system that allowed for a lower cost per unit. Also because of the reduced size, the container becomes easier to pour and handle. The paperboard construction allows for recycling. I enjoyed being able to establish a new way to sell oil while also making the product justifiable.   Another problem that I believe was successfully solved is the waste oil return system. There is a major issue with the ease involved in returning waste oil. Because this is a complicated problem, many consumers just skip over the proper disposal of their oil. By developing the oil catch pan and return system that is easy to use and removes the annoying steps in the process, more consumers would be inclined
to return waste oil. Also because this return device is included in the kit, it creates an added feature that the user does not necessarily feel like they are paying for.   Of course there are some parts of the project that are not working as well as they could be. I believe that the modular system used to divide the filters is lacking on the usability. I understand that this section needed to be designed so that it could adapt to various sized components while keeping them from moving too much. The design that I have evolved is improved from where it started, but I think it has yet to come far enough. If I would have been able to design some sort of sliding mechanism that would have allowed for a rigid wall to hold the products tight, or maybe some sort of compression section that you could just push the products into to allow for a cushion to hold the products could have worked better. This is getting nit picky because the system I designed does work, but maybe could have been improved on.   Though the product design is maybe not 100% of the way there, I think that is has met the task that I set out to accomplish. Several key components make it stand out from its competitors, or lack there of. Most of all I believe the product is something that could exist in a real world scenario. The price point makes it viable and economical. The components and their manufacturing techniques are accessible, understandable and easy.
Copyright Steven Zimmerman 2010 Š