PORTFOLIO Ward Vancoppenolle Industrial Design Graduate / Belgium / 2013
THIS IS A Selection Of my most Representative Student work Master Product Development at Artesis University College Antwerp
03
This is me... YOUNG EAGER MOTIVATED. Hi there, I’m Ward, a young industrial designer with a strong eagerness to learn and a great enthusiasm for my profession. I like to approach each design project with a youthful exuberance a healthy dose of curiosity, creativity, imagination and most importantly questioning. Maintaining an open mind when exploring the fundamental underlying issues of a design problem and considering a wide range of potential solutions before converging to a certain design proposal. In addition to the big inner child, I’m also very practical, realistic and responsible. In brief: I’m a creative team player with a structured approach driven towards results. My strengths: empathizing, ideation, visualization and practical realisation.
05
ABOUT. Bio
Hobbies
Education
Name
RC models
Product Development
Born
MTB
Ward vancoppenolle
12 July 1989 Leuven, Belgium
Address
Zwartehoekstraat 7 B3360 Bierbeek, Belgium
Contact
vancoppenolle.ward@gmail.com tel: +32473/12 21 70
7 years, Airplanes - cars - boats
3 years, Cross country
Bouldering
1 year, Indoor
Tinkering
15 years, Random stuff
Artesis University College Antwerp, Belgium 2008 - 2012
Maths – sciences
Sint-Albertuscollege Haasrode, Belgium 2002 – 2008
Art school
Conservatorium Leuven, Belgium 1996 - 2008
Internships
Acquainted software
Skills
Achilles Associates BVBA
Graphic
Continue reading
www.achilles.be August 2010
Reference: Koen Elsen Managing Director
Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe Indesign Adobe Flash Sketchbook Pro
k.elsen@achilles.be tel: +32475/44 76 57
3D modeling
MAXIMALdesign BVBA
Rendering
www.maximaldesign.com June - august 2011 Reference: Maxime Szyf Designer/director
info@maximaldesign.com tel: +3232/89 66 41
Rhinoceros Solidworks
V-ray Photoworks Photoview 360 Hypershot Keyshot
07
Skills.
Sketching & Visualisation
Marker & pencil drawings .11
STYLING
Form study product & animal .13
09
3d modeling & rendering
DESIGN RESEARCH
Prototyping
Collaboration & presentation
Model of the new Fiat 500 .15
Heay duty laundry aid .17
Heavy duty laundry aid .19
Workshop future Ikea .21
Marker & pencil drawings. Sketching & visualisation
11
This is one of my best qualities: rapidly visualizing ideas and concepts through sketches. I’ve put a lot of attention in developing this skill, because it’s vital for a designer as both a communication and design tool. These sketches are quick designs for a backpack, exploring different types of zipper and compartment configurations. This selection gives a good representation of what my design sketches usually look like. I personally prefer to draw with markers. They allow to add a lot of volume and depth to the sketch with little effort. A sketch shouldn’t be time consuming, that’s why I rarely use fine liners to finish it of. It works just as well with a regular pencil. Apart from sketching I’m also skilled in digital sketching and photo manipulation. The picture in the introduction for instance was made by tweaking my facial features in Photoshop to match those of a young child.
2nd Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2009
form study Product & animal. Styling
13
This project was an exercise in form studies. We had to examine the characteristics of an animal and a resembling product. Afterwards we were instructed to make a synthesis of both forms, combining the form characteristics and expression of an animal in those of a product. Here the expression of a rhinoceros is integrated in the housing of an electric planning machine. The form characteristics were examined through models and sketches. The final deliverable was this model out of polystyrene foam.
1st Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2008
Model of the new Fiat 500. 3D modeling & rendering
15
I’m always trying to push myself further with each project, this one was no exception. For the course ‘3D modeling advanced’ we had to build a realistic model of an existing product in Rhino 4.0. I chose to model the new Fiat 500. The surfacing of this car proved to be tricky because of its round nature. There weren’t that many characteristic lines to start the construction with. This model has given me a lot of skill and insight in surfacing and 3D modeling in general. At first this model was rendered in Flamingo, but that didn’t do it justice. So a year later I tried it out in V-ray. Modeled in Rhino 4.0 Rendered in V-ray (rt 0h 58m 2,7s) Touch up in Photoshop
2nd Bachelor/ 1st semester
2008
Heavy duty laindry aid. Prototyping
17
When it comes to product design, I prefer a practical approach. I have the impression that there is a common overreliance on 3D software. Sometimes you just have to build it to verify or understand things. For my master thesis I had to verify certain human and technical aspects of my design concept, a device that aids the pre-treatment of coarsely stained clothing. This motivated me to build a working prototype, to present my user panel with very tangible material to discuss and improve upon. The prototype was built with a fully functional interface - buttons, lights and sound - powered by an Arduino Uno. The programmable interface and interchangeable buttons and icons allowed me to test multiple options and tweak the final design and user interactions. The overall dimensions and moving parts such as the lid gave me valuable insights in the ergonomics of the device. In addition to the interface and the controls, a functional drivetrain was constructed. This allowed me to validate the inner workings and effectiveness of the cleaning mechanism to remove coarse dirt of clothing.
2nd Master/ 2nd semester
2012
HEAVY DUTY LAUNDRY AID. Design research
19
Design research is all about questioning, to gain deeper insights in the problem at hand, the different stakeholders and the way all these are interconnected. Taking the perspective of someone completely unfamiliar is quite a challenge, yet something I truly enjoy practicing. With my master thesis I spent quite a lot of time observing my target users. Talking, listening an even challenging them to come up with solutions of their own. I took it upon myself to try out and experience every single treatment method I had observed or learned from my target users. Empathy gave me deep insights in the fundamental issues concerning the washing of coarsely stained clothing. In later design stages I frequently confronted my user panel with the design progress I’d made. The prototype I had built was a particularly useful tool for my design research. It gave me valuable insights in customer preferences, usage patterns, ergonomics, construction and technical performance. Multiple rounds of usability testing with the prototype and careful observations eventually lead to the final design of the device.
2nd Master/ 2nd semester
2012
Workshop future ikea. Collaboration & presentation
21
I believe that collaboration is key to innovation. It’s only natural within a group of people that knowledge is shared, discussions emerge and new ideas are formed. During my studies I had the most fun in group projects and made the most progress with individual projects through discussions with peers. Therefore I highly value teamwork and with lots of practice, it suits me well. Coming up with good ideas is one thing but being able to communicate or present them properly is something more wholesome. This is something you can only learn from lots of practice. Luckily I got the hang of it pretty swiftly. I’m very passionate and comfortable when it comes to presentations or talking about design projects for that matter. Both my collaboration and presentation skills came to good use in the workshop ‘Future IKEA’. This event involved a two hour brainstorm about future opportunities for IKEA with 3 teams (professional designers, students designers and social experts). These 3 teams went head to head in ideation and had to present their results at the end to a professional panel including the CEO of IKEA, Thomas Bergström. He visited Antwerp that day to be presented the Global Citizens Award later that evening.
2nd Master/ 2nd semester
2012
Project CASES.
Product design Children’s wheelchair .25
Product design
Cycling respirator mask .27
23
Service design NFC for theme parks .29
Product service system Heay duty laundry aid .39
Children’s wheelchair. Product design
25
There are several children wheelchairs on the rental market today, but none specifically for children with the age of 9-12, the early adolescence. These kids are too mature for the existing children wheelchairs, but still too small to singly drive adult wheelchairs. These children desire a cool look but are still playful, their wheelchair should allow them to independently move around and explore. The parents prefer a safe and compact foldable wheelchair that’s easy to transport. This wheelchair concept has the looks and handling of a sports wheelchair but unlike a sports wheelchair it can be folded together. Better than the classic rental wheelchair, this concept folds down in both the width and height in one single motion. Coupled with the quick release wheels and removable seat, this is an ultra compact foldable wheelchair, making it easier to transport and leaving plenty of the much needed booth space in the car free. This wheelchair is designed to go in places where classic wheelchairs fail to get to. Hybrid tires and big caster wheels overcome obstacles and ensure grip on difficult terrains like grass, gravel and dirt. This enables the child to move around in it’s familiar environments like playgrounds and school grounds. During the design process a lot of attention went to sustainability. All materials and production techniques are chosen with the idea of having an as small as possible environmental impact, from production to recycling. Project together with: Jens Baert
3th Bachelor/ 1st semester
2009
Cycling respirator mask. Product design
27
This respirator mask is developed to operate in highly polluted urban environments with cycling couriers as the primary user. Their daily physical exertion in heavy traffic makes them extra vulnerable for the negative health effects of pollution. A respirator mask is of vital importance. Most respirator masks aren’t suited for vigorous physical exercise, the filters hinder the airflow which leads to performance loss. This mask uses a replaceable cartridge filter, its electrostatic honeycomb structure lowers the breathing resistance but still provides an efficient filtering. Two big one way valves drain the exhaled air fast and efficient, keeping the atmosphere cool and fresh within. Both the filter and valves contribute to riding comfort and minimize performance loss. Thorough consideration went into usability and user scenarios. The mask is fixed to the cyclists helmet, this allows looking back without impediment of straps. Both fixture ends can be easily removed with one hand, even with bulky gloves. The mask can also be temporarily removed from the face by detaching only one end. This allows the cyclist to blow his nose or answer his delivery calls whilst riding, keeping the mask within reach. Its intuitive structure and simple components make maintenance and replacements a breeze. All components are available in different colors allowing for personalization to match the company’s style or the cyclist’s preferences. The neoprene is available in both a winter and summer model. So the mask can be configured to match the outdoor conditions.
3th Bachelor/ 1st semester
2009
NFC for theme parks. Service design
29
Create a demand for NFC payment, by introducing it to the public. Near Field Communication (NFC) is a wireless connectivity technology that enables short range communication between electronic devices. Data is stored on a NFC chip and is read or altered by a NFC reader. The chip itself gets its energy from the reader so it doesn’t require batteries. This makes it compact and integrable with smart cards, key chains, bracelets and badges. NFC is meant for applications where physical touch or close range is required in order to maintain security. It’s planned for use in mobile phones for, amongst other things, payment in conjunction with an electronic wallet. But NFC is having a hard time to break trough. For NFC payment to become profitable, everyone needs to adopt a NFC supported mobile phone and the stores need to procure NFC readers. Currently there aren’t simply enough adopters nor the infrastructure. The goal of this project is to make the public aware of this technology and to create a greater demand for NFC payment. We intend to do this by introducing a NFC payment system in theme parks. In this controlled en enclosed environment visitors can be forced to use NFC and experience its benefits. Project together with: Coen Claassen - Isabelle Denil Partner: Applied Industrial Sciences, Artesis University College Antwerp
3th Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2010
NFC for theme parks. Service design
31
This project implements NFC technology in two fashions: mainly as a payment system but also as a way to interact with the theme park. At the entrance, each visitor receives a NFC bracelet personalized with his age category, mother tongue and linked visitors. This information is crucial to interact with the park and to gain access to certain attractions. Locations with NFC activity can be recognized by the distinctive ring shaped NFC reader. These rings have two different appearances, distinguishing the interaction system from the payment system. The NFC payment system utilizes vouchers as currency and consists of a charge point and multiple check and pay points. The charge point exchanges money into theme park vouchers. The check points are placed nearby the pay points and display the number of vouchers currently on the bracelet. Tagging is done by holding the NFC bracelet in the ring for a couple of seconds. That’s all it takes to read or write information on the chip. The service uses these tag events to track the individual visitors activities throughout the park, resulting in real time data on stocks, sales, occupancies and preferences. The theme park management uses this data to generate user profiles and improve the parks efficiency. This data also allows visitors for instance to plan their route according to queues or locate a lost child. This service creates an overall richer park experience for its visitors and contributes to efficiency in park management.
3th Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2010
NFC for theme parks. Service design
33
Multiple brainstorm sessions explored the opportunities of NFC technology within theme parks. Focusing mainly on user experience, exploring possibilities to connect people, ways to interact with the park or to make queueing fun. These brainstorms lead to the ‘experience point’, embedded modules with multiple NFC readers or with a single NFC reader and a touchscreen. A user experience point with multiple NFC readers can be used to trigger certain events when enough visitors all tag at the same time. When visitors work together they could fire a canon on a pirate ship or activate a huge fountain. The ones with touchscreens could connect people throughout the park with multiplayer games or by large scale treasure hunts with riddles and missions at certain experience points. These are just some examples, the possibilities of these experience points are endless. Through NFC tracking and cloud computing, information beneficial to both the park management and its visitors is collected. This information is translated to the visitors through applications on the experience points like: occupancy mapping, queue mapping, friend locators, etc. During the design process everything is visualized and communicated through sketching: user scenarios, interactions, embedded systems, product architectures, etc. Once the service design was completed, we translated everything into the integrated infrastructure in the park that makes everything operational.
3th Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2010
NFC for theme parks. Service design
35
We built both software and hardware. The hardware are modules, which can be embedded into the existing park’s infrastructure. In this way the system can be configured to match the theme. Each module consists of a sand box containing a small computer, power supply, NFC reader and an optional touch screen. These modules can be configured to experience points, access points, charge points, check points and pay points by adding or removing touch screens or multiple NFC readers. To visualize the interaction from the visitor with the park, we built an interactive interface in Adobe Flash. We wanted it to express a certain playfulness, we felt that static images weren’t adequate. That’s why we used Flash on which we could integrate numerous dynamic and interactive elements. This interface highlighted some of the service’s applications and was later used in a prototype.
3th Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2010
NFC for theme parks. Prototyping
37
A working prototype of the user experience point was built to perform usability testing. Both the interface’s structure and lay out where verified on their intuitiveness and the NFC reader on its semantics. It also gave us the opportunity to validate the entertainment value of the service, its biggest selling point. Both the interface and NFC reader were integrated in a mushroom shaped housing to create a fantasy theme park setting. The housing is constructed out of MDF sheets that support all the components and is covered with a thin layer of PU foam to give it an authentic mushroom finish. The build gave us insights in important fixture features for the sandbox and NFC reader mount. The interactive Flash interface was displayed on a 22 inch touch screen controlled by a laptop. An Arduino board controlled the LED’s in the NFC reader ring, responding to the events on the Flash interface. The Arduino board also simulated the read out of the NFC chip, by detecting the persons bracelet with an IR LED and receiver. This prototype turned out to be a great communication tool of our service. We received a lot of positive and enthusiastic reactions about this project.
3th Bachelor/ 2nd semester
2010
Heavy duty laundry aid. Product Service System
39
The domestic cleaning of coarsely stained clothing - e.g. of construction workers - results in irreversible damage to the washing machine. The current practice of a manual, filthy, labour-intensive and time consuming pre-treatment as a preventive action proofs to be inadequate. Catfish provides these households with equipment (Heavy Duty Laundry Aid) for a thorough, efficient and cleaner pre-treatment resulting in a durable washing machine use. Moreover it leads to lesser washing cycles and additional savings on water, energy and detergent consumption. A complementary service enables Catfish to reclaim and reuse components and materials as part of a sustainable business model. Since the main goal was to develop an innovative PSS with an equal focus on social, ecological and economic aspects, value was created on each of these aspects for users, the provider, suppliers and eventually the society. The development of this sustainable PSS came with its own set of challenges. The PSS had to offer - apart from the ecological benefits - significant cost-savings, added value, time-savings and most of all convenience to the customers for it to be successful on the consumer market. To ensure all of these terms were met, the development of the PSS took a lot of considerations and deliberations with potential customers, giving this project a truly user-centred approach.
2nd Master/ 1st & 2nd semester
2012
THANKS FOR SHOWING INTEREST IN my Portfolio. If you’d like to see more of my work, you can also find me on Coroflot: http://www.coroflot.com/wardvc
Or contact me for more information about me and my work: vancoppenolle.ward@gmail.com
41
Portfolio 2013 Ward Vancoppenolle Industrial Design Graduate Product development University College Antwerp, Belgium vancoppenolle.ward@gmail.com