Maker Lab
UX 201 at Laurier Brantford
In Group Maker Project 1 (GMP1) we were tasked with coming up with a concept for a box that was "outside the box". After using a whiteboard with sticky notes and bouncing ideas off of each other, we decided to create a box that was a container for a UX board game, but could also be used in everyday life. We then went to making sketches for what we wanted the box to look like. We decided to model the box after a briefcase. Our original sketch had a thin structure with removable compartments so the user could store their belongings, similar to the function of a regular briefcase. While building the prototype, we realized that the product would be more user-friendly if it was more box-shaped. The case now has permanent sections to hold game pieces with a tray that can be placed on top to hold the user's belongings. We created the box with cheap materials like cardboard and paper to make the box cost effective. Along with being cheap, these materials are also biogradable.
Sketches for briefcase (GMP1)
In Group Maker Project 2 (GMP2). The goal was to create a prototype through "critical making". We decided we wanted to flesh out the idea for the UX board game we had conceptualized for GMP1. We went back to the whiteboard and sticky notes to come up with some ideas. We came up with an idea for a game that would help beginners to UX learn the basics, while gaining experience working on case studies, which gives them content to put in their portfolios before they’ve had a chance to work on any real projects. In the game, players start with a company value, a product, and a user. They are tasked with designing a prototype based on those cards. Then, throughout the game, they are given user and company needs that they need to meet. Ideas that get the most money win the game. We made the cards out of cardstock, the money tokens out of recycled bottle caps, and the base card out of cardboard. Like in GMP1, all of the materials are cheap, which makes the product more accessible for users. All of the materials are also environmentally friendly.
