Types of Design

Marshmallow Challenge

We had a lot of trouble getting the top of the structure to stay up. In the end it just bent until it broke.

There was a good amount of communication between our group. We worked together to get everything to hold together. Everyone had good ideas.

Everyone in the group gave input and helped. Everyone had an equal amount of power as well. There wasn't a specific leader.

Yes everyone helped in one way or another. Whether it were ideas or the actual construction.

No we were not able to keep the marshmallow up in the air. The problem we had was the structure. The design wasn't valid.

It was a lot of fun because you had to do a lot of trial and error.

I would choose a different structure. I would make it so the structure leaned one way or another that way we could keep it up with the string.

An example of the design process is the ice cream scooper
There was a product that wasn't easily served and that was the gap.
They thought to use regular spoons to serve the ice cream but they weren't strong enough.
Then they drew a design of how to make it easier to serve.
Then there was the prototype of the ice cream scooper and from there improvements were made.
Design happens because there is a gap.
The first try will not always be the best
An artifact is something made by humans
An inversion is something that looks the same no matter what way you look at it.
There will be a prototype for every design

Was it easy for you to develop four prototypes –why or why not? It was not too hard because my name is only three letters long. It also helped that the middle letter was an O. O no matter what way you look at it there will always be an O.
Describe the experience of having someone critique your work was it useful – how did it make you feel? It was useful because people gave me new ideas and also helped me know when the inversion didn't work.
Describe the evolution of your inversion from its original prototype to its final form – how did it change? I started with just using my name and then I turned it upside down and looked at how I could change so it was readable from both ways. Once I figured out I could connect a lowercase e with the J I worked around that idea. I soon figured out that it was a better idea to use Straight lines instead of curves. After that I realized that it was better to use an uppercase E. I then used a 3d design for the font.
If you were to continue to refine your inversion to make it even better, what would you do next? I would try to make it soI could see it from 360 degrees around. So in the end it would look like a star. I would also use my full name.
Overall how did you feel about this design challenge - did you find value in it – would you recommend that we keep it in the unit? I found it very useful and it was a great introduction into the design process.