Idea Generation Part 2

Amanda Vang
Nov 1 · 6 min read

Outline/Timeline

HMWS

  1. People that walk dogs need to find a safer way of walking their dog with the leash because some dogs get strangled or some dogs end up being suffocated.

How might we design a dog leash that will ensure the dog owners and dog safety?

2. Dog trainers need to find a better way to untangle their dog leashes from their dog or from an object because it is inconvenient and too much to untangle.

How might we design a dog leash that will fix the problem of entanglement or make untangling easier and more efficient?

3. Dog owners need to find a way to carry things without putting to much weight on the leash because it makes it easier for them to collect their dog’s waste and keeps their hands free.

How might we design a dog leash that will be able to carry things in a small and portable way?

Set-Up

  1. Kyle: Currently attends Dunwoody college majoring in Electrical Construction Design & Management.
  2. Crystal: Currently attends the University of Minnesota and plans to major in Kinesiology.
  3. Lily: Currently a junior in high school.
  4. Michael: Currently a student at Concordia College majoring in graphic design.
  5. Tommy: A full-time manager at discount tires.

The session was held at Caribou and was an hour-long. For the first 15 minutes, we did warm-up games and for the next 15 minutes, we then started working on the first question. After that we worked on the next question for 15 minutes and for the last 15 minutes we worked on the final question. The materials used were post-it notes and pencils. The warm-up games we did were zip, zap, zop and word ball.

Warm-Up

Word Swirl Game

For the warm-up game, I decided to make it a physical and verbal game. My brainstorming team would have to clap their hands at a rhythm starting with tapping their hands on the table from left to right then clapping their hands together.

As they clap to the rhythm they would have to say a word after the “main word.”

For example, the clapping will start and the main word would be hot, everyone would clap and then a person would start saying, “hot chocolate,” the next person can say, “hot summer,” and the game goes on.

Brainstorming Session

This was everyone sketching their ideas out for the first How Might We Statements. The top picture was to sketch the first HMWS. The bottom picture was to sketch the second HMWS. The second sketching session had a twist because I made them use the rolestorming concept. The third session is not shown but I made them do brute thinking with the random words on the class presentation slides with the last HMWS.

Everyone went around to share their ideas and sketches to help the voting process. Additionally, there was another sketching session to sketch off ideas off of other ideas.

This was when the sorting happened. Most of them had a hard time not communicating during this part of the session. Many of them sorted the sketches by functionality and concepts.

This was when they were marking their favorites. Each person had their own symbol the draw on their favorites. The symbols were a sad face, happy face, shaded corner, circle, and plus sign.

In total there were 59 post-it notes of ideas.

IPM: 59 ideas for 45 minutes = 1.31 ideas/minute

The major categories made were functional, feasible, absurd, no handle, attachments, extendable, stick-like, collar, basic, technology, weapons, long, and multiple leashes. What many of the participants put into consideration when voting, was the story each illustration gave out; the better the illustration the understandable it was; vice-versa for the opposite.

Top 10 Ideas

The dual handle is a way for people to not walk alone with their dog but to have someone to walk with them as they walk their dog. The product also is a service by allowing users to customize their handles. Handles can come in many different shapes.

The Work Out Band is a workout band but can also be a leash, The leash is made out of elastic rubber and is connected by magnets and can be detached to become a leash or a workout band.

Untangle is a leash with multiple clips to prevent tangling. When the leash is tangled, the user can unclip the clips to untangle the leash.

The Rain Handler is a new way for users to not be wet while walking their dog. The leash is connected through an xlr connector.

Unleash is a service where people can track their dog’s activities, food intakes, steps, and has a pulling indicator to tell the user that they are pulling too hard on their dog leash.

Leash Lock is an o-lock made out of a dog leash, users can lock their bikes using the dog leash, Additionally, users can also go biking with their dog with no worries of their bike being stolen.

Weash is a wheel chair with a retractable leash in the handle. This makes it easier for those who are not able to hold onto leashes.

Pack e’leash is a fanny pack with a leash connected to it. The fanny pack is for storage purposes and is also adjustable. The belts can be connected and disconnected from the fanny pack.

The Leash Bracelet is a removable retractable leash from the case that can be attached to someone’s wrist so that carrying the leash can be easier and on the go.

The last one is a bag pack built with a leash clip attachment. Users can attach their leash to the side clip part and continue their adventure. This also solves the problem of not having enough hands to carry things or hold things.

    Amanda Vang

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