by Conor Fredricks | Mar 7, 2023 | Uncategorized
There are many important components in developing a successful product, one of which is understanding end-user needs. At Fredricks Design, we have made a living from pairing our design and engineering teams throughout the design process to gain insights from both disciplines. This line of thinking reflects how we interact with our clients. We typically try to get as many key stakeholders involved in the process as early as possible to solve as many problems as possible.
No matter how you approach the product development process, understanding end-user needs is one key area to a product’s success. Even the best-designed product will not get far in any market without solving key issues focused on its end-users. This is rarely as simple as identifying a problem and offering what you view as a viable solution. The act of solving these problems can be complex and nuanced. Focused on the daily habits of individuals, a deep understanding of how they got to the process currently in place and understanding the key to solving an identified problem might be to answer a different problem they didn’t even know that they had.
Operating inside of end-user habits
During my final thesis project in my last year in design school, I had the opportunity to shadow several employees in different roles across a hospital system. I decided after some conversations with hospital leadership to attempt to tackle problems surrounding patient transfers. These transfers are extremely common, typically seen between a patient’s bed, a stretcher, a wide variety of testing beds, and various hospital equipment. My initial reaction was to develop an overhead crane system to help lift patients between these different pieces of equipment. You can imagine my surprise to find the same product I envisioned in my mind already installed in many of the rooms I explored throughout my shadowing experience.
When I witnessed how employees went about the transfers in their day-to-day routine, it was remarkably simple. When the time came for a nurse to transfer a patient, they would simply assemble 3-4 nurses, position the stretcher next to the bed or other piece of equipment and pull the patient’s sheet across to carry out the transfer. After talking about this discovery with the doctors and nurses, I learned the overhead system takes too much time and is rarely used.
This highlights a critical point in designing around end-user needs; operate within end-user habits. These overhead crane systems checked every box during its development, eased the strain on hospital staff, reduced the number of staff members needed to transfer patients, and created a safe procedure for the patient. So, where did this design fail? It operated too far outside the habits of the end-user. Because of this, it was quickly cast aside for the fastest and easiest solution available. This is a valuable lesson that could have saved hundreds of hospital systems around the country millions of dollars.
Seeing past the blinders
Another lesson I learned early in my design career was to help see past end-users’ “blinders”. This means that many individuals that have done the same routines for so long in their chosen profession can no longer see the problems they face in their everyday routines. It is human nature to build a routine and perfect it, finding their own solutions to their problems. Once these problems have been “solved” they no longer view it as an issue. We see this same effect across many disciplines in our clients’ walls.
An example from my time shadowing was something as simple as how to bring an IV pole with the stretcher as nurses move patients around the hospital system. Most nurses would just wrap their fingers around the handles of the stretcher and reach a finger out to grab the IV pole. Not a single nurse I shadowed identified this as a problem in my discussions with them or in the surveys I developed.
When developing products around multiple issues, I discovered throughout this shadowing process this was one of the simplest solutions. By simply adding some geometric features to hold the IV pole to the handle area of the stretcher, the process became easier for users to maneuver the stretcher and less stressful on their hands throughout the day. This tiny feature became one of the best-received solutions of the project and it solved an issue that wasn’t even seen by the user group.
Identifying key end-user
A crucial component in understanding end-user needs is correctly identifying who your end-user is. We see many products developed around the customer, but how we define the customer can differ. In the examples used above, we have multiple end-users depending on their definition. The patient, the nurse, and the purchasing group inside the hospital system are all key stakeholders crucial to the success of the product.
A product such as a hospital stretcher can be broken into categories and weighted based on how important each stakeholder is viewed to the success of the product. The customer-centric features are for the comfort of the patient. The controls and usability functions with the nurse or caregiver in mind. Hospital leadership and purchasing groups are going to put more weight into the cost and longevity of the product. Understanding how to weigh these different user groups is important to create a successful product. It is typical to have to make concessions from one user group to another as they all play a role. A product that checks the boxes for patients and nurses but is too expensive for upper management is a non-starter. Finding a way to balance these groups is of utmost importance.
Wrap-up
All in all, developing procedures and processes to drive end-user research is an early and vastly important part of developing successful products. Delivering new products to solve our user’s problems without completely changing how they work in their current systems can be nuanced and even frustrating, but it is crucial in their implementation. Understanding that we tend to be creatures of habit can help us step back from the low-hanging problems and identify new areas of improvement. Categorizing key user groups or stakeholders can help us understand the intricacies of delivering a successful product.
by Conor Fredricks | Jan 23, 2023 | Company Insights
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in recent years and has the potential to revolutionize the automotive industry in a few ways. From self-driving cars to advanced manufacturing processes, the integration of AI in the design and engineering fields is likely to impact the automotive industry significantly.
Artificial Intelligence in Autonomous Vehicles
One area where Artificial Intelligence has the potential to make a significant impact is the development of autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles rely on various sensors and algorithms to navigate roads and make decisions in real time. These systems must be able to accurately perceive and interpret their surroundings, as well as predict the behavior of other vehicles and pedestrians.
One key advancement in AI that has enabled the development of autonomous vehicles is machine learning. Machine learning algorithms allow autonomous vehicles to “learn” from data, improving their performance over time. For example, an autonomous vehicle might be trained to recognize pedestrians, bicycles, and other vehicles using a large dataset of labeled images. Once trained, the vehicle can then use this knowledge to make decisions safely navigating roads and avoiding collisions.
Artificial Intelligence in Design and Manufacturing Processes
In addition to enabling the development of autonomous vehicles, AI can also be used to improve the efficiency and accuracy of manufacturing processes in the automotive industry. For example, AI-powered robots can be used to assemble vehicles with greater precision and at a faster pace than humans. These robots can be trained to perform tasks such as welding, painting, and assembly using machine learning algorithms, allowing them to adapt to changes in the manufacturing process and learn from their mistakes.
AI can also be used to optimize the design and engineering of vehicles. For example, machine learning algorithms analyze data from vehicle simulations and testing to identify areas for improvement. This can lead to the development of more efficient and reliable creations of new design possibilities that may not have been previously considered.
Another potential application of AI in the automotive industry is in the development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). These systems use sensors and algorithms to assist drivers with lane keeping, collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control. By continuously collecting data from sensors and learning from the behavior of other vehicles and pedestrians, ADAS systems can improve their performance over time and make driving safer for everyone.
Benefits and Concerns of Artificial Intelligence
There are also a few potential benefits to AI in the automotive industry beyond just the development of new technologies. For example, the integration of AI in manufacturing processes could lead to cost savings and improved efficiency. Similarly, the use of AI in the design and engineering of vehicles could lead to the development of more energy-efficient and sustainable transportation options.
However, the integration of AI in the automotive industry is not without its challenges. One major concern is the potential for job displacement as AI-powered technologies become more prevalent. While it is likely that some jobs will be replaced by AI, it is also possible that the integration of AI could create new job opportunities in fields such as data science and machine learning.
Another concern is the potential for AI systems to make mistakes or operate in unintended ways. As with any complex system, there is the potential for errors or unintended consequences when using AI. It is important for companies developing and using AI systems to have robust testing and validation processes in place to ensure the safety and reliability of their products.
In Conclusion
Despite these challenges, the integration of AI in the automotive industry is likely to bring significant benefits and opportunities. From the development of autonomous vehicles to the optimization of manufacturing processes, AI has the potential to transform the way we design, engineer, and manufacture vehicles. As technology continues to advance, it will be important for companies and individuals in the automotive industry to stay up to date on the latest developments and consider how they can be leveraged to drive innovation.
If you have any questions about the rate at which AI is advancing, know that this blog post was written by chat GPT. The prompt: write a blog post on advances in AI and how they could affect the design and engineering fields as they relate to the automotive industry. GPT is a machine learning model that generates natural language text based on a given prompt. It has been trained on a large dataset of text and can be used for tasks like translation, summarization, and text generation. It uses a neural network architecture called a “transformer” to process language data.
by Conor Fredricks | May 17, 2018 | Case Studies
It’s no secret that a major component of healthcare design is focused on patient comfort in a hospital environment. When grappling with healthcare related design problems we are typically torn between hospital procedure and patient experiences. Take patient freedoms for example. As a patient you want as much personal freedom and access as possible. Having human contact and even getting to the restroom on your own are of the utmost importance and have been proven to reduce recovery time.
They’re also not always easily satisfied. Having guests and human contact isn’t always possible due to procedures, infection control, scheduling, etc. Getting to the restroom independently is a goal to set in many situations but can be a long and dehumanizing road that can be uncomfortable for both patient and caregiver. There are loads of conflicting issues like this one stacked against us when we approach human-centered-design problems.
Four main themes highlighted in a recent study of patient’s pain points were “comfort to facilitate healing, control over the environment and privacy, a sense of connection to the outside world, and access to the things patients need (e.g., their own property, the bathroom, etc.)”(1)
Voice-of-customer (VOC) outlines what standard healthcare products should aim to solve for. The real issue here is most healthcare product is developed on an island.Yes, it may work with a few other products from the companies offering but the underlying issues remain. Therefore, good product development needs to be fed by extensive research, product positioning and data. The further upstream we can begin to understand the system the better. These issues are far too big to be solved by a single product and instead are pointed at the entire environment and user experience. We’re talking about symbiotic product, able to adapt to ever-changing environments, becoming one with another and breathing together.
As we pour through surveys, user group feedback, observation sessions and data we are constantly reminded of the patient’s experience. This leads us to another interesting design problem.If we focus solely on the patient experience, it will likely end in product that is difficult to bring to market at budget. If we solely think about our business case, we will continue to output similar product and never improve our user experience. This, like most things in life is all about finding balance. The better we research and capture the voice of the patient/caregiverwhile making good business decisions based around the limitations and scope of the product, the better our chances of achieving better outcomes for users, OEM’s and hospital systems.
For more in-depth insights into our work in the healthcare market visit our website to review case studies on recent healthcare projects we’ve had the pleasure to be a part of.
- (1) http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/trends/research-theory/research-matters- what-patients-want/
Conor Fredricks
Industrial Designer
Fredricks Design, Inc.
Fredricks Design, Inc. is a full-service design and engineering firm based in Grand Haven, Michigan. The firm specializes in working as an extension of the client studio and engineering team to identify the right problems and accelerate development of solutions from early ideation, feasibility, concept development and production of mock-ups, prototypes and show properties. Fredricks works with key Clients in the automotive interiors and seating industries, advanced rides and show action projects for themed attractions, furniture, healthcare and consumer products markets.
by Conor Fredricks | Apr 12, 2018 | Company Insights
Welcome to the wild west. As automotive OEM’s continue to push the boundaries of new technology, drive systems and aesthetics in their production vehicles there is a far more exciting paradigm shift in the automotive market place; autonomous vehicles. We are tossing out the playbook on what a car is and what function it really serves. This is an unbelievable time to be a designer in the transportation space. We get to break the mold of automotive interior configurations and decide what will replace them as we drive forward into the future. We’re no longer constrained by the two front seats split with a center console and the 40/20/40 configuration of the back seat we’ve seen in the vehicles of our fathers and their fathers. The canvas is blank and it’s time to pick up the brush once again.
This paradigm shift will begin where all good design projects begin, research. Understanding how users interact and experience a completely new environment is the cornerstone of everything we will develop moving forward. This research will lead us in directions we never could have imagined even a decade ago and with advances in modern technology seemingly moving forward by the day it’s hard to say what the next decade will bring. As “car people” at the forefront of product development we are excited to walk into the unknown and redefine a crucial piece of product that really hasn’t changed much since the late 19th century. The automobile has already done so much in improving the human condition around the globe. It’s time to give back and let the automobile be what it wants to be; a seamless extension of your home, office and self.
For more in-depth insights into our work in the automotive market visit our website to review case studies on recent transportation projects we’ve had the pleasure to be a part of.
Conor Fredricks
Industrial Designer
Fredricks Design, Inc.
Fredricks Design, Inc. is a full-service design and engineering firm based in Grand Haven, Michigan. The firm specializes in working as an extension of the client studio and engineering team to identify the right problems and accelerate development of solutions from early ideation, feasibility, concept development and production of mock-ups, prototypes and show properties. Fredricks works with key Clients in the automotive interiors and seating industries, advanced rides and show action projects for themed attractions, furniture, and consumer products markets.
fredricks.com
by Conor Fredricks | Apr 5, 2018 | Company Insights
As industrial designers and engineers, we spend our time developing products and telling their stories. The story can be focused on our research, our clients, the product, the end- users or even some outside force to drive successful product design. If we picture product development as a film, the underlying story is the script. Just like films, all the stars in Hollywood and the special effects of post production won’t fix a broken script. You can’t fake a story; it either resonates with the viewer or it doesn’t. It’s make or break. There is no market we work in where telling this story is more apparent to outsiders than rides and animated props. We get to draw inspiration from characters, comics and epic films that our end users are already familiar with. We study repetitive forms and visual brand language associated with our story and incorporate it into our design. With the goal of immersing theme park guest into a world they only thought existed on paper or the silver screen.
Conor Fredricks
Industrial Designer
Fredricks Design, Inc.
Fredricks Design, Inc. is a full-service design and engineering firm based in Grand Haven, Michigan. The firm specializes in working as an extension of the client studio and engineering team to identify the right problems and accelerate development of solutions from early ideation, feasibility, concept development and production of mock-ups, prototypes and show properties. Fredricks works with key Clients in the automotive interiors and seating industries, advanced rides and show action projects for themed attractions, furniture, and consumer products markets.
fredricks.com
