In Touch with Consumers: FreeForm® as a Co-design Tool for Real-Time Concept Modification

2005-01-01
This paper presents work from a collaborative project between Loughborough University and Procter and Gamble Technical Centres (UK), to establish how new product modelling technology (SensAble Technologies' FreeForm® touch-based virtual clay modelling system) can be strategically integrated as a co-design tool within new product development. The core of the work involved a step change in consumers' involvement in product design processes at Procter and Gamble: from reactionary to participatory. The use of digital tools in user-centred design and co-design are reviewed and the complexities of introducing such tools to non-designers are highlighted. Three product design projects are reported, involving consumers in co-design sessions where they were made active in the form creation process and engaged in real-time concept modification using FreeForm®. Findings from the co-design sessions are presented, with advantages identified in the empowerment of consumers and the streamlining of product development processes. The innovative nature of involving consumers with digital design tools is stressed and notes of caution are issued. A case for the strategic and effective use of FreeForm® as a co-design tool is developed and enhancements to the FreeForm® system are suggested.
Design Journal

Suggestions

Transforming and prolonging design lifespans: design education cases for sustainability
Doğan, Çağla (2017-11-10)
This paper aims to present an approach focusing on design education for sustainability through providing two exemplary cases from third-year industrial design projects. The main themes explored in these projects involve personalization via design transformation, adaption and upgrading during design, use and post-use phases. The first project developed and facilitated at Carleton University, the School of Industrial Design mainly addresses the key theme of transformation of LED lighting from indoors to outdo...
New Construction Methods and Hybrid Tectonics: Robotics in Architecture
Bostancı Sabur, Hafize Büşra (null; 2017-05-08)
The development of computational design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) tools and technologies in the 21st century have encouraged architects, engineers and all related stakeholders to integrate the new computational tools and high level automation technologies to solve the problems in design and construction. Today, cutting edge technologies and innovative materials enable architects to follow a new process -designing the design processto optimize the conventional way of "design and fabrication". Similarly com...
The position of three-dimensional modeling and visualization techniques in industrial design education
COŞKUN, MERVE; Akiner, Dilem (2012-05-04)
The purpose of this research is to determine the position of three-dimensional modeling and digital visualization within the scope of concept and product development process in the undergraduate education in Middle East Technical University Faculty of Architecture Department of Industrial Design, designate the problems that the students encounter during the integration of these methods to the design process, and finally question how these methods can be incorporated into design education in order to influen...
A Review and Roadmap of Online Learning Platforms and Tutorials in Digital Archaeology
Daems, Drıes (2020-02-01)
Overview With an ever-growing range of computational tools and applications now available for archaeological practice, the potential of digital archaeology is greater than ever before. Yet, archaeological curricula have not always followed suit, and many archaeologists are not up-to-date with the necessary digital skills. To fill this gap, online tutorials and learning platforms are being developed to familiarize archaeologists and students with the potential of digital media for archaeological research pra...
Presenting the outcomes of a participatory user workshop : a design resource based on the case of TV remote controls
Özçelik, Derya; Hasdoğan, Gülay Fatma; Department of Industrial Design (2007)
This thesis explores participatory design methods and presents the process and the outcomes of a related case study, carried out in collaboration with Vestel Electronics, a Turkish consumer electronics manufacturer, on TV remote controls. The thesis comprises a literature review on participatory design, including its historical background and evolution, the motivations behind its contemporary utilization and the methods, techniques and tools utilized within the approach. The case study comprises two phases....
Citation Formats
B. Şener Pedgley, “In Touch with Consumers: FreeForm® as a Co-design Tool for Real-Time Concept Modification,” Design Journal, pp. 14–28, 2005, Accessed: 00, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/88138.