design
For this project, I continued to work with the same concept as all the previous weeks. For a review of the "whirlibird" idea, you can check out my first post: analog 3D model.
This week, I engaged in a evaluative practice known as "bodystorming," which involves prototyping gestures and movements in an environment where my project is likely to be used. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility of the concept in such an environment. Bodystorming can be particularly helpful in identifying potential ways that a device might be misused and anticipating its performance in extreme circumstances.
prototype
Unfortunately, as we've seen in the past, Roxy won't actually walk while wearing the hat prototype. Fortunately, this technique still allows us to gain insights even without using the physical device, because we can imagine how the hat would interact with Roxy and her surroundings as she engages in some different actions. I was able to capture footage of the following gestures Roxy might perform while going for a typical walk:
- Being picked up and carried by a person
- Exploring the surrounding environment
- Going potty
- Interacting with another dog and other people
- Having the leash removed (freedom!)
The following video contains short clips showing each of these postures/gestures.
evaluation
Based on the footage captured of each of the different movements, we can gain new insights into new scenarios, needs, constraints, and potential misuses of the device.
being picked up and carried
In the first motion I captured, my roommate picked Roxy up and carried her to keep her from walking on some broken glass that was on the sidewalk. We can see that this might result in a sudden, unexpected motion for the whirlibird, and we need to ensure that it stays in place and continues to function properly when Roxy is picked up. It's also important to make sure that the hat and spinning propellor won't disrupt the person picking Roxy up, or distract them while they are carrying Roxy. It's super important that Roxy isn't dropped, so we want to ensure the device doesn't impair a person's ability to hold her securely.
exploring the surrounding environment
Roxy's explorations often involve close physical contact of her head with various objects, such as leaves, barriers, grass, or trees. As Roxy investigates her surroundings, the hat needs to be able to stay firmly in place, and also be able to handle coming into contact with various different objects that Roxy might push her head into. The propellor shouldn't deform, bend permanently, or break as a result of coming into contact with these objects. This could inform the design of the motor and mechanisms causing the propellor to rotate, as it should be able to stop rotating if impeded, and the material propertiesof the propellor itself.
We also see the collar rotate to allow the leash to change sides as Roxy's walker prompts her to keep moving. It's important to make sure that the hat doesn't impede the normal function of the collar and leash, and we want to make sure that the leash won't get tangled or caught in the propellor.
going potty
We know that for a dog or dog owner, this gesture is one of the more important components of going for a walk. Somewhat surprisingly, Roxy's multiple displays of this gesture didn't reveal any interesting new constraints or misuses of the device for me.
interacting with another dog and other people
This is a pretty interesting gesture which could involve a lot of movement, such as running franticly or leaping up onto people. We also might expect that other people or dogs could be curious about the device. Other dogs may try to investigate by sniffing or getting close to the hat, so we want to ensure that the hat won't be damaged by this, and also that the moving propellor won't injure the other dog if a nose happens to get too close. It's also not unlikely that in the frenzy of meeting another dog, leashes can get tangled, a problem that could be exacerbated by the propellor hat.
having the leash removed
Finally, Roxy's leash is removed and she bounds away up the stairs, excited about her newfound freedom. This movement is another reminder that the hat and chin strap shouldn't interfere with the normal function of the collar and leash, and the operation of those things by a person.
I found this to be a really interesting exercise and a great way to explore different scenarios that the product might find itself in. While I did gain a number of interesting insights from this process, at this point I'm not ready to translate these into specific design recommendations, especially at the level that my prototype is at. Still, it will be important to keep these ideas in mind if I continue with this project, as they could have impacts on future work.
As far as the process itself, my biggest disappointment was that I wasn't able to do this bodystorming activity using the actual prototype hat. This is mostly because I think it would be more fun to do so, and I'm still hoping that I'll get Roxy to accept the hat by the end of the quarter. Still, it's a testament to the power of this process that I was able to get so many ideas out of it without using the hat.
The other concern that I had about my process was that the movements I was able to observe were more or less entirely up to Roxy's whims. If she had gone on a particularly boring walk, I wouldn't have been able to capture as many different motions. This has proved to be a common thread among the different activities—I repeatedly find myself at Roxy's mercy! I have a lot of respect for people who are doing design work with animals. It's becoming clear how much I typically take the interactions and feedback I can get from human users for granted.