MIAD Design Project
Portable Drink Dispenser
76.2 x 50.8 cm
Paper on foam core
January 2021
Paper on foam core
January 2021
Exhibition Text
In this project, I found someone who had a design problem and through empathy and design thinking, I came up with an improved product. We worked with Murf (Larry Murphy) of MIAD. I designed a portable, compact drink dispenser that keeps drinks cool and allows for easy transportation of drinks. I documented the process in Photoshop and made a presentation board. It addresses the problems my family was having with not being able to bring drinks outside and not having way to keep them cool.
Planning
Inspiration
To brainstorm, I created a list of things I wanted to include in my design. I then made that into a mind map that helped me visualize all the criteria my design needed to hit and what categories they fit into. This really helped me come up with all the small things I needed to include.
My family enjoys being outdoors; we often visit parks and beaches when we have the chance. Unfortunately, with 6 of us it's hard to bring so many drinks what with our limited storage space and our desire to carry as little as possible. My goal is to create a portable, rechargeable drink dispenser that can keep drinks cool and make them easy to store outside. Before really jumping into the multiple drinks aspect, I designed a dispenser with only water dispersal functions. This is because even though my initial idea was that it was a water dispenser, I realized that having many drink options would be better. Of course it could be for only water, but I waned that choice to be for the users of the dispenser. These are my first sketches. This is a very simple design and it's very small and compact. I realized through this stage that the product I design must be compact like my family wants, but it also has to be large enough that it can hold a decent amount of liquid before it needs to be refilled. One of my main sources of inspiration were refrigerator dispensers. It gave a base for what to include on my design and a way that the drinks can be dispensed. There is an internal filter in most of these dispensers that keeps water clean, something I may include in my own product.
Newair is another useful source I used. They're a premiere company than makes luxury and custom home appliances. On their website they had a page for water dispensers and the basics on how they function. This page was very useful to me. I read through it and took notes on what parts I wanted to add to my own dispenser and how I could improve or change certain aspects so they work for the problem I am trying to solve. For example, my dispenser has to be able to carry multiple drinks, so I had to come up with a way to deliver each drink separately without having 5 different dispenser nozzles.
Sketches
This sketch illustrates the size of the dispenser and how it would function in a real world environment. It takes up considerably less space than multiple containers of drinks and would keep drinks cool while also keeping them in an accessible space. Instead of a large cooler full of ice also taking up room, it would only need to be fully charged. It's big enough to hold a decent amount of liquid before it needs to be refilled while not being overly bulky. i also added some handles on either side that make transportation easier. |
To dispense, one would need to hold the button that displays their desired drink until the cup is as full as they would like. There would be a small touch pad on the right side of the dispenser that would allow someone to change the display names on the buttons. This would be easy to use for anyone, especially children. |
There would be a drawer on the left side of the dispenser. Opening it would allow someone to see inside the containers that the liquids are stored in. This is where someone would put in or take out drinks. Each container would hold about 30 fl oz and there would be 5 containers. In this sketch the removable tray in front of the dispenser is visible. It's function is to catch liquid that spills. It is easily removed with the flip of a mechanism which allows for drainage and cleaning. |
There woulb tubes on the inside connecting the containers to the hole where the drinks are dispensed. The tubes and the very top of the containers are held in place so when the drawer is opened, only the bottom of the containers come out. This ensures that no damage comes to the tubes or that they get caught on something. There would also be a mechanism so that the dispenser wouldn't work if the drawer was not fully pushed back in. This would prevent messes and liquid spilling inside the dispenser. |
This is the dispenser overall. There is a small screen and joint buttons that allow one to set the temperature that the drinks are stored at. Below that is the touch pad that lets someone change the displays on the buttons. There is also a tray that all spilled liquid falls into. It's removable so that it can be emptied and cleaned. I chose the shape of a cube because it's the most convenient one. Pyramids have the largest volume for their surface area, but they don't have enough surface area for all the buttons and displays that needed to be in my design. Cubes have the second largest surface area to volume ratio, so I chose this shape. There would be a clearly visible line on the front that allows someone to easily line up a cup and prevent messes. |
Process
Foam Core Presentation Board
The first step in making the presentation board was making a Photoshop document. I drew the sketches of my designs on paper, scanned them, then cut and cropped them in Photoshop. I had never used Photoshop before, so this was a very educational process for me. At first, I had a lot of trouble finding the tools and really using them to their full potential. Eventually, I started getting the hang of it and things got much easier. When I was finished, I exported the document as a jpeg and put it into a flash drive so I could print it out on a special printer. Next I used Super 77 multi-purpose adhesive to glue the paper onto a form core board. This was a slow process because the paper needed to fit almost exactly, so there was little room for error. For this stage I needed the help of a friend to hold the paper up while I slowly pressed it down left to right. When it was all set down, I used a crumpled piece of paper to press the paper down and ensure there were no air bubbles. My final step was to trim the edges of the paper with a guillotine paper cutter. I avoided using scissors so that my edges were cleaner. There was a strip of white on the right-most side of my board. This is due to my document's measurements being slightly off from the size of the board.
Protoype
Sculptural Mock Up
For the design of this drink dispenser, I wanted it to be portable and easy to use. The idea is that it would be chargeable so it is easy to bring anywhere. It is useable for cups and bottles and would be large enough to hold a good amount of liquid.
The inside of the drink dispenser would have 5 container that hold different liquids. They are connected to the buttons on the front and each container corresponds to a button. This seems simple, but I think simplicity makes devices like this easy to use for everyone.
I incorporated a design aspect that I've seen in certain water fountains. There is a line/groove behind the area the container is supposed to go. This serves as a guide for the placement of the container so the likelihood of a mess is reduced. There is also a tray underneath the cup that collects spilled liquid. The idea is that it works like a slider; it collects liquid and is a tray that can can be removed easily for cleaning and emptying.
Reflection
In my first stages, I worked with a professional design thinker. She is a colleague of Murf's and has been doing design thinking for years. She gave me ideas for how to better model my design and questions I could ask myself to improve it. Throughout this project I learned how to better express my ideas and that sketching is never a bad thing. One thing Murf told us was that having the ability to draw out your ideas is not only impressive, but a quick and easy way to show your thinking. This is something I could possibly use outside of art and in my other classes. Overall, I think I did a good job of hitting the criteria my family wanted and if this product were real, I'm certain they would be satisfied with it. It would save a lot of space and be fun to use at parties and outdoors. I also realized that it could be used practically anywhere with an space. Parties, the kitchen, even a bed room. After getting critiqued at MIAD, I realized that perhaps I should have got more inspiration from the drink dispensers at bars or restaurants. This could strengthen the piece overall and given me more ideas to make the product more effective.
At first, I didn't really know how to approach this problem, but using my own fridge's water dispenser was definitely a turning point. It provided much needed ideas and a basic look I could use. I enjoyed this project more than I thought I would. In the future I wouldn't mind designing another product like this.
At first, I didn't really know how to approach this problem, but using my own fridge's water dispenser was definitely a turning point. It provided much needed ideas and a basic look I could use. I enjoyed this project more than I thought I would. In the future I wouldn't mind designing another product like this.
Compare and Contrast - Concept vs. Need/wish/problem
Drink Dispenser:
|
Problem:
|
After creating the mockup, my idea for this piece started to change. I realized that the boxy, industrial shape isn't something I would even use myself. This lead me to realize that this design for a portable drink dispenser isn't something I am satisfied with. I came up with the idea for a 'water backpack.' Essentially, it is a backpack as well as being able to hold water in a pocket near the backend of the bag. It is similar to the drink dispenser, but easier to carry and also has storage functions. I see it as a natural progression in this project.
ACT Responses
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
While not explicit in my final product, my inspiration is clear in my planning process as I tried experimenting with size and shape and what components from water dispensers I wanted to include in my own design.
What is the overall approach (POV) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The writer of the website page on water dispensers is informative with a bit of enthusiasm, most likely to promote their brand's dispensers. Their focus seems to be on informing the general pubic on how dispensers function in simple terms.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I've concluded that people want convenience with appliances like this. It does no good to over complicate them and it's in my best interest to make it accessible, functional, and visually pleasing because this would provide a step up from other similar products.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea around my research was finding the best ways I could to execute the things my uncle wanted solved.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I inferred that in order to design products like this, certain components have to be included so they work as best as possible and are safe to use, like adding a filter for health purposes.
While not explicit in my final product, my inspiration is clear in my planning process as I tried experimenting with size and shape and what components from water dispensers I wanted to include in my own design.
What is the overall approach (POV) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The writer of the website page on water dispensers is informative with a bit of enthusiasm, most likely to promote their brand's dispensers. Their focus seems to be on informing the general pubic on how dispensers function in simple terms.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I've concluded that people want convenience with appliances like this. It does no good to over complicate them and it's in my best interest to make it accessible, functional, and visually pleasing because this would provide a step up from other similar products.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea around my research was finding the best ways I could to execute the things my uncle wanted solved.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I inferred that in order to design products like this, certain components have to be included so they work as best as possible and are safe to use, like adding a filter for health purposes.
Bibliography
Dam, Rikke, and Teo Siang. “What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It So Popular?” The Interaction Design Foundation, 16 Nov. 2019,
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular.
“RF28HDEDBSR Samsung 36 Inch Food ShowCase French Door Refrigerator.” AJ Madison,
https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/RF28HDEDBSR.html.
“Water Dispenser Basics – How Do They Work?” NewAir, 26 Dec. 2017,
https://www.newair.com/blogs/learn/water-dispenser-basics.
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular.
“RF28HDEDBSR Samsung 36 Inch Food ShowCase French Door Refrigerator.” AJ Madison,
https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/RF28HDEDBSR.html.
“Water Dispenser Basics – How Do They Work?” NewAir, 26 Dec. 2017,
https://www.newair.com/blogs/learn/water-dispenser-basics.