Riley Stauss
Blue
Foam
Choosing a product
Choosing a product that most people are familiar with AND know exactly the weight and feel of it meant choosing a barcode scanner. Most people have picked one of these up in their life and know exactly when the ergonomics and feel is off even if it is very subtle. During the making of my blue foam models, having people pick them up and “using” them played a big role in design choices.
Process
In order to retain the specific feel and size of the scanner, since it is so important for it to feel correct, I researched and found one version of a barcode scanner that a manufacturer put out with orthographic views. Using these templates I was able to make sure that the overall feel and size is generally around the same as the original by understanding the dimensions and templates.
BLUE Foam Models
FINAL THOUGHTS
Taking an object that is widely understood and the average person can recall how it feels without it even being present means that changing the design can be difficult. I had to rely on leaving my blue foam models on my desk and observing and learning how it felt in my classmates hands. One challenge that I faced was that I would be designing for my own hand and not the average hand. During this project I was able to further understand how ergonomics work and how a person will pick an object up and hold it instinctually.