“How to innovate something we are all familiar with”

To introduce, last lecture was very practical, something very unusual and very enjoyable, it got me thinking. Products play a huge role of our everyday lives, feeding us, clothing us, entertaining us, informing us, transporting us, sheltering us, bringing us closer together and even amazing us. If there is a need it is likely someone made something to address it, and that stimulated us all to think innovatively about every day products.

Last session in class we explored the possible improvement of different products, looking at a mobile phone, a shoe and a heart defibrillator. Looking at their functions we see a pattern of number of use, from highest to lowest: Phone, shoe and defibrillator. Each one theoretically more difficult to innovate than the other, the easiest being the defibrillator for having one a single function. The fact that a phone has so many functions create huge obstacle to make the product user friendly without compromising parallel functions.

It was also looked at, how to make the product successful in the first place. Is innovation needed for these products? From the discussions in class the answer is yes, though it could be argued. However, if the product does fulfill a need previously unaddressed, then the answer is absolutely YES! How can you meet a need without an innovative solution? I can’t see it being done, even when it uses ordinary products.

According to one theory presented in lesson, for a successful product a balance of three aspects is needed. Function, Price and want. Does this product successfully do what it is supposed to? Is it affordable to the general public? And do people need and want this product? If the answer is ‘yes’ to the three questions when looking at any product, then you are likely to be examining an innovative product.

An aspect we didn’t look too much into detail is aesthetics and ergonomics, factors I constantly think about on my daily life about everything. Having some background on Product design I like to see, hear, smell, feel and try products, measuring how ergonomic/aesthetic it is to me. I tend to be very diverse on which to focus on depending on the product. I would definitely choose a shoe based on its appearance alone, where as a chair I’d put comfort first.

Exploring products we came to the method of discovering a need. One can simply ask someone else for what they need, but that might not be a great way to find out, as momentary feelings, wants and needs may interfere. Catching someone on time of need is an alternative way to understand a need, putting the designer on the shoes of the user, creating the feeling of need, frustration, want and so on in order to illustrate the gap the product needs to fill more accurately. So the example of the emergency room showed this really well, simulating the need of urgency and physical discomfort, ingenious.

And from this the discussion about creating a persona arose. I particularly liked this way to demonstrate a need, as it creates an emotional link from the intellectual knowledge of the need to the creator, much like the designer putting the user’s shoes. Emotions are far more effective communicators than words.

Followed the great lecture about creativity, the themes are all very interesting to me, and last week’s didn’t disappoint. Products make our everyday life, it is ultimate human instinct to create things.

For the task of the week I’ve decided to analyse the service system of Subway on Kingston Hill campus. I will be looking at all social parties involved (User, Designer or Community), their skills, responsibilities, needs, rules, laws and the physical environment and objects needed in the process, reviewing each one in the writing process.

The ultimate way this service can be given involves the most effective way to tread and deal with customer’s inquiries while making it as efficient as possible for the business. Of course it is more than that, but for this particular analysis I will be reviewing the way Subway takes orders, deals with them and the customer as well.

Viewing this system, I some problems. The customer frequency throughout the day varies heavily according to student time tables (mostly), and time of the day. There is a high wait time during peak times, sometimes to be served a customer may wait up to 40 minutes. There is often the same number of employees working regardless of the time of day or number of customers. So, why is the system inefficient? and, how can it be improved? The conveyor belt system seems to work but inefficiently, at some moments it seems too much for one person to deal with, regardless of this, it is still how it goes sometimes.

The people involved are: Subway customers and Subway employees. The customers are the Users, they are there to purchase a service/product from the Subway franchise, driven by their physiological needs (of food) or wants (that specific meal). The Subway employees would fit in the Community group, playing the role of the service/product provider.

The skills and responsibilities needed in the process are very basic, they are: verbal communication as the order is taken, basic motor skills on the part of the employees to assemble sandwiches. Responsibilities include dealing with money, using equipment correctly, maintaining stock and providing a user friendly service.

Users and the community group have different needs, the users will be requesting a service and product, while the employees as the community, is there to generate a profit from sales.

The rules and laws are quite informally set, being as simple as being socially acceptable and ethical when dealing with money.

The objects are: Counters, Food, money/band cards, Subway cards, microwave oven, drink machine, refrigerator, hygiene equipment, uniforms, plastic bags, napkins, cups/straws, customer’s belongings including bags, jackets and books.

Having looked at and analysed the system I propose a solution. Basic data can be gathered on frequency of sales at what times of the day, after consistent and valid data is gathered and analysed, allocate the resources to those times reducing resources of those times where customer frequency is low. This might now work if there is a minimum number of employees higher than 1 needed present at any moment, as generally there are only 2-3 workers at any point. Overall the problem is not great and can be solved with reallocation of resources and in the worst case having to hire/train new staff. I do see how that might not be beneficial to this franchise as it is one of few food options in campus, out of campus the nearest restaurant option could be over 10 walking minutes away. So if this Subway franchise is ran with a cost orientation, it will most likely not improve their profit margin. I would rate their service (speed, product quality, service quality, price) 6.5/10. Being aware of these issues allow me as a user of the service to avoid high traffic times, reducing waiting time and maximizing efficiency of my time.

Teleportation!

Having looked at paradigms in my previous blog, now I’ll attempt to give an interesting example of it. What’s better than looking at what can change the world in the future and integrating science fiction with reality. When it comes to contemplating ideas I like to think big, so this blog will be about teleportation!

I like the subject enough to have formed a solid opinion about it prior to deciding to write about it. So in this case I’ll be writing, drawing information based on my own knowledge I’ve acquired over time and little based on reading present research. In a way I’ll only forming/speculating ideas and opinions.

The concept of teleportation is that such a device would literally disintegrate something to its molecular level, copy all its particles, send the information to a second device in which would ‘paste’ all particles in their exact position in relation to each other instantaneously. Essentially it would be a 3D fax machine potentially cloning matter of all form, ultimately organic matter and life (providing non-physical matter is not be bound by space and time [assuming it is real]).

The technology would most certainly create a paradigm in our society. This has the potential to render travelling obsolete, doesn’t this sound surreal?! There is research being made on teleportation, although it feels like it is far from our technological capabilities today. From what I know, there has been positive results proving teleportation a possibility. I believe on the molecular scale a teleportation experiment was successful somewhere in the world.

This will be revolutionary but there will be many issues and questions that need to be tackled before the tech is developed in a commercial scale. Firstly, how accessible will it be to the public, will it be affordable as a product? Will it be easy/cheap to produce? Who will be able to use it?

How will it be used? We constantly see people use perfectly ordinary tools for creative purposes. Similarly we get the opposite too, some will use for their own gain through unethical methods. It would make it really easy to transport controlled substances into certain places, likewise, the migration of people. Perhaps on the positive side it will allow easier methods to decrease population density in some areas as well as making resources available very easily in places where it isn’t naturally available.

Thinking on an ethical way on the production of this technology also raises issues. Do we consist of non-physical form (soul)? How will this be replicated? The possibility of having a soul has been explored for thousands of years and yet not scientifically proven. The possibility of being affected non-physically in some way can have terrible results on people, imagine, to lose your soul, your being.

Another thing is mechanical failure. Will all machines work all the time? A mechanical failure can potentially result in the permanent loss or distortion of unique things and beings. I can’t seem to think this will be accepted by many people, at least not at the first stages of the existence of this technology. Or the opposite also, the creation of multiple copies, a cloning alternative perhaps.

I seem to have posed more questions than answers. This may seem to be far, yet development is being made, a breakthrough can change everything. So when you hear teleportation, are you for, or against?

Innovation Paradigm.

Paradigm. The interesting discussions in class got many ideas flowing in my mind on and off the subject of paradigm, many not even related to the module or course. Things like ‘what is a technology?’, ‘how can innovation change the world?’ or ‘as technologies advance, what kind of line will be drawn to control technology?’ and the several answers that can spring from these questions interest me deeply.

So back to the subject, what is a paradigm innovation? From the work and conversations in class, this is how I would define it: in terms of technology is a development that completely renders something obsolete, as the car did to the horse as a transportation tool. Doing a little bit of more research I come across this definition: “A dramatic change in methodology or practice. It often refers to a major change in thinking and planning, which ultimately changes the way projects are implemented.” which is, well the same thing said in different words.

Not all things fall in the category of paradigm innovation. There is also product innovation, process innovation and position innovation. Each innovation falls in one of these labels due to their relationship to the society, whatever it replaces, things with similar functions and so on.

I find some issues with this as some pointed out that it is hard to position a technology under one of these subheadings, it seems to be relative to the time, opinion and personal definition of each person. For example the transaction from horse to car, some will argue that it was a complete change, however both did get you from A to B. Horses were not made obsolete instantaneously, as motorised vehicles were not accessible to all at the time.

To conclude, paradigm innovation may be the most outstanding type, arguably the most innovative too. Over time, man has created and invented thousands of products, technologies, concepts and ideas, numerous of these paradigm developments changes the face of the Earth. Were they for the better? Was there any drawbacks or resistance to these changes in society? And what paradigms will the future bring? 

BMW R1200GS Motorcycle, Innovative Design.

The new innovative design of motorcycles have caught my attention this year. Being a motorcycle enthusiast myself this stood out to me even though it isn’t a bike I find personally very visually as appealing as other styles of bike. Even though I thought it would be appropriate to review this new product, despite never having driven one myself.

BMW’s best seller in the two wheel category. The 2013 model has presented itself to be an entirely new beast, modifications to the design now make what was a successfully good bike a new experience to riders.

The designers aimed to make the motorbike more efficient without sacrificing comfort, aesthetics and usability. The new engine is now more horizontally compact from wheel to wheel. This allowed the increase in the length of the back wheel’s swing arm while maintaining the distance between the wheels as of previous models, this translates to a better rear suspension and a smoother ride.

Improvement on breaks, now more sensitive and adaptable, allowing the driver more flexibility while riding as well as a smarter machine when in emergency break situations in various terrains.

The new model offers a flexible engine allowing a change of speed of 5-70mph in third gear. Also now the motor uses a more efficient water cooling system. The new system is more precise with the cooling, meaning that the system cools only the warmer parts, allowing a more compact radiator for a bike of this size. As well as the new liquid cooling system another major change to the engine layout was made, now there is a downward intake of gas to the engine at its top and and the exhaust system has been moved from the side to the bottom of the engine, overall increasing efficiency and upping the horsepower.

As a Smaller change, the windshield is now more height adjustable, allowing some customization from bike to bike depending on driver aesthetic or ergonomic needs and wants. The transmission is integrated to the engine, a new technology advance to make smoother transitions from each gear. The drive shaft was moved from the right side to the left side of the bike to fit with other component modifications.

Overall in terms of innovation this bike scores a 10/10. To make a more illustrative comparison I will compare it to a similar sized bike I’d buy for myself. The Harley 883, it has barely advanced in technology in the last several years, keeping the same inefficient, loud and wasteful design that has failed to keep up with technology.

The most significant innovative product I’ve had the privilege to see in the past month.