Early Expectations
Coming into this class I really had no idea what to expect. I knew that the class involved 3D printing and design, but I wasn’t aware of how close we would be working with mentors to develop a real product that could be used in their everyday life. In this class, I was hoping to get more experience with 3D modeling and printing and learn more about the industry in general. I wanted to be familiar enough with the technology that I could use my knowledge after I graduated to understand how 3D printing will continue to disrupt the business world.
Overall, I would say that the class met most of my expectations and gave me great experiences that I wasn’t expecting to get going into the class. The nature of the class led us to focus much more on user-centered design and I gained very valuable experience on how to design for end-users during the product development process. I had some experienced with user-centered design in the past, (https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/week-2-recap-inspiration-ideation-and-implementation/) but this semester taught me so much more. From a personal standpoint, this course taught me how to collaborate with people with very different work styles and how to split up work to play to the strengths of everyone on the team. The whole semester was a team effort and I definitely could not have accomplished everything without the help of my amazing teammates, Ryan Kane and Jay Lee.
Resources and People
One of my biggest takeaways from the semester was just how awesome the University of Illinois network is. Vishal was able to do a great job bringing in speakers and resources for our class that helped make the experiential learning process easier. I want to thank Milestone Labs, John Hornick, Dan Banach, and Jeff Ginger for coming in and sharing their wisdom with our class. We were also able to seek advice on our project from two professors: Matthew Goodman (Material Science) and Deana McDonagh (Industrial Design). Both of these professors added helpful insight into the material make-up and aesthetic design of our prototype.
I am also thankful for Adam who introduced us to our mentors at DRES. Before this semester, I had no idea that DRES existed and it was so cool to see all the amazing services the facility provides and the awesome people who work and train there. Specifically, our mentor Jenna was incredible to work with and inspired us to keep on persisting through the design process.
In addition to these wonderful people, we were given access to a lot or resources at the college. I had very little interaction with the Fab Lab and the Makerlab before this semester, but I really enjoyed learning about and utilizing all of the resources they provide. As a Senior, I wish I had learned about these great facilities earlier so I could have used them more often throughout my college career.
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/digging-deeper-into-our-ideas-week-3-reflection/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/democratization-of-innovation/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/preparing-for-the-make-a-thon-3/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/make-a-thon-preparation/
3D Printing Skills
One of my expectations coming into this course was that I would learn more about how to 3D print and model. Using Fusion 360, a 3D printing software, Dan Banach was able to teach us how to design our own custom phone holder. When I first saw the design we were going to create I was pretty overwhelmed, but by the end of the process, I realized how easy it was to design and model on Fusion 360. Learning how to 3D model was one of my favorite parts of the class and it was great to see my design come to life both on the screen and then on the 3D printer itself. 3D printing still fascinates me and I am hopeful that I will continue to have access to 3D printers where I can keep on designing and creating.
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/moving-forward/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/week-6-learning-the-ropes/
Learning to Make
The most important thing I learned this semester was how to make. I know that this sounds pretty straightforward and a little bit vague, but for me “making” is all about being creative and unafraid to try new things. In business, there is a lot of structure and preparation and there is usually a “right way” and a “wrong way” to do things. However, when it comes to “making” there are so many different ways to achieve your end goal and there is no structure because you are creating something that hasn’t been created before. While at first I was intimidated by this process, by the end I found myself enjoying the ambiguity and creativity needed to succeed. My time at the Fab Lab and prototyping on our project showed me that there are so many ways to be creative and build new things. I hope that when I graduate I can take this new mindset with me and continue to make and create!
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/creation-station-week-7/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/return-to-the-fab-lab-week-8/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/watches-and-storyboarding-week-9/
https://digitalmaking.web.illinois.edu/spring2019/make-a-thon-recap-and-next-steps/
Key Takeaways from the Digital Making Seminar
- The University of Illinois has amazing resources
- The University of Illinois has amazing people
- Design thinking is all about what the user needs
- Failure is part of the innovation process
- 3D printing is changing the world
- Making things is fun!
I am a Senior majoring in Finance with a minor in the Hoeft Technology & Management Program.
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