This week was a little different from the previous weeks. Illinois experienced one of the coldest days ever. Therefore, we didn’t have class in person but instead online. The class was also different because we had guests from Milestone Studio Labs. The guests were present in class to hear our presentations and mentor us through the process of formulating a plan for our team project.
The presentation from the representatives of Milestone Studio Labs was interesting and different. From their perspective innovation is created by everyone and as a result, it takes on different forms. Some of us may go throughout our day without knowing that we are innovating to accommodate for some of our everyday needs. The design process in my opinion can be stressful because at least for me when I go through it I am always trying to find the next big idea. The exercise and presentation from the representatives helped me to realize that sometimes the “next big idea” can be something very simple and small.
My team was deciding between three projects to potentially work on and one mentor to work with, Ron Malik. After receiving feedback about our presentation, we decided to hone in on one of our ideas which is to create a D.I.Y. IKEA-like wheelchair. Since this project has such a wide scope and we have so little time we decided to reframe what aspects of the wheelchair will be D.I.Y. From listening to Ron and doing a little of our own research it became our goal to focus on the aspects of the wheelchair that is expensive and or most replaced. Like IKEA we also wanted to ensure that our product has an element of customizability for ascetics.
The suggestions from the representatives were very helpful. They emphasized how our main problem could possibly be the scope of the project. However, they seemed to really like the idea and encouraged us to refine our initial idea into smaller practical pieces. Looking forward is it clear that we have a lot of work ahead of us. Like I stated in my previous post, ambiguity is going to be something that we have to be comfortable with. Luckily we are all working in teams and we get to encourage each other throughout this journey.
I really liked your takeaway about how our ideas don’t have to be the “next big idea” in order to be successful. I agree that this mindset can lead to a lot of stress in the inspiration phase and that sometimes simple, everyday fixes can be the best solutions. I also enjoyed hearing about your group’s ideas and I especially liked the modular aspect of your solution. Creating a D.I.Y. solution is a great way to provide a customizable solution for lower prices.
I really appreciate your perspective, and I definitely see how it relates to Ron’s approach to problem solving. I think Ron did a great job during week 2 explaining how he made “quick fixes” to a lot of the problems he encountered with everyday objects. I definitely think the “IKEA” approach will be really interesting, especially if it can be particularly affordable and easy to order/print replacement pieces when things start to wear-down or break. Great start, good luck on the ideation phase!
I really like your perspective about we are innovating every day on to accommodate our daily needs. I think that the Milestone Labs showed this aspect very clear to us, and this is extremely inspiring. Without the workshop session with the Milestone Labs, I would never realize that we are innovators in our everyday lives. I think this inspiration also brings us to have a better view of the opportunities that we can find during our exploration with the mentors and experts.
Hi Brianna!
I love your takeaway from the presentation that innovation does not have to be “the next big idea,” but can be something so simple. I think your idea regarding an “IKEA” wheelchair is awesome. Although it may not be feasible in this class to create the entire chair, I think it would be great to at least make part of the chair that way. This could have a huge impact on people all over the world–especially in places that are not developed. I think Ron is the perfect mentor for you, as he is already working with organizations to increase access to wheelchairs across the world. I’m excited to see where your project goes!
Hi Brianna,
Definitely! Innovation is happening everyday. Sometimes, your tiny innovative thought might be the most important element of your future success. I’m really impressed about your perspectives about the innovation. I also really like your idea of making a wheelchair with element of customizability, which increase the flexibility and the efficiency of your product. In my opinion, the wheelchair is relatively complicated comparing to some small parts. It may have more difficulties in producing and building process. However, I think with the help from your mentor and further discussion, you’ll figure it out. It will be a huge success if you guys make it! Hope you can have more progress in the following week!