Personal Individual project | 2020
A portable multi purpose table.
Design and Development
Desperate needs call for desperate measures. Work from Home situation did take some toll on health especially on back because of constant hunching while using laptop on bed and couch. I decided to build my own table which can be used on couch or bed for multiple purposes. I need it when I am using my laptop to do work. I came up with multiple concepts and ideas while brainstorming. I tried translating the user needs into concepts.
User Research
Problem Statement: In What Way Might I reduce physical discomfort for using laptop on bed.
I generalized the product from ‘only for laptop in bed’ to a multipurpose table.
Refined Problem Statement: In What Way Might I reduce physical discomfort caused while performing certain activities on bed or couch, e.g. while using laptop, writing, etc.
Interview experience: I conducted interviews of three friends and family members. I conducted interviews on phone, through direct conversation and forwarded a questionnaire with opened ended questions mentioning about what the table is and then asked them to answer to those questions. I observed how my family members were using the table or what activities they performed on couch and bed. I tried to analyze the posture while sitting on couch or bed. This task was interesting however due to some limitations I was not able to observe a lot of people in their environment.
User Needs
| The table is suitable for multiple purposes or activities. |
| Table should have enough area to carry laptop and a mouse Table should have enough area to carry dish and a drinking glass Table should have enough area to keep books and notebooks Table should be large enough that it can be used to iron clothes—— ! Table can be used as cutting board Table should have enough area to place board games Table should be strong enough so that a person can sit on the table—- ! |
| Table is easy to maintain and store and handling it isn’t much effort. |
| Table should be light weight and portable Table should be easy to clean Table should be easy to storage and packaging——– ! Foldable table Table should not have any sharp edges |
| Ergonomic considerations |
| Person should be able to sit cross legged, leg straight or on couch Table should have variable height——- ! Angle of table top should be adjustable———- ! Lumbar support cushion Opening the table and closing the table should be easy——— ! |
| Table should have accessories |
| Laptop heating shouldn’t be a problem, airflow shouldn’t be blocked Board shouldn’t be too thick as sometimes papers are clipped Ability to hang pouches to keep utilities nearby |
| Table should good aesthetics |
| Table top surface should be smooth with no gaps Table material should be robust yet should look as a typical furniture item Table should be available in various colour choices |
Brainstorming concepts
Sketches
THE CHAITANYA HYPOTHESIS 