Julia

Reflect on your prototype. What were some strengths? What needs refinement? 

• The strength of our prototype was that, in a short period, the prototype worked well. We did not expect a lot from this because we only had ~4 classes to complete a catapult using any materials we had at school. We chose eco-friendly materials such as clay, plastic, cardboard, wood, and elastic band. These materials are eco-friendly materials that a lot of designers use when they are creating their products/devices/toys.
• We tied many layers of elastic rubber string onto the stick, which had a big help when hitting the ping-pong ball. With only one line, the holding strength isn’t strong, and the ball won’t go far enough for this experiment. After we made 3-4 layers of the string, the strength got tightener, and stronger that by the time we were pushing the arm of the catapult down and releasing it, the ping-pong ball went further than before. This was an achievement when compared to the start. 
• The part where it needs refinement is the size. The measurements of the prototype pieces were something we came up with when we were cutting, which means we only thought a little about it. This is why the prototype turned out more significant than we thought. The first step we did was cutting the platform of the prototype, which was 60cmX40cm, which from here, we can see that it would turn out big. Not only the length but the height of the prototype was also something that needed to be changed. If we can make this again, I would change the size (length, width, and height) to more minor than the original prototype. 

Outline the feedback you received from peers. Share some changes you will make as a result of this feedback. 

• At first, my partner and I created a small catapult using popsicle sticks that was shown in a YouTube video. We did that to ensure what was happening and what changes we could make for our final. Since this was a pre-step, it could have been better. When we went up to our teacher and asked for feedback, he said, “try not to copy the whole catapult from the video; try to add changes that a historical catapult has.” This was a big help. We chose our product as a ‘historical catapult,’ not a regular toy catapult. We did much research and found that a historical catapult has wheels. This was one of the most significant changes we made compared to the pre-step catapult.
• During the class gallery work after the design-making process, we got feedback from our classmates. Some similarities they had were that the catapult did not require complicated techniques and could be easily played by the intended audience, which would also be children around the age of 7-12. However, feedback about improvements was that holding the rubber band and the arms stick together could have been more stable and robust. Since our design is all done, we could not make any changes, but if we have more time on this project, we need to use stronger glue or other materials to put them together. 

Include photos of your prototype and details of the feedback received.