With the initial plan, I was unsure of what measurements would be used (as I did not have access to the bottles to make a proper judgement), and I was basing it on what I had observed on the internet. In the beginning, my plan was to use mini water bottles taped on a piece of cardboard with tape (and hot glue as a bonus). A small hole would be cut through the back to allow a balloon attached to a straw.

[ click to view the initial plan ]

 

In the plan, my boat did not require a lot of techniques that I did not already have – in fact, the hardest thing to do was figure out how to appropriately secure the balloon onto the straw. I watched several videos on the internet hoping to find a better way to attach the balloon, but all I got was fastening it on with tape. Unfortunately, it was not the desired result. However, I did find out that certain tapes would work better than others.

 

In the plan, I wished to make the boat light enough so that it would definitely float without a problem, hence why I decided that cardboard would be the best option since it’s lightweight and would ensure that my raft would float. However, cardboard is not water-resistant, but I was fine with using it for my first product as I could later receive feedback about other possible material choices. The painter’s tape could also present a problem, but at the time, I believed that it itself should be able to withstand water.

 

If I were to remake my original model before creating my product, I would make sure to sketch multiple perspectives. Based on the standards and how my plan may have been interpreted, details using through perspectives (ie. bird’s-eye-view and side-view) may help someone understand the plan better. Especially when the scale of the sketch was slightly off from when I “winged it”.

 

The Plan:

• February 21st: Start modelling and making sketches on paper of how the product will look like (with materials, etc noted)
• February 23rd: Bring in as many materials as possible and ask for any needed guidance from the available teachers about the most suitable materials
• February 25th – March 1st: Work on the first product, possibly ask for improvements
• March 3rd – March 7th: Make an improved version after receiving feedback while hopefully getting the chance to properly test the product before the end of the workdays.