We first started the design process by defining our design specification, which is designing a toy that shows and teaches energy conversion. As we decided to make a toy, we defined our target audience, elementary schoolers, based on that as elementary schoolers seemed more fitting for a design concept of a toy introducing energy conversions. From that, we determined our user’s needs which were to introduce basic energy conversions clearly and engagingly to elementary schoolers, we thought that an easy, engaging, comprehensible toy would be beneficial for the education of energy conversion since children might not be interested in energy conversion and might not comprehend energy conversion, so these factors are very crucial. After determining the basics of the project, we researched precedents of games that we thought were easy to operate online and narrowed them down to analyze specific design ideas and their pros and cons in relation to the intended purpose and audience. When coming to a design concept we liked, we found more precedents of a specific design idea, the catapult, and repeated the process of analyzing precedents. As we proceeded with making our plan, we incorporated ideas into precedents we analyzed and we created our success criteria. As we were creating the success criteria, we put the important design specifications in mind, such as creating an eco-friendly, functional, durable toy. We also had the target audience and their needs in mind, we created other success criteria based on that, such as possible safety hazards, easy operation, and clear and comprehensible energy conversion shown. After creating the success criteria, we edited our plan accordingly and listed out needed materials, and created measurements. Moving on to the creating procedure, we first created the catapult to test its feasibility in creating a clear trajectory, then we chose to cut out cardboard pieces and assembled them using hot glue after. As we reached the end of our creation process, we found that the ball kept bouncing off of the Plinko board, so we added a plastic barrier over the board to prevent that. We shared our project with the class by offering others the chance to try our project, introducing the target audience and the intended purpose, and receiving feedback from them to further reflect on our project. From this project, I learned about design techniques, such as the success criteria, target audience, and intended purpose while also learning and practicing other techniques in the creating phase, the learning was further reflected and I gained a deeper understanding of it through the blog post reflections at every stage.
For our first success criteria, I believe we have reached few possible safety hazards with the exception of the possible safety hazard of the rough side of the plastic barrier which could possibly cut someone, otherwise, there are no other possible safety hazards present in this project if there is no extreme aggression while in use. Secondly, the materials are environmentally friendly, and many of the materials such as popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and plastic bottle caps can still be reused if the project is taken apart, a weakness that failed to perfectly meet this criterion would be the usage of hot glue, this would make the cardboard unable for reuse, as reusing cardboard would be even better for this success criteria. Thirdly, it is easy to operate and easy to understand the operation as reflected from multiple pieces of feedback, although it is challenging for the ball to fall into the Plinko board and plastic barrier, the only weakness in this criterion, it is easy to operate the catapult. Next, the project clearly shows the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy which the potential energy can be identified through the compression of the catapult when getting ready to shoot (elastic energy) and also when the ball is landing on the Plinko board or obstacles of the Plinko board (gravitational energy), kinetic energy can be identified through the trajectory of the ping pong ball and the ping pong ball falling down from the Plinko board. The clear energy conversion shown is also identified in feedback from peers. Finally, our project meets the criteria of durability and functionality, it is durable as the ping pong ball couldn’t indent the cardboard pieces or make the extension on the Plinko board fall, currently, there has been no damage done to the project when in proper use. Our project also functions well, particularly the catapult part, the weakness of the function would be that it is hard for the ball to fall inside the Plinko board.
Our project meets the design specification of creating a toy that can teach or introduce energy conversions with regards to the environmental impact. It meets the first specification of a toy as it is derived from arcade games, a form of toy, and is engaging and fun, as multiple feedbacks have stated, which would be the primary purpose of a toy. Meeting this specification would bring engagement from our audience, therefore would cause the audience to be more engaged when introducing energy conversions. Our project meets the second specification through the operation process, such as the catapult usage and how the compression of the catapult leads to the creation of a trajectory, showing elastic to kinetic energy, and how the high altitude the ball lands causes the falling of the ball shows gravitational to kinetic energy. As stated before, a piece of feedback also states how our toy shows energy conversion clearly. This clear, visual representation in reality effects our audience as it is more direct and the directness of the showing of energy conversions could help them understand the conversion from potential energy to kinetic energy better. Lastly, our project has met specification three, the positive environmental impacts. We have used many recycled materials in our project, therefore it is positive to the environment. As stated above, many materials used would also not be trashed after in the case of breaking apart this project, which would also be environmentally friendly.
I am most proud of our product and how it would function how it was meant to and how we finished the product on time despite the time constraints. I also was proud of the design process and thinking that I have learnt throughout this project, such as applying the target audience, their needs, and the success criteria to create a better plan that fits the design specifications. Something that was challenging was trying to solve the major problem of the ping pong ball bouncing off of the Plinko board under time constraints since this problem was only noted in the last class in the design lab, when we finished assembling. This problem isn’t solved in the most perfect way possible, but it would be solved to the best of its extent under time constraints.