As a Grade 9 student at GSIS, I ventured on an eye-opening exploration into the pressing concern of technology addiction among our younger peers. With our education system being heavily reliant on technology, it became evident that the younger generation, particularly third graders, was becoming increasingly susceptible to the pitfalls of screen addiction. Recognizing the detrimental long-term effects of this overexposure, I was driven to devise a solution. My initiative was to design an educational toy, tailored specifically for third graders, that would serve as a stimulating alternative to screens, while simultaneously offering academic value.

The journey to actualizing this concept involved meticulous research, combining surveys, educator insights, and extensive online resources. This comprehensive approach was essential in understanding the needs and preferences of my target group. The goal was clear: create a hands-on, engaging game that offers genuine educational benefits while also fostering interpersonal interactions. The design phase was challenging, yet exhilarating, as I amalgamated elements from license plates with mathematical and linguistic puzzles to enhance both cognitive and collaborative skills.

(Product creation stage)

Upon completion, the product emerged as a vibrant, multi-faceted educational toy primarily crafted from acrylic, emphasizing visual appeal, durability, and safety. Beyond the aesthetics, the game promotes a sense of accomplishment and teamwork, aligning perfectly with the gaming elements the young ones love. The feedback and responses from educators and students affirmed my belief in the product. While there are areas of refinement, like improving letter legibility, the overarching sentiment remains positive. I'm hopeful that this toy stands as a testament to innovative ways of bridging learning with play and combating screen addiction effectively.

(Testing my product to the target audiences)

Process:

Upon establishing a clear connection to the targeted audience of my educational toy, I began to create a clear research plan, establishing the areas in which I need further research to finalize details of the educational toy model, such as design, size, material, color, etc. I planned and incorporated different types of research methods, ranging from simple online research to target audience surveys. 

I also began to research and analyze existing products further to enhance the usability and functionality of my application. By studying the strengths and weaknesses of these products, I was able to identify gaps in the market and integrate features that not only set my application apart but also addressed specific user needs that were previously overlooked. For my case, I have studied monopoly, studying and analyzing factors that align with the topics in my research plan.

After all the research has been completed, I have established a design specification, outlining specific guidelines that my created product must satisfy in order to meet the needs of the target audience, which has been shown through surveys and also to follow researched information that is the most fitting to my situation. These specifications will be specifically evaluated after the creation of initial ideas and the finalization of the physical product.

I then moved on to the initialization of ideas. I have created 3 initial ideas in total, which I have digitally designed using SketchUp. After the design was created, I created annotations of the model, investigating the pros and cons of the product using several different factors similar to the analysis of the existing product. I then evaluated each idea against the design specifications to evaluate the most appropriate and satisfactory against my specifications, which will be developed and altered further as the final product.

Ultimately, I have decided to continue my final product based on idea #1, as idea #1 had the highest rating against the design specifications. More specifically, idea #1 had the largest range of educational aspects, including both Math and English. Also, idea #1 had the aspect of teamwork, which is an important aspect of learning at a young age. 

I have then added adjustments and improvements according to the design evaluation, as idea #1 was lacking safety, due to the game component’s sharp edges, and also, the game needed difficulty adjustment features, changing difficulty levels for both struggling and advanced students.

After digitally finalizing the chosen product, I moved on to the production of the product. I first established a production plan, in which I created a detailed, step-by-step outline of the production stages that I will undergo. This plan encompassed everything from sourcing the required materials and tools, estimated time, etc. 

Throughout the physical creation of the chosen product, I have kept a record of my progress through a process journal. I briefly described my progress for each workday to check if I was in accordance with the estimated inputted in the production plan. 

(Final Product view)

I have faced some difficulties during the production process and had to make some adjustments due to technical difficulties. One of the examples was the thickness of the acrylic. Seeing the 2mm and 4mm thick in person, the 2mm looks too flimsy to be used in the production process, especially through the cutting stage where I have to cut the acrylic using an electric saw. Hence, I have changed the thickness of the material to 4mm. Using this section, I have specifically analyzed the change and the reason for it, also including the picture evidence for further reference.

The creation of the physical product was completed, and I finally rated the product against the design specifications. For example, I have actually visited a primary classroom in our school and tested the product using the target audience, and they have given me survey input for my product. 

Conclusively, using the final evaluation, I have created a justification for the improvements that could be made for further creation. Overall, the design project helped me understand the role of a product owner, continuously researching and communicating with the target audience in order to establish a clear understanding of the target audience’s needs. Furthermore, planning and executing the production process underscored the importance of meticulous organization and foresight in bringing a concept to reality. This experience has enhanced my perspective, emphasizing the interplay between user-centric design and efficient production in achieving a successful product.

Project document link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a0K9AVWHO_eMcd13Gc7cUBjFtQQJSmHUCenRiHllhuo