Hairdryer Redesign
Overview
In the pursuit of enhancing the blow-drying experience, our team embarked on a redesign project for a more efficient and user-friendly hair dryer. Leveraging ethnographic principles, we engaged with a diverse group of blow dryer users to gather insights into their habits, expectations, and needs. This user-centric approach aims to inform our upcoming 3D design phase effectively.
In this project, we present findings from interviews with five college students, aged 21-23, featuring various hair types. Through their shared experiences, preferences, and challenges in their hair-drying routines, we gained valuable insights that will guide the redesign process toward a more personalized and improved hair dryer experience.
- Methods -
Ethnographic Research:
As a team, we made the decision to engage with a variety of stakeholders who all used blow dryers. To streamline our approach, we utilized Google Docs to create a foundational framework for our interview questions and objectives.
Furthermore, interviews were conducted in the participants’ apartment bathrooms and were recorded and photographed with participants’ permission.
Synthesis and Analysis:
After conducting the interviews, the notes and key insights were uploaded to Mural. Several rounds of analysis and reorganization were performed in order to determine the user needs.
We also took time to reflect on affordances, object recognition, and conceptual models.
Brainstorming:
Using the final analysis of the interviews, we began the process of brainstorming several ways of redesigning blow dryers. Brainstorming initially took place in Mural, and as ideas became more concrete we started to sketch new features.
- Interview -
We conducted interviews with a diverse group of five individuals, each possessing unique hair types and utilizing various models of hairdryers. The purpose of these interviews is to collect insightful data from diverse stakeholders and hear from a variety of perspectives - examining the types of hairdryers people own and understanding user behaviors. This comprehensive approach will play a crucial role in shaping the design of a new hairdryer that caters to the diverse needs of our users.
User 1
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Hair Condition:
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Short
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Black
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Straight
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Dyed hair couple times
User Behavior
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Uses it mainly for drying hair
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Uses 3-4 times a week
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Letting hair dry naturally first, then uses hair dryer
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High temp, high speed
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Use duration: 5-10 minutes
User 2
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Hair Condition:
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Black
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Short
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Straight
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Never dyed hair before
User Behavior
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Rarely use hair dryer
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Uses once a month
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Usually use cold
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Uses heat for faster drying
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Use duration: 5-10 minutes
User 3
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Hair Condition:
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Dark Brown (dyed)
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Long
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Wavy
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Dyed hair since 18
User Behavior
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Uses twice a week
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Uses after drying with towel and sprays protectant
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Keeps at a distance while using
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Cold air only on roots
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Expect a voluminous and straight hair after use
User 4
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Hair Condition:
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Healthy hair
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Had straight perm done twice
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Dyed hair since 19
User Behavior
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Uses hair dryer for styling
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Uses after shower; every other day
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Uses cool to medium heat
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Uses heat protectant
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Highest power setting
User 5
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Hair Condition:
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Medium Length
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Wavy
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Dyed hair twice
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Overall Healthy
User Behavior
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Uses bi-weekly for work
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Blow dries for professional look
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Towel dries until bottom of hair is dry
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Uses heat to smooth hair
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Uses cool to twist and style hair
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Style lasts 4 days with dry shampoo
User Insight
Positive Feedback
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Simple and easy to use
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Different temperature options
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Different speed options
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Heat protection
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Lightweight
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Small and easy to carry out
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Easy to clean
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Cheap
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Can be both a brush and dryer
Negative Feedback
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Too big and bulky
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Funky smell
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Cord too long
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Cord too short
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Back side sucks in hair
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Loud noise
- Analysis & Reflection -
Object Recognition
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Our group built a “standard” blow dryer
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standard shape
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the structural description (nothing surprising)
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buttons and toggles to indicate power, heat, and power settings
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If we were to remove a part or make something really different, the subpart would still be recognizable
Color & Orientation
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Our group ended up choosing pink and purple as our main colors because that’s what we had during our prototype process
Synthesis and Analysis:
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Long stem to indicate that it is a handle
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Charging station:
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an indication that shows the dryer goes into the hole to charge
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similar to those electric toothbrushes where you have to charge them
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once it is charged, the user will pick up the hair dryer by the top (heat-safe)
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cord for the charging station
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Buttons to push for different settings (speed, temperature, noise)
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Finger grips so the user’s finger will fit into the indicated parts
- Sketches & Prototypes-
After deciding on a few final solutions that we wanted to implement, we drew a more sophisticated version of our ideas. We then moved into creating several lo-fi prototypes that focused both on the presentation of features and size using a variety of materials.
Sketches
This was a sketch of a very standard hairdryer. We highlited its function on noise reduction, different temperature settings, air filter placement, and its foldability
This sketch idea was inspired by hairdryers used by our interviewees, one of which has a brush head
We wanted to design a wireless hairdryer and came up with two charging mechanisms
This sketch delved into more details and functional concepts of our potential hairdryer design
Prototypes
Prototype 1
Our first prototype focused on converting our 2D model into a 3D model. Cardboard that was carefully serrated to easily mold and tape it into the shape of a blow dryer and charging port.
Prototype 2
Our second prototype was made from styrofoam and cardboard to create a more realistic and clean design. The handle was made smaller to make it easier to hold and the barrel was made rounder.
- Changes & Improvements -
1
2
3
4
5
- Future Steps -
In the next phases of our hair dryer project, we have identified several crucial steps to further enhance our research and product development:
1. Modular Customization: we aim to introduce attachable modular parts for our hair dryer. This feature will provide users with the flexibility to tailor their hair-drying experience according to their specific needs and preferences.
2. Maintenance and Hygiene: Addressing practical concerns, we will focus on developing effective mechanisms for cleaning dust and hair from the hair dryer. This step is essential to ensure the longevity and hygiene of our product.
3. Design Validation: Validation of our product design is a critical step in our project. We will conduct rigorous testing to confirm that our new and improved prototype, equipped with features like temperature control, noise reduction, speed control, and a charging station, meets the highest standards of performance and safety.
4. High-Fidelity Prototypes: As we progress, we will transition into the development of high-fidelity prototypes. This stage will involve fine-tuning the details and functionality of the hair dryer to create a product that stands out in terms of performance and user experience.
5. Ergonomics and User Experience: Ergonomics will be a central consideration in our project. We are committed to ensuring that our hair dryer is not only technologically advanced but also comfortable and easy to handle, thus promoting a superior user experience.
These are a few steps representing the structured approach we are taking in our project to achieve continuous improvement and innovation, ultimately aiming to deliver a hair dryer that exceeds the expectations of our users.
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