Assignment 1.1 Good Design

This wallet-style cellphone case (Amazon link) protects my phone AND saves me time otherwise spent digging in my purse for cards or money.

Assignment 1.2 Find the Gap

MY TEN GAPS:
*1. Increase natural light in my apartment
2. Develop motivation system for studying Kanji characters
3. Deal with “doorblockers” on the subway
4. Match my personality type to appropriate employment
5. Develop a system to automate my file backups
6. Find a way to use Facebook only sporadically, yet not alienate some friends who are heavy users
7. Produce 50 greeting cards in less than 3 hours or as swiftly as possible
8. Create a logo for my Etsy page
9. Find a better anniversary gift reminder system
10. Develop a rewards system for exercise

Assignment 1.3  VISUAL EXPRESSION I

Chair sketch (click to enlarge):

Assignment 1.4  DESIGN FOR YOU

visual expression of the design: Adjustable Exterior Mirror

 

photograph of prototype: My window, and room interior:

Prototype mirror added outside window, and resulting slight change in light level:

 

A device which will increase the amount of natural light entering my apartment.

The gap I’ve chosen meets the course project criteria because

-I experience its effects daily

-some of my friends also experience it

-I believe I can research this gap and develop a prototype solution within 8 weeks

Edit 8 Jan 2013 – This blog was started as an assignment in the Coursera class:

Design: Creation of Artifacts in Society

by Karl T. Ulrich, University of Pennsylvania