Transforming user research into an engaging narrative

A collaborative client project that involved designing and printing a book to be distributed internally within the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe.

Area

Editorial & Print

Position

Design Associate

Project Length

8 Weeks

Background

Current man-missions to space are within Low Earth Orbit (LEO), such as to the International Space Station (ISS). A medical kit aboard the ISS is used to manage general health & emergencies. This project focuses on how might we improve the kit usage for longer missions.

Research

The current pain points within the user journey were identified within the medical kit aboard the ISS. Primary and secondary researching including an interview with Dr Virginia Wotring, who worked with the first NASA pharmacist.

PAIN POINT: O1

A separate booklet is used to find the location of medication.

PAIN POINT: O2

Medications are wrapped in individual 'Ziploc' bags, generating waste.

PAIN POINT: O3

Opening a bag in microgravity risks spilling of medication.

PAIN POINT : O4

Kit becomes unorganized after prolonged, repeated usage.

PAIN POINT : O5

No protection from radiation or light causing medication to loose potency.

'How Might We…?' Statement.

How might we prepare and protect medicine from the environmental conditions in space whilst maintaining a seamless user experience for astronauts?

Development

Three areas were discovered to be important to include in the development of the design. This key features include microgravity accessibility, medication organization and radiation protection.

3D printed models of concepts was key to investigate their feasibility and better evaluate the viability of concepts. Testing prototypes helped understand how a user would handle a product, and how the medicine can be dispensed into someones hand.