Human-Centered Product Design: The Corner ShAAAid

In my Human-Centered Product Design course at Northwestern, I worked in a team to designed and prototype a computer attachment which reduces sun glare when working outside. Our final concept, the Corner ShAAAid, is made up of lightweight, durable polycarbonate that rests on the corner edge of the laptop. It is held up by two brackets that are covered in rubber to hold the screen and product in place. The hinge allows the shade to fold into a flat, compact shape, ideal for storage in a backpack. The shade has a second retractable layer, ensuring that it will fit on all size laptops. When not in use, the brackets can be removed and stored in the attached pouch, so they never get lost. 

This was done by:

• Identifying pain points in everyday life by observing people at a coffee shop and highlighting 10 problem spaces

• Analyzing relevant user need through surveys and 20+ interviews to select the problem with the greatest need

• Benchmarking existing products against design concepts and developing final list of design requirements

• Brainstorming design ideas and making low fidelity mock ups to conduct user testing

• Prototyping the final product and conducting performance testing