Alex Williams
Product Design Portfolio ‘21
About Me My name is Alex, and I’m a 1st Class Honours BA Product Design Graduate from Nottingham Trent University.
Experience
Education
Contact & Social Media
2011 - 2016
Bedford School GCSE’s & A Level’s
2016 - 2017
2017 - 2021
Nottingham Trent University BA (Hons) Product Design (Sandwich)
2019 - 2020
Gap Student, Teaching Assistant Geelong Grammar School (Australia) Industry Placement Year Hodges & Drake Design, (Leicester)
Achievements 2021
Featured on Dezeen - University Design School summer showcase
2021
Featured work in New Designers show
2021
Shortlisted for showcase at the ‘Lost Graduation show’ in Milan.
@ahw_designs
2019
Live Project Shortlist - Pearson Lloyd project
www.linkedin.com/in/alex-williams-442332172/
2018
Shortlisted Finalist for Starpack Awards
alex@willofam.com +44 (0) 7432 685848
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BL
BLUE LITE LAGER
ACTiv PEP Device
Blue Lite
NTUDI Expo 2021
Final year Minor Project
Final year Major Project
Final Year Virtual Exhibition
01 Featured on:
A Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) device for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients that motivates and encourages greater participation in group or individual sports and their associated physical and mental health benefits.
ACTiv PEP Device Final year Minor Project 10 Weeks
What is Cystic Fibrosis (CF)?
Sinuses Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease with no cure, with the condition itself affecting the lungs and the digestive system by producing thick and sticky mucus that severely clogs the lungs and obstructs the pancreas.
Lungs
Liver & Pancreas
Bone Strength Sport is great for CF patients, but why is it so hard? Physical activity forces individuals to bring up the mucus from their lungs, which improves lung function - but a low lung function (or more mucus) will mean sufferers become fatigued quickly, making them less likely to feel the benefits.
Bladder
Intestines
Parts of the body affected by CF
Research Findings & Opportunity Areas
40.2%
Exclusion People with CF can often feel excluded from group activity or sport due to their condition, especially at school.
Of Cystic Fibrosis patients experience a combination of Anxiety and Depression as a direct result of the condition, due to continued treatment, physical health issues and a restricted social life.
75.9% Of primary research participants stated that they have felt excluded or left out from a physical activity or sporting event due to the restrictions of their condition.
72.4% Of primary research participants suggested that they found it difficult to carry the correct treatment equipment with them whilst playing sport, and they wished they were able to carry their PEP device with them.
Education Wider communities, especially schools, do not understand the condition, or the complications that arise.
Logistics Patients often have to stop and interrupt a session to treat the condition and improve their lung function, in order to continue.
Refined Project Brief
‘Design a product that will Assist and Motivate individuals with Cystic Fibrosis between the ages of 11-18 to partake in High Impact Outdoor Group Activity and provide an Understanding and Awareness of the condition and the complications it brings to those around them.’
Motivate
Educate
Facilitate
Design Opportunity
What is a ‘PEP’ Device?
Existing PEP Devices
Design a PEP Device to ensure that CF sufferers both at school and at home, are able to take part in group activity and sport, ensuring both their emotional and physical health are maintained.
A PEP Device is a piece of equipment used by CF sufferers to help improve their lung function. By breathing into it against varying levels of resistance, it loosens mucus in the lungs making it easier to cough it up and easier to breathe.
Users are embarrassed by the Aesthetics High Retail Costs Poor Ergonomics and Anthropometrics Size, Portability and Transport issues
Ideation, Rapid Prototyping & Testing
Modelling & Testing Using both cardboard models & accurate 3D printed prototypes to test different sized holes & varying ways to release air pressure, to assess the most effective method of creating resistance against breathing.
Development Mood Board
Accessory Stylish Discrete Accepted Hidden
Compact Portable
Fashionable Convenient Sleek
Wrist Toggle for ease of use whilst active Twist to adjust resistance settings
Existing PEP shape - Too large
Packaging fits both PEP set & Educational cards, for community learning
Concept Development Though the product was largely driven by testing, the Ergonomics and the User Experience of the PEP were still vital, to ensure ease of use and comfort whilst active. To assist with this, the development was therefore driven by feedback from a CF sufferer.
Design Features As well as the PEP & carry case, the product set includes education and information assets to enable broader community knowledge and understanding of CF, promoting support and empathy for the constraints and daily challenges faced by those living with the condition.
Final Prototype
Design Features The product provides a convenient and discrete carry case, making for easy transportation and use whilst active, but also facilitates ‘accessorizing’, giving users a more fashionable experience. Though primary use scenario is secondary school-aged children, where the PEP helps to minimise barriers for patients during individual or group sports activities, ACTiv is also valuable as part of daily CF therapeutic regimes.
02
Blue Lite is a low alcohol lager (ABV 1%) available on draught, which aims to assist individuals on a night out who may be driving home. The solution consists of three main elements: A Beer fount, a drinks monitoring App, and branding and campaign methods designed to spread more awareness to a wider group of stakeholders, to indicate that an individual may be driving home.
Blue Lite Final year Major Project 24 Weeks
Research Findings & Opportunity Area
Existing Products
Campaigns & Advertising
Environments
Demographic
Breathalysers are implemented with varying success. It is not a legal requirement as it is in other countries, and lacks significant uptake in the UK.
Government lead campaigns usually victimise individuals before an offence is committed, and are often easy for people to ignore whilst on a night out.
Larger bars in Towns are likely to see more drink driving cases, due to individuals having to drive to social events, making it more likely to consume alcohol before driving home.
In the UK, 85% of convicted drink drivers are Male offenders, and the highest offending age group are young males between 18-24 years old.
Design Opportunity Promote personal responsibility on a night out using an interactive experience, without intruding on a social activity, on an individual & group scale.
More socially accepted Breathalysers & Drinks Monitoring methods
Wearable personal BAC monitoring
BAC Calculation methods
Smaller & Personal deterrents
Ideation Early development of the design consisted of out of the ordinary ideas, as it was decided that most existing solutions were not enough to deter drink driving from actually happening, but rather identifying it after someone is already over the limit.
Research Findings & Brief
79%
81.4%
27.8%
Of individuals that drink drive were found to have good intentions before a night out, yet fail to remain under the legal limit as an evening progresses, and social pressures grow.
Of Primary research participants suggested that they did not need to carry a Breathalyser on a night out, and were trusting enough of their own judgement to decide if they are fit to drive.
Of primary research participants were comfortable consuming two or more full strength pints of lager or equivalent, before driving home.
- Heineken
Refined Project Brief Design a product or system for licensed venues which allows drivers to opt-in to a service, that will monitor alcohol intake and assist in making responsible decisions when judgement and awareness may be impaired. The solution should ensure drivers do not exceed legal limits and should extend to service providers to support responsible decision making and personal accountability.
Design Direction
Concept & Design Opportunity The main consideration surrounding the concept was focused around promoting self responsibility by monitoring alcohol intake, but it was also important to ensure that the product was an asset that users would enjoy interacting with. This led to the initial concept of a drinks monitoring system, via a beer dispense fount & App, which would reject a pint being poured if the user tries to order more than their chosen allowance; Thus notifying the user that they are close to the limit.
Target Market
Isolated Rural Pub
Small Town Pub/Bar
Larger Town Pub/Bar
Full Capacity Venue
UX Development & System Design
UX Design Key Focus Areas
Device NFC Capability
Scanning Capability
Drinks Monitoring
• Consumer connectivity to the system & fount & User Interaction • Inclusion of Stakeholders (Visible use of the system to demonstrate someone is driving home) • Ensuring the system does not exclude individuals who are not driving • Incorporate a branding and campaign focus into the system, on top of the drinks monitoring service
Concept Development
Development & Modelling Understanding the user journey was key throughout the development process, and a 1:1 cardboard model of the fount allowed thorough user testing to examine whether the concept behind the design was clear, and identify which areas of the User experience needed to be refined and adapted. Although the model was made to assist with UX development, it also allowed analysis relating to design for manufacture and ergonomics, which were the main focus points in the fount’s development.
Branding Design & Brand Values
Graphics Name & Tag-line
The logo followed a similar style to other beer brands today, by utilising an icon to represent the brand to its full extent. The lighthouse was used as a symbol to represent guiding people away from danger, and something that should be used as an asset to guide you through the night.
The Blue Lite Branding relates to the ‘Green light’ to drink the low alcohol beer and have a responsible and safe night out whilst consuming the alcohol. The slogan then follows this, which is a play on the terms relating to the police in the UK.
Colour Scheme Brand Values It was important for the brand to portray Responsibility, Togetherness, Freedom, Protection and Integration, to be inclusive of all potential users & stakeholders and encourage a positive approach towards drink driving prevention.
FOR NIGHTS WITHOUT BLUE LIGHTS
The colour palette was chosen to best represent the brand values, and as the brand is largely based around responsibility, it was decided that blue would allow these traits to be portrayed when using the product, and also allow a positive emotional response towards the product.
CAD Visuals
Final Prototype & Product Scenario
Design Features The system allows drivers to track & monitor their intake throughout a night, by tapping and interacting with the fount to scan and register their Blue Lite drinks, helping them to make the right decisions and to get home safely at the end of a night. It’s mission is to help as many of the 79% of drivers who get caught out despite good intentions, and aims to make it possible for drivers to enjoy their nights out without compromise.
Final UX Design & App Interface
Design Features Drivers can set their drinks allowance for the evening, creating a virtual wallet within their App, and allowing them to scan and register their drinks. Once scanned, the integrated NFC system triggers the App to send push notifications to the users phone, which notify the user when they are at or close to the end of their chosen drinks allowance. It encourages greater responsibility, provides safety to all concerned stakeholders and gives users the freedom to still make their own decisions.
Product Details & Design for Manufacture
Design Details Alongside drinks monitoring solution and push notifications to ensure the driver is aware of their intake, the App also includes various information assets, with the intention to educate and inform users of the Law and effects of drink driving in general. The dispense unit is designed around required components, including the blue LEDs to draw attention to the system, to allow for all components to be housed efficiently and assembled easily.
03
The 2021 Nottingham Trent Final year online virtual Degree show. A collaborative student effort to display work produced by Graduating Product Design students across three courses at NTU, to a global audience.
NTUDI Expo 2021 Nottingham Trent University Design Industries Product Design Final year Virtual Exhibition 12 Months
NTUDI & Project Overview
To create the most engaging online experience for a global audience, and a rewarding show for students missing the opportunity for a physical show, the Expo was split into 5 Teams; Each working on & developing specific aspects of the show, to create the ultimate space for students projects.
Branding
Virtual Exhibition
Film & Animation
Social Media
As a part of both the Virtual Exhibition team and the Website team, my main project for this years NTUDI Expo was creating the 360 degree virtual exhibition using Solidworks, Keyshot & Kuula and designing a website using Wix to best show this immersive experience.
Website
Ideation & Early Development In previous years exhibitions, projects were placed into one large room without much thought given towards layout & navigation, so this year the aim was to make categorised rooms and a larger exhibition space. The initial focus was around making an interesting and easy to navigate space, and considering how to incorporate the 2021 NTUDI branding into the exhibition. However moving forward, it was decided we had the freedom to create a ‘dreamy’ or Utopian environment, allowing us to create organic shaped spaces, with more absorbing and interesting lighting environments.
Development & Direction
Utopian & ‘Dreamy’ Environments Mood Board
After deciding we had the creative license to design a space that did not necessarily reflect a ‘real life’ environment, we collected a series of images that helped us to visualise the ‘dreamy’ theme direction we had chosen. This allowed us to start designing each room individually in it’s own Keyshot scene, which would be taken to Kuula for finalising and publishing.
Details & Design Considerations
Environments Deciding on room categories to display projects, the required lighting environments & designing the space. Rendered in their own Keyshot scene.
Materials & Colour Choice Material and colour choice based on the theme of a space, the environment & the assets in the room - including students projects.
Assets Consider how we could utilise outsourced & designed 3D assets to convey the theme of a particular room. E.g. A Bed in the Bedroom.
Non-CAD & UX Design Designing how to display UX design and nonCAD projects in a 3D way, that is easily visible and effortless to navigate around.
Details - Keyshot & Kuula
Finished Kuula Scene - Kitchen & Dining Room Navigation How did it work? Each Keyshot scene had cameras set up around the room, which were rendered out as Panoramic shots. Each Pano was then imported into Kuula, and linked together to create the mapped out interactive 360 tour, and allowing easy navigation using the hotspots.
Floor circles - To move around and navigate the show
Project buttons - To show more details about the project in view
Final Rendered Visuals & Promo Shots
Student Project Card Examples
Final Room Render Examples Living Room
Bedroom
Sports
Visit the 2021 NTUDI Website for the full 2021 Virtual Exhibition & more: www.ntudesignindustries.com
Thank you for reading
@ahw_designs