Stefan Dickerson's Industrial Design Portfolio

Stefan Dickerson I n d u s t r i a l D

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6 1 3 .2 6 0 .5 4 3 3 id@stefandickerson.com www.stefandickerson.com

Welcome Thank you for looking at my portfolio. Please allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Stefan Dickerson, a recent graduate (2009) from Carleton University’s School of Industrial Design.

Returning to school after ten years in the workforce was a great life decision. It was an opportunity to refine my skills, and make my lifelong passion for design a reality.

I look forward to working with companies to create appealing products that also function beautifully.

I hope you enjoy reviewing this portfolio as much as I enjoyed making it. I wanted to share the process behind the projects, in addition to the finished product.

Inside is a sample of the work I did at Carleton, as well as some work I completed at a small company before my Carleton years.

Above: abstract self-portrait Model: Basswood pieces joined with 3D-printed connectors. Approx. 5” x 5” x 5” This piece reflects my tendency to think in mathematic, patterned, or geometric terms. I also enjoy working where precision is important.

Why the dodecahedron? Why not a cube? . . . Because I resist the “squareness” that comes from the restrictive nature of this thinking.

The form is incomplete. This reflects my state of being perpetually “under construction”. The outside world has access to the interior, an important trait for any designer.

4-5

Evocative Form Rendered Image Formal details Reference images Exploration and development

Inside this portfolio:

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QiTree Model photo Ideation sketches Three concept sketches Materials used

8-9

Advanced CAD Techniques Rendering of shampoo bottle Feature details

10-11

Sky Town Model photo Early concept development Planning final model construction Final assembly

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Duradriver Model photo Research Three concept sketches Concept refinement and testing Final model and construction

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Quizzer About Safety Villages Problem statement How Quizzer works Form drivers Use cycle

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Parts Book Work experience, N. E. Hagedorn & Sons Ltd Parts book Sales literature illustration

Evocative Form Abstract Input/Output Device

A fourth year Minor studio project: • Develop an abstract form • Clear input and output functionality • Visual cues for operation • Consistent aesthetic throughout

DESIGN INTENT: TOOLS USED:

A luxurious object of antique origin, used to inspect small items Solidworks, Photoworks

▲ Formal Details ◄ Rendered Image Reference imagery Samples ► Exploration & Development ▼

QiTree Clutter Organizer QiTree adds a touch of balance to the ritual of getting ready in the morning, presenting you with your phone, keys, badge, wallet; whatever you need to get out there and have a successful day.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES: • Research a clutter problem in the home • Explore solutions using ideation sketches • Distill strong concepts and select the best one • Design and build a model of the chosen concept • Photograph the model and create an advertisement

◄ Ideation sketches ▼ Three clutter solutions were proposed before the final model.

▼ Materials used Basswood Oak veneer over bent aluminum Fastened with 3 screws from underneath

Advanced CAD Techniques Shampoo Bottle Taking an in-class exercise in spline-based modeling to the next level.

TOOLS USED: • Modeled in Solidworks, rendered in Photoworks • Depth-of-field blur in Photoshop

▲ Grip curves are copied to the cap line and thumb tab. ◄ Grip bumps recede into the surface, achieved by mapping grip curves onto a compressed (front to back) version of the surface.

Orthographic views. ► Decal was applied in Solidworks.

Sky Town Housing for Purple Martin Communities A modular system of housing that reflects the presence of multiple Purple Martin families.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT: • Based on research on the needs of Purple Martins • Facilitates social nesting behaviour in high places • Easy for human caretakers to manage

▲ Planning final model construction ▲ Early concept development

▼ Assembly of Sky Town’s kit of parts

Duradriver Electric Screwdriver

This third year studio project was my first comprehensive design exercise, beginning with a full month of pre-concept research.

IN THIS PROJECT: next page:

Research and resultant early concepts Concept testing and refinement

▲ Research (user testing, existing product analysis, competitive analysis) ◄ Photograph of final model

▲ Audiovisual feedback concept ◄ Externally powered concept, with thumb trigger ▼ Accessory solution for existing products

(1) Refinement and Testing

▲ First physical model

▲ Preliminary rendering based on physical model

(2) Refinement and Testing

▲ Large hand test: body lengthened ▼ Nose lengthened to protect knuckles

(3) Refinement and Testing

▲ Bit axis inclined 5° for ergonomics ▼ Component test (Smart Driver parts)

▼ Interchangeable direction selectors were evaluated.

Final Model Construction Precision foam, painted, with waterslide decals and screwheads for added realism.

The direction selector turns.

The use of black for contrast helps locate important features.

Quizzer Educational Safety Product for Children This fourth year minor project was in cooperation with the Ottawa Children’s Safety Village.

Consultation with CSV board members guided the development of this project.

All visual material was created in Adobe Illustrator.

IN THIS PROJECT:

• About Safety Villages • Problem Statement

next page:

• How Quizzer Works • Form Drivers • Use Cycle

About Safety Villages Safety villages educate their guests using a combination of classroom and simulated village environments.

In the village, children practice the skills they learned in the classroom.

image courtesy www.waterlooregioncsv.com

Problem Statement There is variation in participation level.

This means that some children benefit less from the village visit.

A lack of participation during oral questioning can result from: • shyness/fear of embarassment • presence of a “keener”, answering all the questions • restlessness/inattentiveness Children need a new outlet to demonstrate and reinforce their knowledge.

Quizzer gives children an equal opportunity to test their knowledge as they explore the village.

How Quizzer Works An optical scanner in the Quizzer obtains all the data for one question from a barcode.

Indents or holes in the boards align the Quizzer’s scanner with the barcode.

◄ Wall-mounted question board, stamped metal.

Customizable barcode stickers are attached.

Hand-held question ► boards, cardstock.

Use Cycle After demonstrating how to use the Quizzer, the teacher powers each one on and passes them out to the children.

A question board is found.

The child doesn’t know what the question is until it is scanned.

The question appears on the Quizzer’s screen and the child can now answer it privately when ready.

Form Drivers Similarly-sized electronic items for children, such as game controllers and toy cameras, tend to have grip areas for two hands.

Because Quizzer’s top has a scanner, the grip areas have been moved to the bottom.

Toys, particularly those for younger kids, tend to avoid straight lines. For this reason, the Quizzer has curvy features wherever possible. Even the screen is outlined in this way.

1) Make a choice (letter highlights on screen).

2) When content with the choice, press Enter.

Feedback on the choice will be briefly shown.

At the end of the session, the Quizzers are returned to be recharged.

The child can discover another question board.

Parts Book N. E. Hagedorn & Sons Limited Between 1999 and 2003, I worked at this company. My first tasks were fabricating parts in the machine shop.

My role switched to draftsperson, where it evolved to encompass design assistance, documentation, and materials management. AutoCAD LT 2000 and MS Excel were used.

â—„ â–˛ Samples from parts book Illustrations from sales literature â–ş

ABOUT THE WORK:

N.E. Hagedorn & Sons Limited was the first company to fully utilize my potential and challenge my creative and detail-oriented skills.

This experience was a factor in my decision to pursue industrial design.

Thank you for reviewing my work.