Projection Rejection

Research and Analysis This phase included researching different aspects of the projector unit through various activities such as role play, observation, short interviews with lecturers and finally, a detailed interview with a member of the office admin staff. Through these research activities, I have gained knowledge and perspective about the projector that will benefit my final design proposal. 

Role Play - Myself and two other colleagues used the projector unit in everyday context, including the booking of the unit, transportation, set up and finally take down in a classroom scenario. Putting ourselves in the 'users shoes' allowed us to gain insight towards the benefits and disadvantages of the product. Lots of observations were noted but some key issues that will be re evaluated for the final design are, 

  • Internal component organization
  • Connectivity to the network  
  • Aesthetics ans Size
  • Transportation and Maneuverability
  • Ease of use  
  • Exterior control panels. 

Observation/ Fly on the Wall- Through the use of the ‘fly on the wall’ technique we were able to observe the use cycle of the 'Dalek' preformed by an experienced lecturer during an everyday activity. This observation technique worked to our advantage because here our experience with the product did not interfere with the use of it and we were able to depict situations 'honestly' without bias. We noted that,

  • Experienced users develop a routine in using the unit 
  • The size of the unit was obstructing the view of the students 
  • The screen of the laptop is at an awkward viewing angle causing improper posture
  • The unit's open doors during the use cycle cause hazardous obstacles that must be avoided.

Before the interview was even conducted the lecturer made general comments about the device. The general opinions given were:

  • bad quality locks
  • too many wires
  • shelves create clutter
  • non working control panel
  • width of shelf for laptop is too small
  • trolly wheels aren't great
  • aesthetic is awful.

  

Interviews- An interview was conducted immediately following the fly on the wall observation, while the other one was an organized session with one of the Art, Architecture and Design office admin. Through the admin interview, we learned that the projector unit rarely undergoes maintenance or breaks down. In general, there are very few complaints with the 'Dalek' other than its appearance. Unfortunately the lack of direct contact with the device during use limited the feedback we received from admin. The interview with  the lecturer contributed to more physical elements of the unit. He described good and bad features about it. Some positive comments included the benefits of certain features such as,

  • Storage space 
  • All-in-one aspect (having laptop, speakers, projector and wires in same unit)
  • Security (preventative measures against theft incl. locks, size and signing out process)  
  • Colour coated identification feature.