Stratus

A portable ironing solution for professionals

Company/ Client

UC Berkeley

Role

Project Lead Project Manager

Skills

Mechanical Design Industrial Design Rapid Prototyping

Tools

SolidWorks Blender

Duration

2023-2024

Overview

This project was done through a course on human-centered design methods ME292C @ UC Berkeley. It began as an idea for a quick sewing alternative, but quickly through the phases of user research, interaction, and testing - it became clear to me that what people need may be different from what is expected. Throughout this project, there was a great exploration in design and human psychology. I developed technical skills in project management, product design, and 3D rendering.

Overview

Stage 1. The Problem

With an increase in return-to-office policies in the post-pandemic era, many working professionals are forced to change their dressing habits. However, the recent decline in the dry cleaning industry leaves a gap in the market for a portable apparel maintenance solution.

Stage 1. The Problem

Stage 2. Approach

After analyzing the social trends, economic factors, and technological advancements, many iterations of product opportunity gaps (POGs) were explored to clarify a niche market potential idea. User research through interviews and ethnographic studies helped the project realize a focus on answering :

Stage 3. User Research

conducting 1-on-1 unbiased interviews, surveying young tech-savvy working professionals, performing ethnographic studies on traditional and nuanced 'de-wrinkling' methods, and literation reviews to gain better understanding on the product space and user interaction.

Stage 3. User Research

Stage 4. Research Synthesis

culminating the data from the user research phase to build personas and journey maps that will help contextualize issues and clarify spaces for innovation and meeting user needs.

Stage 5. Competitor Analysis

analyzing existing solution space to understand areas of value that the product can bring to users

Stage 6. Product Requirements

defining features, attributes, and functionalities that the product must have to meet user needs and fit user behavior. For instance, using personas to identify that busy working mother will only use a heated product if it has safety features to protect their children, thus our product must have an emergency stop

Stage 7. Concept Generation Cycles

using diverging and converging techniques to increase volume, quality, and creativity of concepts. Brain mapping, LLMs, 5-3-5, reverse engineering, and crazy eights

Stage 8. Prototyping

designing, rendering, and iteratively testing rough cardboard models and refined product concepts to define final main attributes of a portable iron for young working professionals

Outcomes

The Stratus cloud ironing solution addresses the concerns of the young working professional entering the work force during the post-pandemic era of ‘return to office’ policy changes. With out the ability to rely on the dry cleaning industry and/or familiarity with traditional home solutions - people now can rely on a portable and light weight ironing solution for on-the-go use.

The name 'Stratus' refers to stratus clouds which help allude a sense of portability by associating with something “light-weight like clouds”. Hence, to align the design with the theology, the system was adjusted to a cloud shape which also assisted with ease-of-use through the indented grips.

Outcomes

This product is a two part system. One part has a heated surface which sits on the outer side of clothing and connects to the other, which sits on the inside of clothing when worn, with a set of magnets. This design takes inspiration from the method of washing fish tanks - by dragging a set of magnets carrying a heated element the product is able to iron clothing on the go.

The extra cloud part serves as a barrier between the heated parts and the body - alluding the safety features incorporated into the design. There is intended to be an LED that allows light to pass through the silicone shell alerting users when the machine is hot. The cloud shape is from its name “stratus” which refers to stratus clouds. The shape allows for ridges that complement the human grip and allow for greater ease of use which was determined to be an important product attribute in after user research and competitor analysis.