A2 PRODUCT DESIGNA2 PRODUCT DESIGN

Callum HennCallum HennHEDGEHOG HOUSE PROJECTHEDGEHOG HOUSE PROJECT

A Hedgehog is a nocturnal mammal that will build temporary nests in the summer and then hibernates throughout most of the winter. The main problem for hedgehogs is that they like their nests to be cramped and to be built out of dead leaves, old branches and will keep them warm throughout the winter, and what happens in the winter to dead leaves and old branches? People like to build them up into a big pile (which is a perfect nest for hedgehogs) and burn them, leaving you with extra crispy hedgehog.

My client has just moved into a new house and is looking to create the garden of their dreams; they are very keen enthusiasts of nature and wildlife making my project ideal to be based around them. One of the problems for my client is that they do not want untidy old branches and dead vegetation laying around the garden as this will attract rodents etc. So my plan is to encourage hedgehogs into their garden with beauty and no mess. This will then overcome the two problems of a hedgehog facing a fiery death of nesting into a bonfire pile. It will also overcome the problem of my client having to have a untidy garden to attract wildlife.

The reason why I have chosen to build a hedgehog house is for the love of nature and pride my grandparents have in their garden. However, they are going to be moving home soon so that will mean that they will be leaving their pride and joy behind which is their garden. So I have decided to build this for 2 reasons. 1. as a moving in present. 2. So that they are able to build their new garden around this hedgehog house.

Owning a large garden and having a relatively small house means that my grandparents will be spending a lot of time in their garden, so building an ‘all-weather and all-season’ hedgehog house it would mean that their garden can become even more full of wildlife and will give them even more reason to spend more time outdoors in their garden. Clean, safe, warm, spacious and aesthetically pleasing are the key aspects to my project so I will need to do some secondary research on hedgehog houses and hedgehog sizes etc… I will need to do some primary research by interviewing my client to see what they want from hedgehog house. An outcome I hope to achieve from this is other than hedgehogs having a place to stay all year round and not getting burnt to a crisp in the winter is bringing the love back my grandparents have for the outdoors in their new home.

My overall aim is to create a hedgehog house that can be used throughout all seasons particularly the winter, as this is when hedgehogs go into hibernation. Whilst designing this I am going to need to consider a lot of factors. Some of the things these could include could be keeping the house insulated for the benefit of hedgehog and also to encourage it to come back, especially in the winter months. Secure so that cats or others predators are unable to get in. Water tight so that the house does not begin to suffer from wet rot or any other form of degradation. I am also going to need to consider the overall size of the house, so for this I will need to do my research on hedgehog sizes etc.. I am also going to need to consider the aesthetics of the house as it needs to please the client.

I have not worked on outdoor products before either so I hope to be able to design a good product which works well for its purpose and is also commercially viable. One of the things that I will need to consider when making my product is protecting it from weathering and degradation. However, this may prove challenging as certain protective stains and varnishes can be harmful to hedgehogs. I have found this by conducting some secondary research.

To meet the needs of the client I am going to need to communicate with them so that I am able to understand exactly what they want. This may result in them telling me exactly how they want the hedgehog house to look, what colour schemes should be used. The rest is really up to me when trying to identify sizes etc, so for this I may need to visit garden centres to see what hedgehog houses look like and what is already on the market.

My target market is pretty much any one with a love for the outdoors, nature, anyone who owns a garden, green fingers. However, digging deeper than that it would be someone around 60+ years of age, possibly retired with some disposable income. This would be the main grouping for my target market.

I will look for inspiration by doing primary and secondary research on existing products. This will then help me identify current features on current products and improve those features for use on my product. I plan to gain my primary research by visiting various garden centres and nurseries to get first hand experience from similar products.

The manufacturing issues that need to be considered most are connected with the quality. This is because the product is going to be quite difficult to replace due to the tailor-made requirements that are specific to the client’s needs. Therefore the product needs to be built to last for that reason as well as when a hedgehog finds its home I do not want it broken and then unsettle a family that has made this their home because it will take a while for the hedgehog to feel at home again due to its surroundings and the scent will be different to the previous product. So for that reason it will need to be built to last especially if it is going to be in the garden all year round. It will also need to be protected against the weather and degradation, however I will need to be careful as to what finishes I use because certain stains or varnishes may repel the hedgehog or can be harmful for the hedgehog so this will affect many other factors such as moral and environment because of the impact it has on the animal. Other problems that I will encounter is the cost of the product because I have a specific budget to work with meaning that I may come to a temporary halt if one of the materials I plan to use proves to be too expensive. Also there is a manufacturing limitation due to the facilities we have in school so I need to make sure all processes I want to use are actually available for me.

I think my product is likely to be sustainable as long as I take into consideration what I said in the previous paragraph. I think it will be sustainable because I aim to make the hedgehog house life-span the same life-span as a real hedgehog which is around 5 years. Once the product has reached the end of its life-span I would like to make the product recyclable or reusable in another way, perhaps it could be used as some form of garden storage?

Life Span Up to 5 years Hibernate throughout most of the winter Change nests regularly in the summer, but not in the winter Body length 15 - 30 cm, body height 10-17cm, body width 8-12cm, weight 1.5 -

2.0 kg Average litter size is 5 babies Hedgehogs eat mostly common garden invertebrates Main predators are Badgers, Foxes and Owls. (The Owls eat the corpses of dead

hedgehogs.)

Average cost of a hedgehog house is between £30.00 and £45.00 Some sizes of hedgehog houses - 195x385x430mm, 250x430x500mm Observation doors to examine the occupant Little vents to help Hedgehog breath Includes anti-predator defences i.e. small entrance Includes feeding tube

The research I conduct here will all contribute to how I design my Hedgehog house.

From conducting some research of already existing products Pine is the most commonly used primary material to build the structure of a hedgehog house.

It is recommended that I do not apply any finishes to the wood as it could irritate the hedgehog and prevent it from hibernating in my hedgehog house. However, it is recommended to sand it down to be as smooth as possible and then wax it with Beeswax so that it forms a barrier to prevent the wood from damping.

A layer of MDF would be ideal to create a piece of flooring for the hedgehog, a much cheaper alternative to making a pine base for the hedgehog on which to build its nest.

Rising door hinges made from brass would be ideal making an ‘observation door’ This would attach to the exterior of the pine structure.

I have analysed item number 1 and it can be found on the website Amazon. This hedgehog house costs in the region of £40.00. it is constructed from durable timber/oak/larch/birch with double layered roof for waterproofing and insulation. There is a hinged inspection door at the back for cleaning and inspection of sick or rescued hedgehogs. Entrance tunnel provides protection from domestic cats and dogs, foxes and badgers.

Item number 2 ‘The Hedgehog Lodge’ can be found on Amazon going for £46.99 new. Specially designed for hibernating hedgehogs. It include a vent hole covered with galvanised steel mesh to allow air flow for hedgehog without it getting blocked by leaves during hibernation, the floor is slightly raised to stop the floor getting too damp in the winter. The complete roof is hinged on two brass hinges allowing easy cleaning and good watching of injured or sick hedgehogs. Also there is a lock on the roof to prevent predators gaining access.

‘The Wildlife World Hogitat’ (item 3) is designed to be an attractive natural home that emulates the look of a real life hedgehog nest. It features a sturdy, rust-proofed steel frame, a waterproofed roof with an attractive natural finish and a predator defence tunnel. Specifically designed to blend into the garden setting, the ‘Hogitat’ has an attractive natural appearance that will comfortably nestle into any garden environment. Principally natural materials and appearance.

Item 4, Ideal for summer use and winter hibernation, ‘EcoSheet’ roof provides greater insulation against extreme elements, Large deep bed chamber and the hinged roof allows you to keep an eye on the hedgehog and easily clean the box. Ventilation shaft prevents the excess build up of condensation and damp. Ideal for all seasons, especially hibernation season.

SUMMARY SUMMARY - Overall I think by looking at these existing products I am able to take various features from 2 or 3 of the designs shown in the pictures to the right and incorporate them into my design, but improve the features. This could be by making it more aesthetically appropriate using a similar design or taking a specific function and improving on it. i.e. I like the idea of the inspection hatch which is one of the features I would like to imitate for my product – however, this could be quite fiddly for the age of my target market because of the use of small latches etc… so I would have to think about improving the ease of functionality for it.

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For ergonomics I cannot really apply it to the hedgehog. But I am able to take into consideration ergonomics for humans in my project. My target market has been generalised to relatively elderly people, and with age your sense and certain abilities to do certain things begin to deteriorate meaning that the most simple of tasks become a hardship. Therefore any fiddly bits on my product I want to make as user friendly as possible specifically for the age of my target market . Therefore, I want to make tiny parts as big as possible without it having a huge impact on the aesthetics so that the user can easily spot it in low light and operate it without any frustration. For example the latch for what I like to call ‘the observation door’ could become difficult to operate in cold conditions for somebody of 60+ that perhaps has poor eyesight, as well as a condition such as arthritis affecting their dexterity. Another issue that I need to consider for the user and the user’s age is heavy lifting, The product is probably going to weigh quite a lot which I cannot really help. However I can perhaps assist them by putting a handle either side of the hedgehog house meaning that they will not have to bend down and put anymore unnecessary strain on their back (which could have got weaker with age) having handles will also help because there is going to be no base on my hedgehog house (so the hedgehog feels in more of a natural environment) which means they will not have to bend down further to then attempt to get their fingers round the side of the product which could cause there fingers to become trapped and injure them selves.

For Anthropometrics I cannot really apply it to humans for my project, but I can apply it to the hedgehogs. It is very simple in the fact that I just need to be able to make sure I take into consideration the average size of a hedgehog so that it can actually fit inside the house especially designed for them. I will need to make sure that the house is fit for the sizes of their litter which on average is 5 babies per litter and that the measurements are just right for the hedgehog specifically because I do not want any other animals using it for shelter other than hedgehogs so I need to put it the size right just for hedgehogs. I am going to make my front door for the hedgehog around 10cm tall and about 9cm wide. This is because where I have done my secondary research I can see that a lot of doors for hedgehogs are a similar size to this. On top of this by doing my hedgehog research hedgehogs average this sort of size so I have taken this anthropometric information into consideration when thinking about hedgehog front door. This should be just right for the hedgehogs and should not be big enough for their common predators to get them; then that should encourage just hedgehogs. (Basic Hedgehog anthropometrics can be found on the hedgehog research analysis page - slide 6)

Client name: Pamela Henn-White Client Age: 74 Client’s occupation: Retired Reason for choosing as a client: - The reason why I have chosen this person as my

client is because of their enthusiasm and love for nature wildlife and their garden. She also fits my target market stereotype perfectly. My client has told me before that she would like a hedgehog house as she is moving into a new house soon, so it would be an ideal way to start there new garden around a new hedgehog house.

I feel that my client matches and stereotypes my target market very well. This should help me at all stages of my project because it means I am able to get feedback from her which will in some cases would be specific feedback from what other members of my target market would give me. But overall my target market is someone around 60+ with some more time on their hands so would be retired, have a keen interest not just for gardening but nature and wildlife as a whole, someone that has a fair amount of disposable income so that they are able to invest in my product. Although my product is not particularly expensive I do not think that anyone would buy my product if they did not have the money to be able to maintain their garden or outdoor living space, because generally gardening and garden features usually equate to a high cost. I think that by making my product as specific to my target market only than I am able to make it appeal to them more due to the fact I can make it more tailor made to them and their needs. However, saying that I also need to make my product sell to other people and groups that are not in my target market. If I am successful in doing that then I am able to make as much money from the product as possible meaning that profit is maximised. So I am going interview people that do not fit my target market so I can get their feedback and make my product as commercially viable as possible.

Here are some pictures of my clients garden, these have been taken so I am able to analyse where the ideal place for the hedgehog house to go would be. This is part of my primary research due to the fact I have been to visit the client’s property and analyse the environment that my client wants the product to be placed in. The garden is in a rectangular shape measuring 8.9m x 8.1m with lots of open space and vegetation growing around the perimeter on either side making the garden idea for attracting wildlife such as hedgehogs.

Alongside this, I made sure that I planned some questions to ask the client. With the answers I have received I have written a client interview analysis. All this primary research can be found on slides 13 & 14. house will be. I made sure that I planned some questions to ask the client. With the answers I then received I have

I felt that I needed to gain some actual first hand experience of hedgehogs and hedgehog houses close up. So, I have been to visit Manor Nurseries in Runcton. Here they had just one type of hedgehog house, it can be seen in the pictures it has been constructed using hardwood which I think to be Cedar Wood and Slate; the slate is used as roofing for the hedgehog house and the whole design looks very similar to a normal house for humans. For more details please visit slide 15.

I also visited AlphaPet veterinary clinic in West Meads, Bognor Regis. They were able to show me a baby hedgehog that was brought in to them late July by a French couple. The baby hedgehog had been found next to its dead mother along side the road in which they were staying. The hedgehog was held there for safe keeping until being old enough to be released back in to the wild to be independent. The baby I held was around 6cm long and 4 cm tall. Information that I have received on hedgehogs is that they are actually lactose intolerant, but more importantly they like to build their own nests so the hedgehog house I am building should not be pre-filled with old plants and other vegetation, I should leave that for the hedgehog. Mating season is between June and July and will look to build a permanent nest or home whilst pregnant. Unfortunately AlphaPet would not allow me to photograph the specimen I had been handling.

How will owning a hedgehog house benefit you or your garden? Are there any downsides to you having a hedgehog house? i.e. having to

maintain etc… Are there any design movements that interest you or a particular theme

you have in your garden that you would like the hedgehog house to follow? Are there any problems that the house could encounter in your garden? If

yes please state why. What sort of material would you like the house to be built out of given a

preference? Have you ever thought about purchasing a hedgehog house or similar

product? What is the max amount of money you would be prepared to pay for a

hedgehog house which is currently on the market? Are there any specific issues or questions you would like to ask me about

my project?

These are the questions that I need to ask my client to find out what their requirements are and also what benefits they want to gain from having this in their garden and why it would benefit them.

I think that having a hedgehog house in my garden will encourage me to start making the most of my new garden and will give me an incentive to start building my garden around the new feature. Obviously it will mean that I’m able to attract more wildlife to my garden and the hedgehogs will keep the slugs away.

I don’t think that there are any downsides to having it in my garden, my only real concern is having to repair it if it breaks or has any damage inflicted on it. So the product will need to be built to a high standard so it’s able to have a long life time.

There are not any particular designs or design movements I have in mind. But I would like the design and colours to be very simplistic so it stands out against how I want my garden to look, colourful and vibrant.

I don’t think there are going to any problems that the house will get into, unless any other mammals were to start nesting there. But other than that, no there shouldn’t be any problems.

I'm not too fussed on what material it is made of, as long as it’s hardwearing and will last a long time.

It’s funny that you should ask, I was actually looking for one for when I move into my new home! But I was not able to find any stores that sell them. So it’s fantastic that you plan on building one because that way I can have it!

Being retired in all and only just moving house I think the maximum amount of money I would be prepared to pay is £40, but that would only be if the product was of high quality and it looked nice.

On Tuesday 6th August I visited Manor Nurseries Garden Centre. Here I found a hedgehog house for sale which can be seen in the images below. The product is made by Tom Chambers Gardening and the product is FSC certified. The design is very similar to other existing products; the design is based around the shape of a human house more similarly a bungalow. Around the outside of the house the perimeter measures 33.7x32.9cm and from the bottom to its tallest point measures 23.6cm. The height of the front door is 9.9cm and has a width of 7.3cm. As you can see the house does not have a base attached. This is part of the design so that the hedgehog occupying the house can feel in its natural habitat and is able to hibernate there long term. The colours of the design are very simplistic using two colours the primary being the natural, unstained colour of Cedar wood and Black slate used as roofing. These are the two main materials involved in the whole design. These materials have been used because of the slate keeps the house cool in the summer and Cedar is strong against weathering and decay meaning that the hedgehog house can last a long time. Another material used in the design I should mention is the use of stainless steel nails. These are commonly used in outdoor furniture because they are less prone to erosion. The construction method looks very simplistic, it looks as if built by hand with prefabricated materials. If you look closely at the images below, there is virtually no special joins or ‘beams’ that have been used other than the spine of the roof. From what I can gather all the wood is held together using stainless steel screws because they look to have not rusted and stainless steel nails take a lot of time to start eroding.

Overall I think I have found out a good deal of information which Is going to assist me in constructing my project. Key factors that I have taken from all my research that needs to be considered is all of the answers from the client interview. These are… the client wants something that gets the job done, looks nice but is very simple. High quality so that the client does not suffer with the inconvenience of it needing to be repaired. This means that I am going to need to use a slow grown hardwood so that the hedgehog house has a long life time. But it will also depend on how well the product is constructed.

The client would like the product to work very well. But this is dependent on two things – The hedgehog house itself and what influence the client has had on the garden to attract the hedgehog in the first instance.

As far as aesthetics are concerned the client wants it to be a simple design with simple colours. The reason for this is so that it stands out in contrast to her colourful and vibrant garden. This will mean I am going to need to use basic shapes and colours in my design.

The client has already tried to purchase a similar product on the market but was unable to find one. This should mean that I try to make my product as ready available as possible. The client stated that she was prepared to pay no more than £40 for an attractive high quality product. This would mean that to make as much money as possible from product, I need to put as many high quality materials into it as possible and put in equally as much time so that the product becomes as good as is possible as well as being as commercially viable as possible.

I believe that if you look at my design requirements page (slide 17) you will be able to see that I have covered everything I need for my design and have taken in to consideration ‘CAFEQUE’s’.

Existing product research has highlighted a recurring pattern that is most of hedgehog houses in mass production cost around £35 to £45 and most contain similar features i.e. air vents, observation hatch etc..

SUMMARY – From all this research I can take the facts I have found out and now I need to apply them into my actual design. For example, I know that hedgehogs on average have a litter of 5 babies which means I need to make sure that my product is a suitable size to house the whole family. I know that my client would be willing to pay up to £45 for my product. I am aware that the stereotypes of my target market need to be catered for so I need to make sure that my product is ergonomically friendly and compatible with the user. I also know that a lot of wood finishes and stains can repel hedgehogs or in fact be toxic to them so I will need to use a natural finish such as bees wax to protect the product.

Cost – I will need to make sure that the cost of the product is slightly lower than the average of other similar products so that it has a chance to survive in the current market. However, I think that production costs of this product will be relatively high, so I need to make sure that I cover my costs when selling and I also need to be aware of how much waste I am creating in the manufacturing process that could actually be used to help make my final product. This will then help me cut costs.

Aesthetics – Aesthetics are not absolutely vital to the product becoming commercially viable, but it will still need to look nice enough for someone to buy it and put it in their garden. It may need to blend in with its surroundings so that it gives a more ‘natural’ feel so colour scheme is important, green, browns would probably be the preference of the client

Function - The function is obviously there to be used as shelter for hedgehogs and to also be used as a feature in the garden. So I need to make sure that it meets the need of the user (hedgehog) and the client. To meet the needs of the user I am going to need to carry out secondary research, and to meet the needs of the client I am going to need to carry out an interview which will be primary research.

Ergonomics –I must look at my target market’s problem with their age. By having a target market of 60+ they may have problems with dexterity, eye sight, strength and mobility, so I must make my product friendly for the human by incorporating lifting supports either side of the house, big latches to close the observation door that are not fiddly and maybe add bright colours to certain parts that require human intervention so the user can see them in the dark.

Quality - The product will be built to last at very least the life time of a hedgehog which on average is 5 years, so the house is going to need to be built with high quality hard woods and coated with sealants so that it does not suffer from wet or dry rot during the winter and summer months or any other form of degradation.

User – The user of my product will obviously be a hedgehog, so I need to consider the average size and weight of a hedgehog so that my shelter can actually house it. I need to make sure that it is protected so that the hedgehog does not die during extreme weather and also protected from predators as well as insulated so that the hedgehog does not leave the house during the winter months. I need to make sure that the house is also ventilated so that the hedgehog does not die from lack of oxygen. Although the direct user is the hedgehog the client is the operator so I need to make sure that it is user-friendly and the user does not struggle operating latches and finds it as easy to operate as possible.

Environment – If the product is going to be built to last a minimum of 5 years then impact on the environment should not be that great as there will be no need to cut down trees to be used as the supply to make more of these hedgehog houses. Once the hedgehog house has come to the end of its life time I will make sure that I use recyclable materials so that the materials can be reused to build a new hedgehog house or to serve another purpose.

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONDESIGN SPECIFICATION

These thumbnails are brief design ideas for my Hedgehog house. They act as a guideline for what my final design should or could look like.

These thumbnail designs are subject to change, for my final design I may incorporate features from two different thumbnails into one.

Out of all the potential designs so far this is my favourite. The reason why I like this design is because, one it is very simple and my client has requested nothing too fancy as she wants it to blend in with the simplistic style of her garden. Also one of the reasons I have designed it to have slanted edges is because of when it rains, the water will not sit on top of the house and gradually seep off, it will simply run down the side of it. This is the reason why I think I will choose to develop this design because I feel that it meets the client’s needs best.

Again I like this design because it is very simplistic but it is very similar to thumbnail 1. But out of the 7 other designs it would probably be my 3rd favourite. I think that the curved top makes it unique and also gives it a bit of style. However I do not like this as much as thumbnail 1 or 3.

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Thumbnail 3 I am very keen on. As you can see it is very simple. It has a shoe box sort of shape. It also includes a opening and closing roof on hinges to act as a viewing panel. Once again the design is very simplistic. However, I prefer thumbnail 1 over this purely for how thumbnail 1 looks.

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I have created this page because I felt that my other thumbnail designs lacked creativity so I felt that I should make this ‘features’ page to show the more detailed and the more complex side of the hedgehog house I am going to be building. As you can see there are 6 different thumbnails. I am going to try and implement as many as possible into my final design so that my hedgehog house is as commercially viable as possible. Some of the designs are more complex than others but some are very simple but can benefit the user and the hedgehog in many different ways, i.e. the handles for lifting assistance is going to help out my client as she is quite elderly and generally elderly people are less mobile and have not got as good joints as younger people. The observation door so that the user can interact with the product as well as the inhabitant. There is also an air vent to help the hedgehog breathe. A water tray so that rain can collect and pour water into the hedgehog house for the hedgehog to drink. Feet for the hedgehog house so that the base of the house is not subject to wet rot and a door that can shut by the user so that the hedgehog does not get hunted by predators or so that unwanted creatures can not enter and disturb the hedgehog.

Pamela Henn White (Client)Pamela Henn White (Client): “Callum, from all the little designs you have drawn my personal favourite is number 1. The : “Callum, from all the little designs you have drawn my personal favourite is number 1. The reason why I like this one if for no other reason than it’s very simplistic and is a very nice shape. I like simple things so I reason why I like this one if for no other reason than it’s very simplistic and is a very nice shape. I like simple things so I think that number one suits me the best for the kind of person I am because I’m quite a simplistic person. I think that this think that number one suits me the best for the kind of person I am because I’m quite a simplistic person. I think that this would suit your target market well as well because if they are anything like me then they will be more than happy with this would suit your target market well as well because if they are anything like me then they will be more than happy with this design. By keeping the design simple as well it matches my current garden. If I was to change anything about the design design. By keeping the design simple as well it matches my current garden. If I was to change anything about the design then I would change the design of the entrance, perhaps make that a little fancy so that it contrasts the simplicity of the then I would change the design of the entrance, perhaps make that a little fancy so that it contrasts the simplicity of the rest of the design.”rest of the design.”

Lewis TribeLewis Tribe: “I like number 5. I like it because the pyramid shape is very different and its not a common shape that you : “I like number 5. I like it because the pyramid shape is very different and its not a common shape that you would usually see in a garden. I think if it were to go in a very average garden it could make all the difference and could would usually see in a garden. I think if it were to go in a very average garden it could make all the difference and could make it look a lot nicer and memorable because this odd shape in the garden. If you were to go ahead with producing the make it look a lot nicer and memorable because this odd shape in the garden. If you were to go ahead with producing the design I would be careful as it could be quite fiddly trying to get the pyramid shape. I’d also be careful when choosing design I would be careful as it could be quite fiddly trying to get the pyramid shape. I’d also be careful when choosing materials as well because that could make it even more tricky to get the right shape.” materials as well because that could make it even more tricky to get the right shape.”

Billy Stevens:Billy Stevens: “My personal favourite is number 2. The reason why I like number 2 is because of the curved roof I really “My personal favourite is number 2. The reason why I like number 2 is because of the curved roof I really think that it’s original and would 100% work in any garden in terms of design. If I were you I’d most certainly choose think that it’s original and would 100% work in any garden in terms of design. If I were you I’d most certainly choose design number 2 over every other one. You say that your product is built to last so I think number 2 would actually last the design number 2 over every other one. You say that your product is built to last so I think number 2 would actually last the longest due to the fact there wont really be much water that is able to get in because I the water would just slide straight longest due to the fact there wont really be much water that is able to get in because I the water would just slide straight off the curved roof.”off the curved roof.”

Oliver DaughteryOliver Daughtery: “I think you should choose number 4. I think that because simply it’s very different, I like the curved : “I think you should choose number 4. I think that because simply it’s very different, I like the curved edges it looks very modern. I certainly prefer it to all the other thumbnails you have designed. One of the things that edges it looks very modern. I certainly prefer it to all the other thumbnails you have designed. One of the things that confuses me is that doesn’t look very wide. So you would have to make it very deep. But other than that I have no other confuses me is that doesn’t look very wide. So you would have to make it very deep. But other than that I have no other problems with how the thumbnail looks I just think that the curved edges could be quite difficult to manufacture.”problems with how the thumbnail looks I just think that the curved edges could be quite difficult to manufacture.”

Mr De BuriatteMr De Buriatte: “Callum, I like all of your thumbnails I just don’t think that all of them would work if you were to : “Callum, I like all of your thumbnails I just don’t think that all of them would work if you were to manufacture these. Some of these look very alike as well. So I would consider narrowing down your final choices to three manufacture these. Some of these look very alike as well. So I would consider narrowing down your final choices to three of the best. Personally my favourite is number 1. I like the way that the roof is smaller than the base. And builds up bigger of the best. Personally my favourite is number 1. I like the way that the roof is smaller than the base. And builds up bigger and bigger from the bottom. I think that it provides plenty of space for the hedgehog. I like the fact that you have taken and bigger from the bottom. I think that it provides plenty of space for the hedgehog. I like the fact that you have taken different layers of wood to build them upon each other. I would like to see the design in a lot more detail though so different layers of wood to build them upon each other. I would like to see the design in a lot more detail though so perhaps you should design it again with more detail, sizes and list what materials you’re going to use. Good work.”perhaps you should design it again with more detail, sizes and list what materials you’re going to use. Good work.”

INITIAL DESIGN 1 – The design of this has been made twice, once through hand which was a rough copy and the second time through 2D design (This applies for the other 2 designs as well) which has been made more accurately and with proper sizings and levels. Problems with initial design 1 is that I need to make some form of guttering so that the rain does not sit on top of the flat surface then causing the wood to suffer from wet rot over a period of time. Another problem with this design is that the latch in the top left corner would not actually function because the slider would not have to be lifted the observation hatch to open. Therefore I need to re-evaluate my latch mechanism design. The house has 2 different sides (See floor plan in the bottom right corner of slide 20) One side is for feeding and the other side is built for hibernation. The house also includes an observation hatch so the user is able to clean and view the activity in the house. One feature I have forgotten to include is a vent so that the hedgehog is able to breathe properly during hibernation. Overall I think that the design is simple which is what my client wants and it will perform in terms of function. The overall design is different from the hedgehog houses I have seen that currently exist so this design works well.

INITIAL DESIGN 2 – I like this design but it comes with its problems. For example there is no door mechanism which then becomes a problem for the hedgehog as well as the client, one the problems it causes is that predators can gain access easily to the inside and the problem for the client is that the house may have unwanted inhabitants move in such as rats etc… This design does not have a base either therefore the edges may eventually be subject to wet rot causing the wood to degrade overtime. So I need to find a non toxic finish to help prevent wet rot. Rubber or plastic strips to line the bottom edges may come in handy. The house includes 2 main features one for the hedgehog and one for the human. There is a lid that can be open and closed to view activity within the hedgehog house and an air vent so that the hedgehog has clear airways. The overall design is nice and simple which like I mentioned in the previous evaluation is what my client is after. However, the design is far too basic and is not too dissimilar to already existing products so for that reason I do not think that this design is going to be the one that is going to go into full production.

INITIAL DESIGN 3 – This design is my joint favourite, I think this because of how unique it is. As you can see it includes feet on the bottom which will help prevent the base of it being subject to wet rot. It includes a ventilation gap so that the hedgehog can get good airflow through its tons of leaves and twigs that it will use to create its nest on the inside. This design also includes a door mechanism which is controlled by the user. The door when down acts as a ramp for the hedgehog to enter the house because the house itself is not ground level. The door can then be securely locked via a catch above the door by the user when the hedgehog is hibernating so that predators can not gain access. Unfortunately the design does not include an observation hatch which is one of the specific features that my client wanted included.

COST - My deign will be relatively expensive because of the features I am going to be including and some of the materials I am going to be using the final product. However, I anticipated the production cost of my design to be relatively expensive anyway as you can see in my original design specification. The plywood and the cladding are going to be the two main expensive parts coming at around £17 each.

AESTHETICS – The overall look of my design I think is really nice, simple and effective is what my client is looking for but I believe I have delivered both. By taking a simple concept and using a slightly unorthodox shape to combine beauty and function to work in perfect equilibrium. In the original I said that aesthetics are not vital but my mind has changed about that now and I think I have not made the design so complex that it will dissatisfy my client because she is looking for something simple.

FUNCTION - Like I said in my original design specification I said that the house only needs to function to be able to house the hedgehogs, but since then I have taken into consideration the user a little bit by adding an observation door for the user, as well as closable entrance door for the hedgehog which can be shut manually by the human user. This means that the overall function of the house has been increased from the original spec’ for the hedgehog as well as the human user.

ERGONOMICS - For ergonomics my design has not got to many features but I have still considered ergonomics for my target market which is obviously 60+ I have incorporated a big latch on my design so that the human user is able to easily see it as well as operate it because it is just a ‘bales ‘catch’ meaning that there is not going to be any fiddly bits therefore I have stuck to what I said about ergonomics in my original spec.

QUALITY – Right now I can t really show quality in my design but I think by looking at the overall product design you can see that my product is going to require immense detail and precision in the making process and by looking at my materials and methods slide (slide 27) you can see that I am going to be using high quality materials so that the final product is going to be built to last and look aesthetically as nice as it possibly can be.

USER – Most of this has been answered in the above ‘function’ paragraph however relating my design against the original specification I have taken into consideration hedgehogs sizes because of you are able to see my sizes for the final design on slide 21. I have included a ventilation hole so that the hedgehog is able to breathe without experiencing any difficulty during its hibernation period and I have included nice easy lock mechanising by using a bales catch for the user so that they don’t have any problems opening or closing the observation hatch.

ENVIRONMENT - my design again relates back to what I said in the original specification due to the fact that I have said that is built to last a minimum of 5 years. By using thick cuts of wood and coating it with a non-toxic wood preservative it means that the product can last. By using a non-toxic wood preservative it also means its not going to harm any wildlife meaning that its not going to have a negative impact on the environment. This also links directly back to the above ‘quality’ paragraph.

ORIGINAL DESIGN SPECIFICATION CAN BE FOUND ON SLIDE 17

The images below are of my model. The model I have created is constructed from MDF. The model is roughly half the size of the final product and has been held together using hot melt adhesive applied via a ‘glue gun’, the door hinges have been applied using duct tape and lock mechanism has been made from a paper clip inter-locking with another paper clip. Obviously this is an extreme rough copy and the final product will be built with more precision, detail, structural strength, enhanced materials and greater quality. The model consists of four walls, each wall has as exact match which faces parallel to its equivalent. The base of the model is 11x11mm therefore I have made the observation hatch (roof) exactly half size of the base meaning that it is 5.5x5.5mm. Overall the model came out how I expected it too, and all the functions work on with no problem. However, I’m going to need to improve on what I have done to get a good mark for my coursework. There were a few things that I forgot to include in my model, these were a small vent so that the hedgehog can breathe during the winter whilst it is locked up for hibernation. In my model I have not included a water tray either. The reason for this is because it is still in development the basic concept is that rainwater will fall into a tray and slide down a chute so that it can supply the hedgehog with water but the problem I am trying to solve is how to stop it from over-flowing during heavy downpours.

The cost of this model is virtually nothing as I used scraps of MDF that have been laser cut to size. As for the other materials I have used no nails, instead I used a hot melt adhesive gun to bring all 5 sides together and some gaffer tape for the hinges of the door and the hatch door. Therefore I have kept the costs low to virtually nothing meaning I have achieved what I originally said in the spec about keeping costs in all areas low.

I feel that as for aesthetics its hard to say because its only a model and shows the concept idea out of cheap alternative material. I think that the overall design matches my initial design very closely and is visually appealing with the design concept, as for the materials it is not so much aesthetically pleasing because of MDF is not the most attractive of materials. Obviously there is no form of cladding on the model. But there will be in the final product. I don’t think I have met this part of the specification for the model because I believe that I could have made it with slightly more detail, therefore it would be even more accurate to my initial design and would be more aesthetically appealing to the user.

As this is only a model, the function is not quite there due to the shear size of model, however, in theory if the model were to be 3 or 4 times the size of what it currently is then yes it would be a fully functioning model as the door and hatch mechanisms are in place for both users (customer – human and consumer – hedgehog) All though the design wouldn’t last very long as the MDF would begin to rot and tear apart because of exposure to the elements i.e. wet and cold weather and the gaffer tape’s adhesive would begin to fail after time. It can be used as a feature in the garden, however because of the size and the aesthetics of it, it probably isn't going to meet the clients needs and they will not want to use it. So overall against the specification, yes the functionality of the model is there but it wont get used by the consumer if these models were to be mass produced.

For my model ergonomics have not been considered at all, the reason for this is because this model was based more on testing the functionality and the how the overall design looks of the product. If I were to be mass produce this model because of its size I think it would be easy enough to lift as it is not to heavy for the user, however, it may be to fiddly for the user to use because certain parts of the product are small and where my target market is elderly people, in general elderly people have poor eyesight and difficulties with joints and movement of extremities making it hard for them to use. As for the ergonomics for the hedgehog there is not to much too it, however the anthropometrics for the hedgehog have not been take in to consideration and will be far to small for them to use.

In my specification I explained that the house will be built to last a minimum of 5 years, this is the average life span of a hedgehog. As for my model, because of the materials that have been used I think it if it were to go into mass production then it would be lucky to last 5 weeks with exposure to the elements and I have specifically mentioned that I want my product to be . The MDF that has been used is not a mark of quality at all and most manufacturers will avoid using MDF when designing and building high quality products like mine because exposure to elements and other variables have effects on MDF’s properties i.e. when damp it looses strength and will begin to rot etc… therefore I don’t believe that my model backs up what I have said in my specification about how I would like my final product to be like.

In my specification I said that I need to consider the average size of a hedgehog. Yes I have done this, however not in my model, in my final product I will ensure that the physical product will have the capacity and the appropriate sizes to hold a hedgehog and it’s family. As for my model, there is little opportunity for the hedgehog to breathe so I have not met what I have originally said in my specification about making sure there is enough constant ventilation and also that the current model is not large enough to house hedgehogs if it were to go into mass production. Also as I stated earlier the model is not user friendly enough for my target audience because it perhaps to small and fiddly.

The current model is not going to last a minimum of 5 years because of the materials used (MDF & gaffer tape) therefore plenty of these will have to be made and they are unrecyclable meaning that many will go into landfill having a negative impact on the environment so I have not met this part of the specification.

The materials that will be used are going to be zinc plated hinges for the entrance door and for the observation hatch, zinc plated bales catch for the locking mechanism. I am also going to use Zinc corner braces to keep the structure in place, as well as zinc plated screws. The reason for using Zinc is because it is weather resistant and is not going to corrode easily over the short or long term. The inside structure of the hedgehog house will be made out of 9mm thick untreated exterior plywood and then untreated exterior pine shiplap cladding to form the overcoat on the outside. The reason for using untreated pine is so that I can treat it using non-toxic finishes so that the hedgehog will be able to hibernate in the house with out suffering from poising. The cladding will sit on top of plywood because the plywood is just used to give it a stable structure. The plan is to get some roofing felt to cover the observation hatch (roof) to give it a professional look as well as protect it as well. The problem I have at the moment is that I cannot find anything small enough because everything that it currently on sale is meters x meters so I need to find an off-cut from some where. I have also picked up ‘B&Q Exterior Wood stain – Antique Pine’ I have made sure that the wood stain is non-toxic by calling the technical helpline, the number can be seen in the picture of the green tin. They told me that I am going to coat it every 2-3 years to provide maximum protection and that it the stain will not harm wildlife.

ROOFING FELT

PLY-WOOD ZINC NAILS

http://www.ptes.org/files/1539_hedgehog_homes_worksheet.pdf

http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/hedgehog_home/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hedgehog%20houses&sprefix=hedgehog+houses%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ahedgehog%20houses

http://www.tomchambers.co.uk/