The DT Department

In the DT department there are many pieces of machinery and tools, two computer labs for CAD, a design room with drawing tables for original pencil on paper and two main workshops. This department is used by students from the secondary school ranging from year 7 students up until year 13 where the department is used for students to learn manufacturing and designing skills using the equipment provided.

Introduction

Bangkok Patana School is Thailand’s original British international school, located on La Salle Road in South-East Bangkok. Under the stewardship of committed parents and dedicated staff members the school has remained at the forefront of education in Thailand and is today one of the most respected educational establishments in South East Asia.

The Secondary School at Bangkok Patana School is an enthusiastic and energetic environment with a diversity of choices aimed at fulfilling the school’s mission of providing a well-rounded education. We place an emphasis on academic rigor and a pastoral system which offers strong support and encourages students to do their best, to meet challenges and develop independence.

The School

Swimming Pools

The school has two swimming pools, one being 50m and the other 25m. Both pools have stands for viewing and also have kayaks available.

Tennis Courts

There are 12 tennis courts in total where all the courts are Plexipave surfaced and there is also a tennis office.

Soccer Pitches

Across the campus are 6 soccer pitches, most being full sized and fully drained.

ICT Department

There are over 5 computer labs in the secondary school each equipped with over 20 computers. Apart from computer labs, there are laptops available to be used in classrooms.

Art and Drama Department

There are 3 studios each for art and drama where there is an auditorium for performances and concerts.

Sports Hall and Hard Courts

The hard courts and sports hall has basketball, badminton and volleyball courts where in the sports hall there is also a fitness room and dance studios.

Campus Facilities

The Design Cycle ModelThe IB Design Cycle model consists of the processes followed by a designer where a new or existing product needs to be produced with certain features and properties. For this current project the areas of the design cycle model which we will be focusing on are the ‘Identifying needs’ and ‘Researching’ aspects of the cycle. These first two stages have been pointed out by the two arrows.

The task given to us is as follows:

“The Design Technology department is due for a refurbishment. A large budget has been allocated for improving the existing facilities. In order for the school to take on board student ideas and opinions and as an IB Design Technology student you have been given the task of investigating the areas to be improved an integrated into the new Design Technology department profile.”

From this set task, I will identify the main problems which are present in the DT department in terms of the design and functionality. After this, I will need to produce a design brief where a design solution needs to be researched through questionnaires and existing products. After this has been done a list of initial specifications will be produced where details features which are essential are included so that the product will have many of the design problems solved.

Areas covered in this project

Brainstorming

The DT DepartmentSeating

Material Storage

Tools and Machinery

Working Space

Sanding

Dust produced

Eye ProtectionVacuum needed

Cutting

Eye Protection

Blades need to be maintained and stored

Drilling

There are drill bits which need storage

Work must be secured to drill

Tables Drawing tables for design and producing accurate drawings.

Tables for computers

Keyboard sectionFor working on materials

Positioning of machines

Tools need to be stored

Labeled boxes

Secured in box or shelf

Easy to access

Computer Chairs

Stools

Stable

Durable

Comfortable

Stable

Durable

Comfortable

Adjustable

Large sheets

RollsSmall partsStored in rooms

where colors and materials are sorted Kept in boxed

where safe from water or spills which may dirty the material

Kept in boxes where labeled sections can be easily found

Identifying Problems

In the DT department, there are many uses of materials and these materials which are always used and replaced need somewhere to be stored which will be easy to access and will protect the materials from being damaged whether by scratches or getting dirty due to spills or dirt.

In our department, we lack these spaces where the materials are to be stored. The sheets of wood, blocks of polystyrene and rolls of vinyl are kept in an unorganized matter around the DT department. This means that these materials are not protected from the dusty and dirty environment in the DT department. These materials are laid out and leaned against walls in the DT department which may mean that these materials may be difficult to find when the specific material color and dimensions are needed.

Apart from this, the materials may also cause concern in terms of health and safety as the materials laying around may cause people to trip over them or get hurt by the sharp corners of each material.

Material StorageThere are many uses of chairs in the DT department, the use of chairs for working in the design rooms in conjunction with the drawing tables, computer chairs for working in the computer labs which will make working in the position if typing and using the mouse as comfortable as possible, there will also be the need for stools for use in the workshop where the stools will need to be comfortable and durable.

The stools in the department have many problems. As seen in the pictures the backrest of the computer chairs made of stretched materials have many rips and tears in them as they are easily damaged by sharp objects. The stools also have many problems as the seat and cushion part have very poor joints where the seat bottom will detach from the chair legs very easily. The computer chairs will also have problems like the wheels coming off where wooden blocks are used to replace them as the replacement wheels of the right size are difficult to find. The wooden stools which have many joints also get loose very easily.

These chairs mean it is unsafe for the user as the chair falling apart or breaking whilst the user is working may mean that sharp objects which they are using may hurt themselves or others.

Seating

Identifying ProblemsTools and Machinery Working SpaceThere are many pieces of equipment and tools in the DT department. These tools need to be stored in an organized manner so that they are easy to find when they are needed. The tools will also need to be stored in a way in which they can be removed and stored in place easily and safely.

In the department, some of the tools are stored on shelves, such as those small pieces where there are many of them. These are tools like scissors, saws, marking gauges, hammers, mallets, chisels or try squares. In this area it is difficult to obtain the tools as they are put into deep holes which hold them steady but as the holes are high up in the shelf it is difficult to obtain them especially for younger students.

Some of the machines are also positioned in places where they are made useless. They cannot be used as there are other pieces of furniture in the way or there are other materials in the way.

Again, safety is also a problem as the tools and machines need to be stored where they will not be a threat for children and adults as the tools can be sharp and more dangerous than other areas of the school.

There are many uses for the DT department. This department is used for designing and producing designs where all these processes need space and an area available to work on without being obstructed by tools or other pieces of equipment.

In the department, many areas are clustered and messy because of the tools and materials left on and under tables making working with materials very difficult and may also mean the finished product is not up to its highest possible build quality.

In the computer labs, the area used to work with computers are also not efficient as the tables and trays where the keyboards are located have not been designed well and mean that the position for the user is not as comfortable as it should be. The trays also do not slide in and out of the slot very well which mean difficulty for the user when wanting to use the keyboard or when they tray needs to be put away.

The drawing rooms lack space for students to place their books and other equipment which means that it is difficult for the students to use the folding tables as books on tables need to be moved before they can be used.

QuestionnaireThere are many problems which need to be chosen to be focused on as the school does not have the funds to improve or change every problematic aspect of the department. Therefore the school must find out what is the most important part of the DT department which needs improving. This will be done by using a questionnaire which will ask the students who get to regularly use the department to find out what they think needs improvement and changes. After a specific problem is chosen to be visited, the problem will be further developed and analysed.

The DT Department(Rate from 1 to 5 with 5 being the best)

Name: __________________Date:__________1.Is the department well organised and effective as a whole?

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

2. Is the seating in the department comfortable?

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

3. How organized is the storage of materials in the department?

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

4. How well are the tools and machines organized in the DT department?

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

5. Is there sufficient working space for designing and working on materials?

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

Questionnaire ResultsAs the results show, question two which asks if the seating in the department is comfortable is the most problematic. 87% of the students gave the seating a rating of 1 which is the worst result possible. This shows that the chairs need to be improved the most when compared to other aspects of the department like the storage of materials, organization of tools and machines or working space which all have decent results showing that those aspects do not need to be visited. 87% means that the seating in the department is a major problem as almost all of the students found the chairs problematic.

This shows that the seating in the department will need to be redesigned and refurbished so that it is more comfortable and will improve the DT department as a whole. To do this I will further investigate the problems of the chairs in the DT department to see how the attributes of the chair will need improvements or redesigning. From the focused problems I will then be able to produce a list of initial specifications which will include the major attributes of a chair which is to be redesigned should include.

Focused Problem -SeatingComputer ChairsAfter producing a questionnaire and analysing the results, I have found that the seating will be the main focus as the students found it most problematic. I will analyze the key attributes of the (computer) chairs which seem like they have the most problems such as wheels being detached, tears in the material problems in the adjustment mechanisms or the chair legs themselves.

The chair suffers form many problems with the wheels. Firstly the wheels do come off extremely easy where this is caused by the joints of the wheel and the chair legs being very weak. The wheels are difficult to replace as the piece which breaks is also a part of the chair leg itself rather than only the wheel which needs to be changed. Secondly, the wheels do not function well as they do not rotate smoothly to the direction the chair is to be pushed to but a rough and unsteady movement is present when the chair is to be pushed around rather than moving straight where you want it to.

Wheels

The backrest of the chair is made of fabric which is stretched over a frame where this fabric is vulnerable to any sharp objects or scraping against tables, this causes the holes and tears which are shown in the pictures. The tears and rips get larger over time as people lean on it causing tension which pulls the rips wider. After the rips get large, the chair is less comfortable as there is less space to rest your back and weight is put on the frame rather than the fabric.

Backrest

The chair has a lever which can adjust the chair to lean forwards or backwards, incline or decline by moving the lever vertically or horizontally. This mechanism often has problems where the lever does not lock into place to hold the chair in a specific position but the is allowed to moving backwards and forwards freely which means the user is not able to lean back properly as the chair moves along with the user’s movement.

Adjustment

The DT Department(Rate from 1 to 5 with 5 being the best)

Name: __________________Date:__________1. Are the chairs in the DT department

comfortable in terms of ergonomics? (rate with 5 being the most comfortable)

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

2. Are the chairs attractive? (rate with 5 being the most attractive)

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

3.What materials would you prefer a computer chair to be made out of?

□Metal □Fabric □Wood

4.Are the chairs considered durable? (5 being the most durable)

□1 □2 □3 □4 □5

5. How much will you be willing to pay for a computer chair?

□<1000 THB □2000-3000 THB □>3000 THB

Seating QuestionnaireThis questionnaire is intended to find out what aspects of the computer chair itself will need improvements or changes. Unlike the previous one this will only focus on the chair itself so that information about the chair can be found, this information will be used for the design brief and initial specifications because attributes which are wanted or needed by the people who take the questionnaire will be found and a product which is needed in the school can be designed.

Focused ProblemQuestionnaire ResultsFrom these results, it is fairly clear that the students who took this questionnaire have been having problems with the computer chairs. The students have shown that the chairs are not comfortable where most of them ranked the chair to be very low in terms of ergonomics. Surprisingly, the chairs do look appealing to them because of the designs which still look simplistic and modern along with colours which suit the product and the lab made the children give fairly high rankings for the looks and aesthetics of the chair. The material which most of the students chose for the chair to be built out of was mostly metal, possibly because of how the chairs at the moment are very weak and vulnerable so a stronger and more durable material should be used.Also, for the durability of the chair, most of the students gave extremely low rankings for the chair as the chairs they have been using have problems with wheels, backrests and the adjustment mechanisms.What the students thought people were willing to spend for the chair was generally between the 1000-3000 baht range as a product cheaper than 1000 baht was assumed to have low quality but on the other hand those chairs over the 3000 baht range were probably considered a being overpriced and not being worth the money.

Question 1

5%

75%

12%

3%5%

1

2

3

4

5

Question 3

45%

25%

30%

Metal

Fabric

Wood

Question 410%

65%

5%

10%

10%

1

2

3

4

5

65

Question 5

20%

68%

12%

<1000

1000-3000

>3000

Question 24%

3%

57%

33%

3%

1

2

3

4

5

45

InterviewWhat do you think of the comfort and the seating position on the school chairs?These chairs have fairly soft seat bottoms and backrests but some backrests which have ripped fabric do feel uncomfortable as you must lean on the frame rather than the softer stretched fabric. The seating position is not very comfortable because the angle of the seat to the backrest is usually too small making me feel like sliding down the chair.What do you think of the chair’s looks and colours?These chairs do look fairly new as the design shape is fairly attractive with a simple shape and colours which do suit well together.How durable do you think these chairs are?From what I have seen, these chairs are not very durable at all, these chairs have wheels falling off, rips in the backrest and problems with the adjustment mechanism.What improvements would you make to this chair?Well, firstly the chair really does need to be more durable so a new design for the backrest, adjustment mechanism and wheels should help but another improvement could be that the chair needs to have a more comfortable sitting position.

ResultsFrom this interview, I have found that the chairs have many problems including the durability and practical use of the chair. The chair will need to have a more durable backrest, adjustment mechanism and wheels. The chairs looks and aesthetics are not much of a problem as they do have an attractive design and suitable colours. Another key factor is the seating position of the chair where the should be as comfortable as possible when using the chair.

Design BriefFrom the various problems and issues I have identified previously, I have decided that the most important issue which needs to be resolved is the seating in the DT department. There are many problems with the chairs in the department, some being the sitting position which can be very uncomfortable and not ideal for working in classes whether while using pen and paper to write and draw or to work in the lab with tools and machinery. The chair’s durability is also a key factor, the stool with the fabric seat has very poor joints and the seat falls off fairly often. The wooden stool gets loose very easily, especially as there are so many joints which mean a higher chance of failure and problems. The chairs which have wheels also have many design problems, the wheels fall off in many cases, and an example is in the picture where a wheel has been replaced with a wooden block. Therefore a new computer chair design is needed. A design which will have no problems with ergonomics and will be durable enough to stay in good condition over the many school years whilst the users which are high school students are using them. To achieve these goals, the design must consist of few working parts for it to be durable and easy to use. The design will also need research for the angles and dimensions to be as comfortable as the chair can be. Also the use of quality materials is very important as this contributes to the product being durable or not. With these goals achieved, the target market which are schools which will choose to purchase the chairs for the students to use as they are worth the money for being comfortable as well as being durable.

The design brief is considered feasible as designing and producing the chair is possible sing very few materials. It will also be possible to find a suitable material which will be able to endure the conditions faced in the DT department. The only problems are the fact that a computer chair is more complex and has more small parts which are also able to move and affect each other. A complex design may be difficult to produce as the simple machinery may not be able to produce joints and pieces accurately enough.

Feasibility of the Design Brief

Design Brief Analysis

CostThe cost of the chair should be between 1000-3000 baht as we have found it that this price range is here people will be most likely to purchase the chair.ErgonomicsThe chair should be comfortable for the user to use even for long periods of time where this means the right seat, backrest length and adjustable backrest angles.AestheticsThe chair should have a modern and simplistic look with colours which suit well together whilst not being too bright/noticeable.SafetyThe chair should have sturdy and rigid joints which will not allow the chair to fall apart. The base radius will be large enough to prevent falling sideways and the chair will not have sharp edges or corners to prevent injuriesDurabilityThe chair will need to be durable in the areas where there are joints between different materials and where there are small moving parts like in the adjusting mechanism.MaterialThe materials used must be appropriate for its purpose whether to be strong and stiff or to be soft and comfortable.Target MarketThe chair will be sold to schools throughout the world as well as offices or homes where there is the need for a computer chair.EnvironmentThe product must be environmentally friendly in the production process as well as during and after the product is used. The material is to be recycled or is biodegradable.

Existing Products

This design is very much like an office chair being made out of leather and being padded makes this chair seem very comfortable. The chair has armrests which will make it more comfortable for the user after working for long periods of time on the computer. The chair also has levers which will mean that it can be adjusted for different angles of the backrest and height of the chair for optimum comfort. This chair also has wheels which will mean it will be easy to move it around the department. What this chair lacks is the durability of a simple design rather than a more luxurious leather chair.

This chair has a very simple backrest, similar to the existing ones here in the department but the material or gauze on the backrest seems to be more tough and durable. Apart from this the chair has a seat bottom which seems to be padded for comfort as well as armrests for the user. Again this chair has the adjustment mechanism but the design is overall too complex focusing mainly on aesthetics rather than practicality.

This chair uses leather for its seating material. The seat is supported by steel and the chair is height adjustable and is able to incline backwards. There are also armrests included as an option which is fairly good. However, a problem with this chair is the price, it is far too expensive to be purchased by the school as the school has other important investments to make. The casters have been designed for hard floors which is an advantage. It is good looking for a computer chair as well.

This chair is one of the more simple designs of computer chairs with a very dull and similar shapes of the backrest and the seat. The chair has cushioned seats and backrests which could be comfortable but the chair looks very old fashioned and out of style with the rounded seat and backrest. There are armrests as well as an adjustable backrest but the chair overall is not very aesthetically pleasing and therefore does not suit our needs.

Product Design Specifications

Initial Specification Research Required Source of Information

The price of the product should be between 1000-3000 THB

Compare prices with other similar products and conduct research to find out how much potential consumers are willing to pay.

Primary research (questionnaires), Internet or go to stores to check price.

Ergonomics should be suitable for the user whether student or teacher.

Find out appropriate sizes of backrests or seats for people of different sizes.

Books, Internet research or conducting experiments to find most comfortable position.

The chair should be able to adjust the backrest and seat height.

Find out methods which the chair can use to adjust sitting position for different users.

Internet research, books or trying to find types of locks and joints for mechanism.

Should be safe to use by students and teachers.

Find out what could make the users get hurt and prevent this from happening by finding appropriate replacements.

Internet research or books.

Chair should be considerably durable and strong

Research construction methods and materials to use on the chair for their different uses and properties.

Internet research, books for construction and design.

The materials should be appropriate for its uses

Research the different qualities and attributes if the materials so that the right ones can be used when needed

Internet, Books related to do with chemistry or construction.

Wheels should function well and be durable so that it will not need replacement.

Research new wheel designs or wheel suppliers which can provide durable and smooth rolling wheels.

Internet, dealers for parts of furniture

The chair should be attractive and aesthetically pleasing

Design and colors used must match target market where different markets in different locations will affect this.

Internet, books related to countries and culture.

Time (Lessons) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Materials

Ergonomics

Joints

Finishes

CAD/CAM

Screws and Glues

Size and Dimensions

Target Market

Existing Products

Environment

Research Time Plan (GANTT CHART)