LAB CONTROLLER
A "hands-on" prototyping offering for young learners who want to discover how to create the way they play.
01 ► refresh your "senses"
02 ▼ the opportunity
With an organization-wide leadership change, came an adjusted manufacturing calendar; opening an opportunity for the product team to release an additional offering with the Piperlab expansion pack.
I quickly mapped out a 3 month schedule to explore untapped market positions which resulted in us developing a low cost solution to the Piper Computer kit.
03 ▼ features
Build then plug the USB cord into any computer device and launch the Piperlab web portal to be immersed in a world of narrative-based critical thinking.
first assemble
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The hex based modular pieces are all about developing young learners’ critical thinking skills & confidence with problem solving, endless rebuilds, a do it yourself blueprint and no failure, tolerance-fit pieces.
then discover ►
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With the stand alone power of the microcontroller, the controller can be used with any web enabled device to connect to Piperlab.
04 ▼ research phase
Under my direction, a multi-disciplinary team of designers, researchers and educational specialists conducted qualitative market research and quantitative efficacy studies.
This uncovered a demand for a lower price flagship offering and more-hands on tools for prototyping.
05 ▼ design playbook
Design principles of CHARISMATIC TOOLS — MODERN TACTILE — RETRO LITE guided the 3 month iterative, rapid development of the modular controller, just in time for a rigidly set manufacturing date.
first month
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To quickly identify the gaps we could successfully fill, I scheduled week-long sprints of in-home interviews, classroom observations and STEAM market landscaping.
second month
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To help our team of designers, engineers, and animators explore the entire range of opportunity areas we mapped out during research, I blocked daily hackathons and brainstorms.
last month
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With no time to waste, we down selected the concepts through a school quality-testing program I set up and used rapid refinement cycles to realize the final design.
