Adaptive Controller
TU Delft and Yumen Bionics, 2021
Team Project for Advanced Concept Design
The Brief
Yumen Bionics makes exoskeletons to support the bodily movements of people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). In their close work with people with DMD, Yumen identified a novel opportunity, the need for an "E-sports worthy controller" for gaming as their user group gradually loses muscle function in the progress of the disease. I was responsible for defining the product experience of our controller, from user interviews to frequent concept evaluations. Desired experience drove product development in systems design, sustainability, ergonomics and form giving.
Outcomes
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User experience map
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Functional product concept
The Process
At research stage, I worked to define larger product goals to guide the design process. I focused on forming an understanding of the user and their experiences through interviews with the target group, the client and medical matter experts. I identified two crucial product touchpoints with actionable areas of work: identity ("feel like a regular controller") and immersion ("allow longer play”)
I synthesized the research insights into actionable overviews that prioritize how user emotions, product aesthetics and meanings can contribute to creating the desired target user experience. The stakeholder overview allowed us to align with the client on priorities coming into the project, considering the funding scheme for the project is mixed, with government and nonprofit support. The design requirements focused our team around tangible goals. We leaned on experts who already knew the user group really well and could speak to these early on.
I designed a series of user tests to evaluate ideas early on and to iteratively decide on product features. This allowed me to make tradeoffs in a calculated way when features that contribute to ergonomics and styling seemed to be at odds.
Taking part in both high level decisions and following through in design helped me integrate these processes. For example, knowing what is feasible for manufacturing, I could inform high level design directions in ergonomically favorable material choices. In this case, the springy, soft overmold provides comfort for different hands & stimulates stretching of contracting hand muscles.
Mapping current gaming experiences through interviews
Strategizing for the desired gaming experience
A systematic testing scheme informing design directions
Working between design strategy and execution
The Impact
Our team put forward a concept that was validated for the initial experience metrics of style and ergonomics with a fully functional prototype. This project was my first brush with navigating a wide and ambiguous design space and holding on to user experience as an organizing principle.
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This project focuses on product experience. We first clarified the current experience and built the ideal use case scenario.
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Clarity in the current experience is only possible as it is a unique and constrained context. I leveraged our access to our user group by designing care package activities to inspire style and ergonomics decisions through user input.
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I learned to make cross-functional moves in a high complexity product design process as any design decision impacts multiple dimensions of user experience.