AMANDA HOPORTFOLIO

contents

ergonomics

interiors & space planning

user experience

RenderingsProgrammingUniversal DesignHerman Miller & HKS Design Challenge

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Sewing Machine & Workstation EvaluationGardening Tool Evaluation

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Microsoft Surface Pro Keyboard EvaluationIthaca Visitors Bureau Website

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interiors & space planning

renderings

dining roomDuration: February 2014Materials: Pen, Marker, Colored Pencil, Vellum, 8.5” x 11”

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renderings

SKETCH - long perspectiveDuration: February 2014Materials: Pen, Vellum, 8.5” x 11”

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renderings

bedroomDuration: February 2014Materials: Pen, Marker, Colored Pencil, Vellum, 8.5” x 11”

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renderings

SKETCH - medium perspectiveDuration: February 2014Materials: Pen, Vellum, 8.5” x 11”

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renderings

Tasks1. Fully model an existing house based on found floorplan, elevation drawings, and images of the structure.

2. Recreate the elevations, siteplan, section and floorplan.

3d modeling - vader houseDuration: Software:

Vader HouseArchitect: Andrew Maynard ArchitectsSize: 1300 sq ft.Location: Victoria, AustraliaReason: I chose this house for its juxtaposition of outdoor and indoor space and Victorian and Modern features.

April 2014 AutoCad, SketchUp, Vray, Photoshop

Section A East Elevation South Elevation

Floorplan

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renderings

Interior Mezzanine

Bathroom

Exterior

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programming

Belle Sherman Elementary School

Tasks1. Program a local elementary school cafeteria for future renovation and present recommendations to the users - the principal, cafeteria workers, teachers, parents, and children.

2. Generate goals, performance requirements, and recommendations for the space.

The mission of this program document is to provide guidelines for renovating the cafeteria and kitchen to support the nutritional, psychological, socio-emotional, and behavioral development needs of students, and to support effective food service, supervision, and various needs of the staff who use the space.

Duration: September - December 2013Group Size: 7 members

Methods1. Organized observations - Behavior Mapping - Timed Activity Breakdown2. Interviews with users - Kitchen Staff - Custodian - Cafeteria Monitors3. Research - Peer reviewed articles & building codes

Mission Statement

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Existing ConditionsFloorplan and images of current cafeteria and kitchen

Blocking DiagramDiagram showing zones of activity

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programming

Data Collection: Behavior Mapping I observed kitchen staff for the duration of the lunch shift and drew out all of their paths of circulation. The lines present in the diagram were the most prominent paths.

Top Recommendations1. Circulation - Add new waste receptacles to make movement in and out of the cafeteria faster.2. Seating - Make seating modular to support social interaction and personal space needs.3. Acoustics - Install acoustic paneling to keep noise at a safe level.

Data Collection: Timed Activity BreakdownI recorded a timed breakdown of the observed activities in the cafeteria for the duration of the lunch period.

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universal design

Tasks1. Choose a facility to evaluate based on principles of universal design and the inclusivity of the following characteristics: - Gender - Stage in the Life Cycle - Ability or Disability - Culture2. Determine which users are present, absent, and those who may have issues in the space.

3. Propose design guidelines supported by research to make the library more accessible.

HIGHER EDUCATION LIBRARYDuration: May 2014

Library User Breakdown

Present Absent or With Issues

Cornell Students - Males/Females - Undergrad/Grad - International Students

Office Workers

Professors

Ithaca Residents

Visitors

Mobility Impaired - Blocked access

International Students - Cultural barriers

Older Office Workers - Difficult navigation

Major Issues

1. Physical Access - Overwhelming amount of stairs - Heavy doors - No ramps

2. Circulation - Crowded narrow pathways - Blocked pathways - particularly for wheelchairs or crutches

3. Seating - Uncomfortable - Non-supportive of mobility issues - Personal space violations

4. Wayfinding - Unclear signage - Overwhelming maps - Non-intuitive layout

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universal design

All users should have access to the library through the main entrance.Accessibility

Signage

Sample Design Guidelines

Clear maps and signage should be placed frequently throughout the library to orient users.

- There should be a zero step entrance and automatic doors (Steinfeld and Danford, 1993, and ADA National Network, 2013).

- Doors to each floor of the library should also be automatic or propped during hours of operation.

- Doors should not require more than 5 lbs of force to open (ADA National Network, 2013).

Performance Requirements

- Color coded maps with icons should be located at decisions points such as the entrance at elevators.

- Signage should have icons and have strong contrast with the surroundings (Architectural Signage Innovations, 2012).

- Icons with high contrast will be visible to those with visual impairments and clear to international students who may not understand English as well (Architectural Signage Innovations, 2012).

Performance Requirements

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Challenge by herman miller & hks Architects

TaskDesign a classroom that supports current and future trends in teaching using research.

ParametersEnvironment: Higher EducationClass size: Max 24Activities: Lecture, discussion, teamwork

Concept1. Inclusion - Support all learning and teaching styles

2. Collaboration - Support team work and multi-disciplinary interaction

3. Ergonomics - Create a comfortable and healthy space

4. Engagement - Support active learning

5. Individualization - Foster a sense of ownership in the space

InspirationMethods1. Research - Current teaching style trends, academic environment research articles for best practices, and new designs on the market

2. Brainstorming - Idea generation and discussion

3. Feedback - Midway presentation where we received a critique on our progress from professionals

4. Iteration - Adding and changing our ideas based on the feedback

Academic environmentDuration: Group Size:

3 Weeks December 2014 3 members

Brainstorming

GoalEmpower students and teachers to think critically, work creatively, and openly discuss their various views and ideas.

Incorporate technology and modular desks and white boards.

Create zones for different activities. Provide a variety of seating

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challenge by herman miller & hks architects

Inclusion 1. Multiple configurations - Lecture, Group work, Discussion

Collaboration 2. Modular furniture - movable desks, chairs, lecturn 3. Movable Smartboards with wireless connectivity 4. Magnetic desk attach making configuration changes easy 5. Accessible outlets from floor and walls

Ergonomics 6. Ergonomic task seating 7. Incorporation of plants and natural daylighting

Engagement 8. Dynamically updating Smartboards - content on tablet will show up on Smartboards to make information sharing easier

Individualization 9. Under table storage - belongings move with students’ desks 10. Personal tablet for use in class

Design

Lecture Configuration Group Work Configuration

Group Work Perspective

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Concept Realization

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ergonomics

Ergonomic Evaluation

Tasks1. Evaluate a product or workspace of your choosing in terms of ergonomics.

2. Develop design suggestions based on your research and compile findings into a report.

Goals1. Evaluate the safety and comfort of sewing machines.

2. Evaluate the safety and comfort of factory workstations.

3. Suggest recommendations for both the sewing machine itself and the workstation.

Workstation Issues

Methods1. Literature Review - Existing journal articles and OSHA standards were analyzed to learn current practices

2. Posture analysis - Based on the research common postures were analyzed to find major issues

3. Interviews - Interviews were conducted with recreational sewers to give insight into their experiences

Poor Work Surface

sewing machine & workstationDuration: November 2013

Poor Seating

Forced Postures Hard Materials

Machine Issues

Issue: Sharp cornersResult: Cut off arm circulation and risk of pinched nerves and blood vessels

Issue: Hunched postures unsupported by seating Result: Musculoskeletal stress injuries in the back or neck

Issue: Elevated surface of the machine and precision work Result: Arms forced into unsupported upward angle and wrists radially deviated

Issue: Arms/wrists poorly supported because they must rest on hard surfacesResult: Compression injuries

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Ergonomic Evaluation

Make tilt adjustable working baseAdd a magnifying glass or camera and display to make viewing work easier Change angle of displayUse mesh wrist support

Make table adjustable Have a cut out for the sewing machine to be lowered Round edges

Use curved seat panUse waterfall edge Make tilt adjustable Use mesh material for air circulation and even supportEnsure chair stability by removing casters

Use a foot pedal similar to that of a car foot pedal

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Summary of Recommendations

B. Work Table1.2.

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A. Sewing Machine1.

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1.2.3.4.

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C. Seating

D. Foot Pedal1.

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Ergonomic Evaluation

Tasks1. Develop an experiment to test the claims of “ergonomic” gardening hand tools.

2. Develop design suggestions based on experiment results.

Ergonomic Claims Tested1. The tools maximize comfort and power.

2. The handle keeps the wrist at a neutral position.

3. The tools require less energy because they are lighter than conventional tools.

Ergonomic Trowel Ergonomic Cultivator

Methods1. Timed shoveling and raking task - Participants shoveled and raked the 2 types of trowels and cultivators for 30 repetitions each and were timed

2. RULA evaluation - Rapid Upper Limb Assessments were taken to evaluate the users’ wrist position for each of the 4 tools

3. User preference survey - Survey included demographics (previous experience, age), tool preference, comments

4. Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion - A standard survey tool to measure perceived exertion in physical tasks

ergonomic Gardening toolsDuration: February - March 2014Group Size: 4 members

Example Setup

Control Trowel Control Cultivator

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Ergonomic Evaluation

Results - 29 Participants

Claims Supported

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Rapid Upper Limb Assessment

Timed Task

Borg Exertion Scale

Cultivator Trowel

Cultivator Trowel

Cultivator Trowel

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Ergonomic Tool ControlRating of 4: Change needed soon Rating of 3: Change may be needed

Design Recommendations1. Trowel: Increase size of blade to hold more dirt and make each dig more efficient.

2. Trowel: Close off back of blade to prevent dirt from spilling out, increasing efficiency.

3. Cultivator: Shorten distance between forked blade and handle to increase power of each rake and reduce effort.

The tools maximize comfort. - Higher comfort rating on the survey by users

The handle keeps the wrist at a neutral position. - RULA ratings for the ergonomic tools were lower than the control

The tools require less energy because they are lighter than conventional tools. - Exertion scale scores fell into the “light” range rather than the “somewhat hard range”

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user experience

physical & interface evaluation

Tasks1. Develop an experiment to analyze the differences between physical and on-screen keyboards in terms of user experience.

2. Develop design suggestions based on experiment results and market trends.

Goals1. Determine user preference between physical and on-screen keyboard.

2. Discover physical vs. on-screen keyboard impact on overall user experience.

On-Screen Keyboard Physical Keyboard

Methods1. Timed typing task - Participants copied a passage verbatim on both keyboards and were timed

2. Posture assessment - A Rapid Upper Limb Assessment was taken to evaluate the users’ postural health

3. User preference and experience survey - Survey included demographics (previous experience, age) and keyboard preference

4. NASA task load index - A standard survey tool used to measure perceived effort

microsoft surface pro keyboardDuration: April 2014Group Size: 5 members

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Setup for Physical KeyboardSetup for On-Screen Keyboard

Sample of RULA scoring sheet for Arm and Wrist Position

physical & interface evaluation

Design Recommendations1. Physical: Increase key spacing to reduce perceived effort.2. On-screen: Incorporate common touch keyboard shortcuts (i.e. double tapping space bar for period, keyboard appears when tapping on paper space) to improve efficiency.3. On-screen: Have vibrating tactile feedback to reduce perceived effort.

Results - 16 Participants

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Mental Demand

Omission Word Space Insertion SubstitutionOn-screen Time (sec) Physical Time (sec)

Error Count

Setup for Physical Keyboard

Discussion1. On-screen typing took significantly longer.

2. On-screen typing had a higher error count.

3. On-screen was perceived to be more mentally, physically, and temporally demanding, effortful, and frustrating.

Comments“The keys feel crunched.”

“My hands feel too big.”

“I can feel the carpal tunnel.”

PhysicalDemand

TemporalDemand

Performance Effort Frustration

Perceived Effort

On-Screen Physical

- Physical: Users pressed 2 keys at once

- On-Screen: Users pressed the wrong key

- On-Screen: Users felt wrist pain

Mea

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website redesign

Personas

“How can I stay healthy on my trip?”

“What activities will my whole family enjoy?”

“Where can I have the most fun for the least amount of money?”

“What activities will my mom from Japan enjoy?”

“How can I experience Ithaca like a local?”

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The Retired Traveler

The Move-In Mom

The Bestie

The Visitor

The Wanderer

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“How does this website provide me with the tools to efficiently fulfill my needs while showing me what Ithaca has to offer?”

Original WebsiteVisitithaca.comDuration: September-December 2014Tools: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat

TaskRedesign the Ithaca travel website to attract people to visit Ithaca and the struggling Visitor’s Bureau.

Goals - Make the website:1. Welcoming Attract users to come to Ithaca and make the website an experience 2. Clear Simplify navigation and layout

3. Unique Make Ithaca standout by showcasing unique attractions

4. Active Enable users to book and plan their trips easily, leading to revenue for the client

Methods1. Observations - Participants were given various tasks to complete using the original website, timed, and video recorded2. Interviews - After testing participants were asked about their overall experience, likes, and dislikes3. Continuous User Testing - During the development of the prototype features were continuously tested and tweaked

1. Overwhelming amount of choices and text

2. Hard to navigate

3. Visitors bureau is not advertised

4. Users cannot easily book hotels or view attractions, which is how the client generates revenue

Major Issues

“I would use it ...if I had to.”

“It’s not as bad as other sites.”

Feedback

“I can’t see anything.”

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website redesign

“I would use it ...if I had to.”

“I can’t see anything.”

homepage: sorting page

My trip feature mobile prototype:

information pageinteractive Prototype link

Link

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website redesign

Example Navigation Path - What do I want to eat?

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website redesign

Visitors Bureau Marketing“My Trip” Feature

3my trip

2my trip

+ My Trip

- Users can add activities using the “my trip” button.

- Every time an activity is added a leaf is added to their trip. - This represents building a trip and mimics a “shopping bag” feature, better engaging users

Generates curiosity when browsing the website and encourages users to click on the visitors bureau page

Continuous Placement of Visitor Bureau availability:

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- Users can drag and drop their saved activities onto the calendar to plan their trip

- The map shows where their saved activities are in relation to each other to orient the user.

Why the word “Discover?”

Homepage image

Drop down menu dedicated to just the bureau

Permanent placement on the trip planner page

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According to an unofficial poll of my friends and family I have one defining trait. I’m a goof. I like to see my goofiness as a genuine enthusiasm for whatever I’m doing and I found that in the design field I could allow my strange self to shine. After switching majors twice, from biology to human development then finally to design & environmental analysis, I found a place where I could put my wonky strains of thought to productive use. My exposure to interior design, environmental psychology, human factors, and ergonomics has grown my understanding of space and products within space. I strive to combine my enthusiasm for design with my academic training to create products and experiences that challenge conventional ways of thinking and ultimately add some spark to people’s lives.

ABOUT ME

aeh237@cornell.edu 347.665.3933