hQQuinn HuffstetlerI n d u s t r i a l D e s i g n e r

As a child, I was always interested in building things: skateboards, pine-wood derby cars, tree houses. Fast forward nine years, and I am now an energetic designer with two internships (at Insight and Rocketship) under my belt. I now strive to build meaningful experiences and holistic designs.

Since my Junior year of college, an interest in branding, design strategy, and especially inter-disciplinary team design has developed. I am currently seeking professional opportunities that promote and implement a collaborative, holistic design methodology. I am also an avid sketcher, practicing this skill every day. In addition to design, I cycle, snowboard, and enjoy the outdoors and photography.

My design philosophy is constantly evolving and maturing as I myself mature as a designer. Good design to me is not a hot sketch or a flashy render. While these tools are essential to thinking and communication, they are not the solution.

Good design serves a purpose. It assists the user to complete a desired task and helps create a more enjoyable experience. Good design is emotion. Design should evoke a sense of connectedness that ties the user to the product. And, it is responsible. Designers should be aware of their impact on the environment: the types of materials used and the type of manufacturing processes required to produce design.

About Me What I Believe

hQ

hQ Concept Development

Dell sponsored a semester long project that focused on designing the next generation computer to address the needs and wants of college students, the project’s target market. This was a team project composed of four students including myself, Andrew Chin, Tori Brock, and Matt Manganti. I was appointed as team leader for this project.

How can a computer add a human element to collaborating, socializing, and working among college students?

hQ Project Brief

hQ Ethnographic Research

The form-factor of a traditional laptop makes it extremely difficult for students to collaborate and share visual information

Students use unusual locations to perform work while on-the-go in between classes

Students require the ability to view information through a large-format screen on-the-go

Students require a multitude of devices to multi-task and perform work

Observations = The Problems

Hard to collaborate

Unusual workspace

Awkward socializing

Photo ethnographyVirginia Tech studentsInsightful observations

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hQSurvey + Analysis

Online survey165 ParticipantsInsightful results

62%38%

23%

use laptops at home the most

use laptops in an academic setting the most

have never backed up their computer before

our team going over our research findings

User demographic overview

Social networks

Communication

Organization

Portability

Social/Involved

Artistic/Creative

Tech-Savy

Documentation

Storage space

Personalization

Computing power

Specialized

Components

Customization

hQ Concept Development

Ph

ase

II

Permanent workstation with a removable, portable interface

Idea was dropped because college students require more flexibility

Ph

ase

I Non-traditional forms

Intuitive physical computer to computer interactions

Intuitive physical forms

Permanent workstation

hQConcept Development

Ph

ase

III Portable hub that acts as an

external hard drive, charger, and projector stand for an interface

Everything on -the-go

hQ Refinement/Validation “It seems stable, especially since I’m not

interacting with the top corners”

“After a few minutes of using it, I wasn’t

even thinking about it [stability]”

Ph

ase

IV

Form/feature refinement through digital sketching

Project your ideas

Feel the vibe

Get connected

Concept validation testing the form stability through use

hQSystem | Collaboration

Project an idea

The interface incorporates a projector, two USB ports, and a SD/headphone jack. The projector allows college students to collaborate and socialize with others by projecting on a table or wall surface.

Projector

hQ System | Workspace

Feel the vibe

The interface has a “vibe grid” which is a layer of embedded magnets that vibrate when touched, creating a more tactile feel.

Scratch resistant glasstop

Electro-magnetic vibe grid

Circuit board + processors

Co-injected plastic body

Inductive charging + auto file backup

hQSystem | Socializing

Scratch resistant glasstop

Electro-magnetic vibe grid

Circuit board + processors

Co-injected plastic body

Get connected

The core acts as the docking station for the interface: charging and backing up the interface whenever connected. It also acts as a hub: allowing the user to connect to other external devices. Finally, the core positions the interface in an ideal angle to project on a table or wall surface.

hQ Concept Development

Collaborate Work Socialize

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hQ Project Brief

This project called for a multi-functional furniture solution for the modern city-dweller in a one-person flat. Attention should be given to size and weight of the unit, possible combination or manipulations of multiple units used together, and possible nesting or stacking of units to conserve space.

How can furniture provide multi-use within

a cramped space? Increase function, decrease footprint

hQ Project Direction

Natur(e)ally modern

seat

surface

storage

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Storage

Seat + Surface

hQConcept Development

hQ Construction Phase

Raw poplar

Machined aluminum

Finger joints

Joined/plained

Mechanical fasteners

Biscuit joints

hQFull-Scale Design

hQIn Context Shots

Seat Surface Storage

Selected by faculty to participate in a week long interdisciplinary workshop composed of industrial designers, architects, and interior designers sponsored by and held at KEM Studio, Kansas City, MO. Group members include: Hannah Cao (Architecture), Calli Scheidt (Interior Design), & Liz Crim (Landscape Architecture).

Allow Quixotic, your client, to perform guerrilla style performances in a way

that showcases their talents and brand image

hQ Project Brief

KEM STUDIOinterdisciplinary collaboration

hQ Project Context

Guerrilla Performance

Design Direction

Attracting a crowd and sparking an interest through an iconic form.

A tool that is open for interpretation and manipulation. It frames the performance or the environment in which it is in.

An opportunity for Quixotic to showcase their brand identity through their performance and a “brand mark” left by the stage.

A spontaneous, surprising performance in unlikely public spaces to an unsuspecting audience

A r r i v e | R e v e a l | P e r f o r m | L e a v e

?composed of musicians, dancers, aerialists, composers, designers, and choreographers

collaborate to produce new forms of artistic expression and a total sensory experience for its audience

Client Overview

hQConcept Development

1 2 3Create Interest Reveal the Show Manipulate Freely

20 ft.20 ft.

60 ft.

hQ The Concept

hQIn Context

KEM STUDIOinterdisciplinary collaboration

hQ Project Brief

Betacup held an international design competition asking designers to create a sustainable alternative to the traditional coffee cup-to-go. My solution explores the idea of creating an emotional bond between the user and the product through visual and gustatory senses.

Eliminate disposable coffee cup consumption by creating an emotional user connection to a sustainable alternative.

hQ Project Background

58 billion coffee cups thrown away every year

0 coffee cups thrown away every year

Current Problem

Disposable cup

Travel Mug

Design Direction

Convenient

Throw away easily

No emotional bond

Doesn’t portray user

Give the user a reason to prefer a sustainable solution over the use of a disposable cup

The coffee cup should grow with the user over time creating a more meaningful interaction

It should allow the user to create a statement for why they are using it over a disposable cup

Project Goal

hQConcept Development

Ph

ase

I Collapsible cup

Cleaning and leaking issues

Bag insert filled with coffee and disposed of when done P

has

e II Iconic form

Create an emotional bond

Wood insert to retain flavor and aroma

Collapsble cup

Disposable bag

Wood stirrer

Iconic form

hQ Final Design

Wood Spout

Neoprene Top

Wood Stirrer

Ceramic Cup

Molded Wood Sleeve

Meet betacup

Betacup is an environmentally smart coffee cup that wants to get to know you. The cup takes on the traditional coffee-cup-to go appearance with the use of non-traditional materials. Enjoy!

Hello

Neoprene Top

Wood Stirrer

Ceramic Cup

Molded Wood Sleeve

hQThe Concept

Create a bond

Betacup comes equipped with a wooden stirrer that can nestle in your cup before and after use. Each time it is used it will slowly start to retain the flavor and aroma of your favorite brew to enhance your drinking experience.

Good morning...

hQ The Concept

Make a statement

Betacup’s molded-wood sleeve allows you to express your green actions. Each time you purchase a cup, the sleeve receives a branding from your store so that you can showcase how awesome you are being. Once it fills up, return it for a new one and your local coffee shop can display it proudly.

1 coffee order = 1 brandfill it up give it back

Look, I’m responsible

hQThe Concept

Be sustainable

Betacup’s square shape allows for tighter tolerances when shipped. This means less space, less material, smaller carbon footprint. Since the majority of items are shipped in a square or rectangular form, shouldn’t your coffee cup be square too?

I like being square

hQThanks for taking a look!q h u f f s t e t l e r @ g m a i l . c o m | 8 0 4 . 3 3 8 . 0 9 7 6