Concept Statement

The corn on the cob holder is a common kitchen utensil used widely among many American households. Seen as a staple to many Fourth of July meals and picnic dinners over generations, its design hasn’t seen much development. While it is a clever idea based on its purpose and simplicity, its execution leaves much to be desired. Our hope was to give the corn on the cob holder more comfort by making it larger and easier to handle. We also hope to give it an aesthetic design that is modern and sleek.

Interviews with Prototypes

Stephanie Thorpe: 19

Top 3: 1,3,6

What do you think is good about the new design?

Prototype 1 & 3: "There is something to hold on to with the knob desing."

Prototype 6: "The finger grips feel comfortable"

Prototype 1,3,6: "The size works"

Trevor:20

Top 2: 3,6

Disliked: 4,5

What do you think is good about the design?

Prototype 3: "visually appealing and symmetrical, I just like it."

Prototype 6: "Functional with the grips, and not small and dinky."

What did you not like about the design?

Prototype 5: "I don't know how to hold this one."

Prototype 4: " This one is almost like a coffee cup, I don't like this design."

Margie Kuhn

Which design does and does not appeal to you?

Prototype 5: " I don't like the hole, it is odd."

Prototype 4: "This is telling me too much on how to hold it."

Prototype 3: "I like this one the best, with the overall shape, and it looks the best on the corn."

Linda

Which design appeals to you?

Prototype 6: "Finger grip with button, it is much more interesting." (suggested to work smaller)

Spencer:6

Which design appeals to you?

Prototype 1,4

Which design is the most comfortable?

Prototype 3

Cooper: 12

Which design appeals to you?

Prototype 1,3

Which design is the most comfortable?

Prototype 1,3,6

Mack: 15

Which design appeals to you?

Prototype 1,4

Which design is the most comfortable?

Prototype 1,4,6

Rick: 42

Which design appeals to you?

Prototype 3,4,5

Which design is the most comfortable?

Prototype 3,6

In class brainstorming and interviews

Interviews

Riley Nelson: 19

What do you think is good about this object?

-They’re ideal to keep your hands non-greasy

-They promote cleanliness

-It makes the corn-eating process a bit more enjoyable

What do you think could be improved about this object?

-It is kind of an awkward hold. Going from holding corn with your hands that feels more natural to holding something with an extension

-They are really cheesy

-They are kind of dangerous

-There could be a better grip and a thicker handle

-They seem really outdated. I eat corn without them more often than not

Rick Mumford: 41

What do you think is good about this object?

-Sharp ends are good for sticking into ends of corn

-Indention is good for thumb

-Little lip keeps your hands from sliding out

What do you think could be improved about this object?

-It’s ugly

-It could be longer

-Bicycle-type handles would be nice

-It’s an uncomfortable angle to eat

-It could have a battery that makes it rotate the corn for you

Cooper Mumford: 12

What do you think is good about this object?

-It holds corn

-They’re pointy

What do you think could be improved about this object?

-They aren’t long enough

-They look ugly. They should be yellow and plastic and shaped like corn

Hayley Phillips –

What do you think is good about the design?

“It executes what it was made to do, even though sometimes it is difficult.”

What do you think could be improved about the object?

“The holder is very awkward and in most cases it hurts my fingers because the object is way to small to hold without your hand cramping.”

What is the number one thing you would change about the object?

“Just make it more comfortable in general.”

Alex West -

What do you think is good about the design?

“I like how it looks like little pieces of corn.”

What do you think could be improved about the object?

“The holder needs longer metal pieces at the end.”

Abbi Ingram –

What do you think is good about the design?

“It performs what it was made for.”

What do you think could be improved about the object?

“The corn cob holder is way to small and there really isn’t any grip at all.”

What is the number one thing you would change about the object?

“The size; it is way to small to hold comfortably.”

Anthony Goldfield:20

What do you think is good about the design?

"Helps to not get your hands messy.'"

What do you think could be improved about the object?

"The size of them. I would make them bigger"

Matt Everest:20

What do you think is good about the design?

"Its simple."

What do you think could be improved about the object?

"It is hard to get out of the corn, and defeats the whole purpose of keeping your hands clean."

Mike Foos:41

What do you think is good about the design?

"Keeps your hands clean."

"keeps your from burning your fingers."

What do you think could be improved about the object?

"I would make them thicker so you can grip them better."

Austin

Question: What is good about the object?

Answer: What is good about the corncob holder is that it serves a purpose that other kitchen utensils don’t serve.

Question: What can be improved?

Answer: I think the corncob holder could be a bit bigger around. It’s a little small in myhand.

Jackson

Question: What is good about the object?

Answer: It serves its purpose, keeping a corn eater’s hands clean.

Question: What can be improved?

Answer: I'm not sure. I suppose the needles could be hard to remove.

Reflection of project: Why my poster is good design

The overall flow of my poster allows the viewer to let their eyes to travel through out the poster. The way that I choose to change the typography for "smooth" also gives the idea of the object I am revealing. Through out the poster there is three spots of contrast that work together to complete the poster. Starting with the text and picture, then moving on to the small positive negative drawing, and then on to the Larger group of drawings on the left. The faint drawing in the background also makes the poster interesting in the way that it lets the viewer take a step closer to the poster to see what the drawing is in the background.

Response to Reading 1:

The text in our first reading relays the idea that design is everywhere. It is what makes our life functional. It is hard to exactly pinpoint what the definition of design is. Design is always changing, and it usually always better than the previous design. However with out poorly designed objects, there would be no room for design in our world. When thinking about design we have to keep out minds open to any possible outcome. Most people don't stop to realize that everything is our world has been designed to fit our needs. This reading pertains to my object, because it is something that has been redesigned to please the user. Its design is better than the original chap stick design, because it is easy to use and hard to loose. This reading also helps me with my major because I am constantly looking around me for the next photo to take. This reading made me realize that there is no limit to how many great designs that we have in our world around us. It opened my eyes to how I view my daily life.

Why my object is a good design:

When people think of lip balm one picture comes to mind. A small rounded stick (probably the the brand chapstick) with a rounded lid to match. The object that I chose goes beyond the boundaries of a normal lip balm. Its large design is functional in many ways. First its egg like shape makes it easy to find and hard to loose. The texture of the shape is also easy to grip, and there is no need for twisting the bottom to receive more. The lip balm it self is shaped like a half circle is it is easily applied as well. The design also makes me happy because it is an object that most would not identify as a chap stick. I like the idea that it causes the viewer to be curious as to what the egg like shape is concealing. I think that the design is innovative, simple and to the point.

Response to Don Norman's 3 ways design makes you happy:

This video opened my eyes to truly depict why I use the objects I do. For example I always have my iphone with me. It is technology that holds everything I need in one. It is constantly pleasing because I am able to multitask, which is needed in the fast paced world we live in. Design is always evolving into something newer and better than before. In reality a design that makes me happy is a design that does what I want it to do with out any complications. The idea that design is something that satisfies you really stuck with me. I think that most everyone needs something to make them happy, we all need a bit of cheering up every once in a while.

Response to Dieter Ram's Ten principles of Good Design

The principles that Dieter Ram highlights in this article are areas that we all subconsciously know make a good design. After reading the article I realized that the principles are really a criteria as to what we look for to satisfy our needs in a design. Of course the product needs to be useful and we need to be able to understand the product. It needs not to be complicated or overcome by design so much that it get in the way of the ability to use the object. I don't consciously think if the design is eco-friendly or if the product is long lasting when I am trying an object for the first time. All that I care initially is if it gets the job done. When the outcome makes me happy, I then discover that the design is good for me.

5 Best Drawings

1. Negative space

This drawing is successful because of the use of shapes that are highlighted around the object. This allows the viewer to make up the object in the negative space. I also think that the drawing is effective because the shapes around the negative space give the illusion of a border around the object, even though there isn't one.

2. Combination: Gesture + Hatching + Contour

I feel that this drawing is successful because of its use of negative space as well as its ability to let the viewer imagine the rest of the body, or where the ball of lip balm leaves the page. The contour lines that line the screw around the lip balm really defines its depth also.

3. Contour Lines

The quality of lines allows for the viewer to feel light and dark values of this object. This drawing is successful because of the way that the thick black line draws the viewer eye around the whole object.

4. Positive Space + Pen

The use of pen to define the positive space makes this drawing successful. Adding simple detail to the object gives the viewer some clarity as to what the object could be.

5. Gesture + Contour

The contour lines are a big part of why this drawing is successful. The quality of the thick and thins of the line allow the viewer to really follow to edges of the object. It helps the viewer define that it has depth.

Response to Objectified:

This movie provoked a new way of viewing the objects around me. Design is apart of my everyday life, and I have let it go unnoticed. I thought that it was interesting that most people dont stop to look at a design. This movie took the time to point out that people dont consciously know that we are all looking for good design in our lives. Design is the search for form, and every object has a form whether it works well or not. What we look for is something that fits our needs, and a good design is there do to that.