MATT

GIBBS
CREATIVE DESIGN PORTFOLIO

WELCOME
Thank you for taking the time to look at my portfolio. I hope you enjoy viewing
some of the projects I have completed and the work I have produced along the
way!
A little about me...
I am a 22 year old Product Designer with a passion for all things design. I will be
graduating from the University of Leeds in July 2016 with a Masters and Bachelors
degree in Product Design with International Experience, expected to attain a First
Class Honours. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to study abroad in
Brisbane, Australia during the third year of my degree, in which I was able to widen
my academic knowledge and gain invaluable experiences along the way.
Whilst an emphasis is placed within Product Design on the ideation of new
concepts and how those can be manifested into marketable products, I am also
very business minded with a passion for marketing, advertising and branding. Due
to the creative nature of product design, I am always looking for new products and
visuals to create and innovative ways to market existing products and brands. In my
time at university I have completed many projects which apply what I have learnt to
the real world and I look forward to building upon this as I begin my professional
career in 2016.

HAPTIC HANDWRITING
OVERVIEW

A University of Leeds multidisciplinary Masters project to design and

build a device that allows children to practice their handwriting skills by
giving visual and haptic feedback when performing pre-programmed
exercises. The outcome of the project was a prototype haptic robot that
can assist a child to undertake standardised handwriting tasks. An
accompanying user interface provides the child with task instructions and
performance feedback on their handwriting development.
The work packages I undertook for the project included producing the
unit, stylus and game designs, alongside the creation of a brand for the
system and a subsequent marketing initiative.

PROJECT SKILLSET

BRANDING
The branding element of the project involved producing a name, logo and colour
scheme for the device. The process behind each element included concept ideation
and further development, utilising user feedback and evaluation matrices throughout
as a measurement for improvement and success. The colour scheme hex codes
produced were used throughout each component of the project including the logo,
pamphlet and the aesthetic finish of the device.

WRITERIGHT
HAPTIC HANDWRITING

WRITERIGHT
WRITE
RIGHT

WRITERIGHT

HAPTIC HANDWRITING

WRITE
RIGHT

HAPTIC HANDWRITING

WRITERIGHT
HAPTIC HANDWRITING
#58585B

#62C9DA

#D1D2D4

PAMPHLET DESIGN
My role was to develop an initiative to get our teams design out to stakeholders and those who held an interest in
our project outcome. Therefore, I created a marketing pamphlet which provided the reader with an overview of the
project, the team, the problem, our design solution and what our vision for the future was. These were printed and
distributed to our stakeholders.
The
Project
The
Future
Vision

The Project
A University of Leeds Masters project to design and build a device
that allows children to practice their handwriting skills by giving visual
and haptic feedback when performing pre-programmed exercises.

The Team

WRITERIGHT
HAPTIC HANDWRITING

WRITERIGHT
HAPTIC HANDWRITING

Name:
Course:
Email:
Responsibilities:

Edzani Galetshabele
MEng Medical Engineering
edzanios@gmail.com
Handwriting analysis,
Mechanical design

Name:
Course:
Email:
Responsibilities:

Matt Gibbs
MDes Product Design
mgibbs363@gmail.com
Marketing, Branding,
Design (Stylus, Unit, Game)

Name:
Course:
Email:
Responsibilities:

Jonathan Edwards
MDes Product Design
edwardsjr94gmail.com
Design (Casing, Arm, Task, UI)

Name:
Course:

Robin Jackson
MEng Mechatronic and
Robotic Engineering
Robin.h.jackson@mail.LV
Control software

Email:
Responsibilities:
Name:
Course:
Email:
Responsibilities:

University of Leeds

The Problem

Children

Despite the emergence of advanced technologies in recent years,

having proficient and legible handwriting is still an important part of
education, employment and everyday life. The inability to write with
HDVH GLUHFWO\ DIIHFWV FKLOGUHQV SHUIRUPDQFH LQ VFKRRO DQG KDV EHHQ
shown to have lasting effects at university level and beyond.
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a common
neurobehavioral disorder in children and adults. Poor fine and gross
motor skills are a consequence of this condition. Studies have shown
that a high percentage of children with DCD have difficulties with
handwriting and spend a lot of their cognitive resources focusing on it.
This in turn slows their development and acquisition of other
fundamental skills developed within the learning environment.

With improved handwriting, children can develop other academic skills

such as reading, listening and speaking. Alongside this, an increased
number of children can receive assistance ensuring all children develop
at the same rate as their peers.

Teachers and Schools

With an increased number of children receiving the necessary
assistance, the standard of handwriting increases within the class.
Children are more likely to perform better in school when their
handwriting is proficient and legible, making teaching and marking
easier. Alongside this, schools that invest in their pupils are more likely
to be seen favourably in the public eye.

Occupational Therapists
The system reduces the time pressures on occupational therapists.
Once the occupational therapist has set up the device, the child can then
choose the necessary tasks or games and perform the exercises without
the need for one to one assistance. Subsequently, the occupational
therapist has more time available to help other children.

Researchers
The device serves as a foundation for further research. Both the
software and hardware within the system are fully integrative, ensuring
future software development work can be implemented into the device
DQGWHVWHGXVLQJWKHV\VWHPVKDUGZDUH

13%

DCD affects

Reduced size of the mechanism

components, decreasing the
overall size of the device

System would be able to detect

when the pen is in contact with
the paper, in turn switching the
haptics on or off

Internal feature would analyse

the data produced and create a
development profile for the
individual users

Adjustable
viewing
angle
mechanism would be built into
the unit design

Device would be supplied with a number

of different pen styles and grips

SHINE handwriting task booklet implemented into the system

Fully customisable for adaptations and future development
Interface is intuitive to use
Data can be exported from the system and analysed
System features a game for users to enjoy alongside the exercises
Allows unsupervised, repetitive practice to occur
New tasks and games can be added with ease

Hardware
Stylus can be taken out and swapped with a different style of pen or
grip

of a child's academic day is spent focusing

on fine motor skills (McHale, 1992)

Exemplar Task
A1
Draw out the shapes

of primary school aged children suffer from some

form of movement difficulty (RFP, 2015)

5-8%

70%

A vast library of tasks and games

for the users to complete

Software

The Numbers

Up to

Increased arm length would

provide a larger workspace area

The Features

Since a large proportion of children suffer from movement difficulties,

there is a real need to develop tools which can assist and develop
handwriting skills.

31-60%

A5

Owen Ahmet-Hayward
MEng Mechatronic and
Robotic Engineering
ofahayward@hotmail.com
Electronics, Kinematic software

The Solution

The Beneficiaries

A4

of children in primary schools (Dewey

and Wilson, 2001)

User Interface

Unit secures the tablet, mechanical device and the paper writing
surface.
Catch mechanism for the casing is discrete and reduces the chance
of a child opening it up and accessing the components

Practice:

Three-part casing design enables access to the mechanic

components for repair or future development

Final:

Motors are back drivable, reducing the chance of child pushing too
hard on the system and causing damage
Helpful Hint

of children who suffer with DCD when they are younger

continue to struggle as they get older (Kirby et al, 2008)

Tablet viewing angle can be adjusted

Keep looking at
the example shape
Take
your time!
to compare

It isnt a race

WRITERIGHT
HAPTIC HANDWRITING

Brushes discourage children from placing their fingers in the

mechanism

Electronic mechanism components can be individually replaced

and upgraded over time

UNIT AND STYLUS

I also produced the unit which secured all the components of the
overall device and the stylus which enabled the user to interact with
the system. Multiple phases of sketch ideation, CAD development
and prototyping were undertaken to reach the respective final design
solutions. The devices logo was etched onto the unit using a laser
cutter and finished according to the brands colour scheme.

FINAL DESIGNS
To produce a final working prototype for the project, each team
member brought together their components of the device and it
was assembled and tested. On the right are two images; the first
is the CAD model we produced and below is the final prototype
with all its functioning components.
A KeyShot animation demonstrating how the device is built and
used can be found at:
www.behance.net/gallery/37864351/Haptic-Handwriting
As this project was conducted over the course of an entire year it
is difficult to convey all the work I have produced and therefore I
would be more than happy to talk about it with you if you wanted
to know any more!

DESIGN COMMUNICATION
OVERVIEW

A project to redesign a modern day electrical appliance in the style of one

of a number of trends and movements. The style I chose to use for my
redesign was Steampunk. This movement looks at bringing together
modern technology with a 19th century industrial, steam powered
aesthetic.
The process involved researching the trend and creating mood boards for
inspiration. After producing concept designs and developing them, a final
design was built using CAD, rendered in KeyShot and then animated. A
manufacture plan was also produced, explaining how the design would be
built and this was given to Level 2 students to prototype.

PROJECT SKILLSET

VISUALISATION
I redesigned the electric hand mixer in the style of the Steampunk
movement. The style focuses on giving off an industrial feel, using copper,
bronze and leather materials to give this aesthetic impression. Enabling the
user to see the internal workings of a product is another key feature of the
Steampunk movement, hence the clear shell and the visible fans inside.

EXPLODED VIEW

I have also produced a KeyShot animation for this design which

can be found at:
www.behance.net/gallery/37866387/Design-Communication

USER-CENTRED DESIGN

OVERVIEW

A project to create a product in which the design process followed a

number of user-centred design (UCD) methods. For this project, I was
challenged to identify a user who had a problem that was not currently
solved by any existing products or solutions.
After conducting background research into an area I was interested in,
the design brief I tasked myself with was to Design a product or system
that monitors force impact in real time and visually indicates the potential
for a concussion within individuals aged between Key Stage 1,2 and 3.
Throughout the process I engaged with the user and other stakeholders,
implementing a number of UCD methods including questionnaires,
interviews, participatory design, prototyping and usability testing.

PROJECT SKILLSET

SKETCHING
The first phase of the project involved ideating a number of design
concepts which had the potential to meet the brief and sketching
these down for evaluation against the requirements.

INFOGRAPHICS

50%

Infographics were used throughout this project to convey alot of

the information that was crucial to the reader. The use of
infographics enabled large sections of text to be condensed down
into a format that was both easier to read and more aesthetically
pleasing.

of second impact syndrome leads

to death. That is, brain injury caused
by returning prematurely after
receiving an initial concussion.

248,000 children in

the US visited the emergency

room suffering from
concussions in 2009.

20%

is the risk of experiencing a concussion

during

90%

U8 (KS1)

15%

U8 (KS1)

85%

1.6m to 3.8m sports

65%

U11 (KS2) U15 (KS3)

5%

related concussions in the US every

year.

59%

0%

U12 (KS2) U15 (KS3)

Demonstrated the amount

of children who wore
headgear when playing their
respective sport at school

1 season of contact sport.

Each symbol represented a

design requirement. When a
concept failed to meet a
requirement it was greyed
out like so.

The increase in the number of

concussions that occurred in English
Rugby during the 2013-2014 season in
comparison to the prior year.

90%, the number of sports

concussions believed to be
under reported.

Infographics were used to highlight

background research and relevant data
figures to the reader

FINAL DESIGN

User pulls the headpiece down and

secures

Individual receives an impact to the head

My final design used a number of flexible force sensors

throughout the inner padding of the headwear. These
sensors were set to measure the amount of force it
takes to sustain a potential concussion and depending
on the amount of force, either a green or red LED
illuminated offering real time feedback to the user.
Green light indicates it wasn't a forceful
impact

This time the red light illuminates and

the buzzer sounds

Individual receives a second force to the

head

Coaches, teachers, parents and

teammates notice the danger
warning and take medical
precautions. Precautions on the
sports field are carried out by those
in charge and the unit is reset once
the issue has been dealt with. By no
means does a red light indicate a
concussion has occurred, instead it
ensures that the individual can be
checked in case of one and treated
accordingly.

EMOTIONAL DESIGN
OVERVIEW

A design project intended to develop our understanding of user-centred

design, with specific regard to designing for a user that differs drastically
from oneself. The brief was to design a water bottle for a specific user
and in my case, this was to Design a water vessel for young female
professionals in the office and on the go.
The process began by surveying a number of target markets. A product
benefits specification which highlighted the emotional benefits the
design would provide the user with was produced, creating conceptual
designs that met the benefits specification and an evaluation of them
followed. Lastly, CAD was used to develop the solution into a 3D model.
This model was then CNC routed and 3D printed, with a portfolio of work
produced in order to communicate the final design.

PROJECT SKILLSET

SKETCHING AND PROTOTYPING

The initial phase of the project was to sketch out some styles
which met the persona of the user I chose. After the concept
had been selected and developed, the CAD models were CNC
routed and 3D printed for testing.

STORYBOARDING
The final phase of the project was to produce the visuals for the design and
an accompanying portfolio to convey the design to the user. I chose to create
a simple storyboard to demonstrate how the design should be used.
Whilst the cap is in its
catch, the bottle is
watertight

When the user wants a

drink, she rotates the
cap to the bumper

Water flows once the

cap has been rotated

The user can now drink

from the vessel. Once
finished, the user can
return the cap back to
its catch

DESIGN ARTICLE
OVERVIEW

The task for this assignment was to produce an article looking at one of a
number of influences on an artifact or product over time which was
fundamental to German design. The focus of this article is on the
aesthetic development of Marcel Bruers B32 chair and the effect its style
has had throughout time.
Alongside the content of the article, the document also had to resemble
as closely as possible the style of a Guardian Newspaper article from a
visual perspective.

PROJECT SKILLSET

PRINT DESIGN
Getting Legless: A Guide To German Design
The Life Of: Marcel Breuer

Marcel Breuer: Aesthetics Of The B32 Chair

Caitlin McCulloch

Richard Williams

Hungarian born Marcel Breuer is often seen as one

of the most influential architects and teachers of
the 20th Century (1). Born in a small provincial
town in Hungary, Breuer left home aged 18 to
attend the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, 1920.
However after six months, disillusioned with the
focused and historical approach to art, Breuer
decided to attend the newly formed Bauhaus school
in Weiner. Staatliches Bauhaus, which translates
as house for building was founded to unite both
art and craftsmanship and was a direct rejection of
the soullessness of the current manufacturing
processes (2). It was here that Breuer focused his
attention on furniture and until 1924 attended a
carpentry workshop run by one of its founders
Walter Gropius (3). Indeed, his early works from
this period heavily featured wood as a medium, one
example can be seen in his African Chair, 1921. The
African Chair was created in union with his then
lover, Gunta Stozl, as a symbol of their relationship
(4). The chair, a combination of both textile and
wooden elements is made of multiple wood types
including oak, cherry, hemp and cotton (5). The
textile element, created by Stozl was produced
using woven yarn and featured abstract shapes
reminiscent of folk art (4, 5). Following this,
during his final year of study, Breuer became
interested in functionality and geometric forms.
The slatted chair, a development upon an earlier
design in 1922, was based on De Stijls design
principles, which focused on simplicity and
geometric forms (6). Both the seat and the
placement of the wooden rungs within the chair
were designed to encourage a comfortable and
ergonomic seating position (6).
In 1925, after passing his journeymans
examination, Breuer was appointed junior master
by Gropius, which enabled him to direct a furniture

Marcel Breuer is well known to have

pioneered the design of the modern day
cantilever chair, under the Bauhaus
design movement. The definition of
cantilever refers to an object which is
sorely supported at one end (9). This
chair only had legs at the front, hence the
name, the cantilever chair emerged for
this radical new style.
The initial concept of the
cantilever chair was not created by Breuer
himself. Removal of the rear legs from a
chair was initially proposed by Mart
Stam, a Dutch architect in his S33 chair,
1926 (10). The idea was also implemented
by Ludwig van der Rohe in the MR10,
1927. However, the legs were curved and
hence it was impractical to use beneath a
table (11). Breuer had past experience in
chair design; his B3 Wassily chair
provided much of the inspiration for the
modern day cantilever version (10).
Breuers cantilever chair had multiple
variations between 1926 and 1928,
however the most famous version, the
B32 had a simple armless design (10).
Further models such as the B34 and B64
incorporated arms into the design to add
further
ergonomic
and
functional
advantages.
Breuer insisted that his version of
the cantilever chair should be simpler
than previous attempts, and envisioned
the user sitting on columns of air (12).
Breuer used his favourite visual elements

Marcel Breuer
workshop. Breuers interest in inexpensive
materials and modular designs led to the
development of the first chrome plated steel-tubed
furniture in 1925, the B3 chair (7). The B3 chair,
also known as the Wassily chair, was the first steel
chair designed for domestic use and remains one of
the most identifiable icons of the modernist
furniture movement (8). This chair was
revolutionary in both its use of materials and
methods of manufacturing. In that same year,
upon the relocation of the Bauhaus to Dessau,
Breuer was commissioned to design all the
furniture for the new buildings. The outcome of
which was the S shaped B32 cantilever chair, now
recognised as one of the most widely used
commercial
chairs
in
the
world
(1).

Cantilever Chair: Its Effect

Matthew Gibbs
The B32 set the precedent for the
cantilever style to be mass
manufactured,
focusing
primarily
of
being
both
functional and efficient with its
use of materials. It was the chair
which epitomised the movement
towards
functionality
and
minimalism and has to this day
been continually used within the
design
community.
The
production of Breuers B32 chairs
have changed hands throughout
the last century. Initially they
were produced by Thornet in
1928 however in the 1950s
manufacturing
rights
were
handed over to Gavina to produce
the chairs. Then in the 1960s,
Gavina was bought by the Knoll
company who to this day still
produce the authentic versions of
the B32 (15). As it happens,
Marcel Breuer was unable to file
for a patent against the chairs
design due to the disputed
origins of the cantilever style
which means today there are a
vast number of cantilever styled
chairs in circulation. The design
community have made good use
of the minimalistic aesthetic
inspired by the B32 chair and
even the likes of IKEA have
produced cantilevered chairs,

including the Tobias and Pello

chairs (16). The style has been
adapted to suit the needs of the
modern era, with chairs designed
for both the office environment
and for home comfort.
Design plays a prominent
role in Germany, with a sense of
pride and achievement in their
design roots (17). It played a
pivotal role in society after the
end of the First World War, with
design seen as a service to the
community. (18). For Germans,
design and engineering have
been the driving force behind its
rise as the leader of Europe and
this has in turn lodged itself into
German culture. The Bauhaus
movement is one of the best
known
design
trends
in
Germany, influencing a huge
number of different aspects of
their culture, from architecture
to industrial design with its
functional and efficient features
(17). And whilst Bauhaus is still a
prominent factor in German
design, there has been a number
of attempts to move away to
more up to date, current styles.
Joerg Suermann of the design
award of the federal republic of
Germany
highlights
that
"German
design
is
very
functional, very minimal, but the
world is moving. To be successful

in the future we have to think

about what will happen in the
future, what is necessary for the
future." This coincides with a
movement by young German
designers to distance themselves
from Bauhaus and create a new
more modern design language
(19). The German design council
was set up in order to strengthen
the design industry, fearing that
the competitiveness they once
had was being lost. Each of the
members
within
this
organization are committed to
the idea that design is a crucial
factor for both business and
cultural success, and therefore
design has wedged itself in as an
imperative from all aspects of
society (20). Whilst there have
been many attempts to change
the design scene in Germany,
automotive
engineering
and
design continues to remain the
industry Germans are best
known for and provides them
with the biggest sense of
national pride (21). This however
has been detrimental to some
other aspects of design such as
fashion, in which cities like Paris
have emerged as the world
leaders and German fashion has
fallen behind (22).

from the previous B3 chair; including

shiny nickel plated tubing in order to
produce a minimalist appeal. His
inspiration for this was taken from
bicycle handlebars (13), utilising both the
form and shape within the framework of
the chair. Breuer explained that using
shiny and impeccable lines in space, as
new components of our interiors was
the main reason to further incorporate a
nickel finish on the tubing (13). Breuer
created a modern and unusual take on the
existing chair, adding many aesthetic and
functional improvements through the use
of a continuous framework (14). The
result was the B32 cantilever chair, a
simple armless design that appeared to
float in the air due to the exclusion of rear
legs. The design was in keeping with the
Bauhaus style, using clean lines and
minimal design techniques to achieve
both an attractive and functional
outcome.

Shiny and impeccable

lines in space, as new
components of our
interiors
Removal of the rear legs was a radical
idea at the time, made possible by
utilising the strength of steel tubing. The
tubing was not only strong, but allowed
the chair to give a little at the back to

Currently
one of the most
recognisable
mass produced
products

Inspiration
from bicycle
handlebars

New design
had both
aesthetic and
functional
improvements

support the body and provide maximum

user comfort and flexibility (10). The
tubing was cold rolled a new technique
that allowed flexing without walls
collapsing - and bent, which ensured that
many chairs could be made quickly and
efficiently (14). The tubing construction
method also allowed the chair to be mass
produced which was a crucial Bauhaus
principle. The special properties of the
material and the viability of the mass
production techniques is what made
Marcel design and construct the chair in
this way. With regards to the construction
method, he quoted I considered such
polished and curved lines not only
symbolic of our modern technology but
actually to be technology (13). The metal
tubing was also able to be nickel plated to
give the desired effect (10). Cane was
mounted onto the steel tubing to form a
seat and backrest (14). Utilizing this
material was not only modern and
effective, but also incredibly cheap. This
allowed the cost of the chair to remain
very affordable, which allowed simple
modernist designs to be available to the
masses.
The striking design along with the
overall
floating
appearance
was
obtainable using the selected materials,
and also followed the underlying Bauhaus
principles. This created a timeless design
which is still prominent in many chair
designs today.

Clean lines
and
minmalistic
materials

Breuer
described the
chair as
Sitting on
columns of air

Tubing
allowed the
chair to flex
at the back

Marcel Breuers B32 Chair

Opinion
A German Pespective
Chirstinne Koch
Bauhaus Archive Assistant
Who is your favorite designer and why?
I am a great admirer of one of the founders of
Bauhaus, Walter Gropius. I think he was a great
influence and his ideology helped to develop many
ways of design thinking today.
What do you think his design work meant for
Germany?
The Bauhaus building its self and its teachings have
helped to inspire a generation of designers. It helped
to develop a functional and minimalist attitude
towards design, seen in many products today. This is
very reflective of the German way of life and the
peoples attitudes.
Which modern day products are influenced by
this?
Brands such as Apple and Braun use simple,
minimalistic style in turn visually indicating both
form and function.
What does his style mean to you?
I feel the design and ethos is very similar to the
German people and our way of life; functional, exact,
forthcoming and to the point.
BMW Motorcycle Tour Guide
What is your favourite German design and why?
The BMW R1200 motorcycle, sport version.
Thedevelopment of the bike makes it so special,
along with its styling and power.
What do BMW do differently to other
companies?
BMW are pioneers of the boxer engine which I believe
to be the key design feature of BMW bikes. They also
use recognisable headlight clusters, similar to those
on BMW cars. The angular bodywork differentiates
our bikes form from other brands, making them
instantly recognisable throughout the world.
What is the message behind BMW bikes?
Germany and BMW have a reputation for quality
engineering. Our bikes portray ideas of power and
adventure, which is the main message behind many
of our advertising campaigns.
What does BMW mean to Germany?
Many of our bikes are still produced soley in
Germany. This ensures that we can maintain our
reputation by using German manufacturing
philosophies. Many of our bikes are used by the local
authorities, exemplifying the reliability and status of
the designs.

ID LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

07854 658867

www.linkedin.com/in/mgibbs363

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mgibbs363@gmail.com