Problem Situation

Mrs James is an elderly lady, who is fond of inviting her friends for luncheon and tea. Her tea is located on the opposite side of the house on an open front porch and she has to prepare in the kitchen which is on the other side of the house. She has a luncheon and tea at her home twice a week. Mrs James is experiencing difficulty bringing tea and luncheon to her friends due to her declining physical strength because of her authorities. She sometimes has to make numerous trips back and forth to the and kitchen and outside porch. The load may be too heavy and because of shaky hands this often results in the tea being spilt or splashed. Mrs James lives alone, and her friends who are elderly as well are no better to transporting the luncheon and tea than she is.

Design Brief
I feel the there is a need to design and make an artefact that will make it easy for Mrs James to transport her luncheon and tea.

Situation Analysis
I have observed that the luncheons and teas are carried on a tray to the outside porch (tea area). Mrs James told me she has to make numerous trips when transporting the tea.

I observed it is hard and causes pain for Mrs James to carry heavy loads and sometimes tea is split and splashed on the floor of her home. I observed that the kitchen is a long distance from the tea area for Mrs James and any elderly adult.

Mrs James caters for four people including herself. 1. Who will use the artefact? 2. Where will it be used? 3. Why will it be necessary? 4. When will it be used? 5. What material should it be?

6. What appearance should it portray? 7. How will it be move (transported)? 8. How the cutlery and tea utensils would be held. 1. Mrs James, her friends and anyone who may visit her home. 2. Mainly from the kitchen to the outside porch (tea area) and maybe from the kitchen to the dining table. 3. To carrier the luncheon and tea safely and in a neat manner to the outside porch to avoid making a mess. 4. Whenever Mrs James wants to carrier tea or food to the far parts of her home but will be used mainly twice a week when she has her luncheons and tea.

5. The material should be strong and easily cleaned after use by Mrs James. 6. It should be attractive and aesthetically appealing to Mrs James and have a good finish to avoid any impurities on the material. 7. It should be easy to move around and sable when being moved or kept still. 8. They will be held on fixed trays on the construction.

Research & Analysis

1
This is an attractive design featuring all wood construction However its functionality is impaired due to only having two wheels. It exhibits a fairly complex construction which may be difficult to make and has a removable tray on the top level which is a good idea. The removable tray can be taken off and placed on a surface like a coffee table. It looks to be more suitable for outside use as cause of its looks. This trolley seems to be designed with serving merely to look attractive in mind and has caused a decrease in functionality.

Limitations
The finish of the product can be improved by applying varnish it will make it more attractive. The material used is teak and is heavy It has a thin construction with no grip for the user.

2 Research & Analysis

This is a simpler design that is all metal in construction It is highly functional and has four wheels so less effort is required to move it. It appears easy to clean and features a simple straight forward construction. It appears to be fully function able and being metal is more than capable of supporting a heavy load and its flat surface makes it easy to work off. However its bottom tray is too low to the ground for comfortable use by an elderly adult as u strains your back to reach the bottom tray. It has a very good finish with a protective coat of paint and so it is unlikely that any liquid may damage it until paint wears off.

Limitations
If the artefact is left in the sun it well get hot and well be difficult to use. It has a bottom tray which makes it uncomfortable for use by any elderly adults as they have to stretch and strain their backs when bending.

3 Research & Analysis

This is a strange design that purpose is probably to save on space. The wheels are large in proportion to the rest of its structure and this is to try increasing its poor stability. The finish on the trays appears attractive as, dose the wood used however the overall design is not visually appealing. The artefact appears easy to clean but again the bottom tray is placed too low to the ground to facilitate easy use and the design would be somewhat better if the bottom tray where higher up.

Limitations
This design has a very limited storage capacity. It also has a very unstable look caused it being taller Than it is long this raises the centre of gravity of the artefact and makes it more susceptible to toppling over. The square grip is ergonomically very poor and appears very uncomfortable to hold.

Overall the design is unsuitable, its good points are the finish on the trays and its conservation of space however it appears to be functioning able.

4 Research & Analysis

This is a functional, attractive and very modern looking design. Featuring stainless steel and plastic construction this trolley has a large surface area for placement of items being transported. Featuring a strong looking construction it appears light weight and fast moving due to four wheels with a large circumference. This trolley appears very hygienic due to the use of stainless steel and a wide flat surface but will have to be thoroughly cleaned regularly.

Limitations
This artefact has two nonrotating wheels which limit its manoeuvrability somewhat, but it should not be too difficult to manoeuvre. The space between the handles and the top tray appears too small for comfortable use and the tray might dig into the users hands so the trolley could use some improvements to its ergonomics.

This trolley is a good design and it appears very stable it features intelligent use of materials and definitely fulfils its function.

Specification Performance/Function The trolley should be able to be easily moved around. Full cups of tea and plates of cake present no problem. The trolley should be able to be taken from storage and used directly without any setting up being necessary. No damage to any furniture or equipment should be inflicted by the trolley. Function Capacity: the artefact should be able to carry a minimum of six teacups, six saucers, eight teaspoons, six side plates, six cake forks, a teapot, a milk jug, a sugar bowl and spoon, one serving platter or plate. It should also have room for a small amount of extra cutlery or extra plates. The artefact should be able to support a minimum of twelve kilograms to ensure that it can carry the load. Stability: the artefact should be stable at all times and not inclined to topple over when moving or stationary.

Mobility: The artefact should not be difficult to move along polished wood or carpeted floors as it will not be mobile for the user. Weight: The artefact should be light weight, but have high strength to weight ratio.

Ergonomics The trolley should be operated comfortably from a standing position without the need for bending, by left handed and right handed people alike. Only a relatively small force should be required to push the trolley. Aesthetics The trolley should have an attractive finish ex. Wooden parts should be varnished etc. Parts should have no surface defects but smooth. It should be aesthetically appealing. The trolley should look efficient at its job and long structured and appealing.

Environment The trolley should be able to with-stand being bumped and stretched and knocked on doors and walls in a home without a subsequent loss of performance. The materials used should be able to with-stand exposure to hot water or tea being spilt on it and also the exposure to a wet surface for several hours.

Shelf Life The trolley should have a shelf life of a year. Safety The artefact should minimize on the danger of scalding from spillages of the hot liquids being transported when the artefact is in use. The artefact should minimize on the danger to other furniture in the event of a collision when in use. The artefact should minimize the danger to people other than the user in the event of a collision when in use.

The artefact should not have any overly sharp edges that will be able to cut those present in use bearing in mind that the other people have softer skin that is more inclined to tear.

Materials The artefact should preferably use materials that are relatively cheap and available in hardware shops. Durability: the artefact should be capable of withstanding abuse in the form of accidental knocks. Water Resistance: the artefact is for use in a role involving various liquids and assorted food stuffstherefore it should not be damaged or in any way impaired by contact with either of the above.

Maintenance The trolley must be easy to clean in the event of any spillages. The artefact should be easy to clean with no hard to reach places and it should also have smooth surfaces that dirt does not stick to easily, and surfaces that

should not be damaged by use of common house detergents.

Manufacture Construction: The artefact should not be difficult to manufacture so the construction should not be overly complex. Cost: should cost no more that so that clients may easily purchase the product.

Evaluation of possible Solution 1

The design is checked against the product design specifications to reveal its suitability for solving the problem and fulfilling the design brief.

Capacity:
The solution has a wide surface area and the two levels including the additional surface area of the tray that slides out.

Stability:
This solution has a wide wheelbase and is low to the ground so it has good stability and is unlikely to topple over. Having the castors on a cross rail means there is no chance of it rocking.

Mobility:
This solution will have limited mobility due to the sliding tray, which will have to be slide in before the artefact is moved; once the tray is closed the artefact will be smaller thus being easier to manoeuvre.

Weight:
Due to the small size of the artefact it will be quite light but by adding a sliding tray may increase the weight, however it will still be fairly light.

SAFETY
Having no raised hand hold s means and a sliding tray means that the user could be endangered by a spillage of hot liquid if the tray were to slide out accidently and it would damage the items it is carrying. The design features sharp corners that might hurt the user or scratch furniture when in use.

Strength of construction
Durability:
The structure of the design with a reinforcing member on the bottom tray and sufficient use of materials means that the overall design is quite durable and should with stand any knocks.

Water resistance:
The level of water resistance of the product will depend on the finish used, however if done correctly this design has average water resistance.

Maintenance & cleaning

Maintenance & cleaning:
Having a sliding tray means this design will need a lot of maintenance the tray will need to be prevented from losing size during continuous use.

Cleaning:
The design will be difficult and time consuming due to the sliding tray and multiple members.

Manufacture
Construction:
This design features a construction that is not very hard to implement, to construct the sliding tray and the mechanism for holding in place will be fairly complex.

Cost:
The design will be of average cost to implement as it is quite small.

Appearance
This design appears contempory but not extremely Morden, its and it will blend in with the environment curving of the legs adds to its appeal and helps give it shape.

Ergonomics
Featuring no particular hand holds this design can be moved from any direction but the most likely places to be used, as hand holds are the tops of the vertical corner members. Having no handles means that to move the trolley will not be very comfortable, and the top tray is easy accessible however the bottom tray is too low to the ground this may hurt the users back when bending to retrieve items.

Overall comment
A more complex design which will be fairly difficult to produce and it do not satisfy enough of the specification, particularly those in the ergonomics section. As the artefacts main function is to transport the luncheon tea, the fact that the sliding tray cannot be used during transportation means that it does not add much value to the artefacts function, it is not worthless however as it does allow easier use and a large surface area for serving luncheon and tea . Overall a good design and I have taken the style of having a removable tray.

Evaluation of possible solution 2

The design is checked against the product design specification to reveal its suitability for solving the problem situation.

Capacity:
The solution has a large surface area for transporting items. It will able to hold all the required items

Stability:
The solution will very stable due to a rigid and well supported construction that is quite heavy so it will be hard to topple over.

Mobility:
This solution will average mobility; however its heaviness cancels out the increase in mobility.

Safety
This solution helps reduce danger from the user by reducing spillages of scolding liquids, as it grips or handles are away from the loading area. Thus in the event of a spill in motion the users body parts should be well away from dangerous heat. The heaviness of this design means that if it were to collide with other furniture it may cause damage. Again the weight and sharp corners of this design mean that it could be quite dangerous in the event of collision to a human being.

Strength of construction
Durability:
This design due to its bulky construction should be capable of withstanding abuse in the form of accidental knocks.

Water Resistance:
The level of the resistance of water will depend on the finish used on design however if done correctly this design is highly resistant to water due to smooth and straight surfaces without places for moisture to gather without notice.

Maintenance and cleaning

Maintenance:
If constructed strongly this design will require little maintenance

Cleaning:
The top and bottom trays of this design are flat and highly accessible and therefore easy to clean.

Manufacture
Construction:
This design will need to be manufacture in stages, but should not be difficult to construct because its fairly simple.

Cost:
This design quite reasonable to carry out, due to the use of the same material in the construction

Appearance
This design has a simple look and can be attractive to the user by its appearance of being able to serve its purpose.

Ergonomics
Access to handles in this design is from multiple side, which makes it easier to use. The square shape of the handles will make them uncomfortable to hold.

OVERALL COMMENT
This is a strong but heavy design that will fulfil most of the product design specifications, however due to some shortfalls particularly in its safety and ergonomics it will not be the chosen solution.

Evaluation of possible solution 3

The design is checked against the product design specification to reveal its suitability for solving the problem situation and fulfilling the design brief.

Capacity:
This solution has a large and easily accessible surface area for storing items during transporting, it will be able to store and transport all required items.

Stability:
The solution is slightly less stable than the other solutions the trays are supported at one end this means that the artefact could topple over, if weight were concentrated at the end away from the handle.

Mobility:
Due to the slight tapering of the trays away from the handle, this design will be easier to move through doors and narrow passages than some other solutions, it should be highly mobile.

Weight:
This design is somewhat light weight, due to the fact that its components are fairly small. It fulfils the specification that the design should be light weight.

Safety
This design helps reduce danger to the user from spillage of liquids, as its grips are raised well away from the load bearing area. Thus in the event of a spill when in motion, the users body parts should be well away from the heat. This design features sharp edges that might hurt the user. This design is light so it is unlikely to cause damage to other furniture within its area of use.

Strength of construction
Durability:
This design is slightly less durable than the others, as it only has two vertical corner members, during the construction improvements can be done to improve the design.

Water resistance:
The level of resistance will depend on the finish of the design if correctly done this design is highly resistant to water due to smooth straight surface however the design features grooves to locate the tray, these will have to be sufficiently waterproof so that the design is completely water resistant.

Maintenance & cleaning

Maintenance:
This design will require little maintenance only the castors from time to time.

Cleaning:
The two top trays of the design are flat and highly accessible and therefore easy to clean.

Manufacture:
Construction:
This design will be manufactured in stages, but should not be very difficult to manufacture as it is fairly simple, assembly may be harder than other solutions as there are only two vertical corner members, so it will be harder to it square.

Cost:
The design feature a few numbers of components, so may be quite expensive to construct.

Appearance:
This is a very attractive design with a Morden look, however the attractiveness at a cost to other requirements of the design.

Ergonomics:
The round handle is large and will be comfortable to hold. The design only features one handle. This solution keeps all items stored at an accessible height, so the user hurt the back retrieving items from either the top or bottom tray.

Overall comment:
A good and highly attractive design that loses out due to poor stability this design if developed the stability issues could be overcome. The design has good ergonomics but on the other hand safety precautions out way the positives of the solution.

Evaluation of possible solution 4

This design is checked against the product design specifications to reveal its suitability for solving the problem situation and fulfilling the design brief.

Capacity:
This solution has fairly large trays, these allow for the user to place different items or the tea directly them depending what the user requires.

Stability:
This solution has good stability due to a simple construction and a large wheelbase this means that it will not be inclined to tip over.

Mobility:
This solution will have good mobility due to a simple design. The design solution should be stationery when it is required, but nor difficult to move.

Weight:
This solution will be light weight as there are a minimum number of parts and the structure is small in proportion to the surface area that the trays provide.

Safety:
The design helps reduce danger to the user from spillages of hot liquids, as its grips are well away from the bearing area. The solution is light weight therefore unlikely to topple over. The design features sharp edges that might hurt the user when in use.

Strength of construction:
Durability:
This design has a very string construction if constructed properly because they are a good relationship between its members.

Water resistance:
Again the level of resistance will depend on the finish of the design, however if done correctly this design will be highly resistant to water due to smooth surfaces.

Maintenance & cleaning

Maintenance:
The simple construction of the artefact will mean it needs it will require little maintenance.

Cleaning:
This design will be easy to clean as both the top and bottom trays are easily accessible, and it features flat and straight surfaces which are generally easy to clean.

Manufacture:
Construction:
This design has a fairly simple and straight forward construction, with a small amount of components.

Cost:
This design will be average cost as it is quite large but it doesnt include extra materials.

Appearance:
This design features contempory but not extremely modern, its simple design is quite visually appealing, with rounded corners adding aesthetic appeal. It does not have a dominating appearance and it should look attractive in the background.

Ergonomics:
The round handles are large and will be comfortable to hold. Access to handles in this design is from multiple sides which makes it easier for the user to use. This design keeps all articles stored at an accessible height so the user will not hurt their back when retrieving items from either the top or bottom tray.

Overall comment:
This is a simple design that should not be difficult to manufacture. It has Sharpe corners which can be improved if the design is developed.

Final solution

Contents
Design situation Situation analysis Design brief Research and analysis Specification Possible solution Model

Design situation
Situation analysis

Design Brief Specification

Possible Solutions

Model