Product Design Researcher – DynaOptics
Introduction
DynaOptics is an optical technologies company that has patented a new hardware that allows users to zoom with much more clarity, while occupying a much smaller physical footprint.
Our team was comprised of five multidisciplinary design students and our work for DynaOptics was centered around designing a battery casing for the iPhone that houses their optical hardware. During our time with DynaOptics, from February-May 2014, we worked to provide the DynaOptics team with design research spanning from what users want in a phone case to the price point at which users would purchase the technology.
Problem
DynaOptics hopes to eventually partner with cell phone companies and implant its technology directly into phones. In the meantime, however, they want to construct an external case that can house their hardware and act as a separate camera unit.
There are many camera accessories on the market currently but none that address the ease of use, functionality, and price that users are looking for. Myself and the four other consultants worked to determine these needs and design a case that DynaOptics can use to match these needs.
Plastic block representing the size of the optical hardware module that we aimed to integrate into a battery case. It measures approximately 20x20x5mm
Understanding User Needs
To understand user needs, we are in the process of interviewing a number of users ranging from avid “iPhone-ographers” to recreational photographers.
We determined that most users are looking for seemless integration between their phone and a camera attachment. For many users, they do not mind having a bulkier attachment if it can be easily attached and detached from the phone.
Once we gleaned the most critical user needs, our team was able to prototype solutions that address these needs, all while staying within the user-defined price point.
User Research Findings
Ian Shain 