I made a couple of changes to my design. The main thing I did was slim it down considerably by moving the water-filled section to the back of the chair and removing the sides and large base. I also removed the arm-stretching device and came up with a design that would allow part of the chair to be removed so it could be used in cars or on different chairs.
I slimmed down the size of the chair in order to make it easier to fit in smaller spaces such as apartments. It also makes the product more aesthetically appealing and wouldn’t be as difficult to imagine in a home setting. I removed the arm-stretching device because my user explained that she wanted her arms to be at her side most of the time when resting and that she can do stretches without any aid or straps, which is what she does in the shower. I created a top section that was removable in order to make the chair more versatile, giving the user the ability to take the top part and use it on a different chair or in a car.
I spoke with my user again to make sure I was understanding the problem correctly and I did find that her core problem is lasting relief for her neck pain. Her current solutions, including stretching in hot showers and heating pads only last for a few hours. The root problem is that she has a herniated disc which is out of place. When the muscles around the disc are tight and her spine is compressed, the disc is more likely to touch a nerve and give her pain. By using a product that decompresses her spine for long periods of time, her herniated disc will be less likely to come in contact with the nerves near her vertebrae.
I used Marius Ursache’s problem statement canvas in order to better understand the root problem, its emotion and behavioral impact, and the available solutions.
When neck pain occurs, individuals with chronic spinal issues who are normally active, experience discomfort and have restricted movement. Because of this they feel frustrated, anxious, nervous, and remain seated for up to 6 hours a day in positions that add to spinal compression. Currently, they use heating pads and stretches in the shower to alleviate the pain, despite the fact that this does not give long-lasting relief and does not affect spinal compression. However, the saline-solution/water chair allows for decreased spinal compression throughout the day, allowing for more permanent spinal decompression and comfort.
I also created a problem cycle:
Here’s a link to my revised Tinkercad design: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/7zvvjKax3eP
And below are a variety of photos of the new design.
I really like the approach and while the technical execution of this is outside the scope of the course, you are really getting to the root of the problem. Really great work! Lets finalize the design in the upcoming days, have the VP defined and use that to create the final video.
This seems like a much more feasible product now that it’s been slimmed down. Have you thought about adding a heating element? I realize from your post that heating only provides temporary relief and doesn’t address the root cause; but I think that’s a feature that your customers would find valueable.