Des 100 assignment 3:  Group project

 For my final assignment for Des100 semester one, I was put into a team, and asked to deliver a solution to a specific design challenge. The challenge my team ("SPACE") picked was to "promote wellness and physical activity". We decided to design a hexagonal lock-box to increase motivation and help people loose weight/workout. For our target group we decided to focus on adolescents, recent research from the 2018/2019 NZ Health survey  found that, 1 in 9 (11.3%) adolescents in NZ are obese, and 1 in 3 (30.9%)  people 15 years or older in NZ are obese. We also found that, currently,  adolescents get as much physical activity as 60 year olds. Our lock box works by connecting via Bluetooth  to a scale. The user will then set their weight goal on the middle hexagon, which can either be set manually or calculated based on the average weight of the user for their age.  Once the weight has been calibrated, by pressing the "Calibrate starting weight" button, weight data from the scale will be sent to the lock-box, with the users goal weight being shown on the center hexagon. They will then fill the six compartments with their favorite unhealthy foods, making sure to tightly close the compartments as they go. From then on, its workout time. As the user gets closer to his goal, compartments will periodically be unlocked, by the user stepping onto the scale. Every one sixth closer to their goal, the user will be rewarded with a snack. This works to motivate the user to achieve their desired weight, by rewarding them for their hard work. The lock box is made primarily out of 3d printed plastic, and displays the users progress through a LED lit progression bar on the center hexagon. This was my first group project as a design student, and has taught me many valuable lessons about working in a team.

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