Timer device that transforms time perception in a work environment
Master's thesis project
Mechatronics + UX + User Research + Product Design
Overview
Description
Bock is a timer device that makes people feel that time is passing faster in order to help them perform a task on schedule at work. The device has a sphere falling on a surface every minute. The sound of the fall changes the time perception and creates a sense of urgency.
Because interruptions at work may take time away from other people's tasks, Bock allows co-workers to give back the time they took, so the time the person assigned for the task is not reduced.
This device can also be used to manage the time of group activities so they don't last longer than needed.
Role
Researcher + Engineer + Interaction designer + Product designer
Project parameters
4 months length - Individual project
Research
The starting point of this project was the following question: Is it possible to control the time and manipulate it at its own convenience?
The question arose to see that although it is impossible to change the passage of time, it is possible to change the personal perception of time. In this way, if people can not change the duration of a minute, they can change what is happening in the environment to perceive time differently.
The challenge
The challenge was to transform time perception in a work environment, a context in which the relationship of people with time is difficult owing to the short deadlines of the tasks and the difficulty to manage the time effectively.
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To meet that challenge, the research was a prototyping process in which different prototypes intervened the environment and revealed relevant information related to time and the way in which their perception could be changed.
In a work environment, time is collaborative and cyclic.
Time is collective because the work of the individuals depends on the progress of others, including the interruptions presented between the members. Time is cyclical because every workday is repeated.
The first prototype showed that it is not possible to chance time perception with a device that is not always noticeable and with a different representation of time.
The second prototype proved that in a work environment there might be many interruptions that make it difficult to perform individual tasks on time, however, interruptions are necessary because people need to interact with others.
The third prototype demonstrated the sound of the sphere falling every minute made people felt that time passed faster and, as a consequence, they were more productive.
The fourth prototype stated that interruptions must be involved in the management of time and are needed in that context because they are part of the work dynamics.
Takeaways
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Adopting a beginner's mindset during the prototyping process allowed me to understand what key elements of the context dynamics could generate changes in the perception of time and how this is translated into a device that acquires meaning and value in this type of context.
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The most challenging aspect of the research and prototyping was to understand how to involve the interruptions in a positive way in the experience that the device was proposing.
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The prototyping process must explore elements in operation, interaction, and design that allow defining with certainty the design elements that will define the final product.
The fifth prototype showed that, in this context, transforming the time perception can be useful as a timer device to complete a task on time. In order to accomplish it, some design and functionality requirements were established for the final device.
Design process
Operation
After defining the key elements of the experience, the operation of the device was defined as follows:
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Timer device that marks the passage of time with a sphere falling on a surface every minute.
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The fall of the sphere must produce an audible sound.
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After the spheres fall in the surface, there must be a mechanism that lifts them automatically.
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The spheres must be visible as they circulate.
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There must be a mechanism that throws one sphere every minute.
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The time taken from the interruptions must be allowed to be returned to the person.
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The device must be handled remotely
Manufacturing and Electronics
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Each product prototype was 3D modeled and made with 3D printing and laser cutting. This processes offered high-resolution results that allowed the easy manufacture of parts with particular characteristics.
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The electronics of the device were controlled with the Arduino Uno Wifi board and handled remotely through an HTML interface.
Final Product
After defining the design of the final pieces, the aesthetics and brand identity of the product were designed. According to this, the finishing of the pieces was defined and the production of the product was carried out.
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Most of the pieces were made with 3D printing (normal and laser-drawn resin) and laser cutting. Both the PLA and the resin pieces needed a finish to soften the surface. The screw was made of metal because a surface of low fiction was needed for the sphere to slide freely when climbing. It was made of stainless steel and manufactured using the turning and milling method. The spheres were steel balls used in ball bearing because of its low friction.
The circuits were incorporated in a shield that can be plugged on top of the Arduino Uno Wifi.
Interaction
The options offered by the Arduino for the development of interfaces is limited. As a result, the interaction with the device was designed through an App. The Bock App allows the person to:
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Choose two work modes: individually and in groups.
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Create tasks and choose the time they want to assign to it (between half an hour and three hours),
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Visualize the remaining time maintaining the spheres visualization.
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The co-workers can return the time they took during the interruptions so the time assigned to the tasks is not reduced.
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If the time is not enough, people can extend the time for the task.
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Use the device in group activities so that they do not last longer than necessary.
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Time is related in a different way to people according to the context in which they find themselves. In this case, it was observed that in the workplace, time is not infinite, it has a beginning and an end, and in addition, it is shared with other people. This relationship is not maintained when the context is changed, but it is redefined according to the activities that are going to be carried out.
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The most appropriate way to represent time changes according to the context. In the work context, it was proven through prototypes that the visual representation of time is not efficient because the vision is focused on the work that is being done. For this reason, the sound was the appropriate medium to manifest the passage of time.
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This aspect was the most interesting of the project because, despite the fact that people could see the passage of minutes on the computer clock, the sound generated a greater impact on them.
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There are work dynamics, such as interruptions, which, although they generate a certain negative impact on the individual, contribute to the workflow of the context.
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The best solution to a problem is not in the most obvious place. It is important to get rid of prejudices and pre-concepts, to discover the particularities that the environment offers and to adopt a beginners mind.