Breanna
We were aware that collapsible cups already exist in the market, however, it is not very popular amongst Singaporeans. Therefore, we had to first understand why people are not using them. We noticed through interviewing office workers that the stability of a cup is an extremely important factor as to whether people use these cups. Therefore, we went to Maker’s Academy and worked out some ideas along with the in-charge there. It was very fascinating when he introduced us to 3D programming, we were able to learn how to use the program in a day and 3D printed out our designs within a week. However, it was not all smooth sailing and we had failures along the way, one was because we used the wrong dimensions. Although it was only off by about 1cm, it affected the cup’s closure and was a detrimental flaw. Through this, we learnt that it is very important to be meticulous and accurate in measuring our dimensions and in everything we do. This also made me appreciate and understand craftsmen more. We were worried that our idea was not creative enough since we only worked on improving an existing product instead of inventing a new one. However, I realised that it was equally important to improve existing products so that they will appeal to the consumers more and the idea behind it will not be wasted.
When we were first introduced to this group assignment, I was thankful to be grouped with members who were also interested in the environment. We believe that more can be done to the waste generated from takeaway cups. Therefore, we decided to make a reusable cup where it is more convenient for working adults to carry.
For the Empathise stage of the design thinking journal, we went down to the business area of Tanjong Pagar to interview working adults to understand how they feel towards using reusable cups. Although it was hard to stop the working adults as they were all rushing, there were a few who stayed and answered our questions. We started designing our product based on the responses and thought of ways to make it more appealing to the working adults. We bought a reusable cup, and from there we started to make our first prototype. The abundant materials at Makers Academy made it possible for us to create our product along with the help of the person-in-charge at Makers Academy. After a few trial and errors on the product, we made further improvements to our product.
Through the entire journey of making our product, the five stages of the design thinking journal helped us to better plan our steps on how to create our product. This was a good experience as there would not be many chances for us to make a product. I feel that even though we all did not have a background in designing and creating, we did a pretty decent job and I enjoyed the process of creating the product. Most importantly, I think that the cup would be able to appeal to others due to its convenience.
Carina
Cecilia
Pollution on disposable cups has always been a growing issue on Mother Earth. Despite existing re-usable cups in the market, more can be improved on the product, to better cater to the population that uses disposable cups; working adults. As metal straws emerges, we felt the urge to improvise on existing re-usable cups: stability, convenience, material, price and more. Hence, we manufactured Kool Kup at Makers’ Academy. Initially, we had many disagreements and upon consulting staffs at Makers' Academy, we were inspired to create Convenient Hook and a stabilizer to tackle the needs and struggles of office workers to use reusable cups. We had to use the 3D printer to create our prototype. We met difficulties and challenges, including our unfamiliarity with the 3D printer and its application/software as well as having to 3D print several times. It was time-consuming, each 3D print requires about 2 hours. However, it was a fruitful experience. I’ve learnt soft and hard skills; ranging from technical skills to learning how to work with people with similar passion. I was thankful for this crash course on how to 3D print. It was a rare opportunity to explore my potential in product design and at the same time, make greater contributions to the environment.
Our team choose to create a product to solve the social issue of Singaporeans not using enough reusable cups which is very detrimental to the environment. Personally, I felt the need to raise the awareness of such reusable cups as I see many people treat takeaways cups for granted. It was heartwarming for my team and I to have a common goal to bring reusable cup alive to the society by improving the design to make it convenient and attractive for people to use. I was amazed to see the existing reusable cups available online but the price was too high and the designs were simple. We thought that we could improve the design and hence we headed down to the makers academy. I was proud that my team was able to customized the reusable cup that we bought and made it even more personal. For example, we made the original cup holder to a multi usage one by enlarging the base of it so that it can be used as a cup stand and a holder. Moreover, we made it customisable by adding initials on the ring of the cup. All in all, I learnt a lot from this experience. This gave me insights on the harmful effects of takeaways cups and that the reasons why reusable cups are still not are a necessity for people who always buy takeaway drinks. Ultimately, I learnt that teamwork in this project plays a important part which are shown in our final product itself.
Ying Hui
Grace
Initially, we wanted to tackle Chinese dialect cuture. However, it hit us that we were all passionate about the environment and hence we changed our social issue to disposable cups wastage. To gain better insights about the social issue, we went to Tanjong Pagar which is one of the Central Business District. We interview working adults that are using disposable cups. We managed to interview 20 of the office workers and gathered their feedbacks and opinions to further improve on our drafts. Then, we went to Makers Academy and consult more about the product. When we started to 3D print our product, we feared the accuracy of the measurements as 3D printing is a tedious process. It was our first time 3D printing and we have to learn how to use it within a short period of time. Thankfully, our first product that we printed was successful and all of us were very proud of it. Even though our second product we had to do it twice, it was eventually a success. Finally, our product is completed and we felt that our hard work was paid off. Manufacturing and designing a product require high commitments and perseverance and that was what motivated us to finish our product within a short period of time.
I first became passionate about the environment, more specifically the accumulation of disposable coffee cups when I saw an awareness video last semester. I became much more aware about this environmental issue as I began spotting the large amount of people using single-use takeaway products. Even when I scrolled through Instagram, I felt a strong, unhappy feeling (which I would’ve previously just scrolled past) when I saw my friends posting things like: “the best things come in plastic bags and styrofoam cups!”. I also noticed how many people order takeaway coffee but sit in the cafe to drink it. I was sitting in the bus one day when I saw a passenger opposite me holding a reusuable coffee cup. It was so aesthetic and definitely environmentally friendly which is why I thought, this would be the solution to that problem! Therefore, when this project came along, I talked to my group about it and we all felt a common passion to carry this eco-friendly project through. However, after a lot of research, we realised that this product was already in the market and it took us many visits to Makers’ Academy before finding a way to tackle the same issue but better than our competitors. Eventually, we managed to improve on an existing product which I feel is more difficult than coming up with a new product in an untapped/underserved market. My group and I interviewed people at CBD areas, felt upset together at people who rejected us, felt tired together and also rejoiced together after each goal was reached. I am extremely thankful for such a great group with so much chemistry and understanding. We went beyond just completing tasks and enjoyed every moment working on this project together. We spent hours and even days in Makers’ Academy prototyping, measuring, trying to work the 3D printer, and reprinting failed products. Upon completing it, my friends from outside would see it and ask me about the cup. I was surprised when 3 people actually asked if I can make one for them and that they really want to buy it. The feeling of completing this and getting positive feedback was very encouraging. I feel like it is something we can develop further in future. I’m happy I could make some impact after feeling so strongly about this issue for so long with my group mates. This project was truly girl power!
