Designed to take a beating
Client
Belkin International
Services
Research & Strategy
Product Architecture
Industrial Design
Engineering Liaison
Visualisation
Recognition
What it is
A portfolio of iPad stands specifically designed for the education space.
Design
We researched the user problems that emerged from introducing tablets to the classroom and designed two iPad stands around the specific user journey requirements of children and teachers. The stand are rugged, stackable and easy to use for children of different age and motor skills. They also offer storage essential in crammed classrooms.
The field research revealed easy to solve problems. The real trick was to design a product that would hold up to the specific challenges of the classroom.
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We observed challenges kids had holding the tablets at comfortable angles for viewing or deep interaction. Existing stands and cases were too unstable for the developing motor skills of children.
Tablets are stored and charged in specifically designed carts. Our stands needed to stack to fit into the carts.
Classrooms are a rough environment. Our products needed to be extremely rugged to insure a long life span.
We entered an emerging market by identifying unmet needs and designing products to fit.
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Laptops and tablet devices were being introduced into classrooms. The need for accessories to enable, maintain and protect them offered a short window for Belkin to enter the education market. We envisioned products based on two strategic criteria: They needed to solve a universal challenge that emerged from introducing tablets into the classroom famously well and be extremely quick and simple to develop.
Observational research in classrooms from K to 12 revealed the many challenges with introducing personal mobile devices into classrooms. We generated many ideas for possible future products from our findings.
One challenge rose to the top: Students in the younger age range had a hard time holding the tablets while working. Existing tablet stand cases were designed for grown ups and did not work with the developing dexterity of kids. They were too hard to set up and would collapse easily. A simple stand could help children use their tablets more easily and reduce the interruption of valuable classroom time.
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