Safety solution for the powerlifting squat
Improving the safety for lifters and spotters in competition
Magnus Wikström
Industrial Design Engineering, master's level (60 credits)
2020
Luleå University of Technology
SAFETY SOLUTION FOR THE
POWERLIFTING SQUAT
Improving the safety for lifters and spotters in competition
Magnus Wikström
2020
Supervisors: Björn Welde, Karin Sjöö Åkeblom, Lars Eklöf Reviewer: Tobias Persson
I want to thank Eleiko Group and Sigma Industry for the opportunity to do this project as my master thesis. Combining my love for powerlifting with my interest in engineering resulted in my dream master thesis project becoming reality. It has been very educative, having a collaboration between an employer and a consultant firm in the project. Getting a glint into the field of exercise equipment development, as well as the world of engineering consultant. I want to thank Björn Welde from Eleiko for the supervision of this project and Karin Sjöö Åkeblom from Sigma for the coaching and guidance.
I also want to thank all the people devoting their time for interviews, data collection, idea generation, and proof reading.
Lastly, I want to thank friends and family for the support outside the project. It would not have been possible without you.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
In powerlifting the athletes compete to lift as much weight as possible in the squat, bench press and deadlift, pushing their bodies to extreme levels of strength. When lifting heavy weights, safety becomes an important concern, especially where the lifters can get injured by the barbell if a lift is unsuccessful. Today in the squat, the only safety mechanism available are the spotters, a team of officials who surround the lifter during competition. This product development project aims to improve the safety of lifters and spotters in competition.
This project followed the CDIO process model, going through the four phases of conceive, design, implement, and operate. Using literature review, interviews,
observations, ergonomic analysis, fault tree analysis gave insights and information, which then were comprised into a Product Design Specification. The design phase included idea generation using creative sessions, resulting a lot of ideas on how the problems could be solved. In the subsequent phases the ideas were developed using CAD, evaluated using FEM and usability testes, and narrowed down using the PDS.
The result is a feasible conceptual solution that, with minimal changes on use improve the safety for lifters and spotters. The concept accomplishes this with mechanical barriers in the form of straps. The straps are mounted to steel beams that attaches to the uprights of the rack and reaches over the athlete, enclosing the barbell. The concept also includes a pair of extension legs, which attaches to the base of the rack, increasing the size of the footprint and provide additional stability. The solution is made to be retrofitted to already existing combo racks made by Eleiko. Key features of the concepts are the straps passively adjust in height when adjusting the height of the rack and the straps accommodate lifters with different grip widths when the rack is in the folded in position.
Keywords: Industrial Design Engineering, User
SAMMANFATTNING
I styrkelyft tävlar atleter i att lyfta så mycket vikt som möjligt i delgrenarna, knäböj, bänkpress och marklyft. Det göra att lyftarna pressar sina kroppar till extrema nivåer av styrka. När tunga vikter ska lyftas är säkerheten alltid en angelägenhet, speciellt med tanke på följderna av klämmas under en skivstång. I dagsläget finns det en säkerhetsmekanism för knäböj på en styrkelyftstävling. Klovarna, de funktionärer som omringar lyftaren på podiet har i uppgift att fånga vikten och hjälpa lyftaren tillbaka i racken om något går fel. Misslyckas dem med sin uppgift kan det ge ödesdigra konsekvenser. Målet med det här produktutvecklingsprojektet är att lösa det problemet och följaktligen att förbättra säkerheten för både lyftare och klovare på tävling.
Projektet har använt processmodellen CDIO, en linjär process som består av fyra steg, conceive, design, implement och operate. Under conceive-fasen undersöktes problemet noggrannare. Med stöd av resultaten från litteraturstudier, intervjuer, observationer, ergonomisk analys och felträdsanalys upprättades en designspecifikation. Efter det genererades idéer i kreativa sessioner, vilket resulterade i ett brett spektrum av idéer och möjliga lösningar. I följande faser
utvecklades idéerna till koncept med hjälp av CAD. De tidiga koncepten utvärderades sedan med FEM och användartester och skalades ner till ett slutgiltigt koncept med designspecifikationen som utgångspunkt.
Resultatet av projektet är en konceptuell produktlösning, som med minimal påverkan på lyftare och klovare ökar säkerheten i knäböj. Konceptet åstadkommer det med nylonremmar som agerar mekaniska barriärer för skivstången. Remmarna sitter fast i en stålbalk som sträcker sig över lyftaren och monteras i stolparna på racket. Konceptet innehåller också ett par förlängningsben som fästs i basen av det befintliga racket. De förbättrar stabiliteten för racket genom att utöka fotavtrycket. Konceptet är tänkt att eftermonteras på befintliga styrkelyftsställningar från Eleiko. Nyckelfunktioner för konceptet är den passiva höjdjusteringen, höjden på remmarna justeras automatiskt när höjden på ställningen ställs in för lyftare av olika längd. Konceptet tillåter även att lyftare att knäböja med brett grepp om stången och infällt rack obehindrat då remmarna inte kommer i vägen för armarna.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
1
1.1 Background 1 1.2 Stakeholders 2 1.2.1 Primary stakeholders 2 1.2.2 Secondary stakeholders 21.3 Objectives and Aims 2
1.4 Research questions 2 1.5 Scope 3 1.6 Thesis outline 3
2. Context Immersion
4
2.1 Current state 4 2.1.1 Current situation 4 2.1.2 Rules and Regulations 72.1.3 Eleiko Group 8
2.1.4 Base of the project 9
2.2 Benchmarking 11
3. Theoretical framework
13
3.1 Industrial Design Engineering 13 3.2 Product development opportunities 14 3.3 User experience and Usability 14
3.3.1 User experience 14
3.3.2 Usability 14
3.4 Safety 15
3.4.1 Mechanical hazards 15
3.5 Fitting the human 16
3.5.1 Ergonomics 16
3.5.2 Human factors 16
4. Methods and implementation
18
4.1 Process 18 4.2 Project planning 19 4.3 Conceive 19 4.3.1 Literature review 19 4.3.2 Interviews 19 4.3.3 Observations 20
4.3.4 Fault tree analysis (FTA) 20
4.3.5 Benchmarking 21
4.3.6 Brand DNA analysis 21
4.3.7 OWAS 21
4.3.8 User Need Assessment 22 4.3.9 Product Design Specification (PDS) 22
4.4 Design 23 4.4.1 Brainstorming 23 4.4.2 Method 635 23 4.4.3 Braindrawing 23 4.4.4 Idea Clustering 23 4.4.5 Creative Sessions 23 4.4.6 Sketch Prototyping 24 4.4.7 Dot Voting 25 4.5 Implement 25 4.5.1 Computer-aided Design 25 4.5.2 Mock-up 26
4.5.3 Criteria weighing matrix 26 4.5.4 Concept selection matrix 26
4.6 Operate 26
4.6.1 Product usability testing 26 4.6.2 Material testing - FEM 27 4.6.2 Detail design – finalization and visualization 27
4.7 Method Discussion 28
5. Results
29
5.1 Process 29
5.2 Results from Conceive 29 5.2.1 Movement space calculations 29
5.2.2 Interviews 30
5.2.3 Observation 31
5.2.4 Fault Tree Analysis 33
5.2.5 OWAS 34
5.2.6 Brand DNA Analysis 35 5.2.7 User Need Assessment 36 5.2.8 Product Design Specification 37
5.3 Results from Design 38
5.3.1 Creative sessions 38 5.3.2 Seven early concepts 39 5.3.3 Early concept selection 41 5.4 Results from Implement 42
5.4.1 Prototyping 42
5.4.2 Three concepts 43
5.4.3 Concept selection 44 5.5 Results from Operate 46 5.5.1 Product Usability Testing 46 5.5.2 Material testing 47
5.6 Final Result 48
6. Discussion
54
6.1 Positioning the result 54 6.1.1 Industrial Design Engineering 54 6.1.2 Product Opportunity 54 6.1.3 User Experience and Usability 54
6.1.4 Safety 55
6.1.5 Fitting the human 55
6.2 Relevance 55
6.3 Sustainability 56
6.4 Reflections about project 56 6.5 Recommendations for further development 57
7. Conclusions
59
Figure 1 Eleiko Group Figure 2 Eleiko Group Figure 3 Magnus Wikström Figure 4 Magnus Wikström Figure 5 Magnus Wikström Figure 6 Magnus Wikström Figure 7 Eleiko Group Figure 8 Magnus Wikström Figure 9 Magnus Wikström Figure 10 Magnus Wikström Figure 11 Magnus Wikström Figure 12 Magnus Wikström Figure 13 Magnus Wikström Figure 14 Magnus Wikström Figure 15 Magnus Wikström Figure 16 Magnus Wikström Figure 17 Magnus Wikström Figure 18 Eleiko Group Figure 19 Magnus Wikström Figure 20 Magnus Wikström Figure 21 Magnus Wikström Figure 22 Eleiko Group Figure 23 Magnus Wikström Figure 24 Magnus Wikström Figure 25 Magnus Wikström Figure 26 Magnus Wikström Figure 27 Magnus Wikström Figure 28 Magnus Wikström Figure 29 Eleiko Group Figure 30 Magnus Wikström Figure 31 Magnus Wikström Figure 32 Magnus Wikström Figure 33 Magnus Wikström Figure 34 Magnus Wikström Figure 35 Magnus Wikström Figure 36 Magnus Wikström Figure 37 Magnus Wikström Figure 38 Magnus Wikström Figure 39 Magnus Wikström Figure 40 Magnus Wikström Figure 31 Magnus Wikström Figure 32 Magnus Wikström Figure 33 Magnus Wikström Figure 34 Magnus Wikström Figure 35 Magnus Wikström Figure 36 Magnus Wikström Figure 37 Magnus Wikström Figure 38 Eleiko Group Figure 39 Eleiko Group Figure 40 Magnus Wikström Figure 41 Magnus Wikström Figure 42 Magnus Wikström Figure 43 Magnus Wikström Figure 44 Magnus Wikström Figure 45 Magnus Wikström Figure 46 Magnus Wikström Figure 47 Magnus Wikström
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TABLE OF FIGURES
1. Gannt 2. Interviews 3. OWAS 4. Benchmarking 5. Dot votingGLOSSARY
Accident
The definition of an accident that will be used in this project is when the barbell with or without control reaches the ground in the squat with the risk of injury the lifter or the spotters.
Range of motion
The distance the barbell travels as the lifter performs the squat. This distance varies between lifters, depending on length, body composition, and style of squat.
Movement space
Movement space in this project refers to the space that the lifter can move freely behind the rack. How far back can the lifter walk with the barbell. And the highest and lowest point of the range of motion.
Squat rack
A rack is in this setting is any apparatus where the barbell is placed while being loaded for lifting. There are multiple different types of squat racks. A so-called combo rack is a special kind of rack for the squat and the bench press in competition. Another rack is the so-called power rack that looks more like a cage, where the lifter stands inside. More examples of this are presented in the benchmarking.
J-hooks
A J-hook is the component of the rack where the barbell is placed, often height adjustable. On most competition specified racks, there are two J-hooks on each side, one for squat and one for bench press.
Safety rack
1. INTRODUCTION
The question of “who is the strongest?” has in all times interested people. The sport of powerlifting is described as the definitive measurement of human strength (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-a). In powerlifting the athletes compete to lift as much weight as possible in the squat, bench press and deadlift, pushing their bodies to the limit. Each lifter is given three attempts in each discipline. The best result from each discipline is added together, the highest total wins. This master thesis project will look further into the safety of the squat and how it can be improved through product innovation.
My love for the sport of powerlifting was the motivation for the initiation of this project. Being both a lifter and working as a coach in the sport gives me insights and understanding of the sport both from a technical and cultural standpoint.
The product design project was done as a master thesis in Industrial Design Engineering at Luleå University of Technology. It was carried out in Luleå during the spring semester of 2020, in collaboration with Eleiko Group AB and Sigma Industry.
1.1 Background
The sport of powerlifting is a competition where you not only compete against other athletes but the iron as well. It should not be confused with Olympic weightlifting, according to USA Powerlifting (n.d) where the athletes lift a barbell from the floor to overhead in the Snatch and Clean-and-Jerk. In powerlifting the weight move slower and the loads are significantly higher.
The three disciplines of powerlifting test strength in different parts of the lifters body. In competition, the squat is the first discipline. In the squat the lifters place a barbell on their shoulders. The lift is then performed by the athlete squatting down to where the top surface of the legs at the hip joint is lower than the top of the knee and then stands back up erect (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-a).
Surrounding the lifter on the platform is a team of officials, called spotters/loaders. Their task is to load weights on the barbell between attempts and ensure the safety of the lifters if they are not successful at completing the lift themselves. As of right now the spotters/loaders are the only safety mechanism available in the squat. If they cannot catch the weight, the
consequences can be catastrophic.
1.2 Stakeholders
In this project there are multiple different stakeholders. Wasieleski & Weber (2017) describes a stakeholder as any individual that can affect or can be affected by the work. The stakeholders are grouped in primary and secondary stakeholders based on their relation to the product.
1.2.1 Primary stakeholders
The primary stakeholders are the users that will come in direct contact with the product in its setting. Either being supported by it, using it directly or observing it while judging or spectating in competition. Their needs are more thoroughly mapped out in the result of the conceive phase.
Spotters & loaders
The users that will interact with the settings and adjustments of the product are the spotters and loaders. They are tasked with loading and unloading the barbell, changing the height of the rack as well as spotting the lifters. The final product of this project will aid their task of ensuring the safety of the lifters. From here on they will be referred to as spotters.
Lifters
The lifters are the second primary user, being the ones lifting the weight. Their performance and movement space should not be compromised by the product. This applies to their hand placement and foot placement. Their experience and security are crucial.
Referees & spectators
Both the referees and the spectators must have a clear view of the lifters. As for referees to make correct judgement calls, and spectators must be able to see what is happening on the platform.
Organizers
Lastly of the primary stakeholders are the competition organizers. Their interest lies in operation time, price, size, assembly time and effort. Since the price and time for assembly is outside the scope of the project, the organizers will not be taken into consideration in the development.
1.2.2 Secondary stakeholders
The secondary stakeholders are affected by the project in a different way, either having economic or other interests in the outcome of the project.
Eleiko
Eleiko Group AB are the employer of the project, they have an economical interest in the project. As well as an interest in development of the sport and being first to market.
International Powerlifting Federation
The final product is meant to be implemented in competition setting for the IPF. Therefore, the approval of the IPF is crucial for the product. This approval includes aspects of safety and cultural adherence. Sigma Industry
Sigma Industry act as coaches for this project, supporting the project with coaching, general engineering guidance and office space.
1.3 Objectives and Aims
The objective is to develop a physical product solution that increases safety for both lifters and spotters in during the squat in powerlifting competition. In extension lowering the risk for accidents for lifters and spotters on the platform. A solution of this kind may develop the sport further by increasing the level of competition.
The aim is to deliver a feasible conceptual solution to the problem to Eleiko. The delivery will include CAD-models, rendering, rough cost calculation and recommendation for further development.
1.4 Research questions
• How might the design of the concept solution increase the safety, user experience, and usability for lifters and spotters in powerlifting competition? • How does safety impact the user experience of
1.5 Scope
The project is carried out by one student during the spring semester of 2020. To get to the result in time, some limitations to the project scope had to be set. Therefore, the result will be a physical product solution that is compatible with the existing Eleiko IPF squat stand/bench. No physical load bearing prototype will be constructed due to lack of manufacturing and time constraints. Production techniques and manufacturing of the product will be outside of the scope of this project.
1.6 Thesis outline
2. CONTEXT IMMERSION
This chapter is a description of the context and serves as a deep dive that lays the foundation for the project. It describes the current state of the sport, the employer, the product of which is the base of the project, the limitation of the rules and regulations and a short benchmarking of similar products.
2.1 Current state
The current state of the project explains the current state of the sport, including a detailed description on how the powerlifting squat works, who participates in competition and what the rules state.
2.1.1 Current situation
People of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds practice powerlifting. In competition, lifters are divided into age categories and weight classes, allowing people of similar prerequisites to compete against each other. The age categories range from Sub-Junior (14-18) to Master IV (70+). The weight classes are different for women and men. Women range from -47 kgs (lighter than 47 kg), to +84 kgs, and men from -59 kgs (lighter than 59 kg) to 120+ kgs (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-a). Powerlifting competitions are also comprised of two divisions of lifting, equipped and classic. In equipped lifting the athletes are allowed to wear hi-tech
supportive gear that protects against injury (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-b). The hi-tech supportive gear includes elastic suits, shirts and wraps for the knees and wrists that the lifters may wear. In classic lifting the lifters are only allowed minimal supportive gear; knee sleeves, lifting belts and wrist wraps.
The amount of weight lifted in powerlifting is immense. Looking at the world records you can understand what the top-level athletes can lift. For example, the world record squat for men in the equipped +120 kg class stands at 505 kg (International Powerlifting Federation, 2020-04-05).
The spotters are usually a team of hand-picked volunteers that the organizers of a competition put together. They can for example be members of the local powerlifting club. If you are a lifter at a powerlifting club you have probably some experience in spotting already, making the need for learning new tasks low. In powerlifting competition, the athletes lift one at the time on a platform. For the squat, the combo rack is placed on the platform, in such way that the lifter faces the audience. The team of spotters load the barbell and adjust the rack to the right height for the lifter before the lifters comes on the platform. The time and extent
of this operation is crucial for how fast the competition runs. When the lifter has come out and has taken the barbell out of the rack, the head referee gives the lifter the signal to start the lift. The referees sit in front and to the sides of the platform, as seen in figure 3. Watching the lifter from multiple angles to ensure the lift is being performed correctly. It is essential for the referees to see the lifters hip crease during the lift, to make sure the squat is to depth. Depth is a term used in powerlifting to describe if the lifter reached a low enough bottom position. It is when the top surface of the legs at the hip joint to be lower than the top of the knee, seen in figure 4. As the lifter stands back up again and when considered done by the head referee, is given a signal to place the barbell back in the rack.
Competing in powerlifting can be done in several different international federations. These play by
different rules and regulations regarding drug testing, personal lifting gear, equipment, and general rules of competitions. By far the largest and most prestigious regarding competition is the International Powerlifting Federation, from here on referred to as the IPF. The IPF is the only Powerlifting association recognised by the Global Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF, n.d).
“The IPF has taken it’s role as the premier global powerlifting federation very seriously and we have worked diligently with our sporting partners and associates to become a responsible, high quality organization for athletes committed to drug-free, high-standard competition” (International Powerlifting Federation, n.d-b).
The IPF provides live stream coverage of mostly all international competitions watched by people all over the world. Having tiny mistakes by the spotters that results in an accident broadcasted in real time to the whole world is not in their interest. Making their potential interest in a viable safety solution high.
Figure 4 - Squat depth
Figure 5 - Storyboard of successful lift
Figure 6 - Storyboard of unsuccessful lift with successful spotting
2.1.2 Rules and Regulations
The International Powerlifting Federation has a rulebook that regulates all forms of competition and equipment used in competition. It will come to play a role in this project as it sets a base for the limitations of the final product.
This is a summary of some of the most important rules that will impact the project will follow. The International Powerlifting Federation (2019-11-31) dictates that a squat must be walked out, the lifter must remove the barbell from the rack and move backwards to establish the starting position. The hands and fingers must grip the barbell but can be placed anywhere on the barbell inside, or in contact with the inner collar. On the platform there should be no less than two, no more than five spotters, at all times. The head referee dictates how many spotters are needed for the situation. The spotters are not allowed to touch the barbell unless commanded by the head referee or the lifter. The lifter is also mandated to stay with the barbell if possible while getting help to replace it in the rack. Failing to do so results in an official warning, and possible disqualification.
2.1.3 Eleiko Group
Eleiko Group AB is official VIP partner of the IPF and the employer of this project. They have identified the product innovation opportunity and were the stakeholder initiating the project of developing a physical safety solution for the squat.
Eleiko have a six-decade long history in of bold ideas and ambitious goals. The company is heavily rooted in the passion for strength and has come to make the world’s finest barbell which has shaped the sport of weightlifting (Eleiko, n.d-a). The company’s mission is to “Make people stronger so they perform better in sports and in life” (Eleiko, n.d-a). Eleiko are also in a unique seat, being certified by the International Weightlifting Federation, International Powerlifting Federation and World Para Powerlifting, the three large internationally recognised barbell sports. Eleiko strive to be the number one strength company in the world, not only developing and selling equipment but also providing education. The Product Development Manager placed the company on a price
performance-chart, making their market position clear, see figure 8. Also, Eleiko aims to have designs that are durable, crafted and will withstand the test of time. Making products that will have a long and useful life with the high technical qualities, timeless classic design, and low environmental impact. The user experience of the Eleiko barbell is described as the “Eleiko feel”. A term originating from their introduction of rubber weights and needle bearings in the bar design (Eleiko, n.d-b). This user experience is implemented in their whole line-up of products as well, having a rigid and mechanical feel in every component.
Figure 7 - Barbell Assembly
Figure 8 - Price performance chart
2.1.4 Base of the project
The final product of this project will be developed as an accessory to an already existing product, the Eleiko IPF Squat Stand/Bench, seen in figure 9. Certified by the IPF for professional powerlifting use, it is the gold standard in competition. In this section the product platform for this project with its history, specifications, limitation, and opportunities for improvement will be presented. The Eleiko IPF Squat Stand/Bench is an apparatus used in two of the disciplines, supporting the barbell while loading and setting up in the squat and bench press as well as providing safety racks and a surface for the athlete to lay on for the bench press. The rack must be reconstructed between the different disciplines, but the core components are preserved. The product is specified in dimensions by the IPF rule book and supports
multiple functions that is essential to a powerlifting competition.
The uprights are height adjustable with a range of 75-170 cm (figure 10). These are operated by on lever arm and pins on either side, as seen in Figure 11. The height adjustment is crucial to minimise loading times in competition. The uprights also have a tilting mechanism that allows for wider hand positioning (figure 10). The uprights are individually tilted inwards by request from the athlete to accommodate lifters with a full wide grip on the bar as well as smaller lifters who tend to
Figure 9 - Eleiko Squat stand/Bench
hit the rack during the first step of the walkout. The tilt mechanism is operated by a patent pending lever arm that makes the process very easy for the spotters, seen in figure 12.
At the bottom of the uprights are the attachment screws for the safety racks used in the bench press as well as the bench itself. The safety racks are an attachment Eleiko brought to market that is widely used in competition. As they are design today, they are not usable for the squat due to placement and not being large enough.
The base of the rack must also be taken into
consideration. The base area is created by the bottom frame with its 45-degree angled beams that allows for wide foot positioning in the squat. Maintaining this area will be important as well as ensuring the structures rigidity for up to 550 kg loads.
2.2 Benchmarking
To understand the market and take inspiration from similar product categories a market analysis and benchmarking was performed. The process consisted of three steps.
First, a look at competing brands whose equipment is approved by the IPF. This analysis took price and performance into consideration, and resulted in a price-performance chart, seen in figure 13.
Second, was the benchmark of IPF approved combo racks for competition use. Here, the offerings of different companies from the previous step were compared. Most of the combo racks are similar, but some differentiating aspects were identified, see appendix 4. The benchmark was performed based on the aspects of price, quality, availability, and the special features that differentiates them from the competition. The aspect of quality was assessed by me, based on sturdiness, rigidness and, level of finish. None of them have any safety mechanism for the squat. This analysis was conducted based on my personal preconceived notions.
Figure 13 - Price performance chart
Product Price (SEK) Performance/ quality
Availability Differentiating features Eleiko Squat stand/
bench
37 700 High Worldwide Lever folding, sound dampening
ER equipment IPF Squat/Bench press Rack 10-001
32 700 Medium Worldwide Multiple colours, steel rollers. Rouge IPF Combo
Rack
23 900 High North America Oversized, looks beefy, sound dampening Pallini Bench + Squat - Medium Europe Steel rollers Zaoba Bull BL-BSR 51 800 High Asia Oversized
Power rack
A power rack is a cage-like rack where the lifter stands inside while performing the squat. The power rack in figure 14 is an illustration of the Eleiko XF-80. The safety mechanism is a metal bar, which is height adjustable and limits the vertical movement space. Lastly, other barbell related product that offer safety mechanisms was explored. None of these are used in IPF competition but could be inspirational for the development work. Three product categories were found inspiring.
Smith machine
A smith machine is a rail mounted barbell commonly found in gyms. The smith machine in figure 15 is an illustration of the Eleiko Classic Smith Machine. This machine allows the barbell to travel on a fixed path along a guiding rail. Letting the athlete rack the weight anywhere along the rails.
Monolift
A monolift is an apparatus that allows the lifter to squat without the need of a walk out. The monolift in figure 16 is from EliteFTS. The structure has two hooks that folds away when the lifter takes the weight out of the rack. This type of rack is not used in IPF competition and heavily associated with other federations, which does not comply with strict rules and drug testing. The monolift can be equipped with straps mounted from above for additional safety.
Figure 15 - Eleiko XF-80 Powerrack
Figure 16 - Eleiko Classic Smith Machine
3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The theory for this project was gathered and researched using the literature review method. All the information and knowledge have been used as support for the decision making of this project to reach deeper insight to the problems and how they could be solved.
3.1 Industrial Design Engineering
The design of a physical, mechanical product made for human use fits the skills of an Industrial Design Engineer perfectly. The project will involve theories of user experience, usability, ergonomics, engineering design to establish an academic anchoring. Industrial Design Engineering being described by Johannesson, Persson, Pettersson (2013) as the bridge between industrial design and engineering design. Ulrich & Eppinger (2012) defines design in a productdevelopment project as a leading role in defining form of the product to best meet the needs of the user, which includes both engineering design and industrial design. Therefore, there is a need to define these terms more thoroughly.
IDSA (n.d) defines Industrial Design as “the
professional practice of designing products, devices, objects, and services used by millions of people around the world every day”. The industrial designer typically focuses their work on the products appearance,
functions, and manufacturability. Norman (2013, p.5) contributes with a slightly different definition, “the service of creating and developing concepts and specification that optimises the function, value, and appearance of products and system for the mutual benefit of user and manufacturer “.
Design engineering, or engineering design on the other hand is the product development from an engineering standpoint. Johannesson et al. (2013) describes it as designing of the measurable, technical aspects of a product such as performance of components, geometry, dimensions, material properties and manufacturing methods.
Cross (2008) mentions the conflicts that sometimes arise between the camps of industrial designers and design engineers. These conflicts are mostly based on misconceptions about each other’s roles, and that different project requires different amount of skills from different people. This makes a mix of the two subjects a perfect fit for product design.
Photo: Eleiko
Figure 18 - Barbells
3.2 Product development
opportunities
The task of this project is to develop a new type of product. Which is an opportunity to be first to market and possibly even create a new standard for others to follow.
Ulrich & Eppinger (2013) describes an idea in the context of product development as a product opportunity, a newly sensed need that has entered the first stages of its development. Some of these opportunities become new products while others will not make it that far. Ulrich & Eppinger (2013) further describes that opportunities can be categorised in many ways. A useful was to look at it is to define two separate dimensions. One dimension being the knowledge of the solution and the other knowledge of the needs. The farther you move away from the things your company knows and does well, the larger the risk.
Cross (2008) adds to this idea of opportunity
identification and divides the grouping of opportunities into technology push and market pull. A technology push being a technological advancement that gives companies and suppliers the ability to create new markets. A market pull on the other hand, being a look into user wants and needs for opportunities. Most companies use a combination of both these tactics to find their opportunities for development. Cross (2008) also tells us of area of opportunities. The least risky being developed technology in an already developed market. The second and more promising is in a region of developed technology being used in an undeveloped market, and vice versa. Lastly the riskiest zone being product innovation, where the both the technology and markets are undeveloped.
3.3 User experience and Usability
Designing products for humans requires that the user experience and usability will be the focus in every step of the development process. This is especially true when the employer has a widely appreciated brand experience.3.3.1 User experience
User experience design, known as UX design is a new field within the design realm. It stems from the field of Human Computer Interactions and takes even more aspects from the interaction with a product into consideration (Interaction design Foundation, n.d). Norman (2013) describes user experience as taking the whole experience of an activity into consideration, not only the tasks the product is supposed to perform. The ISO standard 9241-11:2018 contributes a definition of User Experience; “user’s perceptions and responses that result from the use and/or anticipated use of a system, product or service”. Kraft (2012) adds onto this definition, “I would describe user experience as the feelings that the user gets when using a product. Using feelings as a comparison model allows us to understand that the user experience can be anything from hate to love”. Tullis & Albert (2013) push the importance of the user experience not being connected to any field of products or systems with the motivation that lets them study almost any product or system from a UX perspective.
Tullis, T & Albert, B. (2013) points out the
distinguishing between usability and user experience. “Usability is usually considered the ability of the user to use the thing to carry out a task successfully, whereas user experience takes a broader view, looking at the individual’s entire interaction with the thing, as well as the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that result from that interaction”.
3.3.2 Usability
Nielsen (2012) defines usability as a quality attribute which measures or describes how well the user can perform their task. Usability is divided into five quality components, learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction (Nilsen, 2012).
Learnability, how easy the first interaction with the product is. Efficiency, how quickly the product can accomplish its task after being understood.
the product. Errors, how easily and often errors occur. Satisfaction, how satisfactory is the product to use (Nielsen, 2012).
Jordan (2000) argues that by looking at the relations between users and product in a more holistic way, deeper understandings can be reached, called new human factors. Jordan (2000) & Lidwell, Holden & Butler (2003) applies the Maslow hierarchy of human needs to the human factors of the product experience. The Maslow hierarchy of needs is based on the idea that lower-level needs must be addressed before higher-lever needs. It is comprised of the physiological needs, safety needs, Belongingness and love needs, Esteem needs, and Self-actualisation needs (Jordan, 2000).
Lidwell et al. (2003) translates these basic needs into user needs, arguing that the hierarchy of user needs should work in the same way. The user needs are comprised of the need for functionality, reliability, usability, proficiency, and creativity (Lidwell et al., 2003).
According to these models of needs, the safety and reliability of the design must be fulfilled before any usability could be considered.
3.4 Safety
When designing a safety solution, it is obvious that the issue of safety must be addressed.
Sharp, Preece & Rodgers (2019, p.20) defines safety in the realm of usability as “protecting the user from dangerous conditions and undesirable situations.” Sharp et al. (2019) also states that safety also refers to the fears that the user might perceive of committing errors. Jordan (2000) describes a similar approach of minimizing user errors and making the recovery from already made errors, easier. Products can therefore become safer by preventing the user from making serious errors, as well as giving the users means to recover from errors already made. Lidwell et al. (2003) calls this approach forgiveness. A forgiving design provides the user with a
feeling of security and stability. This consequently can improve the willingness to learn, explore and use the design (Lidwell et al., 2003).
Lidwell et al. (2003) describes a forgiving design as a contribution of six different parameters. Good affordance, reversibility of action, safety nets, confirmation, warnings, and help. It is further stated that the preferred way to reach forgiveness in a design is to use the affordance, reversibility, and safety nets. Therefore, there is no reliance on warnings and help (Lidwell et al., 2003).
Affordance being the relationship between a physical object and a person. (Norman, 2013). Good affordance is the practise of designing the physical characteristics of an object to influence its function (Lidwell et al., 2003). When the objects affordance corresponds with its environment, it becomes more efficient and easier to use (Lidwell et al., 2003).
Reversibility is the opportunity to reverse action of already committed actions (Lidwell et al., 2003). Jordan (2000) describes the ‘undo’ function as a great example of a quick and easy method for reversibility. It is possible to have an undo feature in electronic systems and products. However, it is hard to implement in physical products. Here you must instead limit the consequences of errors.
Safety nets are devices or function that minimizes the negative consequences of user errors (Lidwell et al., 2003). Designing a physical safety net includes understanding the hazards and errors it must protect the user from.
3.4.1 Mechanical hazards
3.5.2 Human factors
One aspect of an ergonomic approach in designing is taking the sizes of different people into consideration. Dreyfuss (1993) describes the field of human factors as the study of human measurements, capabilities, and limitation, which have become more complex as technology develops. Making the task of
accommodating all humans in a safe and comfortable way gradually harder.
Norman (2013) argues that there is no such thing as an average person. This makes designing things hard, as the design briefs usually demands that the products should be usable for everyone. Using the anthropometric data is a first way to get a hold of the measurements needed for your product.
As stated before, anthropometric aspects are a part of an ergonomic approach to product design. One definition of anthropometry found in the Oxford English Dictionary (n.d-b) is “The measurement of the human body in order to determine its average dimensions and proportions, at different ages and in different populations”. The modern anthropometry describes both functional and biomechanical anthropometry, describing the measurements and how body parts move in relation to each other. The measurements are used within the field of ergonomics to adapt the work and its environment to the anatomic and physical limitations of humans (NE.se, n.d-a). Most of the measurements of the human body is normally distributed over a large population. Therefore, can a dimension of a population be described using only two values, the average and standard deviation. Most of these values can be described using these metrics, except muscle strength and body weight which does not follow a normal distribution in a population (Hägg, Ericson, Odenrick, 2013).
One type of safety net is a safety barrier. According to Smith (2001) a safety barrier can be a mechanical barrier which prevents external objects to cause and accident. Myrcha & Gierasimiuk (2010) further describes mechanical barriers as safeguards for
mechanical hazards. The safeguard should be a physical barrier which separates the human range of motion from the hazard zone. The recommendations made by Myrcha & Gierasimiuk (2010) for safeguards are that they should be of robust construction and be situated at an appropriate distance from the danger zones. Further the safeguards should not create any additional hazards for the user as well as not be easily disabled or rendered non-operational.
3.5 Fitting the human
While designing physical products for human use the ergonomics and human factors are essential for user comfort and safety.
3.5.1 Ergonomics
Dreyfuss (1993) provides the anthropometric data to fit 98% of the population, which means including measurements from the first to the 99th percentile, illustrated in figure 19. Or in other words, mean value plus 2.326 times the standard deviation (Dreyfuss, 1993).
Measurements used for this project have been the shoulder height and Buttock-knee depth, presented in figure 20 and 21 for the first percentile woman and the 99th percentile male.
Anthropometrics are not the only factor necessary
in ergonomic product development. In the designing product that should not interfere with the user’s ability to move aspects of Biomechanics must be taken into consideration. Biomechanics are defined by the Oxford English Dictionary (n.d) as the science concerning mechanical principles of movement and structure in living organisms. Hägg et al. (2013) tells us that biomechanical calculations are used in ergonomics to estimate stress on the human body from externals loads, for example.
The ergonomics and its subcategories are heavily involved in this project. Ergonomic needs and limitations for all the primary stakeholders must be taken into consideration. The ergonomic analysis of the spotter’s duties establishes one of the fundamental needs for a product like this. The anthropometrics of the lifters and spotters together make up the need for unobstructed movement in the execution of the squat, playing a decisive role in the development.
Figure 19 - 98% in normal distribution
Figure 20 - 1% female and 99% male
4. METHODS AND IMPLEMENTATION
In this chapter the methods and implementation in the project are described; how they work, how they are used and how they bring value to the result of the project.
4.1 Process
Ulrich & Eppinger (2012) describes a product development process as a sequence of activities and steps that is used by an enterprise to conceive, design, and commercialize a product. The steps and activities are mostly intellectual and organizational, not physical. Most corporations use some sort of process model, some define and follow a precise model, while others are not capable of describing theirs. According to Ulrich & Eppinger (2012), using a well-defined process can be beneficial for multiple different reasons, quality assurance, coordination, planning, management, and opportunities for improvement.
The chosen process model for the project is CDIO. According to the CDIO initiative (n.d) the program is made for engineering education, based on its connection to product, process and systems lifecycle development. The CDIO framework consists of four phases:
conceiving, designing, implementation, operation. They are illustrated in figure 23. The conceive phase consists of the need identification, considering users, technologies, regulations, and business strategies. In the Design phase, the ideas are generated based on the information and needs established in the prior phase. Here you work with creative methods and try to come up with as many ideas as possible before grouping into designs. For the Implementation stage you then bring the designs together into actual products. To finish the implementation a concept selection process is performed. For the final stage of the process, operate, you finalise the implementation to deliver intended
value to the customer. In this case making the fine tuning of the final concept before delivery. A further explanation of the phases, methods used, and their contents is described in the following chapters. This process model was chosen based on its linearity, lightness, and prior positive experience. The end goal of the project is well defined as of the project brief. You could say that in the beginning of the process we know what the final product is going to be, just not how it will be designed. Since the CDIO model is targeted at engineering education and has no pre planned activities, it allows great adaptability to the need of the project.
4.2 Project planning
The first week of the project was spent mapping out all that needs to be done during the project and researching methods to do so. To get an understanding of all the activities and their time scope, a project plan was established. “Planning is deciding in advance what to do, how to do it and who is to do it.” (Abraham, 2014) A Gantt chart was used to map all the tasks and activities and their time frame. Ulrich & Eppinger (2012) describes a Gantt chart as a tool for representing the timing of tasks and activities. The Gantt chart consists of horizontal bars representing different tasks and their length represents the time frame of each task. This provides a timeline of the whole project. Along with the different tasks and activities the length of every phase was determined, and the gates were drawn into the Gantt chart. All the activities were then colour coded based on the respective phase and context for ease of use, see appendix 1.
4.3 Conceive
The CDIO Initiative (n.d) describes the conceive stage as the phase of the project where customer needs are defined; with the help of pre-existing knowledge and where the first conceptual plans of the project are
formed. This section includes all the methods used in the conceive phase and how they were implemented in this project.
4.3.1 Literature review
To establish a base for the project a literature review was performed. According to Milton & Rodgers (2011) a literature review is the selection and evaluation of documents and literature on a specific topic. This gives the designers an informed point of view in the early stage of the project. A good literature review should therefore include reviews of important documents and publication connected to the needs of the product development. The literature review consists of four stages (Milton & Rodgers, 2013). The framing of the issue, search for literature, evaluation of literature, and analysis and interpretation of the literature.
First, the subjects of information were established, researching principles and theories of Industrial design engineering, user experience, usability, safety, and ergonomics. The search for information used the search engine provided by the library at Luleå University of Technology, both searching for printed literature and digital resources through databases of academic articles. The evaluation of information was done based on the source and author. Primary sources of information, as well as books and publication made eminent authors in the respective field, were prioritized. Understanding the relativity of the information and connecting it to this project took a lot of reading to create an overview of the subjects. Followed by selecting and prioritizing the information included in the thesis based on applicability and connection. The literature review was mostly performed in the conceive phase of the project but also spills over into later phases as new need for information are established.
4.3.2 Interviews
Otherwise, a structured interview where the interviewer is a living questionnaire. Lantz (2013) categorises interviews into groups based on their level of structure, open, open controlled, semi structured, and structured. In this project the open controlled and semi structured types were used. The open controlled level is then the interviewer has an open discussion but guides the subject along in the topics rather than letting the interviewed talk freely. The semi structured type is a more controlled structure, using more of a question-basis but letting the subject elaborate on the questions and adding follow up questions as the interview goes. The interviews for this project was done with a few different groups to find out more of what the different aspects of the problem. The three groups were product developers from Eleiko, lifters, and spotters.
First, interviews were held with two product developers at Eleiko. The objective of these interviews was to get a description of how the company develop their product and specific limitations in their organisation and opportunities that they can offer. Two separate interviews were held, with the Product Development Manager and Technical Director. These interviews were open controlled, exploring the culture of the company, their history in the sport and their position on the
market. The discussion was mainly free with some bullet points that was prepared in advance to have something to fall back on.
Interviews were also held with three lifters, of different levels of competition and with varying experience. The selection of subjects was based on personal connection, time in the sport and availability. The interviews were semi structured, learning more about the user experience of the squat in competition as well as their prior
experience of safety.
Another group of users are spotters. For these interviews I selected two people that have recently had spotter duties in competition. These interviews were semi structured, focusing on the preparedness and state of mind when the lifters are taking chances.
All the interviews were recorded and later transcribed. All the transcripts were then sent to the interviewees for approval. The full transcriptions can be found in appendix 2.
4.3.3 Observations
The problem of safety and that accidents can occur in the squat has been identified as of the project brief but that does not explain how they happen. Kylén (2004) describes the observation as a method to collect objective information about how people react in different situation. Osvalder, Rose, Karlsson (2011) writes that the objective of the observation is to look at users in their natural environment and not affecting the ongoing process. This to understand what people actually do and not what they say they do, identifying faults the user can make and the problems that can occur.
The observations focused on accidents and how they happen, due to time constraint and how rarely accidents occur the observations were done using pre-recorded competition footage. The footage was selected based on preconceived knowledge of accidents and dangerous situations that have occurred in recent times. Due to restriction in availability, the analysed footage comes from international competition on the absolute highest level. As the sequence of events was observed, the most important aspects of how and why the accident occurred was written down. The result of the observations was then summarized in following Fault Tree Analysis, which maps out all sequences of events that can lead to an accident.
4.3.4 Fault tree analysis (FTA)
between causes of failure. The method has a simple set of rules and symbols that can analyse very complex systems. The basic rules include OR- and AND-gates that describes the cause and how a certain event can occur. (Osvalder et al., 2011). The result of the analysis can then be used to counteract the problems in a systematic way.
As mentioned earlier, the method was used in succession with the observation to find out exactly what accident that the final product must protect the lifter and spotters against. A consultant from Sigma with prior experience in FTA’s helped guide the process, making sure the events were mapped correctly with the right dependencies.
4.3.5 Benchmarking
“Gathering intelligence about competitors is hardly a new idea” (Drew, 1997). Benchmarking is the study of existing products similar to the product segment that being developed (Ulrich & Eppinger, 2012). It is also referred to as a Competitor Product Analysis, is a method for examining and evaluating products and solutions from existing products on the market (Milton & Rodgers, 2013). Examining the competitors alongside your own product should be done based on pre-set criteria and should be the foundation of both qualitative and quantitative criteria from your product development. This analysis will result in understanding of the products place on the market as well as a list of desirable functions and features from the other related product categories.
Some research time was put into looking at other types of products that help people to catch large and heavy falling objects. The consensus is that humans should not try to catch heavy falling objects. Therefore, the scope of the benchmark was limited to first examining and evaluating the companies that manufacture combo racks approved by the IPF. Then exploring other safety solution in exercise equipment of different kinds. The products that was benchmarked was from companies whose combo rack solutions are approved by the IPF. The companies where; Eleiko, Rouge
Fitness, ER Equipment, Pallini, Zaoba BULL. These products where benchmarked based on the criteria of price, performance/quality, availability, differentiating features. All the information was gathered through internet searches due to limitation on availability. Another inspirational benchmark looked at similar solutions, anything that can hold a barbell for lifting, focusing on product categories that use different types of safety solutions. The following product categories were represented by, a power rack, a smith machine and a monolift. These categories of products where then described in text and illustration to inspire sequent phases.
4.3.6 Brand DNA analysis
Milton & Rodgers (2013) describes Brand DNA
Analysis as a method to explore design language, visual codes, and how a company’s values are translated into their products and services. It is a holistic approach that evaluates the products through a range of perspectives, aesthetics, interaction, performance, construction and meaning. Use of the method will determine the rules and guiding principles of the brand, revealing the impressions that the users get of every aspect of the brand.
The Brand DNA Analysis was used to identify design guidelines and a part of the user experience that will be taken into consideration in finishing stages of the project.
The method was done on the Eleiko IPF Squat stand/ Bench. The actual product was not physically available at the time of the analysis, but prior experience of the product and results from the interviews with Eleiko staff, supplemented by pictures and video was plenty enough to draw conclusions.
4.3.7 OWAS
called Ergofellow 3.0 was used, seen in figure 24. The different working position of the subjects’ body parts are entered into the software along this the load and duration of the task, calculating a score and a recommendation for further action. The external load is then selected, ranging from 0-20 kgs.
The evaluation was done separate for the two side spotters as well as the back spotter. The analysis used the bottom of the squat as the working position as it is where the spotters are most compromised. The observations were based on footage from a local competition. One limitation of the method is that the maximum external load of the method is 20 kgs, which does not make it optimal for the situation when spotters sometimes must catch up to 100 kgs each. This made the results hard to interpret but gave some pointers on the ergonomic situation.
4.3.8 User Need Assessment
Keeping track of the user needs is important to create a meaningful Product design specification. Especially when the project involves multiple user groups with different tasks and needs. Wikberg Nilsson et al. (2015) differentiate the need for identifying user needs from the search for solutions. The designer needs a deep understanding of the user needs to develop the best solutions. The user need assessment is based on the qualitive data collected in interviews, observations, focus groups, workshops etc.
The needs of the lifters, spotters and judges that were discovered through interviews, observations, and fault three analysis were mapped using post-it notes on a board. To keep track of what used contributed to what need, different colours of notes were used. The method provided further understanding of the needs of the primary stakeholders, setting the foundation of the user needs in the subsequent PDS.
4.3.9 Product Design Specification (PDS)
Milton & Rodgers (2011) describes a Product Design Specification (PDS) as an important document that is essential to the design process. The document reflects the understanding of the user situation and all the design problems in detail that has been identified. The document is used by the designer as reference to during the whole development process to ensure that the decisions and proposals are appropriate. The PDS categorizes the sub-problems and makes them easier to consider.
The PDS consists of the result of the whole conceive phase, tying together the technical requirements, the user needs, and the brand identity. All requirements are presented as a list. To facilitate the process, the requirements are divided into two categories, basic and desired. Basic requirements are the ones the product must fulfil to be viable, treating them as a checklist. The desirable requirements are the ones that are not essential. Early concepts of the operate phase can meet different levels, making the desired requirements a useful tool for concept selection.
4.4 Design
According to CDIO (n.d) the design phase focuses on the creation of ideas consisting mainly of plans and drawings that describes what will be implemented. This phase utilized the creative power of different groups of people to get a wider spectrum of ideas. This was done using creative workshops combining different idea generation methods and people with different prior experiences. This section includes a short description of the methods used in the design phase and how they were implemented in workshops and creative sessions.
4.4.1 Brainstorming
Milton & Rodgers (2011) describe brainstorming as a technique used by design teams to generate ideas quickly and efficiently. The method can be used to generate a large number of innovative ideas. It can be used individually but it works best when used by groups of people. IDEO (2015) further adds that the use of brainstorming should not only be done with one’s design team, but also with the people you are designing for. The brainstorms work the best when the group is positive, optimistic and focus on generation of as many ideas as possible (IDEO, 2015). Apart from that, the group must also follow a basic set of rules, including not criticizing or judging their own or others’ ideas, approaching the problem from different viewpoints and focusing on quantity rather than quality (Milton & Rodgers, 2011). The method of brainstorming is the basis of all other methods for idea generation in the project. The
following methods are variations of brainstorming that uses different prerequisites and accomplishes different goals. These are listed below.
4.4.2 Method 635
Method 635 is a creative method based on brainwriting, a form of brainstorm. This is also known as brainwriting 6-3-5 (Wikberg Nilsson et al., 2015). In this method three ideas are written down individually during a five-minute period. The papers are then rotated, giving the adjacent person in line the task of adding or improving on the previous ideas (Nieminen & Tyllinen, 2009). When a group of six people have finished a full rotation,
the result can be over 100 ideas generated in just 30 minutes (Wikberg Nilsson et al., 2015). Nieminen & Tyllinen (2009) found that Method 635 both generated more ideas and had lower rejection rate compared to Group Discussions, Brainstorming and Six Thinking Hats.
4.4.3 Braindrawing
Braindrawing is a method based on brainstorming that utilizes the sketch as a creative tool to find new perspectives (Wikberg Nilsson et al., 2015). The same rules from brainstorming apply, but this time you draw your ideas instead writing them down. Wikberg Nilsson et al. (2015) tells us that sketching together removes some of the ownership of an idea an make it more of an idea of the group, which can be beneficial. This can be done in multiple different ways, rotating papers, making a pool of drawing etc., which makes the method adapteble to multiple situation and settings.
4.4.4 Idea Clustering
Idea clustering, also known as bundling of ideas, is described by IDEO.org (2015) as the process of taking ideas and combining them into concepts. First you group ideas that resemble each other. Then the goal is to match these ideas together by using their best attributes, removing ones that are not working and consolidate the ideas into complete solutions. The comparison can be drawn to a game of mix-and-match, where you combine the best compatible ideas with each other to create complex concepts.
4.4.5 Creative Sessions
The workshop where held both in person but also online due to location constraints. Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, circumstances were non-optimal for creative sessions with big groups of people. All the sessions consisted of at least one creative method descried earlier followed by idea clustering, wrapping up the spectra of ideas of the session. The end goal of all sessions was to have a couple of concepts that could be developed further.
Creative session 1 – Industrial Designers Engineering students and alumnus
The first creative session was done in collaboration with six students and alumni from the IDE program at LTU. It was conducted over the internet using Miro, an online collaborative platform for creativity. The session used the 635 Brainwriting and Braindrawing. The goal was to generate more general ideas; therefore, the participants were instructed to generate ideas that can catch any falling load before it hits the ground. This was done to get away from some of the constraints of solving a situation they are not familiar with.
Creative session 2 – Powerlifters from Luleå Athlete club
The second creative session utilized five lifters from Luleå Athlete Club. The goal of the session was to utilize their expertise as lifters and experience in spotting to get another perspective on the situation. The session used the Braindrawing method, rotating papers and building and discussing each other’s ideas, solving the problem of “What tool would you like to have you assist you as a spotter in the squat?”.
Creative session 3 – Engineering consultant from Sigma
The last creative session of the idea generation was done in collaboration with the engineering consultants at Sigma. They were just like the students given the task of generating ideas on ways to catch a falling load before it hits the ground, in a Braindrawing session. The goal was to get insights from people who work as mechanical engineers and solve these kinds of problems on a daily basis.
4.4.6 Sketch Prototyping
According to Milton & Rodgers (2013) the process of sketching is a key development tool. It enables the designers to evaluate ideas and save them for later work, improving and combining them. Wikberg Nilsson et al. (2015) describes sketching as a tool to prototype your ideas, emphasize the importance of the sketch before moving on to more advanced prototyping methods. The most important aspect is the ideas that comes from creating a sketch, not the result of the sketch. In the exploratory phases of the development thematic sketches are used (Milton & Rodgers, 2013). They convey the physical aspects, characteristics, and aesthetics as well as explanatory text and clarification for further understanding.
This method was used to combine the resulting clusters from the creative sessions. The reasoning behind it was to make the ideas into complete early concepts and presenting them with similar quality for further evaluation, eliminating bias towards more well finished concepts from the creative sessions. A set time of one hour for every concept was implemented to equal
the playing field so no idea gets more work before evaluation. All the concepts were sketched on top of the same computer-generated picture of the standard rack and therefore were directly comparable.
4.4.7 Dot Voting
Evaluating and selecting concepts in a group setting is easy using the Dot Voting method (Gibbons, 2019). The method is described as an easy way to select and narrow down concepts that works well in most situations. It works by having a group of people voting on different ideas or concepts using some sort of marker. All
participants get a certain number of votes, and the voting is done in silence to eliminate persuasion between users. The result is a heatmap of the most relevant alternatives according to the voters (Gibbons, 2019). The exact numbers of votes are then counted to produce a more precise result.
This session was done in collaboration with five engineering consultants from Sigma who have experience of evaluating product designs in their daily work. The basis of selection was the seven early concepts that stem from idea clusters. Each participant was given three votes based to place on the most prominent early concepts, based on the criteria of the design specification. The participants were also encouraged to give feedback to the early concepts, writing things down that they liked, disliked, stood out, thought was unclear etc. The implementation of the method can be seen in figure 26.
Figure 26 - Dot voting presentation
4.5 Implement
CDIO (n.d) describes the implementation phase as the process of turning the designs from previous phase into a product. This includes further development of details and the early concepts, prototyping and concept evaluation. This phase includes methods of further development with sketching and CAD prototyping along with ensuring usability of the concepts through crap-up prototyping. At the end of the phase the final concept is selected.
4.5.1 Computer-aided Design
Developing the three concepts further was done in CAD. According to Milton & Rodgers (2011), Computer-aided design is the use of software and to design both real and virtual products. The benefit of CAD software is, not only showing the form of an object but the materials, dimensions, and processes.
