THESIS / WATT Bicycle Lights
Brief: Senior Thesis Project
For my senior thesis project, I began by casting a wide net over my passions and interests as both an individual and as a designer. I am someone who seeks adventure whether that is simply riding down a new city street or longer hauls to the summit of a bucket list mountain. These personality traits are reflected through my work as I love designing products / solutions to help people access and have more fun outside - then return home safely.
40 Concepts
I began my design process by producing many different concepts and then narrowed my focus with the insights I gained. I was able to figure out the key aspects of my design through sketching and make decisions about the direction that I wanted to explore.
Chosen Focus
Through the process of sketching and iterating I chose a few concepts that I found intriguing and decided to move forward with. These concepts are real solutions for real world problems that I have encountered living in San Francisco.
Professional Interview
After gathering my ideas and creating a plan, I proceeded to reach out to some industry professionals for further insight and advise. I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to sit down and share a pint or two with the incredible, Erik Nohlin.
Behavioral Testing
In order to have a more developed understanding of how these concepts may work, I created a series of behavioral models. I wanted to see how the concepts would look in the real world and if they needed modification. This stage of the process was an excellent resource for moving forward with my designs, providing me the potential pain points and opportunities.
Prototyping
To create some usable behavioral prototypes, I attached a series of lights to some bicycle pedals / handlebars. I felt inspired by the way semi trucks stood out on my rides with their bright L.E.D. decorated trailers. I utilized white light for frontal visibility, orange light for side visibility and red light for rear visibility. By attaching the lights to these locations, I was able to test their effectiveness in real world situations.
