I graduated from The University of Edinburgh with a First Class BA Honours Degree in Product Design.
After graduation I completed an internship with Tao Design, a leading design company in China. This was followed by a period with a software company in Edinburgh once the project was completed I focused on freelance design work.
I freelance in design and currently work as a senior sales advisor with Hackett, gentlemen's outfitters.
Projects
- Swimming Goggles for the Visually ImpairedAfter seeing the London 2012 Paralympics, I decided to focus my project on the problems that athletes have to overcome to achieve their goals. The two areas that I researched were physical disabilites and sensory impairements. These fields helped to generate ideas and gave me an insight into some of the problems that arise when taking part in sport with a disability. I chose the sport of swimming as I was a competitive swimmer myself and experienced first-hand research in the company of visually impaired swimmers. This led to the discovery that sensory impaired swimmers encounter many problems in swimming pools. Common problems that were identified are collisions with other swimmers, with lane dividers and knowing when they are approaching the end of the pool. The lack of ability to navigate and becoming disorientated when in the pool. However the question remains is what assistance do visually impaired swimmers require and how to design a product using technology to improve their experience and confidence in a swimming pool. The aim of this project is to find the limitations of the current equipment/aids available for visually impaired swimmers and how some of these difficulties could be solved by designing sensory improvement devices using a variety of technical components. This will hopefully be available to all sensory impaired swimmers. Qualitive research for this project including literature review, user observation, user interview, first hand experience and a case study was undertaken to discover problems visually impaired people have, using current swimming aids. Results from both secondary and primary research showed that some lacked independence and confidence within the swimming pool, which is sometimes thought to be an alien environment. I ventured out of my comfort zone to develop this product, seeking the technical expertise with the help of a masters student in electrical engineering. With this knowledge and help I was able to code and use components to create a device that will aid a visually impaired/blind swimmer within the pool. The device houses a large amount of technology, including body positioning, bone conductors, ultrasonic transducers and vibration motors. These components aid and orientate the swimmer in his immediate environment. I tested the device on many occasions myself, by blacking out goggle frames. It was with some degree of pride that I found I was able to navigate confidently from one end of the pool to the other, avoiding lane ropes, other swimmers and defining the position of the end wall. Sketches, prototypes and testing were done extensively throughout the design process to finalise the concept. The created sensory goggles are designed to help address the problems that the visually impaired experience in the swimming pool. The product enables the user to navigate within the pool environment effectively.
- Angle LightThe Angle Light design combined current technology and traditional materials such as bamboo. The design uses a simple knock forward to turn it off and again raise it up to turn it on. I wanted to use an angle sensor within a product to understand it more and also look at further uses for this technology.
- Carpet Waste BirdhouseThis project explores the potential to upcycle shredded carpet waste, a material in the carpet trade known as ‘shoddy’. This material consists of short fibrous threads and carpet residue (80% wool, 20% nylon). Currently shoddy is sent in bulk to landfill, which is costly to both our environment (nylon is plastic) and to the businesses who require paying for uplift of this waste material. This fibrous material, in a sense, unattractive and more often than not disposed of, set me a difficult challenge. I successfully produced a range of samples and products that utilised this carpet residue, contributing in some way to the renewables philosophy. A number of different samples were produced. Some of the product examples that I have created from my processes, are a series of birdhouses. These are each created using an eco-friendly bio-derived resin as the binder. The birdhouse utilises the insulation qualities of the carpet waste material 'shoddy' and is designed to protect the inhabitants from the harsh elements. Over time the house takes on the form of the surrounding landscape with a tactile surface that encourages moss and lichen growth. The design can also be customised (shape, size and colour) and in doing so be attached to buildings promoting urban bird conservation. The object can also be taken apart and cleaned, which is currently an improvement upon many birdhouse designs on the market today. In a sense, the use of this material in this form is original, with no existing research or applications. The proposal I hope has been imaginative with various samples created, explaining possible solutions with these and the alternatives to the existing market. I accept that I focussed on the potential of the material and in the manner in which it is created. However, I am pleased with the product, which only reflects what might be possible. The moulding process indicates that there is potential to create many forms and if time had permitted I would have explored other possibilities.
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Work history
Designer
Edinburgh, United KingdomFreelance
Working on individual design projects
.Maintaining design website and blog
.Collaboration with a performance artist on a visual project as a consultant designer .Using design knowledge and graphic design for fashion photography project .Branding and name creation for Chinese design firm
Senior SalesHackett London
Edinburgh, United KingdomFull Time
• Promoted to senior sales advisor after 6 months
• Responsible for a sales team of four people
• All sales targets have been consistently exceeded
• Using design knowledge within visual merchandising, to create displays and visuals and maintaining standards within store
• Responsible for stock counts and commercial reporting
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Skills
- Adobe Indesign/illustrator/photoshop
- CAD Rhinoceros
- Photography
- Graphic
- Graphic Design
- Microsoft Office
- 3D Sketching
- 2D Drawing
Education
First Class Honours in BA Product Design Edinburgh College of Art
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Second year unconditional entry into BA Honours Product Design. Graduated with a First Class Honours Degree.