⚪Selection of service objects
Serving: Defne’s grandmother Hanife.
Why: We learned from a briefing that Defne’s grandmother
① lived alone in an apartment and loved plants. ② The plants are mostly indoors and in the windowsill. ③ It is not strong and needs a small flower pot. Can decorate flower POTS with ornaments. (This is what inspired Fuyuan.)
So we decided to design a personalized smart flower pot for Defne’s grandmother Hanife.
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⚪Product Analysis
1, Use environment: Indoor. Window sills, flower stands, or tables.
2, Function: ① detect plant health (light, moisture, temperature, voice broadcast) ② automatic watering ③ voice communication ④UI display(The interactive interface is user-friendly)
3, Structural features: ① telescopic ② portable, small ③ with display ④ storage device
4, Material: Lightweight and durable materials such as plastic and wood
5, Appearance: ① maximalism (Turkish traditional pattern) ②UI pixel style
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⚪Team plan
Fuyuan
(Industrial Design students)
- “Building blocks” like flower POTS
Design highlights: Through the assembly of personalized parts, decorate personalized flower POTS.
Use process: You can customize your favorite parts by 3D printing, and insert them in the corresponding position of the flower pot to achieve the decorative effect. The parts can be changed according to the mood to make the flower pot more interesting. - Flower POTS that listen to nature sounds
Design highlights: It will make the sound of plants growing, wind, birds singing, the sound of nature, of course, you can also play your favorite music.
Usage process: Import audio by cooperating with mobile software. - Light flowerpots
Design highlights: Let the light move on the flower pot, maybe there is a different scenery.
Design limitations: The effect may not be seen during the day, and the effect is excellent at night.
Use process: ① The light is cast on the outer wall of the flower pot: the light can be projected on the outer wall of the flower pot to achieve decorative effect by adjusting the light color and projection method. ② Light illuminates the plant: when the light is insufficient, it supplements the light for the plant in time. The light shines on the surface of the soil of the flower pot: Maybe you can project some interesting things on the soil, it can be a small snail, it can be a star, there are many things you can project.
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Yifan
(Students majoring in film and television have less contact with design, so their thinking is more jumping and their imagination is rich)
- Robotic flower POTS
Design highlights: Small robot, can be deformed, mobile, multi-functional
How to use: The flower pot can be transformed and moved around the house, (Fuyuan said: It is also good to feel like a pet that can be followed. At home you can shout around, maybe take a walk) - Mood pot
Design highlights: Can change the shape of the flower pot according to the mood, change the pot.
How to use: Adjust according to mood, just like Barbie dream house. (Fuyuan said: “I felt that it was not easy to achieve, so I suddenly thought that it seemed good to have a soft plastic material on the outer wall of the flower pot, and you can shape yourself like playing silly putty.”) - Microwave flower POTS
Design highlights: Become a microwave hot meal.
Use process: With its own pulley, you can bring the rice to the front.
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Yirui
(Industrial Design students)
1.Intelligent flowerpot pet system
Design highlight: The flowerpot is only equipped with a display screen integrated with the flowerpot wall and a mechanical button. After the button is pressed, intelligent functions are achieved through intelligent voice interaction, improving usability. Provide positive feedback through voice interaction when users appreciate it. It can be connected to a smart terminal via Bluetooth and operated on the system through a mobile app.
How to use: Internal input of positive praise entries. When positive words are recognized in the elderly’s speech, a cute and happy expression will appear on the display screen, and beautiful sound effects will be played.
In order to enhance the sense of achievement of the elderly during use, the flowerpot will record the number of compliments received. If there is a fluctuation in the frequency of the elderly’s compliments, the flowerpot will provide special feedback. For example, if the frequency is higher than normal, the flowerpot may play a long piece of music or continuously display special gorgeous colors. Conversely, the flowerpot may turn into a melancholic color or display a pitiful and coquettish expression.
Intelligent systems can be operated in the mobile app system, and family members or users can set response terms and corresponding expressions based on the user’s language habits. According to the user’s preferences, feedback sound effects can be set, and of course, children’s voices can also be recorded. Family members can also create a family group in the app, like leaving a phone message, to leave a message about the flowerpot. When the user approaches the flowerpot, the message will be played.
The sensing system of each flowerpot acts as an independent entity, and users can give different names to different plants. They accompany users like some little elves, relieving their loneliness.
Corresponding briefing content: For customer needs such as “elderly people like to bless children and expect to increase their connection with them. Plants become a source of emotional connection, bringing a sense of purpose and companionship to the elderly. User friendly, simple and intuitive user interface”, this concept sets up user friendly and interactive functions to maintain customer emotional needs. This design aims to enrich the daily life of the elderly through intelligent interactive functions, guide them to actively face life, increase their connection with plants and descendants, improve their sense of achievement in plant care, and alleviate their loneliness.
2.Reminder system and battery charging
Design highlight: Install light and humidity sensors to record the frequency of plant care for the elderly and provide reminders when necessary. Detachable rechargeable battery with a convenient charging port designed for the battery, providing charging reminders when the battery is low.
How to use: The memory of the elderly is declining, and the reminder system is meaningful for the elderly. By sensing the user’s behavior, it provides necessary reminders to the user. The intelligent system of the flowerpot is powered by rechargeable batteries, eliminating the need to move the flowerpot or frequently replace the battery. Simply take the battery to the charger for charging, reducing user pressure.
Corresponding briefing content: For the customer’s demand for a product that can not only assist in completing daily tasks, but also provide emotional support by establishing a connection with plants, this concept sets up intelligent plant care and reminder functions, without the need for a continuous charging system connected to the power source. This design takes into account the decline in memory and the gradual inconvenience of physical movement in the elderly. Through a reminder function, it provides daily care services for the elderly during the use of flower pots. The design of a detachable rechargeable battery allows the elderly to charge the intelligent system without having to move the entire flower pot. They only need to remove the lightweight battery to charge it.
3.The appearance that combines traditional patterns with modern intelligent design
Design highlights: the upper and lower edges of the flowerpot are designed with Türkiye continuous patterns, and the middle part is used as a smart display screen, which is only displayed through mosaic pixels to minimize costs. And possible modular structures. The material selection is lightweight and durable modern resin material, which is waterproof and stain resistant, and can also create beautiful ceramic or stone like appearances. Open ventilation holes at the bottom of the flowerpot to ensure proper ventilation and water filtration for plant maintenance.
How to use: The flower pot can be made into a square shape, providing flower pot models of the same width but different lengths. Users can determine the placement combination of flower pots in each space based on the size of the space for placing them.
Corresponding briefing content: for the customer’s requirements of “the extremely complicated appearance rich in Türkiye’s traditional culture, pixel style UI display design, lightweight and durable materials, modularization, and applicability to different plant sizes”, this concept sets the appearance style of combining traditional and modern, different flower pot sizes and modular systems that can be placed in combination, as well as lightweight and durable resin materials that can give consideration to beauty.
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⚪Conclusion
The above is our user selection and initial design ideas and concepts. The details are not yet perfect, and some ideas are not mature, but they are all based on our sincere concern for users.
When reading your user information, we found that the elderly have many similarities, such as expectations for the usability and accessibility of flower pots, liking to talk to plants, and paying attention to family connections. Therefore, our design has completely customizable attributes. However, Ms. Hanife has a strong passion for indoor plant planting, and we chose to design it for her first.
We look forward to your suggestions on our design concept. If there are any shortcomings or details that need attention, thank you in advance for your reminder~~~
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If you have any questions, please let us know , looking forward to your reply!
Design Team 01, thank you for sharing your concepts.
Can you please explain in what ways each of the outlined ideas is addressing the Clients’ brief?
Also can you please visualise your ideas?
Erik
We got it,thank you.
Thank you, Team 01! As the design team, you’ve done a nice job developing individual concepts, and I’m confident that Team 12’s feedback will help you refine these into two polished design solutions. I especially appreciated how each of you indicated your major before presenting your concepts -it adds a nice personal touch. I was particularly impressed by Yirui’s approach to using Generative AI to bring a different perspective to the sketched concepts, along with the thoughtful acknowledgment of the AI-generated content.
Thank you for your comments and we will continue to work on it.
Hello Design Team 01, I would like to reiterate Mert’s message. Thank you for including drawings.
This helps me to better understand your thinking. I would like you refocused on the users and in what ways a smart pot may provide an emotional support through a connection with plants. Your initial design concept sketes have omitted users and how they will benefit from having the smart pot?
Can you please revisit your proposed design solutions and incorporate the users and how you envisage they will benefit from having these smart pots?
thank you, Erik
We will update the post and publish a more complete sketch.
Hello Team 01, did you have a chance reading my above comment?
Erik
Yeah, we’ll do it as soon as we can.
Fuyuan, I have a few questions about your design. Your sketches are adorable! Firstly, I liked the addition of the light, but its position seems to be set in a way that might obstruct the plant’s growth. To avoid this, I think it would be necessary to reevaluate the light placement. As the plant grows, its distance from the light will change, so an adjustable light height would be ideal. If the light is too close, it might not be healthy for the plant.
Yifan, I can see that your imagination is very strong—maybe this comes from your background in cinema and television! Your ideas are really fun, but as product designers, we should focus on ideas that can be realistically implemented. I don’t think these concepts are quite feasible. However, you could consider taking certain features and applying them to another idea. For instance, instead of a pot that moves like a robot in your first idea, maybe you could think about a pot with a mechanism that allows it to shift slowly. Also, I didn’t fully understand the third microwave idea.
Yirui: In your first idea, I really like that you’re designing with the concept of elderly people in Turkey talking to their plants in mind! It’s great that you’re starting the design by considering user needs! The reminder system and the rechargeable aspect in your second idea are exactly what we were hoping for. Including Turkish patterns in the third idea is also very impressive. Overall, you could combine certain features from all three concepts into a single, strong design.
I think all three of you have come up with good ideas and put in a lot of effort—well done! I believe that by merging elements from these ideas, you could create a successful final product design.
I’m glad to see your question, and I’ll go into the question of light and distance. Also, which option are you most interested in? We will finally choose a solution to deepen, you can choose the features of interest. Looking forward to your reply.😀
Hello! Thank you for sharing your valuable ideas with us!
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I’m really happy to see the effort you’ve put in; well done!
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For Fuyuan’s idea: I really liked the sketches! The idea of adding decorations with 3D printing is nice, but I’m not sure how feasible it is for an elderly person to produce these decorations on their own. Since the concept focuses directly on Defne’s aunt, maybe it would be more practical to consider decorations that she would specifically enjoy. The idea of bringing the sounds of nature to this pot is very appealing. It’s important to also keep in mind sound reminders in this context. For spaces with insufficient light, adding a light feature is sensible. However, in the sketch, I see a light added quite close to the pot. It would be better if this light was positioned higher and wouldn’t interfere with the plant’s growth. I’m also curious about what you envision regarding the pot’s size.
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Yifan! It’s great to see the unique perspective of cinema and television here! You have creative ideas, but some of them feel like they belong in a cartoon or animation. A plant robot roaming around the house could be fun, but for an elderly person, this might pose a tripping hazard. The idea of changing form according to mood is intriguing, but is it really feasible? Perhaps this concept could be adapted into changing colors according to mood, using LEDs to take it further. As for the last microwave idea, I didn’t quite understand it, so I’d love it if you could explain!
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Yirui: I love the idea of communicating with the pot! It’s great that you recognized this as something elderly people might need. Having only one button is certainly important for ease of understanding. Keeping it simple is definitely logical. The reminder function in the second concept is also another crucial requirement. The idea that the pot has its own way of expressing itself is wonderful. I also appreciate the way you’ve incorporated our cultural patterns in the third idea. However, to make the design look cleaner, it might be better to simplify it a bit and include patterns in just one area. In my opinion, you could integrate all these existing ideas into one concept, resulting in a very appealing outcome. And don’t worry; your drawings and model presentations look great. 🙂
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My overall thought: It’s clear that each of you has put in a lot of effort. Well done! In Turkey, we say “Ellerinize sağlık” to express appreciation for good work, meaning “health to your hands.” I believe by combining some elements from your ideas, you can achieve a beautiful result. We will also be sharing our group feedback with you shortly.
I’m glad to see your question. The 3D printing I mentioned does not need to be made by myself, but can be customized online, so don’t worry about it. Also, which option are you most interested in? We will finally choose a solution to deepen, you can choose the features of interest. Looking forward to your reply.
Thank you for selecting my grandmother, Hanife, as the inspiration for this design project! I am truly excited about the designs and the journey ahead. I appreciate the time, creativity, and hard work you’ve all put into these thoughtful ideas. Here’s my feedback on each concept:
Fuyuan’s Ideas
Customization with 3D-printed Parts: I love the customization element here. It’s a lovely idea to let users decorate the pot with personalizable parts. However, I’m a bit unsure about how effective 3D printing will be for elderly users like my grandmother, who may find it challenging to handle new tech. Perhaps simplifying the process or offering pre-made parts could be a solution.
Nature Sounds with Audio Import: This is a fantastic idea! My grandmother loved the sounds of nature, and incorporating audio would create a soothing atmosphere for her. I’m curious, though, about the technical aspect—will the audio import require an app, or could it be done through an easier setup?
Light Flowerpots: This design sounds both beautiful and functional, enhancing the plant’s environment while providing light support. I appreciate how it contributes to the plant’s health and adds ambiance. Could you elaborate on how the lighting will work? Will it be LED-based, and will the brightness adjust based on the time of day?
Yifan’s Ideas
Robotic Flower Pots: This concept is creative, and I like the idea of a flower pot that can move around and offer companionship. However, considering the target user is elderly, perhaps minimizing movement could be safer. A simple rotation or slight mobility within a limited space might be more practical.
Mood-Responsive Shape Change: Changing the pot’s shape based on mood is unique and imaginative! However, I’m concerned about the practicality and potential complexity of implementation. Perhaps a soft, flexible material could be used to allow some reshaping, like Fuyuan suggested, but it should still be functional and accessible for everyday use.
Microwave Flower Pots: While interesting, I think adding a microwave function might be unnecessary here. It could make the product feel more complex and take the focus away from plant care and companionship, which are the main goals for my grandmother’s needs.
Yirui’s Ideas
Intelligent Flowerpot Pet System: Voice and interactive features would add a lovely sense of connection and companionship. The idea of rewarding positive interaction with lights, sounds, or displays feels both engaging and heartwarming. I also like the practical features like humidity and light sensors, along with the detachable battery for easy charging—perfect for an elderly user.
Traditional Patterns Combined with Smart Design: I love the incorporation of Turkish patterns; it beautifully honors my grandmother’s cultural background. The combination of lightweight resin material with a modern display is a nice balance of traditional and contemporary. Modular sizing is also a smart touch for customization.
Thank you again for all your effort and thoughtful design work! I’m looking forward to seeing these ideas develop further. Please let me know if I can provide any more insight or support along the way.
I am very glad to see your reply. 🎉
① As for 3D printing, my idea is to entrust it to a special department for printing. We only need to buy the printed products, and we do not need to operate the printing by ourselves.
② I think it needs a certain application, after all, the screen above the flower pot is limited, too many keys will appear more messy, there will be a small number of key keys (start, pause, close, up and down), to import audio I think it still needs mobile phone assistance, (mobile phone interface UI design is concise and clear, I think it is feasible).
③ I think the problems you are concerned about are very necessary, one role of the light is to beautify the flower pot, the other role is to fill the light for the plant, so its brightness is adjustable.
Thank you again for your evaluation of our proposal.😀