Bethan O'Brien
Industrial Design and Technology
Final year project
Making Time Tangible for ADHD Adults
Final Year Design Project - Making Time Tangible for Adults with ADHD
Using movement, light, sound and digital interface, the solution realises time for the ADHD brain. The clock shows the user a holistic view of their day by visually tethering it to activity.
Final Year Design Project - Making Time Tangible for Adults with ADHD
Time is managed in two contexts, through synced devices: the clock and the portable time piece. A user centred design process has resulted in carefully considered UX and user interactions with the devices, that facilitate successful time management.
Final Year Design Project - Making Time Tangible for Adults with ADHD
The portable time piece allows the user to pace activity to effectively keep time, and review the progress of their day at any point.
Design for Manufacture - Sustainable Packaging at JC3DP Colourform
One of the commercial projects undertaken whilst on placement in industry, creating sustainable packaging from moulded wood pulp fibre. This project was completed for Ora.
Design for Manufacture - Sustainable Packaging at JC3DP Colourform
My year as a part of the design team at JC3DP Colourform enabled me to gather a wealth of design, commercial, technical and manufacturing experience, as I was fortunate enough to see several projects through from concept to production.
Designing for Small Space Living - the Rohingya Refugee Camps
A collection of research gathered for a week long design challenge, answering a brief set by DCA: to make small space city living easier and more comfortable. The target users are the adolescent Rohingya girls living in the refugee camps of Bangladesh girls. They are amongst the most vulnerable and isolated of the residents. The solution created is Blossom: a solar powered lighting, cooling and communications system, to meet some of their most basic needs.
Bringing Health Care to the Children's Institutions of Rural Cambodia
CassiaCare is a circular economy product and service solution designed to monitor the health and well-being of children living in legitimate, rural institutions, to facilitate effective and efficient response to any emergency situation.
Hiewa - A Sensory Toy for Children with ASD
An Internet of Things project. Hiewa is a communicative sensory toy designed to calm children with ASD through haptic, light and sound feedback outputs.
Bethan O'Brien
Throughout my development as a Designer, I am realising the great potential Design has to create, influence and drive change. Design is one of the most impactful ways that I can utilise my desire to do good. This motivation, along with the training and experience gained at Loughborough Design School, on placement, and across other areas of my professional and personal life, is shaping me into an increasingly responsible and conscious Designer.
Across all of my work I endeavour to achieve design that has a positive social and environmental impact. I enjoy tackling large scale and complex challenges, and equally, refining that aesthetic and functional product detail traditionally associated with Industrial Design. The projects I have undertaken whilst at Loughborough and on placement, have allowed me to develop a multidisciplinary skill set, with experience in Product, Service, Packaging, User Experience and User Interaction Design. I have found I am able to empathise well, and focus on a User Centred Design process. I enjoy research- gathering insights and exploring opportunities, and I have learnt to approach problems in a logical, holistic and Circular Economy way. I aspire to a career of implementing and championing the principles of Sustainable Design; working on, and leading projects that make a substantial difference.
Awards
'18 Deloitte Digital UXath0n Best Concept Award | In partnership with Loughborough Design School, Pixeled Eggs and Hong Kong University. The project involved leading a team to act as a design consultancy for our assigned company; creating and presenting concepts in a time pressured situation, in response to a live brief set by clients in Hong Kong. '18 Diploma in Professional Studies | Successful completion of a year long placement in industry at JC3DP Colourform. Throughout this year I gained invaluable commercial and design for manufacturing experience, designing sustainable packaging made from moulded wood pulp fibre. Supported by the JC3DP team, I had the opportunity to work on numerous live projects; seeing three of these through from concept to production. '14 Technology Design and Innovation Challenge Finalist | A Manufacturing Technologies Association nationwide competition. My submission was a Product and Service Design that would facilitate and promote bee conservation in urban environments.
Experience
'18-'19 Degree Show Committee | Our team was responsible for creating the vision and brand behind the 2019 Loughborough Degree Show, managing different aspects of the campaign, social media content, the event itself and designing the concept for Degree Show Book. '18 IBM Design Thinking Workshop | This Workshop introduced me to a variety of creative thinking techniques, as well as consolidating User Experience Design methods and skills. '17 Live project with Wilkos | As a part of the Sustainable Design module, I worked on a live brief set by Wilkos. This was to create a sustainable product that would aid their consumers with DIY.
Placements
August '17 - July '18
Design Intern JC3DP Colourform