Phase I : Research
User Research
To learn more about first responders, I headed to my nearest Fire station to talk with my users face to face. I learned a lot about the several variations between engines and the equipment they carry. The different duties of various firefighters, the equipment they use lessons on how design was being used throughout the station, and tools equipped for fighting fires.
Phase I : Research
Insight
While talking to Andrew the driver of Engine 15, we started discussing the dangers of night time scenarios on freeways and roads. Firefighters wear Personal protection equipment (PPE) which have high reflective tape on it, as well as occasionally wearing a safety vest. I found it interesting taking the use case of Safety vests and seeing if there was a unique way to improve safety vests for first responders in night time scenarios by integrating LED technology.
Phase I : Research
Inspiration Board
I wanted the design to have an aesthetic appeal to it since one of the pain points was the ugliness of the design and cheapness to the safety vests our there on the market.
Phase I : Research
Mood Board
The mood I wanted to go for was energizing, modern styling, with angles and a sense of sportiness to the action of this product.
Phase II : Ideation
Concepts
I wanted to try and play with incorporating a second color than just a two tone green and grey. Adding black adds negative space and creates an interesting visual tool to break the vest up.
Phase II : Ideation
CMF Exploration
I tested different applications for connecting the safety vest instead of just zipping, since firefighters may be using gloves at times while putting on their safety vest. I also tried various types of LED applications from tube, to tape, finally landing on generic LED RGBW strips for the prototype.
Phase III : Prototyping
First Draft
This was my first time sewing a soft good product together. I started creating a rough prototype vest for several reasons. One to practice using the sewing machine, learning different ways to attach fabric, and how to control the machine more precisely. But also to play around and have a functional prototype to test different variations with while the final looks like and works like model will be quite different.
Phase III : Prototyping
LEDS + Reflective Exploration
Once the vest was complete I moved on to testing patterns with the reflective tape and various placement and methods for the LED strips on the safety vest.
Phase IV : User Testing
User Feedback
After I completed the rough prototype, I brought it back to the fire station to get initial user feedback and learn more about what they think about the product now that its in there hands and they can wear it themselves.
Phase V : Revisions
LED Panel
Taking their feedback into consideration I redesigned the LEDS to be in their own compartment separate from the vest entirely. This conceptually would allow the LED module to come off the vest and be easily chargeable in some wall mountable fashion. While the safety vest can still be used on its own or be washed separately.
Phase V : Revisions
Repairing
After completing the LED module, there were some slight wires that were disconnected, so doing my best as a doctor to do surgery on soldering the wires back together.
Phase V : Revisions
Final Safety vest
The final design of the vest came from several iterations of the initial rough vest.
Phase VI : Final Deliverables
Front Improvements
Phase VI : Final Deliverables