Creativity methods on our project

We have used two creativity methods on our project design:

1. Brain storming

At first, we have a three-minute brain storming on finding the solutions for our project. The following pictures show the draft of our ideas:

2. Metaphor
We also use metaphor in our design. We try to relate a real stove, microsoft painter and google map to the design solution. We want to use the different kinds of views like google map for the user panel, and also the view of the microsoft painter.

Brain storming and metaphor are effective methods especially in designing something totally new, just like our project. So it is very suitable for us to use it. Thanks to no interruption during the brain storming, each of us gives a lot of useful ideas, which will facilitate the later design.

Our project-- Software interface for stove control

We have decided to make a computer software interface for stove control as our project.

We got the idea from the use of our corridor stove. Cooking costs a lot time, but sometimes there is no need to wait in the kichen all the time, so we thought if it is possible to control the stove even outside the kichen, maybe with our computer.

So the aim of our project is to design a computer software interface to control the stove.

Design problems in daily life

Figure 1

This is an oven. We can see from the left picture(Figure 1) that there are some design problems with the user interface.

Problems:
1. Text Problem:
The texts which indicate the temperature levels, time and etc information have gone because of the long-time use and the cleaning.
This will cause serious usability problems that users can not recognise the temperature and time information when they are cooking, especially for the new user.


2. Position Problem:
Since the texts are not clear anymore, it is hard to find which switch controls which stove. There is only one light to show on and off statuses for all the four stoves.

Suggestions:

1. Add a protection cover for texts.
A protection cover should be added for the texts. In that case, the texts would be protected in a good condition, even for long-time use.

2. Add one light for each stove.
As the same as Figure 2, we can add light for each stove to show not only on/off status but also the position of each stove.

Figure 2