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Criteria D: Evaluation Testing Methods In order to evaluate the success of my product in relation to the features it holds and its addressing of the target audience, I need to test it using numerous methods such as:

• Interviewing the target audience • Giving the product to an expert • Surveying subjects to rate the extent that the product met each specification

Below, I have displayed and evaluated the data generated by the testing methods.

Survey I surveyed 3 individual office workers and asked them to answer the questions

1. What aspects would you consider strengths of the product? 2. What would you consider a weakness of the product? 3. What improvements do you think could be added? 4. Would you personally use this product if it were implemented in your office? 5. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being excellent), how would you rate the quality of the product? 6. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being excellent), how would you rate the aesthetic of the product?

I carried the interviews out in person and recorded the answers. I explained my project, the problem and concept of ergonomics to each subject briefly prior to starting. The results are below:

Subject 1: 1) “I would say that the seating arrangement is the biggest strength, especially because back

and neck pain are major issues in offices. The seating area being ergonomic in terms of the angles at the neck and knees will be very relaxing for employees. I also like the colour scheme used; the product not only looks professional but also calming”

2) “I would say that the design doesn’t really give insight into how the product will be powered. This may prove to be a setback when the design would be developed further in the future.”

3) “I feel that the curtains could be replaced with noise cancelling foam as personally, I’m doubtful of how effective curtains are as a noise cancellation device.”

4) “Yes, I would. Office hours, especially today, are long and the environment is stressful, Also, these days, employees have heavy workloads, which affects their sleep at night and can be mentally and physically draining, therefore this product would be perfect for me and my colleagues.”

5) “9, I feel that I would give it a 10 if I knew how the pod would be powered from the design” 6) “10”

Subject 2: 1) “I would say that the ergonomics behind each feature is the biggest strength. Each feature

contributes to an effective power nap, for example, the lights, temperature, timer and sound system are all pre-set to the most ergonomic settings that will help induce sleep the most effectively. Many products out there have a lot of useless features, which I don’t see in this pod. This is great because, especially for office workers, it’s really hard to fall asleep”

2) “I feel that it may be hard to enter the pod, the oval shape looks great aesthetically, but I’m not sure it will be easy to access. Perhaps, adding stairs would be a good idea. Also, the ventilation system is not clearly visible in the design”

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3) “I would recommend adding stairs for easy access. Also, I would prefer if the seating area could recline because not everybody would like to sleep in that position, while I appreciate the ergonomics behind it, I still feel that sleeping positions are subjective.”

4) “Personally, yes. I’m always tired due to stress and workloads are increasing, meaning I’m even more mentally tired at office now than before. This product is a great solution to this problem and I believe it would be beneficial for productivity”

5) “10” 6) “9, I personally feel that the colours could be slightly more lively or exciting.” Subject 3:

1) “I believe that the strongest aspect of this product is massager. Office life today is extremely physically stressful due to long hours of sitting down, hence the massager is perfect to relieve body pain. Also, another strength is that everything is easy to understand and the product is very user friendly; no prior research or reading of manuals is needed to understand how to use it. For example, the usage of the control system is quite self-explanatory. Many products have extremely complicated settings and it’s very frustrating.”

2) “To an extent, I feel like some aspects are hard to reach, like for example the pull out table, which is at the end of the seating area. This makes the product slightly less efficient. I also think that there isn’t enough provision if the user wanted to work in the pod, for example, there is no internet access.”

3) “I think that adding a TV should be considered. Personally, I love relaxing by watching a funny TV show and having TV could help keep morale up and let people relax in more ways than one.”

4) “I definitely would. Offices are highly stressful and I think that, especially now, productivity is going down significantly due to the lack of sleep experienced by workers.”

5) “10” 6) “10”

Analysis of Interviews By reading and evaluating the results of the interviews, I can conclude that the product was well received by the target audience who gave the product high ratings in terms of quality and also all 3 subjects said they would use the product if given the chance. I can also deduce that my product is ergonomic as all 3 subjects stated the strengths as elements with ergonomic qualities. This means that when used, my product will succeed in providing quality sleep to users. Furthermore, from the strengths I can say that the product is relaxing, as each subject replied with a strength that was a relaxing feature. Moreover, I can also conclude that the pod was also visually aesthetic as the lowest rating was a 9. This means that the product looks inviting and is more likely to be used by employees. In terms of the weaknesses, 2 of the 3 subjects had the main point that some aspects are subjective and depend on the person, so the product should be able to be more personalised. 2 of the 3 improvements included mention of easy access, this implies that the positioning of objects and the general accessibility of the product should be re-thought. Although, all three subjects said that they would use the pod, this implies that the product was effective response to the target audience and the problem as well. Overall, the survey states that the product is quite efficient and meets the intended function, but could be more accessible and more easily personalized.

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Giving the product to an expert I gave the product to an expert (a productivity manager at a large office) and asked him to evaluate the product as a whole; the results generated are below:

Strengths - ergonomic features that relate to solving the

problem - visually professional and aesthetic - effective in terms of helping users fall asleep - easy to use and self-explanatory - all settings are easily adjustable - many features - ergonomic consideration of temperature, lighting,

sound, time and sleeping position - has a massager

Weaknesses - power supply is not depicted in the design - not enough resources for users who want to work - no way to ensure that the employee is safe - no way to ensure that the employee doesn’t over

sleep - noise blocking isn’t extremely effective

Opportunities - the pod can be developed to suit the needs of

different working populations as well. For ex: construction workers

- the pod could be developed to include different shapes and sizes as well

- the pod could be developed into become small rooms for hostels/dorms

Threats - employees may over sleep - employee may be in medical danger with no way to

inform others - employees may get distracted and not use the pod

responsibly - there’s some chance users will not be aware of

alarms, which is a safety and health hazard

Surveying subjects to rate the extent that the product met each specification

To understand to what extent my product reached the specifications, I conducted a survey amongst 5 office employees who rated on a scale of 1-10 (10 being excellent) how effective my product was in meeting that criteria. The results are below:

Specification Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5 Aesthetic and professional interior and exterior 10 10 10 9 10 Ergonomic seating area 10 10 9 9 9 Must have a massager 10 10 10 10 9 Must have an effective and ergonomic lighting system 9 9 10 10 10 Must have an effective and ergonomic sound system 10 10 9 10 9 Must have an effective and ergonomic timing system 9 10 10 10 10 Have an effective and ergonomic temperature system 10 10 9 9 10 Must have a control system 10 10 10 10 10 Must have an effective method to block noise 8 8 8 7 8 Must be made of durable materials 9 10 9 8 8 Total Scores (/100) 95 97 94 92 93

Analysis of Survey From the survey and the total scores, the product was given, I can conclude that the pod was well received by the target audience and consistently met all the specifications to a high standard, with the lowest score given being a 7. Also, all the total scores are in the 90’s which again proves that the product meets the criteria well. All aspects were quite well received, garnering scores mostly from 9-10, although the weakest criteria would be ‘to have an effective method to block noise’. All scores were 8 in this section, spare one, which was a 7. This implies that the product could’ve developed its solution to noise better and the noise that is let into the pod may distract users from sleeping. Another criterion which wasn’t met to the highest

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standard was one of being built out of durable materials. The pod is mostly made of thermoplastics, meaning its shape can be altered relatively easily. This implies that the durability of the product is harmed and therefore companies are less likely to develop the model or buy it in bulk as it wouldn’t be a long term investment. Moreover, the ergonomic features, like the sound, lighting, temperature and timing systems, were rated highly as well. This proves that the target audience thinks that the product is an effective response to the problem as all the features are tailored in ways to ensure that the pod ensures quality sleep. Evaluation of the Solution Against the Design Specification In order to ensure that my product is an effective solution, I have to evaluate it in detail against the design specification so I can test to what extent it is relevant to the target audience and problem. Firstly, the product is aesthetically pleasing on both the exterior and interior. This is proven by the survey and the report given by the expert. This is a crucial specification to meet as proven in the developing ideas section. The aesthetic of the product is well thought out because the colour scheme is professional and based on colours commonly found is offices like blue and grey. This implies that the product can blend well with the office environment. Moreover, the main blue/grey scheme also has ergonomic value as these colours are proven to help induce sleep better than other colours, which was proven by scientific journals in the research section. However, some may view the current colour scheme as somewhat dull which was evident in the interview evaluation. This could be addressed by using lighter versions of the colour to seem more lively. Also, the door isn’t very visually appealing, the exterior would look more more aesthetic if the door was shaped as planned in the original design. Overall, I think the aesthetics are effective because they also contribute to solving the problem and the colour palette is visually pleasing as per the expert and survey. Secondly, the product has ergonomic sleeping arrangements as proven in the survey where this specification didn’t get below a 9 and the expert also placed it in the list of strengths. This was an essential specification to meet at a high standard because an ergonomic sleeping arrangement would provide better quality sleep and help relieve body pain, which in turn makes employees more focused and increases productivity. The sleeping arrangement is of high standards because it consists of many different components. Firstly, there is a massager on top of which there is a memory foam layer and upholstery. This ensure comfortable sleep and its as per the survey in the research section, a massage is one of the most popular methods of relaxation. Moreover, the angles at the knees and neck relives body ache and one of the most comfortable and healthiest positions to sleep in. This means that workers will get quality sleep and will have less pains, meaning they’re more focused and healthy which in turn produces better work. However, the seating arrangement cannot recline, and as per evidence from the evaluation interview, sleeping positions are subjective to personal preference. Depending on habits, an individual may not have the highest quality sleep due to this, hence not effectively addressing the problem. Overall, the sleeping arrangements are ergonomic due to the many features that have been scientifically proven to increase sleep quality. Thirdly, the specification of the massager was met fully. This is evident in the expert opinion as well as in the survey where only one scoring was 9 and the rest were 10. A massage was the most popular choice for method of relaxation when I conducted the research survey. Also, the massager is programmed to focus on pressure points and parts of the body which are the most badly affected because of long hours of sitting down. If body pain amongst employees is reduced, then employees are likely to be more motivated and work better. However, the

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massager only massages certain parts of the body, like the calves and back, meaning it wouldn’t be as effective for someone with arm pains. Moreover, the massager doesn’t address body pain in respect to wrists caused by excessive typing. Overall, the massager specification was met to a full extent, but it could be developed further to be more inclusive. Furthermore, the specification of creating an effective and ergonomic lighting system was also met fully. The lighting system is made of LED lights which are proven to be less harsh on eyes and hence more relaxing. Also, the system is pre-set to switching red lighting on for the first three minutes; red lighting is proven to be the most relaxing colour of light which will help induce sleep. If users fall asleep quickly and feel more comfortable, then the the length of their nap is maximised and the quality is also increased, meaning the solution is more effective. However, it could be further developed if the intensity of light could be altered. Lighting can be quite subjective, some people can’t sleep in bright light and therefore not having this option reduced the effectiveness. Overall, the system has the major features required to create an effective lighting experience that mostly considers personal preference as well. Moreover, the pod has an effective and ergonomic lighting system as well. The sound system is easy to change and there are many options as well. Also, the system is pre-set to playing nature music which was determined to be the most popular choice of relaxing music in the research survey. It’s also scientifically proven to help people sleep. This means people will have a more relaxing experience and can have better sleep and therefore improve performance. The system was proven to be effective in the evaluation survey where it got scored either 9 or 10. The expert also listed in his strengths list. Although, again, sound is a very subjective matter. Many users may want to play their own music, so the system could be developed further by having a CD player or an AUX input. Overall, the sound system is ergonomic but could be more considerate towards personal preference. Moving on, the specification of having an effective and ergonomic timer was also met to a full extent. The timer is pre-set to a time of 20 minutes, which is the most effective time for a nap. Also, the alarm used to wake the employee will use the massage function to slowly vibrate the chair, the internal LED lighting to shine red, purple and pink light and the internal sound system to play peaceful music. This makes this function relaxing and also reduces the crankiness usually associated with waking up. However, some people may not be able to wake up through this method and need a traditional alarm, therefore increasing the risk of over sleeping. Overall, the timer is ergonomic but should offer more options as well. Furthermore, the pod also should’ve met the specification for having an effective temperature system. The temperature is pre-set to 18 Degrees-Celsius which was proven to be the most effective temperature for sleeping scientifically in the research section. This would help users sleep faster and feel more comfortable hence increasing productivity. However, there is no way to ensure that the temperature is adjusted while the user is asleep. Since the temperature of the pod is influenced greatly by the ventilation holes, cold and hot air can enter and thereby reduce the quality of sleep. Overall, the temperature system is efficient but could be developed more. Also, the product must meet the specification of creating a control system. The control system created was effective because all the features could be controlled from one place. However, to improve, the buttons could’ve been labelled as well so it’s easier to interpret. Also, the fact that the buttons glow-in-the dark should’ve been more obvious in the design, Overall, the control system is effective but its features could’ve been made clearer in the design.

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Moreover, the pod had to meet the specification of blocking noise effectively. Noise is proven to distract people and interrupt sleep, hence a noise blocking method would increase quality of sleep and hence concentration in the office. The noise blocking material used in the pod are velvet curtains. As per the evaluative survey, this specification was met to the lowest standard as compared to the rest. The scores ranged from 7-8 and the expert stated it wasn’t effective enough. While strongly effective noise blocking materials can’t be used due to safety reasons, the pod itself could’ve been made of a more noise deadening material than plastic. Overall, the the product isn’t the most effective in respect to blocking noise. Lastly, the pod should’ve been made of a durable material. This specification was met but not to the fullest extent. While thermoplastic is a long lasting material, it’s also easily damageable. The thermoplastic used can easily be reshaped, while this means that it’s easy to fix damaged areas, it’s also easier to damage it. The meeting of this specification is evident in the evaluative survey where the scores ranged from 8-10. Overall, the specification was met but could be developed further. For a summary of my evaluation against the specification please refer to Appendix E. Improvements Firstly, there is no clear display of the absolute interiors like for example, the wiring. This makes the design less comprehensible to potential clients. Also, in this sense, the design doesn’t offer anyway to fix the pod if it was experiencing an error. In order to improve on this aspect, the design could’ve shown a control panel inside which all the major wires are held. This way, a clearer method of solving errors in the pod could be displayed. To develop this idea even further, another design could be made on the inner workings of pod, which displayed, aspects like the massager of the pod and the main wires that would be needed. This idea would make the product more credible for usage in offices. Moreover, another major improvement, which I realised during an evaluation survey, is that the power source isn’t visible on the design. I initially presumed that the pod would be powered electrically through a cable and socket, however, this idea was not communicated in the design. The power source is a major component of any technological device and the availability of certain power sources also varies from place to place. Some offices would not be able to provide the adequate power resources; therefore, the power requirements should be visible so as to not waste client/seller timer. Also, considering how important power sources, including it in the design would’ve made the product more credible to buyers and be a more professional model. In order to fix this, I could’ve simply shown a wire coming out of the pod plugged into a socket. Moreover, as per the evaluative survey and the expert opinion, the noise cancellation methods used in the product weren’t highly effective. To improve this, the pod could’ve been made out of a more noise resistant material, though, even in this, the potential safety hazard should be considered seriously. Instead of having curtains, the pod itself could’ve been made of stronger materials like wood; this would’ve also aided the durability of the product. Although, if we were to make the pod wood, we would also have to add more ventilation area, the noisy impact of this could be reduced by covering the ventilation gaps with strips of wool or velvet curtain so that the noise is deadened somewhat. Also, I believe that the safety of the pod could be increased. Sleeping in a pod has considerable safety issues; the major one being that users may not always hear fire/earthquake alarms. In

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order to improve on this issue, the pod’s sound system could’ve been connected to the central alarm system of the office so that in case of an emergency the sound system in the pod would sound the alarm just as the rest of the building. Another safety issue could be earthquakes; to ensure minimal harm to a user in a pod during an earthquake, every element/object in the pod should be drilled into the surface of the pod walls and the pod itself should be drilled into the floor. Moreover, the pod should have more provisions for people who want to work in it. While it’s main function is for users to be provided with quality sleep, it’s only realistic to assume that if created in real life the pod would be used for other reasons as well, a major one of them being work. Firstly, more sockets should have implemented and the pull out table should be larger and should be closer to the middle area of the seating arrangement rather than the far end where it’s hard to access. Also, a Wi-Fi modem should be installed in the stall so that employees can work without limitations. Also, I could have made the arm rest rotatable because I made the decision to move it to the left hand side of the sleeping area. This may mean that people might have difficulty entering the pod making it less accessible. The arm rest should instead have a function that allows it slide down so people can move it out of the way before entering. Lastly, the pod could’ve been more environmentally friendly, while thermoplastics are a relatively eco-friendlier plastic, they’re still a plastic and are made from burning fossil fuel. In order to improve on this front, the exterior of the pod could be made from think aluminium obtained from recycled cans. Also, the pods could have solar panels on their tops and placed outside instead of using traditional power sources. This would make the product more mindful of the environment and offices would be more likely to consider it, especially now with most offices considering their carbon footprints more seriously than before. Impact of the Product on the Target Audience The impact of the pod on the audience is quite strong. I had defined the target audience as office employees of all genders, ages and backgrounds. Firstly, the major impact on the target audience would be that they have more sleep. As defined in the research section many employees don’t receive a full night’s worth of sleep due to stress and work overload. The main impact that sleeping pods in their workplace will have is to increase sleep quality and less exhaustion thanks to quick 20-minute rejuvenating naps that has numerous beneficial impacts on their health and work performance. Firstly, employees are more motivated and feel more valued by their office if a sleeping pod is implemented. This motivation and sense of value can increase their loyalty to the office and in turn employees are also more likely to perform better in their work. This concept is evident in companies like Google, who give their employees numerous benefits and therefore their employees are said to be some of the most productive and loyal ones in the world. Motivation also makes employees more time efficient and generally creates a more positive work environment which makes way for innovation and change. Moreover, naps are proven to increase concentration as well as creativity. This coupled with the time efficiency gained from the extra motivation means that the work performance of employees can increase significantly with this pod. Employees will produce higher quality work as they’re more focused. This increase productivity greatly and also encourages innovation and growing standards.

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Furthermore, employees will be considerably healthier due to the product. Firstly, the product offers a solution to body pain caused by long hours of sitting and also is designed to most effectively offset the damage caused by lack of or low quality sleep. Since employees are healthier, their commitment to their work is increased and they can focus more on producing quality work, hence increasing productivity. Also, employees with proper sleep are less likely to get depression and have lower stress levels, therefore making the work place more positive and allowing creativity to flow. Also, they have lower chances of being in an accident which also increases the safety of workers. Also, sleeping pods can improve the memory of the the target audience. This is highly beneficial as the office is now more time efficient and generally effective as employees are less likely to forget things. The target audience will also be much more receptacle to learning new information because sufficient sleep is proven to increase learning abilities. However, sleep deprivation can impact mood negatively which harms the learning process. Overall, the usage of sleeping pods will be highly beneficial to the target audience of employees because it improves many important abilities such as memory, concentration and creative thinking. It also helps ensure the health and safety of workers and keeps them motivated and loyal. All these factors add up to form a more positive and productive work environment with higher quality work performance.

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Appendix A SWOT Analysis of Old System

Strengths - Provides snacks which can boost energy - Has ample storage space - No clutter which creates a stress free atmosphere

Weaknesses - Layout and design of the room is not ergonomically sound - Aesthetically unappealing causing a negative work environment - Offers no privacy to workers - No natural light - Lots of noise - No unique features

Opportunities - Productivity increased because workers can relax - Employee-employer relationship is enhanced - Encourages creativity and openness in the office environment - Increased collaboration - Stronger employee to employee relationships leading to less conflicts

Threats - Workers can get distracted - Workers can spend too long in the staff room - Employees can feel unvalued reducing employee-employer relationship - Ergonomically unsound furniture can cause health problems in employees

Appendix B Survey I conducted a survey amongst local office goers to inquire if workers experience lack of sleep and how that effects their work performance. I asked a total of 10 subjects of different genders and backgrounds. The questions asked are below along with the results:

1. Do you feel you get enough sleep? No: 10 subjects Yes: 0 subjects

2. When you don’t have enough sleep, is your work performance affected? No: 0 subjects Yes: 10 subjects

3. Do you experience body pain from long hours of sitting? No: 2 subjects Yes: 8 subjects

4. What is your ideal method of relaxation? (music, massage, TV etc.) Music: 1 subject Massage: 6 subjects TV: 3 subjects

5. Does the lighting affect how relaxed you feel? (do you feel more relaxed in red or white light?)

No: 0 subjects

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Yes: 10 subjects

6. Does noise distract you from sleeping? No: 0 subjects Yes: 10 subjects

7. Do you prefer nature sounds, classic music or jazz? Nature: 6 subjects Classical: 2 subjects Jazz: 2 subjects

8. Does temperature affect your quality of sleep? No: 0 subjects Yes: 10 subjects

9. Do you prefer fixed settings or changeable ones? Fixed: 0 subjects Changeable: 10 subjects

10. Would you buy a long lasting product over quickly used but cheap product? Long lasting: 9 subjects Quick but cheap: 1 subject Appendix C Interview I also conducted interviews of workers on their opinions on lack of sleep and its impacts. The questions and answers they wrote are below.

1) How does lack of sleep affect your work performance? 2) How does lack of sleep affect your health? 3) How does lack of sleep affect motivation? 4) How does aesthetic appeal affect your view of a product? 5) How does being able to change the settings affect your experience with a product? 6) How strongly does your environment affect your sleep? (temperature, lighting etc.)

Subject 1 [female, 45 years old]: 1) Lack of sleep negatively impacts my work performance as it effects my efficiency and

concentration. 2) Not getting a good night's sleep gives me a heavy head and I feel fatigued and tired all the

time. 3) Lack of sleep negatively effects my focus and concentration resulting in no motivation to

do my work. 4) It is very important for the product to be aesthetic for me personally. I’m more drawn to

aesthetic things and also I usually find myself having a more satisfactory experience with visually appealing products. When a product is aesthetic I usually am more interested in it and my chances of using it are more, also, I have a more relaxing experience when using aesthetic products.

5) It is very important for me to have the option of setting a product to my personal liking and style like adjusting the temperature in cooling or adjusting the light settings

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6) same as above

Subject 2 [female, 26 years old]: 1) It affects my work performance as my work quality lowers due to my full attention not

being present. Lack of sleep makes it harder for me to focus and also lack of sleep makes me more stress whilst reducing the efficacy of my work and making me work slower. Lack of sleep severely reduces my focus at work, I keep wanting to fall asleep and this really affects the work I produce. I make more errors and don’t produce high quality work when I’m tired.

2) It affects my health as it makes me more prone to chronic health issues like high blood pressure, stroke and at times heart diseases but it also makes me feel weak and increases my stress levels whilst also giving my fatigue

3) It affects my motivation as I don’t feel like doing anything but sleeping. It makes me not want to do anything and due to the fact that I won’t produce my best work I convince myself I get demotivated and don’t see the point of work tirelessly when my work won’t even be to my best abilities

4) It makes me more prone to buying the product as I am more attracted to it hence dragging my attention. For example; if I was buying a comb and there were 2 options red and blue, I would pick blue as it's my favourite colour meaning that I will be more attracted to the blue comb.

5) I find it crucial to be able to change settings in products hence ensuring I am comfortable. It makes my experience more enjoyable and leads me to being more pleased with the product.

6) It affects my sleep as I need to be comfortable while sleeping so if the lights are on or the AC is to low I find that I don’t get much sleep and the sleep I get isn’t very good.

Appendix D Gantt Chart

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Appendix E Summary of Evaluation Against Design Specification Specification Achieved? Aesthetically pleasing on both the exterior and interior Yes Ergonomic sleeping arrangements Yes Ergonomic and effective massager Yes Ergonomic and effective lighting system Yes Ergonomic and effective sound system Yes Ergonomic and effective timer Yes Ergonomic and effective temperature system Yes Control system Yes Effective at blocking noise Yes Durable material Yes