The Ome
Our class was tasked with designing a speaker that could not only play music, but also have secondary purposes. Our parameters for the project included a speaker that was of 2 inch diameter and the connection from the control panel to the speaker was 6 inches. Furthermore, we were not allowed to create a design that resembled a simple rectangle or square.
Role
Design a speaker that is perfect for a coffee table and group game experiences.
Essence
A design that appears expensive, is durable, holds objects, is sleek, and blends in.
Function
Create a speaker that can also hold cards, dice, phones, and be able to have dice rolled on it.
01
Exploration
When it came to designing the Ome, exploration and research was really important. I was on the hunt to create a bluetooth speaker that could find a place in any environment and catch the eye with a sense of calmness and interest. I researched on how curves attract a user, what shapes are usually seen in a group environment, and where I wanted my product to hold its place. As I continued, I also searched for the secondary purpose of the speaker. I was searching for a way to make the user interact with my speaker in a simple way. I wanted something that was easy to understand and use.
What are people looking for in bluetooth speakers? Where do people want to listen to music? How much volume is needed?
How do people want to use the it speaker? What environment will the speaker be used in? How easy is it to produce?
What I Concluded
Environment
The environment for the speaker needed to be calm and inviting, but had the possibility to create excitement. So I chose to create a speaker for the living room of a home that would hold its place on the coffee table. This environment allowed for visibility and interest, but also gives it an opportunity to be used for its many purposes.
Use
When it came to choosing how the speaker would be used other than for music, I chose to use it for games and a phone holder. I wanted the speaker to be able to hold dice and cards and have the capability to hold the phone that was feeding the music to the speaker. I also wanted the speaker to be possibly involved in the activities.
02
Ideation
When the ideation stage came, I was focused on balancing my form and function. I wanted to look at different ways that I could hold my dice, cards and phone. I wanted to see how I could changed different variables of the design and add more purpose to each area.
Understanding my Form and Function
I was looking at any form that i could and how my function of holding cards, dice and a phone would take place in each form. Which then narrowed down to a final form. However, I still needed to play with some of the smaller aspects of the design.
Final Sketches
03
Building
The Ome
The home speaker that allows you to play games and interact with friends, with great background music.