Disco Planter
| Client: | Project Duration: | Role & Team: | Year: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant Enthusiasts | 12 weeks | Solo Product Designer | 2022 |
CHALLENGE
Simplifying plant care into meaningful and enjoyable interactions
Plant owners often find it challenging to keep their plants healthy due to the difficulty of knowing when and how often to water them, leading to plant health issues and deterioration.
Using lateral redesign to address these challenges and complexities, I redesigned the pot plant system by creating a planter in the form of a disco ball. Through the incorporation of electronics, the disco planter is triggered to slowly spin and outwardly reflect an assortment of coloured lights across the environment. Thus, with the development of visual cues, users can be gently notified of their plant’s status, whilst simultaneously providing joy to what would usually be a dull and mundane task.
APPROACH
The project began with a deep dive into the challenge of indoor plant care, guided by 4 user interviews and a market analysis, as well as teaching myself the foundations of Arduino coding. This served to guide the creative process including ideation, prototyping, and refinement, to result in a solution that is both functional and visually appealing.
The research findings revealed 3 key challenges:
- Outdated visual appeal
- Struggles for varied plant care
- Lack of joyful experiences
It was evident that a disco ball planter would not only serve as an effective visual reminder for users to water their plants but also reduce stressful decision-making, turning a mundane task into a source of joy. Additionally, the blend of function and aesthetics would capture the attention of plant and design enthusiasts alike, making it a fun and nostalgic home decor statement piece through its playful design.
Design development
- Aesthetics: Based on feedback, the physical appearance of the pot was refined to strike a balance between an organic form and the retro 80s aesthetic, ensuring it blends seamlessly with all interior styles.
- Plant specifications: Acknowledging that different plant species have unique watering needs, the design was adjusted to meet the specifications of common indoor plants, ensuring precision in plant care.
- Electronic interaction: Users preferred a slow speed for the plant rotation. This deliberate pace promotes relaxation and mindfulness, contributing to a more meaningful user experience. LED light combinations utilising colours and patterns were further developed to cater for user preferences
- Concealed Technology: To maintain the pot’s aesthetic integrity, measures were taken to minimise the visibility of wires and electronic components. This involved soldering to reduce the number of visible wires and incorporating various false bottoms to discreetly hide excess components.
OUTCOME
Over the span of 12 weeks, I successfully designed and coded a fully functioning disco-ball-inspired electronic reminder system, effectively transforming the chore of plant care into an enjoyable, therapeutic experience
