Introduction to Prototyping - Nexride Bike Seat Example (Design Course 5.1)

I want to spend a few minutes talking about prototypes and prototyping. I define prototype as an approximation of the artifact on one or more dimensions of interest. Prototypes are used throughout the design process. There isn't a specific prototyping phase because prototyping is a tool that's used in problem definition, in exploration, in selecting a plan. So let

me just illustrate with an example some of the ways in which prototypes are used over the course of the development of an artifact. Remember that I told you about the discovery of the pivoting bike seat concept which occurred serendipitously when my seat post binder bolt broke while out riding my bicycle. I was out

riding with this product which was an existing artifact that I was trying out. I was excited about the possibility of a pivoting bike seed. And when I got home from that ride, I immediately began to to create a prototype to test that basic concept. I took a this was that prototype. I took the base from an existing bike

seat. I attached it to a scooter wheel, which gave me a pivoting mechanism. I attached the scooter wheel with some screws to a piece of plywood. And then I took some foam rubber and some fabric and stapled it to the bottom of the plywood. I then put some spring action in the seat using a piece of

rubber tubing. I was actually able to ride this prototype for several days, long enough to verify that the basic approach had merit. My next prototype was something that I that was about the right size and that I thought would have the right dimensions for the for what could eventually be a refined product. And I made this out of