Final year project
Redesigning the Hairdryer with Sustainability at the Core
Front and Back View
This image shows the front and rear views of Hair Easy as well as highlights some of the parts designed for regular user interaction, such as the detachable handle and screw on the casing.
Interaction Prototype
As a part of the project's progress, I created this interactive prototype as a part of an overall testing strategy. Test users had scenarios to follow with access to research and tools where they attempted repair to a typical market product then contrastingly using Hair Easy, the results inspired various design changes that developed into the final form shown in the ‘Front and Back View’ image.
Concentrator Nozzle Detailing
One of the main pain points users faced when using hairdryers was losing the concentrator nozzle, which attaches to the front of the hair dryer, and having to replace the whole product. Therefore, this feature, shown in the image, is an inbuilt concentrator where the user turns the end of the casing, much like a camera lens, to switch between the open state and the concentrated state, shown in the ‘Front and Back View’ image.
Hair Easy App
The Hair Easy App is to help support the user through the diagnosis and repair process. The product is designed for regular inquisitive disassembly and maintenance; however, the app is there to remind users of how and when they should attempt maintenance and repair.
Antonia Willoughby
Final year project
Redesigning the Hairdryer with Sustainability at the Core
Awards
During my final year, I was the Chair of The Creative Exchange, an enterprise student group which aims to boost members’ skills to help improve their employability.
One of the programs I led was called ‘Switch On Stand Out’. It brought together students who wanted to gain work experience with local businesses struggling with their social media presence. We led workshops to give the student the skills necessary to analyse the businesses’ issues and strategize a solution.
While running the program I had the chance to talk to countless small business owners. I realised that the main issue they had was maintaining the progress started by the students once the programme was finished. They often forgot the processes and struggled to keep up with the platform updates.
That is when I had the idea to launch an online program, embedded into the AYW Creative website where local businesses can pay a fee to access a wealth of information about social media marketing for a certain period of time. They would use the platform to consolidate their goals and plan a social media strategy.
I submitted my business idea to the Enterprise Initiate Fund and won.
Once I graduate I will put this business plan into action with the winnings from the fund.
Work Experience
During my placement year, I had the opportunity to work at Brown Dog Creative as a Design Intern. Brown Dog are a creative marketing company that specialises in luxury home interiors. Due to their size, I had the opportunity to work across all sectors of the company: Design, Photography, Client Management, PR and Social Media. During the first few months of my internship, I took on the title of ‘Account Executive’ within the PR & Social Creative department. It was challenging to enter a marketing department as a designer, especially during the pandemic. However, once I started working on projects from the initialisation stage to the digital execution, I realised how similar the skills required from each role were, and how being a designer in this environment was advantageous.
During the internship, I found myself naturally combining the skills I was learning with my lessons from the design school to complete small projects for friends and family. After a few months of doing so, I decided to start my own Design and Marketing company, AYW Creative, with the aim to focus on helping small sustainable businesses.
After six months I had to leave the internship due to personal reasons. However, 5 months after leaving Brown Dog, I was asked to return as a freelancer for a month to cover for the Marketing and PR department head. I loved this experience as I learned quickly how to lead a team in the day to day running of the department.
As mentioned in ‘Work Experience One’, during my placement year I started my own Design and Marketing company called AYW Creative. I loved having something to focus on during my spare time that I was passionate about. After leaving Brown Dog, AYW Creative became my focus. I gained a lot of experience working with clients without the support of my colleagues as well as learning new skills as I went.