Part 01: Title and Description
The toy I have created comes from a line of plushie toys I have decided to market as “Switchies.” A Switichie is a reversible toy stuffy that has been created to grant comfort and empathy to both the user, and the people surrounding that user to occur naturally. Its purpose is to help soothe both physical and mental pains that vary between stress intensities. Consumers are able to snuggle and cuddle with the toy itself for relaxation, and can also use them as puppets for roleplay between friends.
Part 02: Creative Process
The Switchie has been intended for use by females in order to ease their stress during times of period pains. Though this was the intended consumer pool, the line of Switchies, since they are personable, can be catered towards any customer who is in dire need of stress relief from both physical and emotional turmoil. Users can carry and hug the toy for cuddles but also use them as puppets to interact and communicate with other users and their Switchies. The toy has been filed with soothing fragrances and flaxseeds that transform the Switchie into a one-of-a-kind ice/hot pack at your service.
For me, the definition of empathy lies within the ability of an individual to understand and share the feelings of another being by identifying with them. The motivation to then help that person can only occur after that moment of understanding another’s pains and struggles. It can not occur otherwise. I realized how in recent demographics, humans are becoming less and less open about themselves to others. People tend to hide their emotions and worries in order to refrain from worrying others or from having to endure conflict with them. I wanted to focus on this aspect of communicating such empathy between people. Users can flip between the two sides of the Switchie to a personality that fits their mood best in order to help iterate their emotions without the need of sometimes awkward and misapprehended conversations. This is common to women during their period pains due to the relevancy of mood swings and other prominent symptoms. With all the physical and emotional pains that occur during that special time of the month, the last thing one needs is a misunderstanding from their peers. When flipping between the Switchies, the user can inform others of her emotions in a given moment. The peers to that individual can then visually see, understand, empathize, and further help them as they seek best. Furthermore, since the toy can be used as both an ice pack or a hot pack, depending on if it is placed in the freezer or microwave, the Switchie can also help ease stress by bringing comfort to the user.
In terms of research inspiration, I note from past projects and assignments that there is this one article that I continue to look back on regardless of the topic or situation when it comes to playing and toys. That is the article “Play Makes Us Human I: A Ludic Theory of Human Nature,” written by Peter Gray. I think that the fact that I continue to reference his thesis and arguments prove of just how influential his ideas about play and human behavior really are on the question of play with the self but also play with others. I recalled while designing the toy, Gray’s statement of when we bring playfulness “to bear in our social interactions we create a spirit of equality and personal freedom that allows us to overcome our equally human drive to dominate one another” (Gray, 10). From this argument, I pivot and confirm that play itself becomes a force of subsiding aggression and dominance, while in fact promoting empathy between players. The hierarchy between characters is diminished, in which, we as individuals learn to see one another as equals and can, therefore, see each other’s pains and struggles. From there on out, we continue to thrive together, while playing and while empathizing with one another. When the toy of the Switchie is introduced, whether as a communicating device, a heat pack, or a puppet between friends, the toy allows for emphasis on cooperation and equality to occur.
Overall, as a final reflection for my project, I would have to say that this would be one of my favourites thus far. I really liked how I was able to implement the majority of the techniques I had garnered over the past semester and incorporated those along with newfound skills from the last few lectures of the course. Having to communicate with other companies and communities really showed me how important it is to stay connected and reach out to the public for collaborative works. It showed me a glimpse of how these sorts of collaborations work from sketch to discussion to creation. The experience in itself was overall quite smooth. I pride myself in ensuring that my ideas are clean and clear to my collaborators, and this cross-country collaboration only proves of its significance even more. During the design process, I had many difficulties with pinpointing the demands of my intended users. I wasn’t sure if my users would prefer a smaller more compact plushie over a larger fluffier design, or if it was the other way around. I also briefly mentioned this struggle within my last presentation. The answers from my peers reinforced to me just how important the project design, user researching, and user testing phases really are to the success and relevancy of a toy to its desired customers. If I was given more time and more experience in the field, I would want to prototype even more designs of the Switchie. I would try to work with different colors, different scents, different shapes, and different sizes in order to come down with the best option for my future users.
Part 03: Documentation
- Pinpoint the idea and the intended customer pool. Sketch that design after research and brainstorming.
- Clean the design in 2D and 3D perspectives, finalizing your details and keeping in mind the desired sizes and proportions
- Create the sewing patterns and files necessary to communicate with the sewing community. Send those files.
- Prototype the design yourself.
- Design and create your packaging.
