AMANDINE JOHNSON

Design Thinking / Children's Toy

Design thinking: 

This project was an exercise in pushing conceptual thinking outside of traditional boundaries by utilizing design thinking techniques and ‘tools’ to design successful solutions to problems. The brief was to create a market viable product using the word ‘pencil’ as the creative ‘starting point’. Several brainstorming techniques were used to explore the basic function of a pencil – ‘to mark’.  I questioned other alternatives to ‘marking’. Using several design techniques I developed ‘Animarks’.  

The project: “Animarks”

This children’s toy, designed to be worn in the snow, at the beach or in the mud, creates playful ‘foot prints’ of a designated animal species. Using the foundation of the pencil’s function as inspiration, this product creates an imaginary world where the child can pretend to be an animal, highlighted by their footprints. Matching physical graphics on the front of the toy connects the animal to the footprint, making this an education children's toy.