Prompt

Get ready to design an interactive shoe attachment that improves the environment simply by wearing it! From researching inspiring precedents to building a wearable prototype, this studio sprint will challenge you to balance play, aesthetics, and functionality while solving a real-world problem. You'll leave a better world in your footsteps! 

Materials:

Cardboard sheets, paper, cardstock paper

Tape, hot glue gun, fasteners, zip ties

Box cutters, scissors

Decorative Materials: Markers, Paint, Recycled / Found Items 

Estimated Time: ~ 3-4 hours

Skills: Collaboration, Lo-fidelity, concept development, iteration, Brainstorming, Environmental Science

Instructions

Step 1: Reflect

As a class, or in small groups, create a list of all the places where you encounter litter and trash on the ground. 

Then, list all the physical activities you participate in and where these activities occur (e.g., playing soccer at the community soccer field, dancing in my room, swimming in the ocean, etc.). 

Step 2: Precedent Review

As a class, explore the shoe Precedents found in the Toolbox. Select your favorite and sketch it. If you could change one thing about the concept (the idea behind the project) or the look of the shoe, what would you change?

In small groups, discuss your selected precedent and what changes you might make to it. 

Step 3:  Brainstorm  

Now it's time to brainstorm project ideas that combine your favorite feet-moving activities and ideas for improving the environment. 

As a class:

Make two lists on the whiteboard. List one will feature all of the fun and everyday things you do (or would like to do) with your feet. List two will feature all of the environmental issues you see or know about that happen in your community (e.g., cigarette butt liter, plastic bags blowing in the wind, invasive plant species, etc.). (10 min)

After you've generated your lengthy list of ideas, combine one idea from List One and one issue from List Two into a unique idea. What do you think would be a clever approach to solving this problem? Are any of the ideas particularly fun or unique? Repeat selecting an idea from both lists to combine two more times. 

In small groups: 

Share some of your favorite idea combinations. Give each other feedback on how to make the ideas even more exciting and innovative.  

Finally, choose one idea to move forward with. Your teacher will now pair you with someone with a similar idea that you will collaborate with for the remainder of the sprint. 

Step 4: Sketch your idea. 

Sketches are a great way to communicate your ideas. Do your best to clarify how your shoes would clean up litter, what they would look like, and in which scenarios you'd wear them. Adding color and descriptions of unclear elements in your sketch will help the viewer understand your concept. 

Share your sketch with your partner and choose one project direction you'd like to explore together. Create a new sketch that demonstrates that idea. 

Step 5: Quickly prototype your idea.

You and your partner should each quickly make a small (about the size of your hand) prototype of your shared shoe idea. Using very simple materials such as paper and tape, create a prototype that is no larger than your hand. Use this small prototype to demonstrate your idea and answer questions about how it would work and look. 

Get Feedback: Each group should partner with another group to share their prototypes and receive feedback before moving to the next design stage. 

Step 6: Iterative Prototyping

Reflect on the feedback your team received and identify how you'd like to approach bringing your eco-shoe to a bigger (ideally wearable) and more refined (good-looking) state. 

Because time is limited, you will make a shoe attachment, rather than assemble a shoe from scratch. Choose one of your shoes and trace around the bottom to create the base form of your Eco-Shoe. You'll use this base to create an attachment or new shoe form out of the provided materials (cardboard works great!). 

Reflect on the feedback your team received and identify how you'd like to approach bringing your eco-shoe to a bigger (ideally wearable) and more refined (good-looking) state. 

Because time is limited, you will make a shoe attachment, rather than assemble a shoe from scratch. Choose one of your shoes and trace around the bottom to create the base form of your Eco-Shoe. You'll use this base to create an attachment or new shoe form out of the provided materials (cardboard works great!). 

Step 7: Sharing and Testing.

Collect all your sketches, quick prototypes, and final prototypes for your peers to see. As a class, you'll do a quick walk around to see what our peers have created.

Test your project - put some litter on the ground to demonstrate your shoe in action. 

Final Deliverable

A shoe or shoe attachment that improves the natural environment through wearing.