How a Hat Wallet Brought Me Home
The Challenge: Wallet Redesign
The idea for the hat wallet was born during a wallet redesign exercise at the Stanford Design Thinking Bootcamp 2017.
Meet Chad!
Needs Inventory - What is the user trying to do? How do they want to feel?
What Chad NEeds
Chad needs to carry and access his important things in a way that is comfortable and effortless.
The Brainstorm
I shared my sketches for possible solutions. Chad was most enthusiastic about option D, a hat wallet.
Rapid Prototype
Chad tries the hat wallet and gives me his feedback.
8 minutes to construct a prototype from basic office and craft supplies.
Chad tried on the wallet. We assessed fit and sleeve placement for max security and easiest access. He loved the concept and said it was something he would definitely use.
I felt like I was home.
Picking up Where I’d Left Off
I had a chance to move past the rapid prototype stage and iterate on the idea at the Parsons Maker Space where I also considered aesthetic elements. I picked up with another quick prototype and user feedback. People who tried on the rapid prototype were most concerned with fit, security, and ease of retrieval/storage.
Prototype II
I found a pattern and hat making tutorial to use to create the 2nd prototype. I did not have a sewing machine so construction consisted mostly of hand-stitching and staples.
Wallet Variations
I was able to get feedback about the different wallet variations from my classmates and NYC commuters. This led to a new idea for a double sided wallet which I built into the next prototype.
Aesthetics
I considered aesthetic elements by exploring tessellated patterns, warriors, and superheros.
Prototype III
Prototype IV
Final Thoughts
User-centered insights inspired this project, and continue to drive design decisions in all of my work.
Working in 3D was very satisfying - I incorporated laser cutting and specialty sewing, ideating from idea, to paper, to realized prototype.
