Role:
Timeline:
Collaborator
Product Designer
Sept 2024 - Dec 2024
Farabi Azad
To understand user needs, we interviewed people of various ages, identifying pain points and preferences. Using these insights, we explored materials, developed user personas, and mapped user journeys to guide our design.
We then went through five rounds of prototyping, refining the design at each stage. This project provided hands-on experience in product design, prototyping, and branding, turning an idea into a tangible solution.
1. What issues do you commonly experience with your current hangers when hanging delicate or heavy clothing items? Also what type of hangers do you use?
2. How important are features like anti-slip technology, crease prevention, or material durability when choosing a hanger? What is more important to you?
3. If you could improve one aspect of your hangers, what would it be and why?
Interview 1: Woman, 67 years old
Response:
1 . “I like to use high-quality wooden hangers. The problem with them is that the silky blouses fall off easily. Sometimes they have grooves and those can help. I don’t like the velvet ones because the metal part often separates from the rest of the hanger if you have heavier clothes like a jacket or coat.”
2. “I would say it’s quite important to me because I don’t like when my clothes slip easily and and get lost in my closet. I would say having higher quality hangers right now in life is more important to me. If I were younger/a student I would prefer the lighter plastic ones because they are cheaper and I’d have more room to carry them around.”
3. “If I could improve one aspect of my current hangers, I would definitely focus on adding something to them to stop clothes from slipping.”
Interview 2: Man, 70 years old:
Response:
1. “I currently use wooden hangers, I threw all the other ones in our house because there were so many different kinds and I thought they looked trashy. I thought the plastic ones were too flimsy and the wooden ones looked better and were more durable. I don’t think my clothes slip much on the wooden ones because my shirts and jackets have buttons that make the neck hole smaller. On the other hand, I notice when I hang mom’s clothes, they do slip. ”
2. “Durability is much more important to me, the anti-slip grooves or notches often catch on my clothing and I find it annoying.”
3. “When I hang trousers, they fall off. Some have the clips, but those often wrinkle or crease my pants. I would like a crossed-bar with grip support, but the rest be smooth like normal.”
Interview 3: Man, 21 years old
Response:
1. “I use plastic hangers from Target, because I moved back into the city after the summer and forgot to pack some beforehand. I like that they are light and easily transportable, but I don’t think I’d keep them after this semester. I don’t think they are worth taking with me long term and also my sweaters often slip off them.”
2. “Right now, I’d stick with plastic ones just because I move around. If I settled somewhere longer, I’d invest in wooden ones. Also I think they are nicer looking in general.”
3. “If I could improve on something, it’d probably be the slipping, and maybe have more options for hanger shapes.”
Overall Pain Points:
- Slipping of wooden style
- Durability and aesthetic of plastic and velvet ones
- Creasing/snagging for plastic
- Not enough options for shapes/grip for wooden ones
An exercise drawing different images of hangers with qualities we’d like them to have.
First Iterations
- T-Slot Mechanism
- Integrated a t-slot on the bottom bar to allow for interchangeable attachments.
- Uses gravity to secure attachments and clothing, eliminating the need for extra fasteners.
- Increased Modularity & Versatility
- Supports different attachment types for various clothing items (pants, skirts, delicate garments).
- Reduces the need for multiple types of hangers, minimizing material waste.
- Sustainable Prototyping Process
- Created an initial prototype using thick cardboard to test functionality.
- Allowed us to refine the design without wasting wood, ensuring a resource-efficient approach.