Design Research

Over the course of several months, I researched display solutions for a variety of Crown products. Due to an NDA, I cannot share more specifics at this time.

This project was one of my many assignments during my second Co-Op semester at Crown Equipment Munich.

Objectives

  • Research & benchmark current display solutions from across the industry.

  • Use similar industries as outside benchmarks and possible creative sources.

  • Distill information gathered into a medium my colleagues will be able to access after my co-op ended.

  • Propose basic design solutions based on the information gathered.

Initial Benchmarking

Initially, I began by researching the direct competitors’ own display solutions, organizing the information in a figma board so that I and my colleagues could access it.

This stage of research focused on various specific features of the displays; for example, the size of the display and the number of screens.

Industry-Wide Research

I expanded my search to the rest of the industry, including more competitors and additional products.

This was a more general focus of research, prioritizing common themes between products and brands.

Expanded Research

I researched a variety of consumer products related to forklift display systems, such as farm equipment and smart shopping carts. Additionally, I did some supplemental research on related topics, such as a person’s cognitive reaction time.

Final Deliverables

Finally, I designed and presented my findings in a series of three posters to leave behind for my colleagues’ own reference.

These posters will be used as the baseline for a future redesign project at Crown. They will also serve as the standard for future research on display systems for other products.