Minor Project | Final Compilation
|| Tee Zi Tong, 0366165
|| Minor Project | Final Compilation
|| Week 1 - Week 14
MINOR PROJECT: PATIENT TRANSFER DEVICES
TEAM FORMATION
During the first week, Mr. Sylvain introduced the MIB module and explained the project requirements. Students were required to form a group consisting of 6–7 members, with no more than two members representing the same specialization.
Group Members:
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Alicia Low Ker Chia (Leader) – Graphic Design
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Aricia Man Yi Xuan – UI/UX
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Katherine Alexandra Sutanto – Entertainment Design
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Areeya Foo Xue Ting – UI/UX
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Tee Zi Tong – Immersive Design
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Tan Ying Xuan – Immersive Design
In the second week, Dr. Wong provided a more detailed explanation of the module expectations and deliverables.
CLIENT BRIEFING
The project began with a client briefing that outlined the background, objectives, and constraints of designing a patient transfer device.
Fig 1.0 Patient Transfer Device Client Briefing PDF
Fig 1.1 Meeting Notes PDF
CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH
Following the briefing, the team conducted contextual research to better understand existing patient transfer solutions and the challenges faced by users.
This stage included individual brainstorming sessions and comparative analysis of existing wheelchairs to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
INTERVIEWS
In Week 4, the team decided to carry out user interviews at Assunta Hospital. A set of interview questions was developed for both caregivers and patients, and these questions were refined after consultation with Dr. Wong.
Interview sessions were conducted on 18 and 20 October at Assunta Hospital, involving one caregiver and one patient. As the number of respondents was limited, additional interviews were carried out by team members with their own relatives and acquaintances.
All interviews were transcribed and documented in FigJam. Key insights were summarized separately and later organized using affinity diagramming.
PROPOSAL SLIDE
Based on the research findings, the team prepared a proposal slide to present the problem statement, user insights, and initial design direction.
Fig 1.6 Proposal Slide
IDEATION
During the ideation phase, each team member generated ideas using the Crazy 8s method within an eight-minute timeframe on A4 paper.
Ying Xuan’s ideation focused on improving existing wheelchair designs based on user research findings. Her concepts included:
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Removable cushioning to improve comfort during prolonged use, with storage beneath the seat
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PU foam material for softness, lightness, and compressibility
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Wider seating to accommodate patients of different body sizes
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Foldable structure for easier storage
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Additional pockets and hooks to carry medical supplies
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Adjustable height and angle, supporting patient transfers and posture changes
All Crazy 8s sketches were uploaded to FigJam, followed by a group voting session. My wheelchair concept received the highest number of votes.
Following this, Alicia suggested merging elements from both mine and Ying Xuan’s ideas to strengthen the overall design. The combined concept was presented during the mid-term review, where feedback from Dr. Wong and Professor Manohar guided further refinements.
PROTOTYPE
Due to the complexity of building a physical wheelchair prototype, Dr. Wong recommended developing the prototype through 3D modelling. The final prototype consisted of:
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A poster and manual guideline
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A mobile application
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A 3D wheelchair model
As only one team member had prior experience with 3D modelling, she was responsible for developing the wheelchair model.
POSTER
The visual direction for the poster and manual was established based on the mid-term presentation, including typography and colour palette selection.
Ying Xuan was responsible for the poster design. Initial layouts did not effectively communicate the concept, so Alicia assisted in refining the composition and visual hierarchy.
PROTOTYPE TESTING
After completing the prototypes, the team compiled all materials into a presentation video. User feedback was collected through a Google Form to evaluate usability and clarity.
Google Form Link: Smartwheel Survey Form
FINAL PRESENTATION
During the final presentation in Week 15, feedback was provided by Dr. Wong and Professor Manohar. Key comments included:
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Improving the footrest mechanism to allow it to swing away
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Clarifying the stand-assist feature
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Strengthening the wheel stand structure
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Considering lumbar support for cost efficiency
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Improving image lighting and presentation quality
The team made the necessary refinements based on this feedback.
Fig 2.2 Final Presentation Slide: Group 16 Patient Transfer Device
REFLECTION
This project highlighted the importance of human-centred design in healthcare contexts. It demonstrated that effective design extends beyond aesthetics and must prioritise usability, safety, and real user needs.
Through research and interviews, the team gained deeper insight into the physical and emotional challenges faced by patients and caregivers. The iterative ideation and prototyping process required continuous refinement, encouraging critical thinking and adaptability.
Time management was also a key learning outcome, as balancing multiple deliverables within a limited timeframe revealed areas for personal improvement.
Overall, the project strengthened confidence in designing assistive products and reinforced the responsibility designers carry when working on healthcare-related solutions.
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