THE COMP-BIN
9 hours are usually spent at home on an average day in the UK
Due to COVID-19, people spent an extra 8 hours a day at home during recent months
The Task - to improve the wellbeing within the home by making a specific task easier
UK households take the trash out 1.4 billion times per year
Our product revolutionises waste management in the home by decreasing the frequency of trash removal.
Comp-Bin compresses the user's trash with the simple press of a foot!
THE PRODUCT
How does it work?
THE PROBLEM
Our home is a representation of our lives. So we started by brainstorming problems that we encounter on the daily.
Click on what we identified as the four biggest problems to have a look into our research!
Based on the analysis and market research, the four problem areas were narrowed down to
hygiene and garbage disposal.
​
To identify where our opportunity lay, we asked our user group for a little help!
HYGIENE
More than 50% of people are unsatisfied with their trash disposal experience.
Yet it's something the majority of people do more than once a week.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL
BRIEF
Create a solution to improve the garbage disposal experience
experience = frequency of removal x unpleasantness
1
The Initial Brainstorming
Imagination has no limit - or so they say!
​
We put this to the test by generating 100 different ideas to solve our problem.
We thought of it all: the ones we have now, the ones where you ask how, and the ones that make you go wow.
UNFEASIBILITY
ORIGINALITY
The Converging
2
We selected our top three ideas that would each tackle a different aspect of the trash disposal experience.
​
1. Decrease the unpleasantness of trash removal
2. Decrease the frequency of trash removal
3. Improve the overall waste management in the home
But what aspect of the trash disposal process should we focus on?
3
The Customer Research
When in doubt, ask!
​
Our design journey is guided by the customer every step of the way.
So who better to turn to to understand what makes the trash removal experience so unpleasant?
​
Hover over the icons to take a look at what we discovered.
ODOUR
DIRT
What are the problems encountered
with garbage disposal?
FULLNESS
So to answer the question - fullness is the determining factor in the trash disposal experience.
But we wanted to see for ourselves.
​
Our mission is to create a product catered to all. To do so we need to understand our user group.
So we carried out first hand a bin bag inspection in South Kensington.
​
Out of 169 bin bags:
Key findings:​
​
113 bags were at 75% capacity or above
120 bags had substantial room for compression
​
Not only is fullness the top problem identified by the consumer research, but the majority of bin bags have the potential to be compacted.
A solution for trash compression would address the opportunity area identified by reducing the frequency of unpleasant trash removal.
The Compression Brainstorming
4
Lid Add-On
Lever
External Tool
Sideways Compression
Lid Compression
Rail
Vertical Compression
Shredder
Temperature
Ideas for compression-driven solutions were divided into categories to better determine their key features.
​
The following 4 categories were further investigated with prototypes:
​
Sideways Compression
Vertical Compression
Lid Compression
Lid Add-On
5
The Prototyping
Side Compression Pedal
​
Pedal-activated compression
Inwards push
Side compresses trash
Vertical Compression Pedal
​
Pedal-activated compression
Downwards push
Lid compresses trash
Lid Compression
​
Weight-driven compression
Downwards push
Lid add-on compresses trash
Collapsible Lid​
​
Manual compression
Downwards push
Lid add-on compresses trash
The Customer Interviews
6
Our product is designed with our customers in mind.
This is why we asked for their opinion on our four prototypes!
£100 is my max
Pushing down with arms is too much effort!
Much prefer using a foot - based mechanism
The product shouldn’t obstruct the actual binning action
Pushing down the trash with own hands is gross, I want to avoid close contact with the trash
The sideways compression only pushes the trash at the bottom, what about those above?
7
The Final Concept
2 out of 3 interviewees rated the vertical compression mechanism as their favourite prototype.
But they also had concerns:
​
How will the lid open?
How will the trash enter the bin with the spiral?
Will the mechanism interfere with the bin bag?
​
So here's what we came up with:​
​
A vertical compression mechanism operated by a hydraulic scissor lift
Pedal-driven design
Bottom-up compression to avoid bin bag breakage
THE CONCLUSION
We used a clear and systematic process to accurately define a customer oriented goal.
​
Our product is designed with people in mind. We have a constant feedback loop with potential clients through interviews, surveys, google analytics and cardboard prototype presentations.
​
The highest standard of work and aesthetically pleasing style was maintained throughout the process, from the way data was presented to the design of our final product.
