ASHWATHI SHENOI PORTFOLIO

Student, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

sheno013@umn.edu +1-(612)-400-2449

My career goal is to develop strong Human Factors and Ergonomics expertise and bring a strong human-centered focus to the design of products. My diverse academic training combined with my extroverted and empathetic personality makes me ideally suited to

tackle user frustration and human errors through a user-centered design thinking process. Having collaborated extensively with diverse people that include artists, policy makers,

engineers, and designers, has allowed me to develop into an exceptionally quick learner, budding generalist and an effective cross-pollinator of people and ideas. I have also applied

the adventurous aspect of my personality to take risks and develop tenacity to deal with uncertainties and challenges. I am eager to undertake challenging roles that provide an opportunity to apply these qualities and make a direct positive impact on the quality of

people’s lives.

PATTERN MATE September 2013 - October 2013, Srishti

Ashwathi Shenoi Gaurav Singh Prakrithy Pradeep Sarvashree Jain

Challenge: Come up with a concept scenario that envisions use of embedded sensor technology in tools used by informal workers in India. Who: Comprising 94% of India’s working population the informal economy refers to all unlicensed, unregistered and self-employed economic activity - ranging from agriculture to high end fashion designers.

Key insights: • Arts, crafts and design

provide second highest employment after agriculture. These guys are always “on the move.”

• In addition to the demands of constantly being in transit, these independent creative professionals are under pressure to continuously innovate, sustain their uniqueness in

the market and also strive to maintain customer loyalty.

• To accomplish the goals mentioned above and gain professional growth, “PATTERNS” form the most fundamental aspect of their process. These are of two kinds - • Patterns to inspire new

creations. • Patterns related to

customer preferences, to build loyalty.

Tools used: Online research, Competitor analysis, User research (Fly on the wall observation, Contextual inquiry, Job shadow), User journey maps, Personas, Day-in-the-life-of scenarios, Storyboarding, Scenarios, Processing. Result: Presented two concepts to a very satisfied client: 1. “Let my surroundings

inspire me” - use sensors in the smartphone to

collect aspects about the environment, such as ambient light, vibration, sound etc. and generate interesting doodles on screen by using them as inputs to Processing. These doodles can be either as images or used to 3D print interesting shapes. The collections of images and shapes is then used as a moldboard for inspiration.

2. “Getting to know you” - embedding sensors in one of the focal, but unnoticed objects used in artist-customer transactions in India to observe how customers interact with the artists’ creations and develop patterns related to their likes and dislikes. These are presented visually to the designer as “pattern personas.”

Exploration of possible ways to address opportunity areas through storyboarding and scenario sketching

User Interviews

Journey Maps

Brainstorm

Ashwathi Shenoi Elizabeth Yang Theodore Russell

Challenge: As part of a foundations course in human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) we were required to carry out a thorough job analysis of a profession of our choice and provide a training proposal recommendation for the employees. Who: Grill cook workers in a popular fast casual restaurant in Minneapolis. Brief insights overview: • High temperature

environment poses heat related hazards, however, musculoskeletal disorders pose the highest risk for the specific job of grilling

• Due to regular job rotation, every employee takes up all roles in the kitchen from prep work, to grilling/cooking as well as food assembly and front line service. However there is no specific system based on which the rotation happens.

• Role description in the job advertisement does not clearly specify the physical demands of the tasks, with respect to weight lifted.

• Though slips, trips and falls are the second highest cause of concern in the restaurant industry in the US, this particular restaurant had good measures in places in terms of shoe specifications and floor types.

• HF/E was not part of employee training and some employees were not even aware of what it meant.

Tools used: Time-motion study, Task analysis, Employee interviews, OSHA guidelines, OSHA Restaurant safety e-Tool, CDIR’s ergonomics worksheet, Failure modes analysis, Research, Writing. Result: Based on the detailed analyses we proposed a

training proposal that comprised an interactive self-study module, which informed employees about HF/E postural guidelines. We also proposed a change in uniform design, using smart e-Textiles to provide real time vibratory posture correction. The posture data could also be used to track good healthy practices and provide employee incentives. However the interesting insight from a system analysis of the restaurant industry as a whole was that the restaurant management was perhaps not the best stakeholder to make the proposal to. Multiple reports showed that restaurant worker injuries result in high medical costs and worker compensation payouts. Thus insurance companies might be better positioned to intervene and implement HF/E best practices to prevent work related injuries.

GRILL COOK HFE ANALYSIS November 2015 - December 2015, University of Minnesota

User Interviews

System analysis

OSHA tools

Time-Motion Tables

Schematic of Smart e-Textile Uniforms

BEER TAP HANDLE DESIGN November 2015 - December 2015, University of Minnesota

Ashwathi Shenoi

Challenge: Design a durable and functional beer tap handle for Fulton Breweries. The handle had to be ergonomic and embody the story and identity of the company. It also had to attract more customers and increase sales.

Who: Fulton Breweries is a popular Minneapolis based craft brewery started by four friends. Their beginnings can be dated back to a time when the four of them used to get together in their garages and brew beer on weekends. Key insights: • Difficulty for current tap

handle to stand out due to short height as well as plain black color.

• Brand and flavor conveyed mainly through labeling. However readability of labels across a distance is low.

• Due to space constraints, bartenders often re-orient the tap handle to a position where the labels are no longer seen.

• Quick survey of beer drinkers showed that loyal customers often know the brand and directly order the

beer, irrespective of the tap handle.

• However the tap handle serves as a way to entice a new customer or catch the attention of a traveller passing through town.

• Most of the current tap handle designs explicitly target male customers. Women are often used as provocative symbols in these designs, but there aren’t any tap handles that specifically capture a feminine theme.

Tools used: Research, Informal interviews, Sketching, Concept development, Model making, Prototyping, Wood workshop (turning, drilling, milling, machine saw), Foam prototyping, Laser cutter, 3D Printing, Painting and Finishes Result: Designed and hand crafted an ergonomic tap handle for one of their flavors -“The

Lonely Blonde”. The design consisted of a silver wrench holding a yellow diamond, so that from certain points it appeared to be a silver ring with a huge rock - a diamond for the lonely blonde. Whereas from other angles the wrench was more prominent. The juxtapose generated a lot of conversations at the public review and everyone was curious to know the story behind the diamond and the wrench, which served the purpose of attracting customers through curiosity about the story behind the tap handle. The color of the diamond was also the exact shade of the beer flavor, hence conveying information about the brand and flavor just through the form and colors of the handle.

Evolution of concepts through prototypes

Final Design

Labels - Illustrator, print, modpodge!

Spray painted finish

PYRAMID February 2016, University of Minnesota

Ashwathi Shenoi Challenge: As part of a week long project, we were asked to develop a color system (circular or otherwise) that could be used to map the relationship between physical quantities that are important to tasks performed around us. This was to be supported by a literature review of the topic. Who: After a quick search I settled on exploring pain management tools for patients suffering with acute and chronic pain. Being a subjective symptom, there is a tremendous reliance on self-reporting for measurement and treatment of pain. Key insights: • Patient association of the

color red with high intensity sharp pain; grays and blacks associated with dull aching pain.

• Use of Color Analogue Scale and other achromatic color scales for measurement of

pain intensity, especially in children.

• In some cultures, alignment of scale (horizontal or vertical) affects patient perception of pain score.

• The Issue - all of these assess only intensity. Assessing the nature and qualitative aspects of pain still relies heavily on verbal descriptors and verbal communication with the patient. This makes it a trying experience for the person in pain. Being unable to express themselves in terms of these “predefined descriptors” can add to their cognitive and emotional stress.

Tools used: Comprehensive literature review, Sketching, Adobe Creative Suite, Analysis, Writing. Result: Proposed a concept for a scale shaped as a pyramid or triangle with varying hues that

are associated with different types of pain. Varying values/saturation portrays intensity. Here the orientation of the scale has a specific meaning - broad base representing dull aching pain; and the increasing taper toward the top of the scale represents increasing sharpness and pointedness of pain. The gradation in colors provides an analogous, continuous visual indicator of varying intensity of pain.

The idea of using color and shape as a distinguishing medium for nature of pain was highly appreciated by the Professor of the course. The literature review for this project was also one of top three in a class of 25 graduate students and received outstanding feedback from the Professor.

FIDDLE April 2014 - May 2014, Srishti

Ashwathi Shenoi Prakrithy Pradeep Swati Sharma

Challenge: Prepare a blueprint that can be used to inform the design of a technology or service that supports connection between senior citizens who live alone and their children who live away.

Who: The Indian joint family system of living has rapidly transformed over the past couple of decades leading senior citizens to live alone in metropolitan cities in India, with their children and grandchildren in different cities and countries. This project thus focussed on enhancing their feeling of connection to their immediate loved ones. Key insights: • Currently most of the

interaction takes place over phone and/or video chatting using tablets, computers, smart TVs.

• The initiation of communication is entirely dependent on the younger generation.

• Peripheral and subtle communication plays a major role in improving quality of time spent. For example: on weekends they often leave the phones on at

both ends while going about house work.

• Time spent together physically is more enjoyable due to physical presence. This is enhanced by tangible memories of those time such as photo albums, mementos and other artifacts.

• Inspire of frequency of phone call, the elderly often had a feeling of “not having spoken to their children often enough.”

• The elderly needed to be taught/guided by their children for the adoption of new technologies.

Tools used: Online research, Competitor analysis, User research (Fly on the wall observation, Contextual inquiry), Personas, Storyboarding, Scenarios, Formative evaluation of mock prototypes. Result: Proposed to focus on a solution that reinforces

existing communication between the elderly and their family as opposed to developing a new and different mode of communication. Key characteristics proposed to guide the design process included: 1. The interaction designed

should involve a tangible physical component. The idea should be to provide physical memory hooks to increase awareness of interaction with immediate family.

2. The solution should fit within the peripheral awareness domain. So that it is un-interruptive and is used as tool for reflection voluntarily.

3. Fiddling was proposed as an example of a subtle form of interaction to explore.

Fiddling as a form of memory

recall

Embodying virtual

interactions

Sensory hooks that

ground experiences

Providing proof of

longevity of relationships

HONORABLE MENTIONSBefore - After sketches shared by the Professor at the end of a course in Product Sketching. One of four progresses shared in a class of 80 students.

Transforming failures to successes - this project required us to create a model of any object but 5 times larger in scale. Due to a last minute catastrophe with the initial design using molding, this was reproduced in under six hrs using candle wax, dye, pink foam and paint. Received appreciation for the last minute save and perfect color replication.

Light in Play - an interactive art installation where we converted an entire wall into a kaleidoscopic projection.

Thank You for your interest :)