THE CHALLENGE
Design for Mass Retail
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In the spring semester of my junior year at Iowa State University, I was given the challenge of picking a category of consumer products, locating a consumer pain point in the market, and making a product with a "better" solution. Over the span of 6 weeks I identified a pain point, did a competitive market research breakdown, ideated and sketched out possible solutions, prototyped the function of the handle, 3D modeled a design, and rendered my final model. This project was a great experience that came with a lot of challenges and obstacles that I overcame, and in result enhanced my skills as an Industrial Designer.
Programs
Procreate
SolidWorks
Keyshot
Skills
Design Empathy
Ergonomics
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Timeline
March -- May 2024
Junior year studio
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Stanleys and other water bottles with handles are great because..
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Handles for easier grip
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Large amounts of liquid
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They keep your water cold​
But what makes them flawed for consumers?
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Incapable of fitting in backpack cupholders
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Needing to hold it in your hand for your entire commute
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Large when placed in storage
Form Exploration
Through research and multiple surveys, I found that having a handle on a water bottle is an absolute must for a lot of people. For people with smaller hands, it is hard to carry a full, large water bottle, as it is harder to grip and hold. Handles are a great solution for this, but they come with a large problem... Portability. People who commute to school or work every day have complained that they have to hold the large water bottle in their hands since it won't fit in the cupholder part of their bags. I then started ideating on the form and function, and thought about how I could create something that has a handle, and could easily be stored in cupholders and backpacks.
Function Exploration
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Here I started with quick ideation sketches, trying to find the form of the water bottle lid, and the way I was going to make a water bottle with a handle be able to fit into bags, backpacks, and cupholders.
I started developing the form of the water bottle, and went into a refined sketch page of how the water bottle was going to look. I figured out I wanted to do a pop-out handle, so then I had to explore how it was going to look, feel, and function.
I found the form and function of the handle, as well as the water bottle itself, and progressed into Solidworks to continue exploring the form in 3D. Compared to the previous sketches, the handle just came out directly off of the water bottle, and through prototyping I found that with was uncomfortable to hold. I changed the form of the handle to something more ergonomic and easy to hold.
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Designed with an extremely comfortable and ergonomic handle.
What is HydraHandle?
HydraHandle is a water bottle integrated with a pop out handle function that allows for your handled water bottle to fit easily into your backpack. HydraHandle makes travelling with a large water bottle more comfortable than ever before.
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Color Variety
HydraHandle offers a large variety of color options because we know your water bottle is a representation of you and your style.
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