The Rover Waterproof Backpack
Drexel University Product Design Undergraduate Thesis - 2019
Homelessness is a far reaching, contemporary problem for people around the world.
Research Methods
Experts Users
Rough Sleeping
Sleeping in a local park overnight helped me gain a firsthand understanding of the fear, and discomfort of sleeping exposed outside.
Online Survey
Creating an anonymous online survey helped me gauge perceptions on homelessness.
Interview
Talking with Ronnie, a man experiencing homelessness, expanded my understanding of his life and struggle with life on the street.
Shelter Volunteering
Volunteering at a local homeless shelter gave me insight into which parts of the shelter system were working, and which parts were not.
Mike - Backpacker
Uses two different backpacks, one for rough sleeping, and one for daily use.
Ronnie - Rough Sleeper
Lives in both urban streets and also in rural woods.
John - Car Dweller
Sleeps in car during the night, gets work done in coffee shops during the day.
Synthesis
Looking at all of the gained information, I took away an understanding that people experiencing homelessness want to be heard. Many of the services that exist currently for people fighting homelessness were not created with their feedback. I wanted my project to address that lack of communication, and also to bring more respect and empathy to those enduring homelessness.
Inspired by charities that donate backpacks full of supplies, I saw a way to address the physical challenge of keeping possessions organized and dry through a more thoughtfully designed backpack.
Prototype 1 : Velcro Testbed
To investigate ideal placement for pockets, depending on what the user is carrying. Pockets were represented by pieces of fabric with Velcro
“I would put a pocket here for books, however, I organize my stuff in 3 backpacks.” - Ronnie
After hearing that Ronnie used 3 bags, I began to ideate a large capacity backpack.
Prototype 2
Size Test - 175 Liter Bag
Prototype 3
Size Test - 100 Liter Bag
