Developing a Stroller Concept for use with Wheelchairs

Abstract: Background & Problem description: Parents with disabilities affecting their ability to ambulate, like spinal cord injuries, struggle to find knowledge and assistive technology that sufficiently satisfies their needs for support while caring for their children. For parents that use wheelchairs, propelling a stroller to safely and securely transport their child is difficult and currently there are very few products that aim to solve this challenge. Aim: The aim of this project is to identify and understand the challenges and needs of parents who require the use of wheelchairs in relation to independent ambulation with a stroller, and in doing so to develop a concept to meet these needs and challenges. Method: This project achieves this aim by applying a compilation of the Double Diamond approach and the Bootleg Design thinking design approach. The main modes of the design process followed were Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver and Testing. During the Discover stage the information regarding the focus of the project is gathered through an in-depth literature study, a market study and semi structured interviews with potential users. The Define stage focuses on using the information gathered during the preceding stage to revaluate the intended aim and research questions, as well as to create a framework of needs that the design must satisfy and eventually creating a mood board. The Develop stage is the stage in which comprehensive design concepts are generated according to the design framework, these concepts are then evaluated, and initial mock-ups are created. The Deliver and Testing, focuses on constructing prototypes of the concepts chosen for development and evaluating the prototypes according to the design framework in order to measure how well the product may satisfy the needs stipulated in the design framework as well as to discern the perceived value of the product from the perspective of potential users.Results & Conclusion: This project set out to investigate and understand the needs of parents requiring the use of wheelchairs, specifically within the scope of using a stroller, and using the insight gained to develop a concept that satisfies these needs. After reviewing the available literature covering these individuals’ experiences in the context of childcare, it was found that research into the topic is very limited. Through individual contact in the form of informed semi-structured interviews with the target group valuable feedback was collected and a set of base needs was synthesised. These base needs informed the compilation of a design framework which formed the basis of how the concept should function in order to satisfy the needs of its potential users.