BENT Customizable All-in-One PC

Customizable All-in-One PC Designed for Mass Customization

Bent All-in-One PC is a customizable All-in-One PC designed with the mass customization principle, fulfilling user needs in a better way within the limitations of mass production. The main challenge in this project was to bring out a design that would fulfill different needs of four user groups within the limitations of mass production. Four target user groups are defined for the customization concept: travel agency-bank-secretary use, office use, home use, and retail use. These groups are defined with marketing research on the product. A comprehensive user needs research study is conducted for defining differing and customizable needs of each user group. As a result, three main customization items are defined and used for differentiating the product for these user groups: screen sharing, screen height adjustment, and keyboard-calculator combination. A customizable secondary screen module is attached as a solution, and a unique customizable keyboard-calculator combination is proposed. Screen height adjustment is given as an option to the user groups that are in need.

In reflecting on the work undertaken, it was observed that mass customization brought a large amount of additional complexity into product design and development processes of electronic consumer goods. Accordingly, a new design-based mass customization procedure has been developed that divides the necessary work for customization into more manageable steps. This new procedure can be used as a guide by industrial designers for mass customization projects. A comprehensive user needs research is carried out on potential user groups for defining their customized needs. Observational methods and user workshops are used.

Customization in the consumer electronics sector differs from other sectors on account of two critical factors: the complexity of technologies, product development, and manufacturing processes, and the expected speed to market. The consumer electronics market is highly in need of new customization strategies and tools to challenge the widespread use of the existing variety creation approach, which in itself is an expensive approach when scaled-up to many different product offerings. This product brings out a new customization strategy fulfilling different needs of four user groups. Screen sharing is one of the most important needs of all groups except the home user group. For this aim, a customizable secondary screen module is attached to the backside of the main screen. The calculator is used very intensively together with the computer. The keyboard and calculator are combined into a customizable unit. Stationary calculator, portable calculator, and media controller are custom units for this combination. Conducting user needs research studies with real users in their own use contexts was challenging.

This Design was awarded Silver in A' Digital and Electronic Device Design Award in 2013. The Silver A' Design Award is rewarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.