Team Alarm Clock: User Needs Report Product Design & Devlopement, October 10, 2007

Outline Explore snapshot of prior art (focus on methods of alarm) Explore collected data – Methods – Data – Analysis Resultant Specifications

ClockPriceAlarmPowerDisplayUse Advance Alarm Clock $9.93BeepingWall/ 9V Red LEDStandard bed stand ; roll through setting Shake Awake$24Beep/ Vibrate2xAAReflective LCD For use in pillow case or pocket; travel size Timex Nature Sounds $80CD/ preset sounds/ radio/ beep Wall/ 3xAAA Adjustable light LCD Set multiple alarms with individual sounds Travel Alarm Clock $17Beep1xAAAnalog w/ backlight Small and portable – knob setting Flying Alarm Clock $25Loud beep – flying propeller WallReflective LCD Must return propeller to base Alarm Clock Projector $20Beep/ visualWall/ 9V LCD/ wall projector Few button – cycle through; measures temp; M/D/Y Cell phone$50+Beep/ musicBatteryLCDVaries – difficult to set/operate Clocky$50Beep/ running 4xAAALCD2 button – runs in circles iHome$50iPod/ BeepWallLCD/ iPodClick-wheel setting, radio, weekly alarm Prior Art: snapshot

Statistics of note: Olin students’ use of cell phones as alarms is significantly less than the bulk of college students. Women are more likely than men to use cell phones, either alone or with clock backup.

Statistics of note: Olin students nap significantly more than other college students. Olin students have more irregular schedules and reset their alarms more often. Women take more naps and have more regular alarm schedules than men.

Methods Surveyed 107 college students, 60% from non-Olin colleges Interviewed 9 off-campus students and 1 Olin student Visited retailers and conducted internet research on existing products. Link to survey: QfHVpnZXt_2fQ_3d_3d QfHVpnZXt_2fQ_3d_3d

People blame themselves, not their alarms for failure

User Values Packing space Relationship with Roommate Self Expression Saving Money Enough Sleep Reliablity

Things That Piss Users Off Unsympathetic to user habits Confusing 11:00 or 7:00 for 1:00, etc. (esp. for people who need glasses) Resetting the alarm when you’re sleepy (2 different wake up times for people sleeping together) Ambiguous design Am/pm wrong or hard to tell Arbitrary snooze timing Annoying repetition Resetting the Alarm every day Cycling through all the minutes Invisible device states Alarm is silent when phone is on silent Alarm not working when radio or cd turned on Ungraceful failures Battery dying on the cell phone when used as alarm Auto reset to 12:00 am when unplugged

Interesting User Behaviors People making their clocks “lie” Multiple snooze hits built into original wake up time Setting up physical challenges (clock far away from bed, etc) Setting multiple clocks/alarms Fear causing the body to wake up minutes before the alarm goes off Have other people check to see if they’re awake Learning to turn the alarm off in their sleep Giving themselves incentive for getting out of bed (tv, shower) Forgetting to set the alarm at night Other people waking up due to alarm but not them not waking up Turning off the alarm because they think they will “wake up” Staying in bed after waking up Resetting alarm instead of hitting snooze Hitting every button Sneaky TricksFailures

Resultant Specifications The alarm should be reliable and testable, the user should be able to trust that the alarm will go off The alarm should be easily adjustable for a schedule without routine The alarm should be easy to pack, not unnecessarily big or bulky The alarm should involve an interaction that will bring the sleeper into a full state of awakeness The alarm should embrace the students’ continual need for self expression and choice The alarm should support napping without detracting from the regular alarm settings The alarm should prominently display its current state