While I've been developing my digital product design knowledge, I decided to challenge myself to design a backpack from scratch to broaden my product design and research experience. I really enjoyed the process, especially because backpacks and tech accessories in general are the area of my interest.
First of all, I needed a project scope and a time range to be more conscious about meeting the deadline. In this case, I set one week as a deadline and used ChatGPT with a detailed prompt to provide a design brief and following that, a brand name.
Tools & softwares: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk AutoCad, Procreate, Ai Tools (Promeai, ChatGPT)
Design Brief
Craft a backpack that embodies our brand’s core values of timeless elegance, durability, and functionality, with a keen focus on sustainability. Utilize premium, eco-friendly materials and craftsmanship to strike a balance between classic sophistication and contemporary design.
Sustainability: Prioritize the use of sustainable materials and production methods, minimizing environmental impact.
Comfort: Ensure the backpack features ergonomic padding on the shoulder straps and back panel, providing optimal comfort during extended wear.
Weather-proof: Design the backpack with weather-resistant materials and features such as water-resistant zippers.
Organization: Include multiple compartments, pockets, and dividers to facilitate efficient organization and easy access to belongings.
Adequate Space: Provide sufficient storage capacity to accommodate everyday essentials, including laptops, notebooks, water bottles, and other personal items.
Target Users: The backpack should cater to urban professionals, students, and adventurers seeking a stylish yet practical solution for daily commuting, work, school, or outdoor activities.
User Insights
In this part I tried to do user research by exploring the comments/ reviews section of online shops and backpack producers' online stores. These insights are valuable because it's realistic, honest feedback from different types of backpack users. It outlines how they feel about their shopping decision in different situations, based on their age, body proportion, weather conditions and also diverse usability purposes such as daily wear, school, sports or traveling. I will consider these feedbacks later on the ideation process and material selection.
「 To respect the privacy policy and cover more insights, some of the user names and brands are changed or compiled 」
Competitor Research
GOTBAG
• Recycled Ocean Plastic
• Waterproof Construction
• Social Impact/ Environmental Initiatives
• Active Social Media Campaigns
BELLROY
• Wide Range of Tech Accessories & Cases
• Recycled & Plant-based Materials
• Organization Solutions
• Outstanding Visual Content
KAPTEN & SON
• Customizable & Personalizable Options
• Active Social Media Channels
• Wide Range of Products (Watches & Jewelry)
• Physical Stores In Germany
Mood-Board
Ideation & Design Development
Material & Color Board
Technical Details
Final Renders
To visualize the final appearance and present the outcome, I used my initial sketches with the technical drawings accompanied by a detailed prompt to take realistic renders using artificial intelligence. I made this decision especially because of the time range and scope of this challenge, which was only one week. In addition, I wanted to explore new ai tools and check their progress - how much they can be flexible and personalized based on the visual guide and style of the designer, not only the text prompt.
Further Development
Following the same design language and forms of the backpack, and answering the need for a detachable laptop case mentioned by the users, this case could be developed and added as a collection. In addition to satisfying the needs of the customers, it can be a good option to compete with other brands on the market, offering a wide range of tech accessories and modular collections. This laptop case could fit everyday laptops or tablets up to 14 inches and add extra protection in case of scrach or falling.
This approach can be developed for other accessories such as travel bags and hard cases, charger or cable organizers etc. in the future.
Special thanks to Maria Maciejko, her valuable input and help all through this project.
