My First Bird Feeder
Robert Bagby | D105 | 4/6/20
Task
I want to make a bird feeder for a window that is better than any other in the market.
I want a product that is affordable, manufacturable, but most importantly unique.
Brainstorming
While a ton of ideas and concepts were brought up, a few seem to be most important.
– Needs to be somewhat transparent to not block view of window and birds
– Durable and sturdy to withstand animals and nature
– Attractive to birds and people
– Easy to move for refilling and cleaning
– Keeps feed dry
Prototypes
Testing out a few concept revealed that the birds chose colored feeders over clear ones. They also like having a sturdy place to perch. Larger openings catered to more sizes of birds. For the humans enjoying the birds, transparent feeders that were more open allowed for a better view of the birds. However, some form of barrier in the birds line of sight did help reduce their reaction to fly away with movements inside the window. For attachment to the windows, suction cups were the best option.
Ideation
The Cairo was crisp, elegant design that was easy to fill, clean, and use.
The Kingdome was a more organic form. It completely protected the feed.
The My First Bird Feeder was a design that was simplistic but also unique. It had a lot of room to expand.
Refinement
I want my bird feeder to be unique and to be a full experience. I also have an interest in designing toys and developmental products, so I decided I want to continue with the “My First Bird Feeder.”
The feeder will be modular, enticing, and create an experience the whole family will enjoy.
Final
The My First Bird Feeder.
The feeder is made of durable plastic, making it resistant to nature, animal, and child damage. The colorful plastic is attractive to kids and birds, and is semi-transparent so you can see the birds eat, but don’t scare them away as you move. The simple shapes allow for cheaper manufacturing and easier packaging, shipping, and selling. Put the pods into the suggested pattern and it allows for a fun caterpillar form that your kids will love. Held up by suction cups, the pods will stay in place, but the slot system on the rear of the pod allows you to easily slide it off of the suction cup so you can dump, clean, and refill them. Along with the feeder you can also download the accompanying app, which lets you track birds at your feeder and has interactive content for you and your family; including videos, books, and printable pages revolving around your My First Bird Feeder.
