My direct reports: Office toys for young adults.

Abstract

Today, working in an office is more challenging than ever. The space is often filled with tension and the work requires people to make decisions and perform their duties in a fast-paced environment. To ease anxiety and keep productivity high, companies often encourage employees to bring toys to their office. However, in the current market, toys for grownups often miss the mark: most of them still use the same design language as children's toys. As adults, we appreciate objects differently. How can we as designers extract the spirit of a toy, then incorporate it into products that appeal to grown-ups and successfully bring joy to users and ease anxiety in this unique scenario? I begin by analyzing the three key elements in this scenario: user, object, and environment. In order to understand more deeply how users feel about toys and what they need from toys, I conducted a questionnaire. Based on feedback, I summarized the objectives and used them to guide my design process. The outcome is refreshing, unique, and provides innovative solutions when compared to current toys. The design incorporates the need to fit into the environment, elements that are greatly appreciated by users, positive thinking, and stress relief. Users confirm they receive the intended message of the design and the product meets the objectives beautifully. The project sheds light on a new direction of toy design that targets young adults, and demonstrates a series of successful designs.