Poppin is rethinking every type of office product into a new colorful workstyle. The students of RIT’s Industrial Design department where challenged to create innovative accessories for this new line that accent, improve, or add to their use.
As a leader in design education, RIT constantly aims to connect students with real-world experience. Through the metaproject, students gain experience working with a real industry company while expanding their knowledge of design.
Poppin’s core goal is to create a #workhappy environment for everyone, everywhere. Their products promote an easy to use, customizable workspace, sprinkled with bright, bold colors.
Hi, I’m Ethan – born and raised in Indiana, currently attending RIT for Industrial Design, and am excited to be moving into the working world with the strength of RIT’s industrial design department at my back!
explore ethan's creative process
01
After researching Poppin to better understand how they approach problems and develop their product line, Ethan developed three concepts. These three original concepts were based around (1) work and play, (2) leg storage, and (3) surface extension.
Ethan’s work and play concept combines the games of billiards and mini golf atop a table to give consumers a playful game for their break times.
The leg storage concept was based around a storage sleeve with pockets for your everyday accessories that would be incorporated with the desk leg piece(s).
Ethan’s extension concept was originally mainly designed around a place for your drink to sit throughout the day, also attached to a Poppin desk leg.
02
After meeting with Poppin over skype and in person, Ethan noted that most of their feedback was directed towards his extension concept. They enjoyed his idea of adding surface to the table legs and suggested he look into the physics of a cantilever for inspiration.
03
After Poppin suggested he work towards developing an extension that was either higher than the desk or lower than the surface, opposed to flushed with the table, Ethan worked towards developing models and prototypes using many different materials.
Ethan started out with a prototype that was flush to the surface of the table it’s attached to. Unfortunately, Ethan found this structure wasn’t as stable and sturdy as hoped for.
Ethan often used cardboard as a material to be able to quickly and easily create multiple prototypes. This allowed him a quick turnaround so he could decide to further a concept's development or try something new.
Once Ethan had settled on a direct to go in his went into further detail with his prototypes. He believed that in order to be aesthetically pleasing, each part of the whole need to be in circular and smooth or organic in form, not blocky geometric.
04
Ethan ran into most of his problems in finding a way to make his product properly attached to the leg and sitting at a level angle. From this problem he came up with three possible solutions: a silicon band or strap for the product, a ball solution that would pop into the socket joint.
Due to the angle of the table leg and it's thick 2 inch diameter ensuring the stability and durability of the product while in use was a major challenge in it's development.
Designing The Under Shelf to be easy to remove and reattach, encouraging consumers to interact, adjust, and personalize the positioning of their product was an important consideration for Ethan.
Ethan tried many different materials during his prototyping which helped him in choosing the correct material so that The Under Shelf is sturdy, yet light, and is guaranteed to hold your supplies safely under your desk for as long as you need.
05
There may be a mess on the surface, the Under Shelf brings a little space and organization to your life so you can #workhappy.
Poppin’s overall mission is to create an environment in which everyone, anywhere, can work happy. The Under Shelf is meant to solve Poppin’s target markets frustration with a overpiled desk that may detract from their #workhappy attitude. With the use of the Under Shelf users will no longer arrive at their desk and feel the stress of the mess build up within them because they know, no matter what, they have a little more space. #workhappy with Ethan Young’s “The Under Shelf.”
Similar, Familiar, Intuitive
- The Under Shelf
Working together was mutually beneficial for RIT and Poppin. RIT students got real world experience. RIT maintained their reputation as one of the top design schools in the country. Poppin got to take advantage of the up-and-comers of the design industry.
