One-minute Design & Make

Design and make need not be a long, tedious process. In fact, it can be quick and easy if you have clarity of the problem or need. When you know what you need to accomplish, the solution is often the next logical step. However, when you don't have clarity, it can be difficult to come up with a solution, no matter how much ideation you do.

So, is ideation with lots of ideas necessary? Well, that's up to you to decide. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. In this post, I'll share an example of a prototype I designed and made in less than a minute to solve a simple problem.

The problem was that I needed to keep loose papers in place for my next class demonstration, but I couldn't find a suitable weight to keep them from flying off the table. I didn't want to use anything too heavy, but I wanted something dedicated to this purpose. The solution had to be simple and basic.

To solve this problem, I quickly sketched out an idea for a paperweight that could also hold multiple papers. I decided on a long square block with a slot cut out of it, which would allow papers to slide in and be held in place.

I called it “ClipWeight”.

Next, I marked and cut out the slot with a scroll saw, and then sanded the edges smooth. And just like that, I had a functional prototype that solved my problem.

The entire process took less than a minute, but it was effective. Sometimes, the best solutions are the simplest ones. And with a little bit of creativity, you can design and make something that solves your problem in no time at all.

In conclusion, design and make don't have to be long, arduous processes. When you have clarity of the problem or need, a solution can often be found quickly and easily. And sometimes, the simplest solution is the best one. So the next time you need to design and make something, don't be afraid to think outside the box and try a quick and simple solution. Who knows, it might just be exactly what you need!

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Let me know in the comments what else you like to learn and watch.

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