From DDL Wiki

Contents 1 User Testing 1.1 Research and Observations 1.1.1 Shopping 1.1.2 Usage 1.2 Brainstorming Ideas

User Testing

Research and Observations

Shopping

After asking many potential customers who were looking at weed whackers we found that the main concerns of users were:

• Cost
• Maintenance
• Safety
• Ease of use

Other concerns included:

• Weight
• Noise
• Vibration
• Power

We noticed that many of them assumed characteristics of the design.

Gas powered:

• High power
• Noisy
• Vibrates
• Hot

Electric powered:

• Not enough power
• Low battery life

Usage

After observing a few weed whacker users, we asked them what their main complaints and difficulties of using their particular weed whacker.

Gas Powered:

Electric:

Brainstorming Ideas

Weed whacker head

• Blades instead of wire
• Heavier wire
• Metal wire
• Weed “vacuum”
• Opposing rotation whacker heads
• Full shield (360 degrees)
• Adjustable shield
• Clear shield
• Automatic line feed
• Heavier shield

Shaft/axle/power transfer

• Length adjustable
• Hula hoop weed whacker
• Rotatable shaft
• Clear plastic shaft
• Angled shaft
• Locking positions
• Torsion cable
• Hydraulic
• Pneumatic
• Electric cables

Handle

• Clamping handle
• Smaller handle
• Ergonomic trigger
• Button or slide instead of trigger
• Grip trigger
• Shoulder strap
• Strap to arm

Power Source

• 4 stroke engine
• Self-starting engine (no pull cord)
• Electric motor
• Power source closer to head
• Back pack style power source
• Solar powered
• Hydrogen powered
• User powered
• Corded

Miscellaneous

• Night light
• Vacuum attached to whacker
• Blower attached to whacker
• Wheel on bottom of whacker
• Plastic whacker
• Tripod whacker