Testing

During modeling step, six wooden prototypes, with the foam models were made including their stripes and booties. While developing all models made in size 38 and all were tested in the workshop environment by the project leader. For each model, several questions were asked and tried to solve problems on ergonomic issues which consist of relationships between the feet and wooden bases; feet and stripes or booties; wooden base and the wet surface were examined. After implementing solutions to prototypes, it was a need to have tested them by other users in the next step. So, focus group studies in two sessions were planned to develop prototypes of new bathing clogs for further step; final prototyping. Methods as an experimental and open-ended observation and gathering feedbacks from potential users were applied in focus group studies. 

Briefly, in these two sessions, the aim was to document unidentified users’ feedback and understand below conditions of each prototype in terms of design;

1. Relationship between feet and the wooden base,

2. Relationship between feet and stripes or booties,

3. User and the new bathing clogs in the hamam or wet area

4. Behaviors of wet models in use

After users have experienced models, each user was interviewed individually.

For the first Focus Group Session, six female students who have feet in size 38 were invited.  Potential six users were selected without concerning that they have hamam experience before or not.

In this session, it was planned to test these actions:  putting on, walking on wet surface, ascending a stair and stepping down, and putting off each model by six users. Whole process was recorded by two video cameras and at the end, questions were asked about models according to users’ experience in this session to gather feedbacks. The first session was applied at the Ceramic Workshop of Faculty of Fine arts and Design of Izmir University of Economics.

Following the first session, all documents were evaluated and reported. As an output of this session, three models were selected to develop the product concept. Problems were determined by re-sketching and re-modeling three models and new bathing clogs were finalized for the final prototyping.  These three models were tested again in the second focus group session. 
  

Focus Group Session 1

25.04.2011 12:30-16:30

Ceramic Workshop at the Faculty of Fine arts and Design of Izmir University of Economics

Each user put on six models in sequence

Walking with them on a wet floor in the Ceramic Workshop 

Just stepped down with them

A user is preparing for the next to put on. 

Volunteers of Focus Group 1 Session with the project team

Beyza Baran, Nimet Dilaver, Merve Kurt, Ezgi Ezdar, Kayahan Dede, Gülce Üzmez 

 Oya  Akın, Dicle Ak, Mine Ovacık Dörtbaş

The second Focus Group Session were planned to apply in an actual environment. Three female students from the previous group became volunteers to test three models in a historical Hamam of Izmir. Hoşgör Hamamı was the place for this session. This time, it was asked each user to select a model and experience them during bathing in Hamam. About in two hours, all users’ feet and users’ behaviors were observed. It was photographed in the resting area before and after bathing as only allowed photographing in this room according to privacy issues in Hamam. After these experiences, each user was interviewed and feedbacks gathered.

At the end of this step, all findings out of final evaluation and reports were applied into design and three models were selected to finalize the design phase. Followings are the scenes from focus group sessions. 

Focus Group Session 2

11.06.2011 11:00 - 17:00

Hoşgör Hamamı, Karataş - İzmir

Hoşgör Hamamı, Karataş / İzmir

While bathing

Before bathing in the cold room



While resting in the cold room

after bath

Volunteers of The Focus Group 2 with the project leader and assistant.

Nimet Dilaver, Dicle Ak, Beyza Baran, Merve Kurt, 

 Mine Ovacık Dörtbaş