DOBE

DOBE is a hands-on, modular puzzle-toy line designed to build creativity and assembly skills through interchangeable truck components. You joined the program as an industrial design intern, contributing to SolidWorks concepting and detailed modeling, learning about toy-grade plastics and molding constraints, creating exploded views/part optimizations for mass production, and then supporting the launch with visuals and sales/marketing tasks that helped the line succeed in local/regional markets.

The Contributions

Concept exploration and multi-module truck CAD in SolidWorks.
DFA/DFM support: exploded views, part simplification for tooling & assembly.
Cross-functional launch support with sales/marketing collateral and in-store storytelling.

Skills Demonstrated

Team collaboration, CAD modeling, design for assembly, sales strategy, and visual presentation.

We designed and refined a toy-design questionnaire in three rounds and asked it to 2,000 participants across multiple cohorts over a couple of years. Each iteration improved wording, answer types (adding multi-select where appropriate), and segmentation. The final instrument captured why people value toys, how quickly boredom appears, and what truly drives enjoyment, then analyzed responses by age group and economic level to guide design decisions.

Segmentation

Age bands: 3–5 • 6–8 • 9–12 • 13+
Economic levels: Value-conscious • Mid-market • Premium

What we learned (summary)

Form matters most: Shape/silhouette is the top enjoyment driver → prioritize iconic forms and tactile assembly.
Refresh beats replacement: Fatigue arrives faster than purchase cycles → design systems (mods/expansions), not one-off toys.
Edutainment sweet spot: Creativity + education are meaningful alongside entertainment → keep learning inside the fun.
Open-ended play is natural: Many users already “hack” objects into toys → embrace reconfigurability and remix.

Design guidance by segment

Age Groups

3–5 yrs: Safe, bold forms; simple snap play.
6–8 yrs: Modular swaps, functional parts, playful mechanics.
9–12 yrs: Expansion kits, creative building, group play.
13+ yrs: Collectible designs, advanced builds, community sharing.

Economic Levels

Value: Affordable, durable starter kits.
Mid-Market: Base kit + themed add-ons.
Premium: Collector editions, special finishes, subscription packs.

How this shapes DOBE

System, not single-use: Core chassis + swappable bodies/wheels/accessories.
Pacing the fun: Base kit plus quarterly micro-packs to outpace boredom.
Form first: Bold silhouettes read fun from 2 meters; CMF supports the shape.
Learning by doing: Challenges that teach assembly, balance, and simple mechanisms—no “schooly” tone.
Community: Invite user builds; feature them to fuel ongoing play.

Methods note (for credibility)

Sample & timeline: N=1000 total respondents, fielded over ~2 years across multiple cohorts.
Three iterative pilots to reduce bias and improve clarity.
Mixed closed-ended (incl. multi-select) and short open-ended prompts.
Segmentation captured behavior differences without collecting sensitive data.