Product Analysis+ Design Proposition— Suitcase

Team1-Claire, Manvi, Jackie, Susie

Before Use

History:

The importance of suitcase portability only became a concern in the late 19th century, which marked a pivot point in the history of transportation: it was the beginning of mass tourism, of travel for travel’s sake. Before then, suitcases were primarily owned by the wealthy, who did not need to concern about the portability or convenience of their design since it was the servants’ job to carry them. In the 1920s, suitcases took on not just practical but also cultural significance. It became the symbol of travel, mobility, and mystery.

Factors to Consider

When choosing a suitcase, consider its weight, durability, size, exterior material, handles and straps, closure type, wheels, and additional features. It is important to note that suitcases come in two sizes: “carry-on” and “check-in” and must adhere to the airline’s luggage size regulations. Hardshell and softshell suitcases both need reinforced corners, with soft-sided bags made of nylon, Cordura, or polyester fabric with weather and stain-resistant coatings, and hard-sided luggage made from aluminum or 100% polycarbonate exterior.

For types of closure, YKK zippers are recommended for their reliability, but a sturdy frame case offers better protection for valuables. Collapsible handles are susceptible to damage; ensure collapsible handles collapse smoothly without jamming and don’t wobble when rolling the suitcase. In terms of numbers of wheels, four-wheeled suitcases swivel 360 degrees for easy navigation, while two-wheeled suitcases are less ergonomic.

Suitcases may come with power banks, proximity alarms, built-in scales, trackers, or expandability features to increase storage space. Ultimately, the choice of suitcase should depend on individual needs and preferences.

In Use

A large suitcase or checked bag can be used in many scenarios:

• A relatively long vacation
• road trip
• Flight
• Train
• Moving to a new home
• Serving as a storage container

Among all the possible places of use, airports are the top places where a suitcase might get damaged. Most flight passengers only need to participate in the beginning and the end of their check-bags journey, so little do they know what happens between check-in and check-out. The loading part is the touchpoint where most of the suitcase damage occurs. The way loading agents handle luggage is also influenced by the size and structure of the aircraft. Wheels and handles oftentimes break or crack on impact.

Outside of the airport context, people’s relationships with checked bags become more intimate. While waiting for a taxi, the suitcase becomes a portable seat. When they settled in a hotel, the suitcase became a temporary closet.

Maintenance

There are professional services that use special dyes, conditioners, polishers, and applications to make a suitcase look new. But that’s not a necessity. The below steps ensure that the bag remains in perfect shape -

• Clean the bag to prevent deterioration: Use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe down the suitcase’s exterior and interior and remove any dirt, dust, debris, or stains. A dirty suitcase can attract bugs too!
• Check for damages: inspect different parts like the zippers, handles, and wheels to ensure they are functioning properly. If not, you would need to make necessary repairs or replacements by taking it to a luggage repair shop or manually replacing the part at home.
• Store the suitcase appropriately: when not in use, store it in a cool, dry place, and avoid exposing it to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures. Sunlight can fade the color. Store the suitcase in a dust bag or cover, if possible, to protect it from dust and other contaminants. There are protective sleeves in the market, ranging from clear plastic sleeves to patterned fabric wrappers.

After Use

Well made suitcases are expected to last over a decade, with poorly made ones needing replacement as early as a couple years. The creation of the suitcase not only requires the materials used to make them, but also the energy it takes to transport them long distances and assemble the suitcase as a whole. This largely contributes to issues such as resource depletion and pollution, especially when disposed of carelessly. Not only do suitcases generate waste themselves, but the act of carrying heavy suitcases on planes itself increases fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

When disposing, some existing government programs have recycling programs that could reuse the materials, but many consumers leave them on the curb for roadside trash pickup. There are a few third party recycling services, such as Terracycle, that will separate the metals, fibers, plastics, and fabrics and recycle them for you, but many consumers do not make the extra effort to reach out and send them here. Lastly, donating is always an option, with companies such as Ebags partnering with Goodwill to accept suitcases for people in need.

Design Proposition

The product we propose consists of the following features:

Suitcase:

Tracker:

• GPS location
• accelerometers
• UWB
• Led (not a face)

App:

• the environment that it lives (like the Forest app)
• reminder to take it out to travel

Basic functions (Display):

• location
• proximity
• Acceleration

Achievements:

• millage
• badges
• number countries

Sharing your trip with the suitcase

• notification: share photo with your suitcase
• adding image of the suitcase on to travel photos

Value

We have three key values interlocking each other. The initial value that attracts people to engage with this product is its practical value, which refers to the functionality of tracking where Nomad is and how it is being treated. This data would be very helpful for people in an airport or when their suitcase went missing. However, during a travel there would also be time when users don’t need to know these information such as when they settled down in a hotel. Now the app will transform to a more playful mode in which users can see how nomad feels and review the collected achievements on each journey. And all of that values are the driving factors to make maintenance and repair come true, and we will support that with the ease of repair following in the concept that a product is a plate form that assembles different parts.

Design

We chose to keep the suitcase design simplistic overall, with more of a focus on using durable materials and creating easily replaceable parts that would spark connection between the user and the suitcase. Standing at 30 inches tall, the suitcase is meant to be for checked baggage only: henceforth guiding our choice of aluminum for the main body. Not only would it be easier for our hypothetical brand to source recycled aluminum to create the suitcase itself or recycle it at the end of its life, but it would also be more durable and longer lasting. Compared to other fabric suitcases which can be susceptible to ripping or snagging, aluminum is only able to dent. This eliminates issues of compartments being unusable, and also helps with potential outlets for repair as it can be bent back into place and doesn’t fade over time.

Since our suitcase has 4 wheels, which statistically puts more damage on the wheels compared to a 2 wheel suitcase, we created a mortise and tenon like joint that would allow for singular wheel replacement. Especially when thinking about the holistic experience, sending the suitcase in a “disassembled” manner could force the user to put the parts together. Not only would this familiarize the user with how to replace the parts in the future, but it would also create a personal connection with the product to incentivize repair.

User Journey

The user is looking for a suitcase for his next travel and he finds Nomad. He really likes the feature that keeps track of his travel record and so he place the order. When Nomad arrives, the user reads the instruction and download the Nomad mobile app. As he went through the onboarding process of the app, he connects the app and the suitcase through bluetooth and receives feedback from the LED of the suitcase. As he explore the app, he learns where the suitcase is made and how it has traveled to the user.

The user starts using Nomad to travel. Throughout the trip, Nomad interact with the user with the LED signals. The user can always find out more about the suitcase through the app. He uses the app for practical purposes such as track its location in the baggage claim and uses the app for personal record for traveling by earning badges for every city traveled. The badges and achievements are record that is unique to this specific suitcase and is not transferable between users.

After the trip, when the suitcase is not use anymore, the Nomad app would remind the users with highlights of the trip with notification. Reminding the user to take Nomad out again for another travel by showing photos of users traveling with Nomad, just like receiving a postcard.

Want to try our prototype live: Click here!