The Comfort4U team presented our final product, and marketing strategies to the students at the Ann Richards School, at the Make-o-Rama fair. There were all these great products produced at this event, and this was the moment we can show off the hard work that we invested into our project. People’s reactions to our Make-o-Rama display were engulfed in how we were able to produce a seat cushion. Also, they were interested in our plans to further this product and sell it to schools to have the seat cushion over our school chairs. When people tested out the seat cushion, they enjoyed the comfort of the cushion better than the regular school chairs. The cushion was raved upon, which is good to know if there will be a pursue to better the product.
At first, we had to understand back support, pressure points, comfortable materials, and comfort to figure out how we were going to design and produce the product. That was the most challenging part in the research group. Comfort to one person might not be comfort to another. My team had to find a balance to fit all needs. When testing occurred, that difference of opinion was noticed, but our comfort was indeed better than regular school chairs, which was the goal to reach. At first we were going to include a support at the bottom for the feet, but that was not a really big concern because we were more focused on butt and back comfort and support. For the information on the testing of this product, the data is in Comfort4U Data. The cushion was going to be designed together, but was designed separately. In the future, the seat cover should be combined together for comfort purposes and convenience.
If the project was redone, it should be considered that the cushion should not be too thick. Some people had a hard time getting on the cushion at first, especially shorter statured people. The product should use a material that could fit those needs, so one can fit comfort needs as most as possible. Also I feel more testing could have been done, so we could have had enough time to alter any changes that could of been changed. Overall, testing out the seat cushion was enjoyable, because of the interaction between them and the product. It is memorable to see others enjoy something that you helped produced.
This class, helped with the Capstone projects in the spring semester because I knew already how to conduct research, and use techniques to find reliable information. In the fall semester, the memorandums and deliverables helped a lot, to design one for the Capstone projects. The deadlines that we set for ourselves this semester, helped organize and turn in things on time, as it did in Capstone.
The skills that I learned from this project like time management, researching, and outline organization for big papers, will help in college, when I have to do research papers that are 10+ pages long. Also the experience with working with a group with different ideas will come in handy in the future to come to agreements within a group. Advice that I would give students that are in this type of level of work, would be to listen to others in the group and manage your time wisely. There is nothing worse than stressing over something that could have been done long ago.
I feel that the product should be further invested in for next year. This is a big problem in schools, and this could show possible improvement in learning with students. Students should be recruited to perfect this product, and become a product to sell to schools in AISD. With all the hard work that the Comfort4U team has provided, with interacting with the different teams inside the group, and designing something that in the end was a success. There were miscommunication in the beginning, and people in other places, but we were all able to produce a satisfying product that suits the needs of students in a learning environment.
StarPathDesign 
I think y’all created a product that is in great demand in not only Ann Richards, but throughout the city and state. Sitting in the plastic chairs for the duration of a class (an hour and half) is extremely painful. Maybe it’s just that I’m getting slightly older or my back is starting to hurt more, but it is almost impossible for me to sit in the school chairs for more than thirty minutes at a time. In class, I often have to get up every thirty or so minutes and go get water just to stretch my back. I think it would be a really good idea to pass on this project to students next year, because I know that there is a definite need for a product like this in schools. It also sounds like the Make-o-Rama really gave you a good idea of what y’all need to improve upon next year also. Your idea and product is great!
Eliza Martin
Hey guys! I think that you all did a really good job researching and creating a product that you would think would satisfy the public. I cannot express how happy I am for you all that you have grown into being makers. I bet the experience at the Make-O-Rama should have been pretty satisfying because of how much you got to show off the product. I can agree with you that this is something that should be furthered researched. Now that I was reading your post I could not helped to think that we could have joined forces and the M&S research could have come up with experimental trials on the result of better seating could impact the stress levels in teenage girls. Now that the year is coming to an end I think that you guys should benefit from your invention. Here I am attaching a link to a website that I found that focuses on selling home made items (http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/10/29-places-sell-handmade-creations.html). Someone is bound to buy your comfort chair because comfort is something everybody needs in their lives. I also had a couple of questions for you all. Did you change the material you used based on the necessities of others? What do you think would be the best way of fixing the “short people” problem you mentioned? I wish you good luck as you continue the path of makers! and Please keep me updated on other projects that you might want to take up in the future. – Monica Martinez
Hey C4U,
Just wanted to say that it was awesome to see y’all continue with a previous project that you had been working on since the beginning of the school year! I wish I had seen your finished product at the Make-O-Rama because it sounds awesome. I like how you explained your process of research because research (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/8/) is a very important component to almost anything in college. I hope that the idea of the C4U chair cushion can be taken on by future makers and be improved in the prototype. I know many students suffer from back pain due to the lack of support of the chair but also due to the heaviness of a person’s backpack. This idea is awesome and I am happy that you guys were given the chance to share it with our community.
Toni A.
This project is so great and I’m happy to hear it was a success! It truly is in demand in real life; we really need better support in chairs that we’re sitting in for seven hours a day. I’m curious to see how your cushions will evolve in the real world with real clients (hopefully), so these can become a reality in schools. Coming from VertaBend (a group that dealt with spinal alignment), I know the importance of posture and support (I also have scoliosis)–so it’s good to know that lots of research has been put into these cushions. Good job!
–Karrie Newton