Google Sketchup Playground Project
Elissa Lindler and Natalie Meeks
Define the Problem
To design a playground set for elementary school kids.
Criteria- make a playground set that is in one piece, six playground elements, kid friendly
Constraints- no less than six elements
Research the Problem
What did you enjoy as a kid?
swing sets, climbing up slides, rock walls, monkey bars, going down slides
What do kids like to play on?
swing sets, climbing ladders/rock walls, monkey bars, tunnels to crawl through, tire swings, tube slides
What do playsets have?
Backyard Discovery Tucson
slide, 2 swings, trapeze bar, picnic table, & rock wall
Backyard Discovery Oakmont Cedar Wooden
2 Swings, slide, acrobat bar, step ladder, & picnic table
Backyard Odyssey Quest Cedar All Cedar
Slide, 2 story clubhouse, ladder, 2 swings, trapeze bar, sandbox, & wind rider glider
Mountaineer with Timber Shield Cedar
Tube slide, rock wall with rope, sandbox, slide, rope ladder, trapeze bar, picnic table, telescope, flag kit, steering wheel, tick-tack-toe, & 2 swings
Bighorn
2 swings, rock wall, rope ladder, slide, monkey bars, & wind rider glider
Possible Solutions
Pugh Chart
Test and Evaluate
What works and does not work about your design?
-Placing monkey bars onto our playground set was difficult because it does not allow for our design to be as compact as we would of liked.
-The slide and rock wall allow for our design to work wonderful due to the "flow" of our playground set.
Is it safe?
Our design is kid-friendly and generally safe, in which meaning the monkey bars could be a safety hazard if a child did not know how to use them properly. Otherwise, our design is safe and kid-friendly.
How would you sell your design to a company?
We would sell our design by presenting that our playground set is one solid piece, in which can be moved and placed already completed. Also, presenting that our design has 6 different features that would allow for kids to be occupied and safe during the same time.
What are the positives and negatives of your design?
-Positives: one-piece play set, 6 key play elements, kid-friendly, generally safe
-Negatives: monkey bar safety, not more than required play elements, not "baby-friendly"
Redesign
What changes would you make?
We would change the design of how the monkey bars are placed so that it is a more compact design, add more play elements, and improve safety on the monkey bars.