Arthritis Ireland Easy to Use Design Awards for Pfizer
The Brief:
To raise awareness of the difficulties encountered on a day to day basis by those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through a design awards scheme with students from the National College of Art and Design.
The Solution:
The Arthritis Ireland Easy to Use Design Awards were established following research into the difficulties faced by people living with RA, on a day-to-day basis, at home and in the workplace. The research found that almost 60% of people with RA said their lives would be improved with a wider range of household and lifestyle products.
Third year Industrial Design students at NCAD were briefed with the task of developing a concept for a product that was ‘easy to use’ for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The students visited the Pfizer plant at Grange Castle where they heard first hand the daily experiences of those who live with RA.
The judging panel included Sean Gallagher from Dragons’ Den, representatives from Pfizer and Arthritis Ireland and patient representatives who assessed the products for their ease of use.
In what was a unanimous decision by the panel, the overall winners were Alan Harrison from Mayo and Ben Millett from Roscommon for their innovative design, the Kug, a clever combination of a kettle and a mug.
