Sokolowski, Susan L.

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    SPORTS INDUSTRY MEETS ACADEMIA: THE PEDAGOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF AN MS DEGREE PROGRAM IN SPORTS PRODUCT DESIGN
    (National Academy of Inventors, 2019) Sokolowski, Susan L.
    In the U.S., Portland, Oregon, is home to the sports product design industry. Jobs in this industry vary from entry-level retail assistants to CEOs, but the heart of it all revolves around designers and the inventive products they create. Becoming a successful designer can be very challenging and competitive, as undergraduate design and engineering programs in the U.S. provide basic skills but not industry-specific skills that fully allow designers to succeed in all divisions (apparel, footwear, and equipment) of the sports product industry. The University of Oregon, through a strategic initiatives effort, identified this opportunity and developed an integrative Master of Science graduate degree program in Sports Product Design. The program was created to include specialized courses from the departments of human physiology, journalism, business, and design to develop graduates proficient in using theories and creative problem solving skills to invent products that push the boundaries of athletic performance. Students learn how design can reduce athletic injuries and extend careers, improve performance, and address issues related to gender and diverse body types, including athletes with disabilities. This paper will review the creation of this one-of-a-kind program in the U.S., including pedagogical considerations, curriculum, and student inventions over the last three years.
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    Modification of the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) Formulas to Include Plus Size Bodies
    (3DBODY.TECH Conference, 2020-11) Sokolowski, Susan L.; Bettencourt, Chrissy
    With new 3D plus size body scan data available through surveys like Size North America and manufacturers investing in their own data, there was an opportunity to study the shape of modern female plus sized bodies to inform the fit of products for this emerging business demographic. The researchers partnered with a leading apparel company to analyze 3D plus size body scans with the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) for apparel developed by Simmons, Istook, and Devarajan (2004), using mathematical representations of the FFIT body shapes created by Lee, Istook, Nam, and Park (2007). However, during the project, it was discovered through visual inspections there were opportunities to modify the FFIT mathematical formulas to be more inclusive of plus size women. The inspections indicated that some scans were inaccurately classified or not sorted into any shape category. Since plus size women often have larger abdomens than bust or hips, the formulas were modified to include a check for that condition. By understanding shape, manufacturers can have a better idea of how to design, fit and grade products for this market throughout a size range, as opposed to relying on only 2D measurements or linear grading rules from a sample size.
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    The development of a performance hand wear and tools product innovation framework
    (Springer Open, 2020) Sokolowski, Susan L.
    Humans wear products and use tools that interface with their hands to provide abrasion resistance, impact protection, grip, thermal comfort, and detailed maneuvers. The skills needed to design new and innovative products for the hand are multi-faceted. Academic programs in the US typically focus on soft goods (textile and apparel) or hard goods (industrial and product design/engineering) based design. Therefore, students often do not learn all of the available skills and technologies needed to design hand wear performance products because of the pedagogical split between the different academic disciplines. This case study outlines a three-phase innovation framework, for use by designers throughout the product creation process, specifically for creating performance products and tools for the hand. The phases include strategies for: (1) understanding the hand wear and tool project background, (2) defining the user’s 3D and 2D hand and (3) hand wear and tool product innovation. The paper will also demonstrate how the framework was implemented by students in a graduate level design studio, to create new gloves for athletes. The framework could also be used by students and professionals to design innovative products for other users and to improve safety and overall performance.