Project: Balloon Car

Group size: 3-4 students
Activity time: 45 minutes (+ debrief/discussion time)

Created by: Susannah Howe and Micah Lande

“Balloon Car” is part of the Design Activities resource, which compiles activities that students can use to practice and reflect on design processes.

In "Balloon Car", students work in teams to design a balloon-powered "vehicle" that is lighter than the demonstration vehicle and can travel at least 6 linear feet while staying within side constraints at the end. The scoring system rewards testing and iteration.

We invite you to use this project with a capture method from the Capturing Design Signatures collection. Using a capture method, this activity gives students the opportunity to reflect on the actions they take in their design process, and notice how they work together as a team.

Choose one of the following capture methods:

• Design Signatures App: This app helps students track their design process on a mobile app or on a desktop website, and creates a colorful visual timeline of their design process stages. 
• Bubble sheets: This bubble sheet helps students track their design process by pen and paper, by “bubbling in” the dot for the corresponding time and design process stage.
• Google forms survey: This Google Forms survey helps students track their design process by filling in checkboxes in a survey.
• Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet helps students track their design process by coloring in cells for the corresponding time and design process stage. Designed to support asynchronous data collection for longer projects.

The purpose of this activity is to allow students to engage in a fun and creative team-based design activity that emphasizes iteration. With a capture method, students can view and reflect on their design process.

This activity will help students: 

• Think creatively and collaboratively
• Iterate on a hands-on physical build
• Refine designs based on test results
• Get feedback on their team engagement with a design process
• Reflect on their approach and think about how they can transfer the experience to a longer-term design project

• Building materials: plastic wheels, wooden dowels, plastic straws, balloons, some variety of structural materials (cardboard, popsicle sticks, coffee stirrers, pipe cleaners, foam, etc.)
• Building tools: scissors/knives, masking tape, hot glue guns (optional)
• A scale for weighing prototypes  (kitchen scale works well)
• Star stickers for the iteration chart
• (Optional: balloon inflators)
• (Optional: a capture method)

1. Make a demonstration balloon car and record its weight (example photo below):
2. Make at least one "test track" in the classroom (more if there is space) by placing two pieces of masking tape 6 feet apart on the floor and adding side pieces of tape after the "finish line"
3. Gather all the materials for the balloon car "build"
4. Print out hard copies of the balloon car iteration chart - 1 per team
5. Optional: Set up the capture method you’ve chosen according to the instructions we’ve provided on that capture method’s page.

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The following instructions are written with capture methods embedded.

Part 1: Introduce the challenge - see the balloon car activity instruction slides (10 minutes)

1. Show the demonstration car on the test track and record its weight.
2. Explain the objective: reduce the weight of a balloon-powered vehicle, maintain a 6ft linear distance, and stay within the side constraints at the end of the track.
3. Explain the scoring process.
   1. Weight = lowest weight of successful design (successful = reduced weight from demo, achieves linear distance traveled within end bounds)
   2. Iteration = total number of stars   (awarded by instructor)
   3. Total Score = Weight - # Stars
4. Discuss the team roles.
   1. Scribe = documents design changes
   2. Test Manager = coordinates test runs, measures/calculates performance
   3. User Researcher = records process (every minute) using the selected capture method
5. Review logistics.
   1. The official test track is at the front of the room, and additional tracks may be placed around the room.
   2. The first few minutes will just be planning, and then materials will be distributed to students.
   3. Students will have a total of 25 minutes for building and testing.
   4. The instructor will award stars after each complete test.

Part 2: Start planning phase - no materials yet (5 minutes)

1. Divide the class into teams and have teams spread out around the room.
2. Each team get an iteration chart for notes.
3. Have teams identify team roles: scribe, test manager, user researcher.
4. Encourage teams to do the following:
   1. Plan their approach
   2. Ask clarifying questions
   3. Discuss design ideas
      1. Think about important components and opportunities for improvement.
      2. Sketch ideas and make notes!

Part 3: Launch building/testing phase (25 minutess)

1. Encourage teams to test regularly and aim for at least 5 iterations.
2. Stand by the official test track and award stars for each complete test.
3. Check that students are following their role responsibilities.

Part 4: Shift to the scoring phase (5 minutes)

1. Have each team identify their lowest working weight and count the number of stars they have received.
2. Have each team calculate their total score: weight - stars
3. Have teams report aloud their total scores, including their lowest weight and the number of stars.

Part 5: Debrief the activity and process. Some possible questions for your students:

• What did you learn about iteration?
• Why did we start with an existing solution (i.e. demo car)?
• What did user researchers observe?
• What lessons from this activity can you apply to your upcoming (capstone) design project? (Have students reflect individually and then share.)

Clean up: collect all reusable materials and trash/recycle all other used materials.