Three Problem Purpose Statements

1. Product Packaging is a Pandora's box of excessive waste.

Problem:
Many products have an excessive amount of waste that is not environmentally friendly. Certain products use way too many plastic bags and foam doo dads that do nothing but take up space and create detrimental waste. Customers may see the outside of the packaging and get an impression of its contents but have no indicators as to how much actual waste there is until they purchase and open. This can result in a restocking fee or worse, no refund at all if the customer is unhappy with the packaging design.

Purpose:
The purpose of this research is to develop a database of analysis and compile the amount of unnecessary waste involved in competing products packaging contents in order to rate and define their impact. This in turn can be developed into an interactive communication platform that can empower customers that may have previously had little choice in their purchases to choose the best candidate for purchase. The platform will also enable customers to easily communicate their experiences and concerns to companies which have been surveyed giving them knowledge that their product has been purchased or avoided because of their packaging designs. Platforms can be defined and developed more specifically as a smart phone app, a website ect.

2. Surfboard Travel equipment.

Problem:
Traveling overseas with your surfboard has become a costly procedure with the new marketing trends of nearly all major airlines. Certain airlines can charge upwards of 100$ each way per board because of their length restrictions while the irony being that they weight of most modern day surfboards are equal to a couple pairs of clothes and shoes.

Purpose:
The purpose of this research will target the feasibility and practicality of developing a surfboard that is comprised of multiple pieces running vertically from tip to tail in order to preserve the performance characteristics of a non segmented surfboard. This will allow a board to "break down" into a duffel bag and allow it as normal checked baggage alleviating the high cost of surf travel.

Further benefits from this research can be aimed at the used of environmentally "safe" materials as most surfboards today are extremely harmful to the planet.

3. Website overhaul: Friends of South Asia

Problem:
http://www.friendsofsouthasia.org/ is a very voluminous website with poor information architecture and navigation ease. The information is spread too wide and there is little continuity in the pages. Some is structured like a blog while other pathways are more like organized notes.

Purpose:
The purpose of this research and development is to find a better way to reorganize the site to better suit their needs.