Project overview

People worry about their loved ones all the time and it’s natural to want to check up on them. What if there was a way to communicate to those closest to you that you were home safe?

This personal project explored designing a physical product that integrates naturally into daily routines while addressing real emotional needs.

Skills

Sketching, ceramic mold making, 3D design

Duration

Nov. 2016 - Dec. 2016

Understanding the worry

Setting the context

This project was part of a multidisciplinary class exploring the intersection of ceramics and industrial design. We were encouraged to explore ways to create an object combining mold-making with 3D printing, relating to any of our interests.

At the time, my parents were moving out of the country and were concerned about leaving myself and my brother behind. We all had fluctuating schedules, and the big time difference led to a lot of missed calls, which caused unnecessary stress for everyone.

Finding existing behavior

Rather than creating another communication tool that required active check-ins, I looked for existing behaviors to leverage. I eventually identified a universal habit: arriving home and placing your keys in a designated spot.

Sketching and iteration

Inspiration and sketches

I initially explored music-based notifications trigged by the motion or weight of putting your keys down, drawing inspiration from minimalist speaker designs that would look good in the home and also fit my family’s preference.

My initial sketches represented each family member with an object, but it didn’t quite hit the minimalist feel I wanted. I received feedback from my classmates that the idea was great, but the keychains looked similar to Fisher-Price toys.

Pivoting based on feedback

During the feedback session, one comment that stuck with me was that the keychains looked like puzzle pieces. This sparked a new direction that incorporated our Korean names into a complete picture. I landed on a final design where our last name formed the base, with individual names making up the whole picture.

I also decided to incorporate lights triggered by switches and magnets, illuminating each person’s section when their keychain was placed in the designated spot, allowing other households to see at a glance who was home.

Prototyping and creation

Exploring the materials

Once I finalized the design, I decided the base should be slip-cast ceramic for stability, while the keychains would be 3D printed for a lighter weight. I sculpted a clay model of the base and created several molds.

During testing, I realized the ceramic was too thick for light clearly. I solved this by cutting windows along the edges of each character, allowing the light to illuminate each section properly.

Final concept validation

The vision

I created a storyboard to demonstrate the concept, collaborating with my parents who took photos based on sketches I sent them.

My family loved the final concept and immediately wanted to hang one in their homes right away. My parents were especially excited by the idea of a quick glance reassuring them we were home safe.

My parents are constantly worried about my brother and I because they want to make sure we’re doing okay.

They’ll try to call or message me after my class is over to make sure I have arrived home safe.

Unfortunately, with the time difference and my fluctuating schedule, I often miss many of their messages.

Our family keychain displays eliminates the worry by allowing us to indicate when we have arrived home.

Each family member is represented with a keychain. When someone place their keys in their designated area, that same area will light up for the other households.

I usually get home the latest, so when I walk through the door, I can immediately see everyone else is home with their lit sections.

I can place my own keychain in my designated area, letting the rest of my family that I’m home.

My parents can rest easy now that they know my brother and I are both safe at home.

Reflection

Shaping my own skills

Looking back, this project embodied an approach that has shaped my career - leading with empathy. I focused on solving a real emotional need rather than creating something that might be useful.

While I’ve deepened these skills throughout my career, this early project taught me two foundational principles I still use:

Get feedback early: Despite reservations about showing my initial designs I wasn’t fully happy with, feedback steered me toward a much stronger solution
Build on what works: The solution worked because it integrated with an existing habit rather than requiring a new routine - the key is leveraging what already works and designing it to serve user needs

This project also let me combine storytelling with physical craft, reinforcing the importance of connecting emotionally with users.

Future evolution

I’ve considered how it could evolve for other families, envisioning versions that range from a simple hook base to a customized version, with music, voice notes, and phone notifications for immediate peace of mind.

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