Junia : Comfort in milk expression

Sammanfattning: This report describes the project background, design process plus the final result of my MFA degree thesis in Advanced Product Design at Umeå Institute of Design. A breast pump is generally a mechanical or electrical suction device for withdrawing milk from the breast of a lactating woman. Even though the first pumps were patented in the mid-19th century as medical devices for in-hospital use, breast pumps as widely available consumer products have only been around for a little more than 20 years. Existing breast pumps do not address functional as well as emotional needs of many mothers and there is great potential for improvements and innovative solutions to transform pumping into a more enjoyable and positively associated experience. The main purpose of this project is to rethink the way breast pumps are currently used in order to push the boundaries, and come up with a forward-looking, conceptual design solution as a final result. This human-centered design project was carried out in close collaboration with various experts in the areas of pediatrics, breastfeeding and lactation counselling. Moreover this project was done in cooperation with leading design and innovation consulting firm IDEO. San Francisco basted design director Thomas Overthun provided mentoring throughout the design process. Regular check-in calls and feedback sessions were set up throughout the project to discuss project milestones. Anders Smith, an experienced industrial designer from Denmark, closely followed throughout the project as an external design tutor at Umeå Institute of Design. Several tutoring sessions were held on a regular basis. Continuous involvement of experts and external project advisors helped to make sure that the project remains valid and provided a great source for relevant insights, expert knowledge and professional feedback. "Being able to develop an impactful and forward-looking design solution that can encourage positive change both on an individual and societal level has been my main motivation to tackle this design challenge".