Cleaning hotels is hard work. You wade into and undo other people’s messes under a ticking clock. Every step to access your supplies adds a chance for injury. Whether it’s bending over to get towels or the strain of pushing an overloaded cart, something’s likely to hurt you. It’s painful, demoralizing, and expensive.

I came upon this issue with Samuel Lee, Rebecca Wong, and Jingan Zhang in Berkeley’s Human Centered Design Methods course. As we brainstormed opportunities, hotel safety intrigued us — especially ergonomics. I was recovering from hand surgery at the time and saw the plight that even simple injuries could bring. After sketching, prototyping, and sharing ideas in Mura, we conceptualized a lightweight cart with an adjustable handle and spring-loaded shelves (inspiring the name “Boing Cart”). Reducing cart size prevents cart overloading, springy shelves reduce the need to bend over to grab supplies, and the adjustable handle makes it more comfortable.

The skills I gained in school culminated in this semester-long project. It took us through the human-centered design process, from identifying product opportunities up to initial prototyping. Even though COVID limited our prototyping resources and graduation split our team up, the project is one I’m proud of today.