The document consolidates the responses of police, bar management and others to the Grippa prototype designs demonstrated in a workshop held in late 2007

Ekblom, Paul

UAL Research Online

Grippa Working Papergrippaclip.comThe Grippa research programme, mainly funded by AHRC, is a collaboration between the Design Against Crime Research Cen-tre, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, University of the Arts London, and the UCL Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science. Papers and other materials from the programme are at www.grippaclip.com and wider practical and research material on preventing bag theft at www.inthebag.org.ukGrippa PrototypesComment Sheet CompendiumProf. Paul EkblomNovember 2007Grippa Prototypes 2grippaclip.comThis document records and consolidates the responses of police, bar management and others to the prototype designs demonstrated in a workshop held in late November 2007.General comments - PE•	 On Fri 23 Nov we didn’t get far beyond user functions of the design;  abuser not much covered.•	 General problem for user was size to get bag strap through gap•	 Also, for table edge designs especially, toting the weight of bag whilst manipulating it (a leash/lanyard would be better in this respect but other disadvantages eg trip hazard)•	 All designs/orientations required me to have a view of the clip whilst manipulating (though this could become less with familiarity) – kneeling, even, with designs 1 and 2 on centre leg.  In this respect, the sideways orientation of design 3 was an advantage•	 Design 4 (with hinge), when taking bag off, required supporting my heavy laptop/backpack bag with 2 index fingers and using thumb to lift flap.•	 Design 4 – gap between free end of gate and the static part of clip was too narrow for my bag handle at all positions.•	 Design 4 – Some discussion about squashing both front and back verticals of this design back towards the centre of the table (more like a curved parallelogram) – so it didn’t stick out so much with risk of snagging/injury, and projected even further backwards to give more manoeuvring room•	 I found rigidity in general was less accommodating to user than springiness might have been – but this is conjecture only, because no springy ones to try.•	 Getting off always harder then getting on.  Design 2 especially difficult with my padded backpack handle – the little lip bit into the material and it wouldn’t easily slip past it.•	 Design 3 – sideways mount – easier to understand its operation and to have sight of insertion/removal path whilst hanging/removing bag. But currently looks like it’s a front/back fixture that’s been wrongly installed – needs some curvature on the side, sweeping away from user to show it’s intentionally installed this way. Would have to be symmetrical from both sides to allow for left or right fixing.•	 Can anything be borrowed from classic gate latch design, where there is a simple ‘push thumb flap to eject’ operation – but without making it too easy for abuser.•	 In discussion with Andy from Wetherspoons, issue of brighter coloration (eg fluorescent) of clips was quickly squashed.  Concern about Designs 4-5 sticking out too much – knocked off, catching coats. Designs 3 & 5 (paperclip) operation more visually obvious, less fiddly, more robust.  Likewise preferred Design 1 for table leg.•	 In light of the user survey and crime data presentation consensus seemed to settle on:•	 Some debate about how far the clip should speak for its own function (alerting/informing/empowering user; deterring and discouraging abuser) or be supported by adjunct communications.•	 Principle of nonverbal, graphical communication – in view of foreign tourists… and bar staff.•	 Interest in seeing bag/bag security as extension of the user’s person. Personal defensible space? Leave well alone with handbags on the user’s person – more secure there (and less likely forgotten when going to loo/smoke/bar) than on clip. ‘If your bag’s on the floor, secure it some more’.•	 Awareness of range of individual attitudes to security – fanaticism to insouciance.•	 Designs should try to disable the abuser’s excuse ‘whoops, sorry, didn’t mean to kick your bag mate’. (This is a script clash – challenge~excuse.)  Comms designs should perhaps warn users about this (but don’t want to provoke fights!).•	 What do users do with multiple bags? •	 Issue of using bag for placemarking when going to loo, smoke, bar.Grippa Prototypes Grippa Prototypes 3grippaclip.comDesign 1      Advantages for USER   Disdvantages/ problems for USER a) Noticing  Focal point. Easy to view colour contrast.  Not immediately apparent b) Communication of purpose and operation  Need signage to say what it is for Requires signage  c) Deciding to use  In view / one handed use Easy to view   Offers slightly more resistance to remove  d) Putting on  Easy – can put large bag on it Easy although use 2 hands Two handed use  e) Taking off  Relatively easy I found it was easy to take off Relatively easy  f) Other comments   Should have more pronounced lip If disabled or elderly and suffer arthritis etc may be difficult to use Grippa Prototypes 4grippaclip.comDesign 1  Advantages for ABUSER Disdvantages/ problems for ABUSER a) Noticing  In view Easily view  In view  b) Communication of purpose and operation    c) Deciding to take bag  Can be removed fairly easily  Requires two hands  d) Taking off bag  - resistance, obviousness  Easy Easy to take off Very slight obstruction only Hard to take bag off clip unless you use 2 hands so will obviously take longer e) Other comments      Grippa Prototypes 5grippaclip.com    Advantages for USER   Disdvantages/ problems for USER a) Noticing  Easy to view Focal point/ colour contrast Easily seen. Easy to see    Property centrally located? b) Communication of purpose and operation  Need signage   c) Deciding to use  Easy to use/focal point Easy to use   Lack of resistance/protection. One handed use.  d) Putting on  Easy Easy Easy to use   One handed operation e) Taking off  Easy Easy Can easily take off Very easy Especially difficult with my padded backpack handle – the little lip bit into the material and it wouldn’t easily slip past it.  f) Other comments    Design 2Grippa Prototypes 6grippaclip.com  Advantages for ABUSER Disdvantages/ problems for ABUSER a) Noticing  Easy to.  Easily seen  Thief can see bag on clip and easily take them    Easy  b) Communication of purpose and operation  When loaded noticeable  Focal point in view None  c) Deciding to take bag  Visibly easy to recognise as… Easy  None d) Taking off bag  - resistance, obviousness  Very easy to take off. No resistance.  Easy Easy to take off No resistance  None e) Other comments  Ineffective. Bags can easily be taken None (general remark)   Design 2Grippa Prototypes 7grippaclip.com     Advantages for USER   Disdvantages/ problems for USER a) Noticing  Colour contrast  Not easy to see. Can knock your leg on it. b) Communication of purpose and operation  sideways mount – easier to understand its operation and to have sight of insertion/removal path whilst hanging/removing bag. operation more visually obvious Requires signage  c) Deciding to use  Easy to use May obstruct comfort when legs placed under table. Bag protrudes outwards.  Easy off.   d) Putting on  Thinner strap easy on. Easy less fiddly    e) Taking off  Slightly bigger gap – less resistance Easy less fiddly Sideways on means different hand/arm/body position to remove. f) Other comments   Currently looks like it’s a front/back fixture that’s been wrongly installed – needs some curvature on the side, sweeping away from user to show it’s intentionally installed this way. Would have to be symmetrical from both sides to allow for left or right fixing. more robust than 4 Design 3Grippa Prototypes 8grippaclip.com  Advantages for ABUSER Disdvantages/ problems for ABUSER a) Noticing  Sideways view easier to see – bag protrudes  Offers wider profile which may cause obstruction when sitting down or accessing as close to user b) Communication of purpose and operation  Easier to understand due to sideways location    c) Deciding to take bag  Not much resistance  Sideways means different position to remove. May increase abuser profile.  d) Taking off bag  - resistance, obviousness  Not too difficult Easy to take off. No resistance obvious.  More curved lip increases resistance. Need 2 hands to take off. e) Other comments      Design 3Grippa Prototypes 9grippaclip.com    Advantages for USER   Disdvantages/ problems for USER a) Noticing  Stands out from table  Stands out from table  b) Communication of purpose and operation  Symbol denotes use Easy due to bag outline drawn on it; good   c) Deciding to use  Purpose identifiable. Visible Resistance to removal may put off users. Protrudes from table.  d) Putting on  Fairly easy  Easy  Thicker straps harder Design 4 – gap between free end of gate and the static part of clip was too narrow for my bag handle at all positions.   e) Taking off  Offers resistance Without knowledge more difficult Awkward to take off.  Design 4 (with hinge), when taking bag off, required supporting my heavy laptop/backpack bag with 2 index fingers and using thumb to lift flap.   f) Other comments   Can knock your leg on it. sticking out too much Design 4Grippa Prototypes 10grippaclip.com    Advantages for USER   Disdvantages/ problems for USER a) Noticing  Stands out from table. Colour contrast. Easy  b) Communication of purpose and operation  Bag imprint Good operation more visually obvious   c) Deciding to use   Protrudes much more  d) Putting on  Easy Easy less fiddly  e) Taking off  Fairly easy Small amount of resistance but not enough to put you off from using less fiddly Offers some resistance – not too much unless thicker handles. f) Other comments   May have difficulty in using thick straps sticking out too much more robust than 4 Design 5Grippa Prototypes 11grippaclip.com  Advantages for ABUSER Disdvantages/ problems for ABUSER a) Noticing  Clearly seen  Not under table. Therefore seen by all.  b) Communication of purpose and operation  Very noticeable   c) Deciding to take bag  More likely to be smaller bags, i.e. handbags etc due to narrowness of gap.   d) Taking off bag  - resistance, obviousness  Thin straps- little resistance. With thicker strap much more difficult. Slight resistance.  To take bag off need 2 hands. e) Other comments     Design 5Grippa Prototypes 12grippaclip.com  Advantages for ABUSER Disdvantages/ problems for ABUSER a) Noticing  Clearly seen  In front of client b) Communication of purpose and operation  Clearly stands out from table NONE  More noticeable c) Deciding to take bag  May only take smaller strapped bag.  Although it is hard to take bag off then people may not use it.  Visibility = probably in front of client  d) Taking off bag  - resistance, obviousness  Not sprung lip. As bag strap rests on base lip more difficult to remove. Hard to take bag off easily. e) Other comments      Design 4

Grippa Prototypes: Comment Sheet Compendium

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Grippa Prototypes: Comment Sheet Compendium

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