What was the brief and objective of the project?

Edwin Chin: We needed to address the customer’s preference for a non-protruding paper tray that does not take up space. We also challenged ourselves to reimagine and look into how we could redefine the form of an inkjet printer to meet the evolving needs of small and medium businesses.

What challenges did you encounter during the design/manufacturing process? How did you resolve them?

Edwin: During the initial design stages, we posed ourselves a challenge: How to reinvent the printer? Based on research studies, we learned that customers do not want a protruding paper tray, and that they need hassle-free output management. They don’t want to worry about the printed pages landing on the floor, and the need for tray extensions. At the same time, they need a device that can fit into small office environments, while retaining its robustness as a workhorse for their high-speed printing needs.

This led to the concept of Print Forward Design. To achieve this objective, we rotated the paper path chassis to fully contain the output tray, and by doing so, altered the conventional archetype of an inkjet printer. This new design saves over 11cm in operating space and enables easy, robust office printing without the worry of pages landing on the floor. The Automatic Document Feeder and scan bed now float above the output tray, maximising the space for users to pick up their print-outs or replace the cartridges. The input tray also accommodates a range of paper sizes including A4, Letter and Legal.

In addition, an innovative paper path in the HP OfficeJet Pro printer allows for high-speed, two-sided printing at nearly the speed of singlesided printing. Single-sided printed pages now face down when printed to reduce any unintended leak of confidential information.

To improve ease of use, the control panel is placed in the front-centre of the printer as a key interaction point. The good visibility and easy access make it easy for users to perform various tasks such as printing and scanning to email or network.

How should design improve lives?

Edwin: The customer’s needs should be at the centre of our design. We need to approach design from a customer’s point of view, drawing on trends and insights from our research, which include ethnographic studies, resonance tests and usability tests. These become the basis for designing a product, ensuring that it will not only improve its aesthetics but also raise the bar in user experience.

How does the end-user experience motivate you as a designer?

Edwin: Being able to deliver experiences that amaze and make life better for everyone, everywhere – this is what makes me passionate about my work.

What existing design do you think has a positive impact on society?

Edwin: 3D printing. Automobiles and airplanes are using 3D printed parts that are stronger and lighter. Patients are also using 3D printed custom prosthetics. As 3D printing transforms and disrupts manufacturing, supply chains and even whole economies, it’s going to change the way we live, and the way our children live.