As a third year Engineering Product Design student at London South Bank University, I had the theoretical and practical knowledge needed for the project, however had never been in a professional design environment before. So, when I first came across the project I was really interested in how much participation the public will have with the project and how much enjoyment they can have with the LED technology that is being used.

Since the beginning of the electronics manufacture a month ago in the studio space in Haggerston, I have found the experience to be of great value. It has allowed me to practice the skills I have learnt at university and generating new concepts for my final year project. Problem solving and troubleshooting have been key to the development of the production of the electronics over the past few weeks.

Visiting the prototype enclosure in Homerton at the very beginning of the process helped me to understand how the electronics were to be assembled in the studio and how the installation connected to the roof of the bus shelter. Completing the electronics boxes and the LED screen presented the complexity of the complete assembly. I am looking forward to the rapid manufacture process of the final installations at Trueform.

For my first placement in industry, this project has allowed me to deal with the challenges associated with tight deadlines. Problem solving and troubleshooting have been key to the development of the production of the electronics over the past few weeks and will continue throughout the process. The LED screen involved the marking up and sourcing of the timber from local timber merchants. This is one aspect of the design process I was particularly interested in developing.

Visiting the Trueform factory for the health and safety briefing gave me an insight into the location of where I will be based for the next four weeks. I have found in the past working in a workshop environment at university, the productivity of the project will heighten as we near the completion of the installations.

So with the remaining weeks in the factory finalising the production of the installations I’m looking forward to seeing them being rolled out across London.

Gerald “Mcfly” Colman