Background

I was contacted to do a commission for a DJ to redesign their DJ Mixing Booth.

Their existing solution was a mix of Ikea furniture and homemade additions. 



The current Booth design did not visually fit into the room and had too many visible wires.



In addition, the size of the Booth meant that it becomes a visual feature for the room, and therefore the ‘look and feel’ of the Booth becomes important to the overall feel of the space.

Understanding the User

Interviewing and understanding the end users movements, goals and objectives allowed me to gain insight into the core user flows.

The customer wanted no visual barriers over the booth. This meant keeping equipment out of eye-line and maximising the people-to-people connection over the booth.

Special considerations were given to the customers taste preferences, anthropometric data, final environment and budget.

The unit was to be manufactured in 5 separate units to allow for delivery to the apartment, and with a flexible 'play' surface where the user could quickly change equipment based on their needs.

Another key factor was the user wanted the unit wheel-mounted, to be able to place the unit in more than one location depending on usage.

Visual Design

Picking up on existing design elements from the environment, Maple and Walnut wood were to be used. In oder to reduce the visual impact of the unit to the room, the Front face was made using Linen cloth stretched over a wooden frame. This covered a large space, but kept a light and airy feel, not overwhelming the environment with the size of the unit.

The design was adapted for Manufacture by splitting one 2.4m long panel into 3x 800mm panels.

Build and Delivery

Within three months of launching the website, the illustrator saw a 60% increase in client inquiries. The unique branding helped them differentiate from competitors and gain industry recognition.

Lessons Learned

Overall, the customer was super happy, and so was I. Their back complaints reduced by 80%, mixing went up 10x VPB (vibes per blend) and they say it has made them a better DJ.

Builds like this really teach you about where to put the real effort in so that the required levels of quality and uniqueness can be found, and how to elevate products into the next realm.

The next upgrade will feature a modular electrical system allowing for easier and faster change of equipment.