A mind map of the Inventor’s Studio’s pain points revealed that whiteboard-related frustrations were the most common. The core questions driving the project: what can we create to reduce the frustration experienced by DIS and MANE students regarding the lack of available dry erase markers? How can we eliminate the annoyance of there not being a designated location where markers can be readily found?
Thumbnail sketches explored two distinct solution directions: a vertical organizer capable of storing dry erase markers, erasers, and other supplies, and a wall-mounted solution for tracking markers. The vertical organizer was selected, and a detailed pin-up was developed showing multiple perspectives and iterations — including rotating base concepts and varying column configurations.
The centerpiece began as a 10-foot, 4-inch diameter white PVC pipe, scaled to 70 inches to accommodate users over 6 feet tall. Markings were made 10cm apart and 6cm wide in a perpendicular alternating pattern — yielding 4 columns of 8 openings (32 total). Each slit was cut with a circular saw, then heated with a heat gun and pierced with a 1-inch angled PVC pipe used as a lever to mold each opening to the correct 1-inch diameter while the PVC cooled and set.
The base was cut from ½-inch high-density wood fiberboard — two sheets into 9.5-inch diameter circles and four into 11.5-inch circles, shaped with a bandsaw and rotating sander. Sheets were joined with wood glue, clamped overnight, then mounted onto a lazy susan bearing with screws for smooth rotation. The centerpiece was hot-glued to the platform, creating a seamless, near-invisible joint.
The Vertical Whiteboard Organizer was designed and fabricated by a team of two, from the initial pain-point mapping through PVC molding and final assembly of the rotating base.
The finished organizer is a rotating, 70-inch vertical PVC centerpiece on a tiered wooden lazy susan base — providing 32 marker slots accessible from any angle. Deployed in the Inventor’s Studio, it directly addressed the frustration of missing and disorganized markers in a collaborative space.
