Executive Summary

Introduction - This report aims to outline and address the needs of the Dawul Wuru Corporation and
produce an outcome that improves mud travel in Yirrganydji country. The opportunity statement is as
follows, “How might we design a better way to travel through mud in Yirrganydji Country.” This statement
is issued so we can look at several issues, such as how to carry 50-60kg of equipment through the mud
or how to make the mudder boots stronger so the webbing doesn't break, and find the best solution to
one issue.
Design considerations - Choosing our final design came together with a few key considerations, listed
and defined briefly: Cost efficiency (making sure we could implement our design within a realistic budget),
social sustainability (being aware of the social environment our design will be used within), environmental
friendliness (staying mindful of the environment our design will be used in), improving effectiveness
(making our design more effective than its current iteration), comfort (respecting the user and making sure
that their comfort isn’t compromised) and ease of cleaning (making our design easier to clean than the
original).
Design Options - Our final list of design options to consider from were as follows: Making the Mudder
Boot wings either detachable or non-collapsible, making the Mudder Boots out of rubber, making the
wings of the Mudder Boots larger, installing pathways/clearings through the mangrove forest, making mud
protection overalls and using reinforced materials to help with the tearing of the boots.
Design Selection - We had to consider what design option fit best with our considerations, as well as
what we could realistically create/prototype within our timeframe and budget. We have chosen to combine
making detachable wings and mud protection overalls as we believe it to be realistically implementable
and suit the community’s needs without being too excessive.
Assessment and Testing - To test the durability and maintainability of the boots and overalls, the
material used during manufacturing will be experimented with. As one of the main issues of current
mudder boots is its difficulty to clean, the waterproof cotton was tested to see how it handles being in
contact with an extreme amount of mud, telling us its practicality as a material. A cardboard rapid
prototype of detachable wings was also made around a gumboot, seeing how feasible detachable wings
are. The benefit of testing allowed us to judge the success of the chosen materials and provided an
insight on how the final product will function. Purchasing the materials for prototyping will cost around
$20. While the improved mudder boots and overalls will assist in mangrove restoration, the production
process will cause pollution and other environmental effects. The boots and overalls production can
create social impact, such as new jobs and promoting Yirrganydji culture with themed decals. Changing
the design of the original mudder boots and implementing overalls as an extra item makes the design
more expensive to produce and buy.
Implementation - These Mudder Boots design we make is to be rigorously tested and, when produced,
distribution networks need to be set up for accessibility. If possible we could identify and involve local
artisans or craftsmen who can contribute to the construction of the shoes and design the patterns for the
overalls (for example). We can establish a routine maintenance program that includes inspections, quick
fixes and replacements while educating users on proper maintenance. Consider sustainability and
community involvement as well, making sure the local laws are followed.
For construction and production we should employ local labor and appoint a program manager to oversee
operations and logistics. We need to select durable, waterproof materials. Where possible we should
provide local laborers with training on how to repair the mud-shoes establishing continuous maintenance.
This comprehensive approach will ensure the successful implementation and maintenance of the mud
travel system, benefiting travelers, the local environment and culture.
Conclusion - Our design is tailored to fix the issue with mud travel being difficult to clean up after. If we
had more time it would be good to also consider how to do this and make the shoes more durable but
with the time constraints we decided it would be better to design something that could fix one issue well
rather than fix 2 issues poorly.