Folding Frog

On-the-page-instructions Origami

System Prototyping 2018

Concept

This origami frog has all of the instructions to make itself printed on single side.

I originally created these instructions to turn my physical resume into a usable product. I have ended up using the frog as a puzzle for various other events.

Prototyping

I started by translating a traditional square-page frog origami guide onto a standard letter-sized page. I then wrote out the instructions onto the page I was folding, as I went. This turned out to by my most useful prototype, as I could place the relevant information in the most obvious place for that step.

Once the frog folding has passed all the major requirements, I transitioned to testing the smaller details of the on-paper instructions. I asked many people to try to follow the folds. When they hit difficulties, instead of directly correcting them, I would instead change the directions on the page, thereby trying alternative directions in immediate succession.

To communicate through multiple methods, I added in diagrams to reinforce the English directions. In response to users consistently feeling an apprehension of “am I doing this right?” I added tags that match together after a successful fold, a feature that is only possible when the instructions are printed on the folding medium. Users often let out audible signs of satisfaction when they completed a circle in step three.

Printing

The largest remaining issue is printer settings. To get the folds in the right place, the margins should be set to zero. Though no printer will print all the way to the edge, that’s the best way to ensure alignment. Please feel free to print and fold these yourself; they are fun!