Using Cooper’s Goal-Directed Design Process, my team and I designed the vision and prototype for a product that encouraged healthy behavior. The final deliverable included a protocast and a medium-fidelity prototype of the 3-D form and digital user interface. My role included user interviews, brainstorming, sketching, persona development, scenarios, Balsamiq and Axure prototypes and visual design and branding.
The most challenging part of this project was defining the problem because the parameters were extremely broad – design a product with an interface and a 3D component. Our remote (PA, CO, CA) team began by sketching and brainstorming a wide range of ideas. Next, we discussed the ideas and ranked them.
We ultimately agreed to design a product that would help people relax and create balance in their lives. Koyaanisqatsi is a Hopi word that means life out of balance and we used that concept as a jumping off point.
We interviewed potential users about:
After collecting behavioral insights, we were able to develop Autumn, our persona, who wants to de-stress without the guilt in her always-on, always-connected world.
While creating a logo and branding was not a requirement, we developed one to communicate our koyaanisqatsi theme.
This was an exercise in compromise and collaboration as the project allowed a dose of ‘magical/future thinking’ and I was excited about my idea of a somewhat futuristic interactive lotion. To communicate the idea to my team, I created a mockup and storyboard.
My team wasn’t as excited about the idea of ‘magical thinking’ and wanted to stick with something more pragmatic. We began iterating on ideas around a kind of arm/wrist band. I wasn’t excited about this idea as I felt it was too Fitbit-esque. We were at a impasse until we came across a product in competitive analysis that can be worn as a bracelet, necklace and clip on. We finally had a solution and direction all three team members could get excited about and KOYA was born.
Interactive Lotion Mockup
Interactive Lotion Storyboard
Convertible Bracelet, Necklace, Clip On Idea
In our mobile fast-paced always-on world, technology keeps us connected. It makes many things simpler and quicker, however, people are expected to reply to emails, tasks and alerts constantly. This creates an unbalanced life. Instead of people being driven by technology, we want technology to help people bring balance back into their lives.
We envision a product — KOYA — that seamlessly helps the user practice mindfulness-based stress reduction. KOYA is a wearable (with a full-control app) that uses biometric feedback and haptic sensors to monitor health indicators (i.e. heart rate and/or rhythm). It responds with non-intrusive interventions – relaxation modules – as pre-determined by the user’s preferences or as selected in situ. These could include acupressure/reflexology mini-sessions, color therapy, music therapy, or guided breathing exercises, all of which can induce a calming state or support a meditation break.
KOYA users will have more balance in their lives, and, in return, be happier, healthier and more productive.
We created context scenarios for:
We created high-level requirements for:
We went back to the users we interviewed and tested our low fidelity prototype by asking them to complete typical tasks. We incorporated the feedback into our next iteration.
Another round of testing would be the next step to discover, refine and iterate.