Major Project I
Start from 5.Feb.2025
4.Feb.2025 -18.Mar.2025 | Week 1- Week 7
Zhao GuanMei | 0363166
Major Project I | Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
INDEX
Task 1 - Proposal Development
Task 2 - Design Proposition
Task 3 - Concept Presentation
Feedback
Reflection
INSTRCUTION
Task 1 - Proposal Development
Recap
In the first three weeks, our group worked on developing an innovative concept that brings unique social, cultural, or economic value to our target audience within our field of specialization.
Our research focused on current technology and design trends that influence our area, using case studies to analyze product/service functionality, technical innovations, challenges, and aesthetics.
Week 1
We started the week with a brainstorming session, where each team member contributed potential project topics in a shared Google Docs sheet. (Click here for Google Docs sheet)
To keep track of our progress, we created a FigJam board before our consultation, ensuring our supervisors could easily review our work. (Click here for FigJam Board)
To refine our concept further, we held an online meeting, where we discussed key insights, formulated "How might we" questions, conducted initial research, outlined potential app features, and finalized our project title and group name. We also set up a meeting minutes document to systematically track our discussions and decisions. (Meeting minutes)
Our task distribution is as follows:
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Problem Statement - Katelyn
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Aim - Iman
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Objective - Mercy
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Target Audience - Guanmei
I've started working on the
Target Audience section.
After consulting with our lecturer, we received feedback suggesting that this
section should be more
aligned with our Problem Statement.
After that I change the Target Audience to 2nd picture, and we
received the feedback from our supervisor, after our discussion, Mercy helped
document the final updates on the
FigJam Board.
Week 2
This week, we had our second consultation with Dr. Wong Chui Yin, where she provided valuable feedback on our research and app mind map, helping us refine the key issues we needed to address. She advised us to develop our interview questions first before proceeding with further discussions.
After drafting our interview questions, we presented them to her. However, she pointed out that our questions were too solution-driven and focused too much on self-care, making the interview approach less open-ended. To help us improve, she conducted a sample interview, demonstrating how we could ask better questions to guide respondents in expressing their genuine needs.
Additionally, on February 14, 2025, we held an online meeting to further review and refine our project insights. After making necessary adjustments, we revised our interview questions and submitted them to Dr. Chui Yin for feedback. Once she approved the changes, we officially began our interview phase.
After completing all the interviews, I organized the interview data into a script ( Google Doc). We then held a meeting to analyze our findings using an Affinity Diagram. Our initial step was to list all key insights on sticky notes in our FigJam board, though we hadn’t categorized them yet.
On Feb. 21, we had our Week 3 consultation with Dr. Chui Yin, where she guided us on enhancing the Affinity Diagram and provided insights into data analysis. Based on her feedback, we refined the Affinity Diagram and successfully completed Task 1.
Week 4:
This week was submission week for Task 1. We held a online meeting to finalize our work, particularly the Affinity Diagram. However, I couldn’t attend because my laptop was sent for repair, so I used my phone to contribute remotely.
I organized the Affinity Diagram on my phone, but my teammates felt it should look more like randomized raw data for consistency. So, Katelyn offered to help adjust my content to match the overall style.
➡️
Task 1 Final Submission
Task 2 - Design Proposition
This week, Dr. Chui Yin guided us in refining our approach to Task 2 by suggesting user personas based on data analysis. After the consultation, we divided responsibilities among team members, assigning each person the task of creating one user persona. Our plan was to complete these by Monday, allowing time for peer review before proceeding with the user journey map.
- Arrange personas in order from youngest to oldest,
- Summarize each persona’s key needs in the journey map using a concise tagline.
- Prioritize pain points before identifying opportunities.
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Update terminology:
- "Acquisition" → "Onboarding"
- "Service" → "Engagement"
- Expand user personas and journey maps by filling in gaps where interview data is insufficient.
- Begin brainstorming solutions tailored to persona needs.
Following this feedback, we consolidated all content into a group presentation.
In the fifth week, we refined our user personas and journey maps based on Dr. Chui Yin’s feedback. Additionally, we compiled all our work into a single document and successfully submitted Task 2.
Final Task 2 Submission
Group1_VIVIV_Task2.DrWongCYTask 3 - Concept Presentation
Week 7This week, we are preparing for our final presentation. Our supervisor arranged a consultation meeting to review our progress. During the session, Dr. Wong provided feedback on our presentation slides, interview findings, and other key project components.
Presentation Slides (Canva）
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Design & Readability:
- Use darker-colored text for better readability.
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Adjust font sizes:
- Aim & Problem Statements – Bigger font size.
- "How Might We" Section – Bigger text, smaller images, and only highlight key words.
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Content Adjustments:
- Index Page → Rename to Table of Contents.
Fig. 1.9 table of contents page(week 7)
- Research Section → Can be hidden during the presentation.
User Persona & User Journey Map
- Summarize personas briefly, avoid excessive text.
- Manage time wisely during the presentation.
On the Login Page, the phrase “Welcome Back” is used to create a warm and familiar experience for returning users.
b. forum page
The forum page allows users to log their emotions with a one-tap mood selection and view their recent mood history at a glance. They can also access all past records with a simple tap. Below, an information feed displays posts and photos shared by other users. For easy interaction, users can like and comment on posts or quickly share their own moments by tapping the "+" button.
c. character page
Using character dialogue for push notifications makes the experience more engaging and personalized, making users feel more connected to their virtual companion.
Additionally, users can track and update their daily task progress directly on this page. The weekly report section provides insights and suggestions based on their recorded moods and activities, offering a more tailored and meaningful self-reflection experience.
d. locket page (journal&video record)
I included two sections: Journal & Video Record, offering different ways for users to document their memories.
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Journal Page: To encourage users to write more frequently, the journal input field is directly accessible on the page. This makes it convenient and engaging, with options to add emojis and photos for a more interactive journaling experience.
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Video Album Page: Instead of requiring users to click and open videos, they can preview them in small thumbnails and directly choose to edit or “let go” (delete) with ease.
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Seamless Navigation: To enhance usability, I added a column on both pages, allowing users to quickly switch between journal and video records.
e.profile page
The profile page adopts a clean, structured, and minimalist design for a seamless user experience. It features clear hierarchy, well-organized sections, and lo-fi iconography for visual clarity. Functions are logically grouped for easy navigation, while a monochrome, soft-contrast style ensures consistency. Spacious, touch-friendly buttons enhance accessibility, and the bottom navigation bar provides quick access to core features, with the profile icon highlighted for user awareness.
UI Kits
The colors I chose create a warm, inviting, and calming experience that aligns with the theme of self-care. Soft pinks and purples evoke feelings of comfort, making the interface feel gentle and approachable.
The typography blends elegance and modernity, using Playfair Display for headings and Inter for body text to ensure clarity.
Iconography follows a minimal and clean approach, utilizing both outline and filled styles for functionality. Buttons are designed with clear states for easy interaction, ensuring a cohesive and accessible interface that enhances emotional engagement and usability.
FEEDBACKS
WEEK 1 - 5/2/2025
Research Focus:
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Understand what women want to know.
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Identify existing solutions to these issues.
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Explore issues faced by women of different age groups.
Tasks to Complete (Before Next Consultation):
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Prepare interview questions.
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Develop in-depth research ideas.
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Complete everything before the Empathize phase.
WEEK 2 - 12/2/2025
Consultation 1 (Research Feedback):
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Keyword: Safety (Explore further—emotional safety? Psychological safety?)
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Problem statement is too vague—link objectives and target audience to the core issues.
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Key research points:
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Why track women’s health?
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What kind of trauma is being addressed (domestic violence, abusive parents, etc.)?
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The research is too broad—narrow the scope to something specific and feasible.
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Prematurely focusing on app solutions—return to the core issues first.
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Interview task:
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Each member must conduct 3 interviews.
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Develop proper research questions.
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Consultation 2 (Interview Questions Feedback):
✅ Do's:
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Ask 5-10 well-structured questions.
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Gather background information (age, occupation, etc.).
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Focus on stories and real experiences rather than self-care.
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Identify concerns and pain points.
❌ Don'ts:
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Do not mention self-care.
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Do not ask what they want.
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Do not focus on app ideas—stick to the issue itself.
Recommended Questions:
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"When was the last time you experienced any safety concerns at home or the workplace?"
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"When was the last time you didn’t feel safe enough to express your feelings?"
Post-Interview Task:
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Analyze responses and consider solutions based on their concerns.
WEEK 3 - 21/2/2025
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Conduct in-depth analysis of interview responses.
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Organize findings before finalizing the Affinity Diagram.
WEEK 4 - 26/2/2025
Tasks: User Persona & User Journey
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Young adults → Two personas (student & working professional).
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50+ years old → One persona.
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Middle-aged women → One persona.
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Submission deadline: Before Tuesday of Week 6.
WEEK 5 - 5/3/2025
User Persona & Journey Map Refinements:
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Sort personas from youngest to oldest—each persona should align with a user journey map.
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Summarize each persona's key needs in the journey map (one-liner/tagline).
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Pain points → Opportunities (pain points should come first).
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Terminology Updates:
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"Acquisition" → "Onboarding"
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"Service" → "Engagement"
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Expand user personas and journey maps—fill in gaps where interview data is insufficient.
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Start ideating solutions based on persona needs.
Task 2 & 3 (Submission Requirements):
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Group leader submits all materials.
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No need for individual slides, just a consolidated group presentation.
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Summarize findings from all 12 interviews.
WEEK 6 - 12/3/2025
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Explore community-based solutions.
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Core value: Emotional safety (protecting privacy, etc.).
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Card Sorting Activity—list items and let user personas sort them into categories.
WEEK 7 - 18/3/2025
Canva Slides Feedback (Refinements):
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Group leader starts the presentation—reduce slide count (currently 50+ pages, should be max 20 slides).
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Visual Adjustments:
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Colors are too light, need higher contrast.
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"Index" → "Table of Content".
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Increase font size for key points (aim, problem statement).
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"How Might We" → Larger font, reduce image size, highlight key words.
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Research section can be hidden (for submission only, not for the presentation).
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Interview Section Improvements:
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Affinity Diagram should not be shown.
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Check interview slide sequence for correctness.
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Interview Summary:
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Reduce image size, increase text size.
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Summarize in one-word highlights.
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Interview questions should be briefly mentioned verbally or shown as keywords.
User Persona & Journey Map Improvements:
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Summarize personas briefly—avoid too much text.
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Manage time effectively during presentation.
Proposed Solution:
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Text is too small, needs adjustment and summarization.
Card Sorting → Information Architecture Explanation
User Flow:
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Show and explain briefly—keep it concise.
Appendix:
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FigJam Board
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Group members' e-portfolios
Summary
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Early Stages: Focus on in-depth research, avoid jumping to solutions too quickly.
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Interview Phase: Emphasize real experiences and pain points, not desired app features.
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Analysis Phase: Clearly define user needs and narrow down the research focus.
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Final Presentation: Keep slides concise, visually clear, and well-structured with high contrast.
Reflection
Experience
Throughout this semester’s project, from setting the initial goals to completing the final tasks, we encountered numerous challenges. One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of teamwork and effective communication. However, this experience provided valuable learning opportunities, such as how to maintain open communication within a team, how to allocate tasks efficiently to enhance productivity, and how to adjust strategies when facing unexpected situations. Although there were many difficulties along the way, these challenges helped me improve my teamwork skills, develop greater adaptability, and enhance my problem-solving abilities. Additionally, as the project requirements constantly evolved, I learned to handle issues more flexibly and find optimal solutions in uncertainty.I sincerely appreciate the invaluable guidance and support of my supervisor, Dr. Wong Chui Yin, whose insights and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping my learning and progress throughout this project.
Observations
During teamwork, we frequently encountered disagreements in decision-making and often engaged in prolonged discussions due to differing opinions, sometimes reaching a deadlock. However, as we continuously received feedback and refined our approach, we gradually established a clearer decision-making process, improving overall work efficiency. I realized that regular communication and progress reviews are crucial for keeping team members aligned with shared goals and minimizing misunderstandings and rework caused by information gaps. Choosing the right team members is also essential—if work styles and paces do not align, the project’s progress can be affected, potentially leading to conflicts.
Findings
This project gave me a deep understanding of the importance of communication and proper task allocation within a team. Through continuous adjustments to our collaboration methods, I learned how to work efficiently in a team, reach consensus during disagreements, and maintain a positive attitude when facing challenges. Additionally, I gained significant academic insights. For example, in the user research phase, we not only had to collect data but also had to think from the user’s perspective to enhance their experience and translate those needs into concrete design decisions. Through this hands-on experience, I also became more familiar with the practical workflow of UX design. I look forward to further improving my skills through future studies and practice.
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