Week 3: Rapid Ideation

Reflections

(Ph 2017)

This week I tried my hand at sketching, which then turned into a storyboard of sorts. I’m still getting used to utilising the various tools and methods we’re learning about but was pleased with the sketch I produced. I honestly cannot remember the last time I drew anything and would like to continue persevering with sketching to improve gradually. I’ve still not decided upon any of the software that have been mentioned to us of late. I’m thinking of downloading Balsamiq and was also quite taken by the look of Figma; however, I’m at the stage where I need to bite the bullet and get experimenting.

I’ve faced a constant battle this week with trying to establish a good work-life balance, which is proving difficult while incorporating my studies alongside a full-time job, exercising and some form of social life. Nevertheless, I’m making good use of my calendar and am beginning to establish a routine that I hope will be beneficial in the long run. I’m very wary, though, of suffering burnout and am keeping a close eye on this.

In terms of our readings this week and the rapid ideation process, I like the fast pace and the direction utilised throughout to steer the group using tools and exercises (Board of Innovation 2021). As mentioned, I looked towards sketching and storyboarding. Storyboarding, in particular, allows for a visual representation of the user’s environment or situation, thus allowing insight before starting development. It can be easier to quickly skim for understanding by visually representing this while creating a memorable image for future reference (Krause 2018). In completing my storyboard, I drew it on one piece of paper with arrows that guided the reader through my thought process. Below is a post-it note version by Nielsen Norman Group (2021) that demonstrates how easy it would be to rearrange this sequence by simply moving the post-its around. I’d like to try this method in the future and see the benefits and flexibility of having individual post-its compared to all the drawings on one sheet.

Upon learning of another ideation technique, bodystorming, I could instantly relate to the methods employed and feel that I've unknowingly gravitated towards them in the past. I consider myself to be quite in touch with my emotions and, thus, better able to empathise with others. As such, I was intrigued by the idea of researching by immersing oneself in scenarios commonly faced by the intended users. I imagine that more extensive data sets would be generated through in-person interactions, forming relationships, and building an awareness of the users' environment. All of which could lead to higher usability rates and increased user satisfaction. Equally, however, I can appreciate the implications of conducting such research. Think Design (2018) suggests that some research may concern a susceptible subject or be uncomfortable for some participants. Therefore, the involvement of experienced researchers is recommended, while the length of time necessary to complete the research is noted with a similar level of importance.

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Challenge Activity

This week’s brief involved refining our prototyping skills by reverse engineering an interactive artefact that we, individually, found interesting. Augmented Reality (AR) was one of the suggested areas we could explore, and, as such, I chose the IKEA Place app. The app allows users to browse IKEA’s catalogue, select, for example, a sofa, and use AR to display the sofa in your room.

I started by sketching the general idea and intention of the app. I then considered the design team’s thought process and possible routes they may have taken to reach their conclusion. I sketched my impression of someone using the finished app, which led me to think about the motivations behind creating the app in the first place. From there, I kept sketching and created a storyboard to illustrate my thought process (as pictured below).

The app's main screen has a minimal design with only three icons, while the remainder of the screen acts as a camera viewfinder, transmitting from the device’s rear camera. First off, with the viewfinder being the initial screen after loading, it points towards the camera being the focal point of the app. The subsequent screens — “For you”, “Browse”, and “Profile” — have a minimal design and utilise a scrolling feed to display large product images alongside descriptive text. The “Browse” section allows the user to look through every item IKEA sells that the app can virtually display in a room. When using the AR functionality, you are prompted to point your camera towards the desired location in the room. A circular place marker appears on the screen, and once the user moves the camera and confirms the intended location, the selected product will appear as though it were physically in the room.

I'd considered the wireframing method for building a prototype of this app but decided to try sketching and storyboarding as these appealed to me more so. Wireframing caught my attention due to its close resemblance to real-world apps, and I imagine it can be beneficial depending on the project. Sketching, however, isn't something I'm particularly well versed in, and I was eager to make a reasonable attempt at it, later translating it into a storyboard.

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References

BOARD OF INNOVATION. 2021. ‘Our Favorite Ideation Tools’. Board of Innovation [online]. Available at: https://www.boardofinnovation.com/staff_picks/our-favorite-ideation-tools/ [accessed 10 Oct 2021].

KRAUSE, Rachel. 2018. ‘Storyboards Help Visualize UX Ideas’. Nielsen Norman Group [online]. Available at: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/storyboards-visualize-ideas/ [accessed 11 Oct 2021].

PH, Diego. 2017. Photo by Diego Ph on Unsplash. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/fIq0tET6llw [accessed 15 Jan 2022].

THINK DESIGN. 2018. ‘Body Storming in User Research’. Think Design [online]. Available at: https://think.design/user-design-research/bodystorming/ [accessed 10 Oct 2021].