Smart Harness and Leash
This design project explores parrot feeding practices, exercise, and care using a variety of UX research methods.

About
3 Research Methods
Personas
Storyboard
Prototype
This was a ten weeks design project in the fall of 2020 for my Interaction Design Thinking class at IU. We were tasked to brainstorm a problem related to a unique pet other than dogs and cats and develop solutions by creating a prototype. In this task, we have to follow the procedure above and apply three research methods: background research, focus group, and KJ Technique. We then need to create two persons, one storyboard, and one paper prototype before making a final prototype. The project aims to help us learn the foundation of the design process and UX research methods. After building this project, I learned how to apply design thinking to solve user problems using UX research methods.
Research

Our background research overview is on the left.
We were tasked to do background research about parrots using specific sources, including 1 Wikipedia, 2 first pages of the search engine, 3 different topics but similar in nature, and 4 links to other documents' sources.
This task is designed to give us practice in finding various kinds of secondary sources.

The one to the left is the focus group research.
We did a focus group method via zoom with three parrot experts/lovers, learned about caring for parrots, and discovered that domesticated parrots get their feathers clipped to fly less.
Practicing primary research-focus groups is the goal of this task.


The one to the left is the KJ Technique.
We created a hierarchy map from the research findings. The procedure involved:
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Rank each note based on what we voted.
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Decide clipping parrots' wings become our focus.


I created two personas, Tony and Abby, and I chose to sketch my storyboard using Tony's storyline.


I built on the story I had written using Tony's persona. The storyboard illustrates Tony's dilemma: whether or not to clip the wings of their pet parrot from its capacity to fly.
Prototype

Paper Prototype

Digital low-fidelity prototype

Reflection
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I learned to work with a team in an empathic manner.
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I became proficient at creating my first interactive design project for a portfolio.
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I discovered the benefits of creating custom icons and logos.