Design Process

Many plant lovers don’t have the chance to interaction with plants due to space limitations, time limitations and financial problems.

Even if plant lovers have access to interacting with different lovers online, the experience is not that satisfied.

Our design solution focuses on the intimate relationship between plants and their owners.

We focused on understanding the mindset of plant lovers utilizing multiple forms of formative studies, then compiling our results in affinity walls and empathy maps.

We sent out surveys to understand our target users.

• Many prefer the feel of nature

• People get joy when interacting with plants

• People appreciate the appearance of plants

We conducted a diary study and cultural probe hybrid to delve into the values of our target users.

• Plant lovers value kindness and happiness

• Plant lovers enjoy interacting with plants, even if they don’t own any

• Plants make people feel vibrant and positive

We developed user enactments to know how people would like to interact with out product.

• More instructions or hints on how to add plants to their virtual collection

• Users want more interactions with plants, such as talking to them

Amongst our groupmates, we brainstormed 80 ideas addressing gaps found in our research.

• After sharing, we arranged the ideas using an affinity wall, dividing it by the technology/context of use.

• From here, we wrote out features and technology, based on the type of interaction the user will have with the plants.

We developed storyboards and sketches of various technology that could work as the design solution.

An essential feature to the experience is collecting plants.

• AR capture recognizes the plant type and saves it in a virtual garden

• Environmental data will be recorded, including sound, location, and weather

After collecting these plants, the next feature is connecting with the plants.

• Through AR and projected lighting, the person can experience (sound, sight, scent) their plant inside the lamp

• Lamp settings lead meditative practice through rhythmic lighting and sounds

Qualitative data, particularly diary studies and cultural probes, offer value systems of the target audience.

The connection between the physical product and digital system must be seamless.