Case Study: Enhance the experience of a Living room. Design Thinking Project.
I am a UI Designer and I would like to upgrade myself in UX Design and I came to know there is a UX workshop organized by “Growthschool” and by end of the day they announced the “UX MASTERY” course where I enrolled myself for the “UX MASTERY” course.
The first level of the “UX MASTERY” course is “Design Thinking Process” here they have divided the teams, in each team, we have 10 members and also they have given the TOPIC on house-related like Work office, Bedroom, Dining room, Kitchen Room, Living room, Bathroom, Storeroom, etc.. in every team each one should choose one topic, in which I have chosen is “Living room”. So, we have to interview our teammates, maximum of 5 members.
The living room is the heart of the house, where family members spend their quality time having coffee, reading newspapers, watching TV, etc.. this place is the most engaging place.
It’s time to learn “What is Design Thinking Process”?
In this process there are 5 steps:
Empathize: Learning about the audience for whom you are designing
Define: Redefining and focusing on your Question based on your insights from the empathy stage.
Ideate: Brainstorming and coming up with a creative solution.
Prototype: Building a representation of one or more of your ideas to show to others.
Test: Returning to your original user group and testing your ideas for feedback.
🧾Empathize stage:
We should create a question for users, to understanding the user’s feelings, about their problem circumstance and situation. So that I have prepared questions for users. After that, I have set up one on one interview with 5 users. In this way, we should understand the user’s requirements and fulfill their needs with their expectation.
The questions I framed:
1. How are you? Where are you from? What is your occupation? What is your interest?
2. Are you staying in individual house/ apartment?
3. How often you will be using the Living area? and what makes you happy to use that area.
4. If you want to change one thing in the living room, what you would be changing? And why
5. When you’re in the living room how are you going to interacting with?
6. How do you utilizing the living room, for office work, entertainment, etc…
7. Are you facing any challenges with the furniture? if it’s Yes, describe.
8. What do you like the most in your living room? What do you dislike? and why
9. how do you rate your living room out of 5? and why
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Age is 28 She is a working woman as a QA Engineer in cognizant and she is interested in dancing, drama, and learning different languages.
There was a very big glass window in the living area the window is covering one of the living area walls. where the sunrise passes through the living area, so they’re enjoying the day sunlight and evening also.. From the living area, they can go to the balcony as well.
.They will watch TV and having food with the family in the living room.
.They’ve stored the toys in the living area, every time a kid wants to play with the toys, it easy to access, so that kid can play comfortably in the living room.
.Where the sunrise passes through the living area wall, so she is enjoying the sunlight in the living room.
. Dislike the Sunrise reflects on the TV screen. its very difficut to watch Tv programs.
. Issues with Tv furniture and space for living area.
. The Fan is fixed near the TV table it’s and not covering the living area.
. They’re not happy about the TV furniture as it is attached to the wall.
. She needs an (L) shape sofa. When the guests comes to there home, they can use comfortably
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Age is 17, she is studying in 2nd year PUC and she is interested in to drawing, drama, and photography.
The things that are kept in the living area becomes very messed up like Electrical wires, tv wire, Ps4 wire, showcase items, and photo frames.
. She is not using the dining room for having food.
. She is not using the dining table and it’s a detachable
. She uses the living area for watching TV shows and having food with the family members.
. She likes the sofa.
. Dislike: Because the place is too congested , so she is feeling uncomfortable to use that area.
.The tables kept in the living area are very uncomfortable to use while having food, sometimes when the family members are more its very difficult to arrange the food items and chairs.
. She likes a L shape sofa the reason when the guests are coming to there home she can use comfortably.
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Age is 23, she works as a Fashion Designer, she is interested in painting, traveling, and singing.
The living area is the most beautiful area in a house, and every time we should maintain cleanliness in the living area to look beautiful, and most of the time she will spend the time in her room, hardly 15 min she will spend time in the living area.
. She uses the living room only when the guest comes.
. She likes the sofa.
. Dislike: For doing yoga or excise the space is very little.
. She does not have a storage table to keep the snack items in the living room.
. She wanted a living area as the 3rd bedroom, where she can utilize the sofa as a bed.
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Age is 23, He is from “Goa” but located in Bangalore for studying “Product Design”.He is very passionate about doing Clay Modeling things.
He is staying in 2bhk rent House with his college friends. His living area is converted into a storage room, In the living area they’re dumping the bags, table, suitcases, refrigerators, other things, and the living area is not very big. He has a dog, sometime the dog will pee in the living area.
. He is using very little time in the living room, either cleaning.
. Dislike: He is not comfortable with the living area, why because it’s fully covered with his stuff and other things.
. Most of the time he will spend in his room only, he will use very often the living area while going outside of the house and coming back to the room area, when he wants to use the kitchen room he has to pass through the living room.
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Age is 25, she is working as a QA Engineer, staying in Chennai and she is interested in reading books. Her goals are to become a “Product Manager”.
The living area capacity around 5 members, Most of the time she spends time in the living area to read a newspaper, having food, and discuss/chatting with family apart from the work, In the morning time the natural sunlight is good.
. She used to like the living areas apart from office work.
. Dislike: They’re not comfortable with space and the sofa.
. In the evening time the brightness is very dim, so to get a good experience we need to do some alternate.
. They don’t have dining room separately
. there are no separate room/space for a relaxing
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After completing the interviews I got to know how to frame the questions.
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🧿Define stage:
In this define stage, identify the user problems that we collected from Empathize stage, and note down all the problem statements where users are experiencing it.
The problem faced by most of the users were:
- Most of the users are facing problems when the guest comes home they don’t have a bigger sofa set.
- Issues with electrical wires it’s laying down all around the living area.
- Don’t have compartments in the living area, to keep the showcase items and family photos.
- While having food in the living area tables are not comfortable, sometimes they have to adjust the sofa or pull the chairs near the table while having food.
- The sunrise reflects the on TV, and in the evening time, the brightness looks very dim, so to get a good experience we need to do some alternate.
- Every time we should maintain cleanliness to look beautiful.
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🤔WHY each of those problems is important to the users
- Not having an (L) Shape sofa to sit comfortably to gather and interact, having food with a guest. now they have a separate space for the chairs only it is used when the guest comes home, because of this the living area looks small.
- Don’t have an Electrical raceway channel to put tv wires, tv speaker wires, and Ps4 wires inside that, it's very difficult to clean and maintain.
- When we keep the photos frame or showcase items in the living room it will connect the old memory. Where they can decorate the living room.
- All the users were preferred to have food in the living room with the family members but the sofa has not enough space/ seats.
- In the morning time it’s very difficult to watch the Tv because the sunrise directly reflects on the TV screen, it’s harmful to the eyes.
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😇Ideate stage:
In this Ideation stage, I use to start thinking about a solution to the user problem, I have done the research on this problem to get solutions, So the solution that I provide should be more useful for the users.
1User: Divya
• The Fan is fixed near the TV table it’s not covering the living area:
1. 360-degree rotating ceiling fan they can rote in any direction
2. They can increase the existing fan pipe length
3. They can use the Air cooler fan and it’s easy to use and move where they want.
• The sunrise reflects on TV:
1. They can use TV mount wall, and they can turn the TV up to 180 degrees and tillite
2. They can use Solar Shades to avoid sunlight, it helps to minimize glare on your computer and TV screens.
• When the guest comes, arranging the chair is difficult:
1. Use the foldable chair
2. Expanding the sofa seats: Convert the sofa 2 Seats to a 3/4 Seat set. & sofa 1 seat to convert to 2 seats
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2User: Srishti Devadiga
• Issues with electrical wires it’s laying down all around the living area:
1. Using the raceway channel you can arrange all seen wires inside that so that it will look good in that area
• Don’t have compartments in the living area.
1. By using the D bracket clamp you can fix on the wall and they can keep all the Showcase items and Photo frames.
2. Adjustable wall-mounted shelves for flexible storage and living room
• While having food in the living they’re facing a problem with less seat sofa.
1. Use the foldable chairs
2. Expanding the sofa seats: Convert the sofa 2 Seats to a 3/4 Seat set. & sofa 1 seat to convert to 2 seats.
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3User: Vidushi Bhardwaj
• Every time we should maintain cleanliness in the living area to look beautiful.
1. Dyson introduces a new version of Hot + Cool air purifiers with a more advanced filtration system to trap harmful gases.
2. To avoid heavy dust on a daily basis, you can use plain furniture’s so that it will be easy to clean and you don’t feel difficult to clean.
3. Curtains not only have a decorative role but also keep your room free of dust. Whenever you open a window, the curtain will act as a filter letting clean air inside and collecting the bigger dust particles.
4. talk to a professional cleaner who can get it cleaned and organize the space.
• When they have to keep snacks item there are no space/store in the living room.
1. Use a table which should have a drawer where they can keep the snack items.
2. The table has 4 seat chairs, for each chair it has a drawer where they can keep the snack items, and the chair height is smaller than the table.
3. Build a Storage Chest for a respectable place to stash essentials.
4. Make the most of available space with pantry shelving If your pantry shelves have large gaps between them, use shelf inserts to create extra levels and practically double the space you have. A clip-on baske can also maximize your kitchen pantry storage.
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4User: Poorain
• Because of the sunrise reduce in the evening the living room looks dull and dark.
1. Use multiple light sources in a room to increase the amount of light without using super bright bulbs.
• Once the guest comes, they have to arrange the chairs: they are facing difficulty putting the chairs as they have a normal sofa set.
1. They can use the wooden folding chair it easy to access and use it.
2. By using the wallchair you will get more space it’s attached to the wall.
3. Expanding the sofa seats: Convert the sofa 2 Seats to a 3/4 Seat set. & sofa 1 seat to convert to 2 seats
…………….We have to finalize the Top 3 Ideas among these………………
Top idea 1
The table has 4 seat chairs, for each chair it has a drawer where they can keep the snack items, and the chair height is smaller than the table.
Top idea 2
Expanding the sofa seats: Convert the 2 Seater sofa to a 3/4 Seater set. & convert 1 seater sofa to 2 seater sofa.
Top idea 3
The wires are placed into the raceway channel like computer wires, TV wires, Music wires, etc…
🎨Prototype stage:
Making a prototype I chosen a top idea 2- Expanding the sofa seats: Convert the 2 Seater sofa to a 3/4 Seater set. & convert 1 seater sofa to 2 seater sofa.
Most of the users are facing issues with the space for seating arrangements, so for that, I have given a solution. When there is less people in the home they can use the sofa as 2 Seats, when more members will come on that time they can convert the sofa into 4 Seats, by using this solution they will get more seating sofa. Whenever they want to move the sofa from this corner to that corner according to their comfort. once you reduce the sofa seating adjustment you will get more space in the living room And they can utilize the space for other purposes like doing yoga, meditation, etc,
The sofa has given 2 drawers so that they can use that as storage for keeping the things.
Describe the drawing:
1 Image: The image Sofa has a wooden body structure. and it has 2 drawers below the seating. even you can see a round image drawing how the wooden block work when expanding.
2 Image: In this image, you can see how the backside handle will work when it’s expanded, and also 4 additional cushions it uses in the seating area.
3 Image: When it’s a 2 seater sofa.
4 Image: The sofa backside shows the machiner how it works when you expanded into 4 seats.
5 Image: The side view of the sofa, you can move the backside support to the front so that it gives you a backrest.
6 Image: The sofa can convert as a bed.
This sofa is an expandable and collapsible sofa, where you can increase the seat and this sofa has an additional 2 drawers where you can use to keep things related to sofa items, and there will be levels to move the backside of the cushion to the front side, and there will be a wheel where you can move the sofa which every the place you want, you can use this sofa for 2 Seats or 3 Seats and 4 Seats this is the main advantage of this sofa using the same space.
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📝Testing stage:
In this Testing stage to get feedback from the user, representation the prototype, and this prototype really solved the user problem. After testing the prototype with my users, it enhances the product to another level.
User 1: I love the design and concept its a really good product design and moreover it resolves my issues and problems.
User 2: Wow it's super and a very good product I like the way you have done the drawing and details for a sofa, like to add one point that is when the sofa is expanded into 4 Seats for the expended seat needs support.
User 3: I like your concept and product design it’s coming out very well, the details of the drawing are good; I would like to add two points. We need a leg rest which is missing, instead of manually converting 4 Seat sofa I need an automatic one. A drawer as a handle might give a problem for the legs.
User 4: The concept of the sofa designing is very good, but I would like to add some points to this, the sofa edges are very hard and when we push the sofa to the wall the backside of the mechanism may take some space while sitting on the sofa we cannot keep our legs backside because of the drawer.
User 5: If more than 4 members come home so how the sitting arrangement will be done is my question, other than that the design of the sofa is very good.
After Feedback stage Iteration:
Once the users gave feedback I started researching on that, I started thinking solution and applied on my design product, this feedback what the users given is very valuable feedback, because of this I was able to take my product to the extreme level, I came to know how to work more creatively and present that product to the users.
I have come up with a solution for the sofa it works as automatic for that I have given the switch in the corner of the sofa, in the switch, there are 4 options:
1. Move front: Press on the Move front button, the backside of the sofa support and cushion will move front. Which helps the users for a backrest.
2.Move back: Press on the Move back button, the backside of the sofa support and cushion will move back. Which helps the users for a normal side lean
3.Footrest: Press on the Footrest button, user can stretch their legs for a long time he or she may get leg pain sitting for a long time in the same position, so for that, I have given a footrest wooden panel so that the user can sit comfortably for a long time.
4. Convert as bed: Press on the Bed button it will covert as a bed so that you can rest your whole body or you can lie down comfortably and press the same button for converting as a normal sofa.
In this second image, you can see that 2 Seat sofa converted into 4 Seats this is the skeleton of the sofa so you can see the wooden panel for the back support and the base, there will be an extra 4 cushions seates available for the sofa, they can use this sofa cushion when it expanded as 4 Seater sofa. I removed the handle from the drawer, now it is Handleless cabinets and also the drawer placement is inside the sofa. so that user can stretch their legs comfortably and Realex to the backside. Along with this 2 seater sofa same concept we can apply for the single-seater sofa, like single seater they can convert as a two-seater sofa when the guest is more than 4 people it will help to use.
Key learnings from this Project.
Before starting this project, I was knowing only the basic design thinking process, when I involved in this project, I came to know how the problem arrives and what is the solution for the problem, and I got to know how the design thinking process actually works, and now I got more confident comparing before, so this interest made me learn more in future.
We should work from a user perspective, and indirectly the users are helping us how to give solutions for the problems with their needs.
When you give a product or solution to the users it should be more effective and the user should feel easy to use the product, and end of the day user should be happy with the product or solution that we provide.
🤝Thank you!
for reading this case study. I hope you enjoyed reading this case study, if yes then please clap to appreciate my work. If you have any feedback, I’d like to hear from you 😃
I would like to thank my mentor Anudeep Ayyagari, the Growth school team, and My Teammates
Looking forward for more exciting projects in the future!!
