WEEK 3-301&302

#302week3 #capstone #tech #reflection #4F's #forgetfulness

Blog 3

Figure 1.

Welcome to Week 3!

This week, my reflection will be structured according to the The four F's of active reviewing.

The four F's of active reviewing

Note. The four F's of active reviewing, From Reflecting on Experience: The Four Fs by The University of Edinburgh, 2023, (https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/four-f). Copyright 2023 by The University of Edinburgh.

Fact:

Looking back at the week one and week two blogs, I realised that my thought process needed more one-dimensional and more depth to support my three project plans. Therefore, this week, I decided to enrich my thinking journey to ensure that the projects are more relevant to real needs and have greater feasibility. In addition, I decided to use the 4F framework for this week's reflection.

Firstly, I conducted detailed survey for my audience groups to understand their needs and expectations. By analysing the data collected, I could better understand my audience's actual needs. Then, I analysed the interviews and key findings based on the participants' responses.

Figure 2.

Survey Response Form on Students' Forgetfulness

Note. Screenshot of Zihan's Miro Board depicting Survey Response Form on Students' Forgetfulness.

Then, I analysed the interviews and key findings based on the participants' responses.

Survey Interview

Stress Major Factor: Many participants indicated that stress and anxiety were the main reasons for their forgetfulness and that high levels of stress tended to make them focus on the source of the stress, resulting in neglect of other tasks.
Examples of forgetfulness: Participants provided various examples of forgetfulness, ranging from small things, such as forgetting an umbrella or wallet, to more impactful examples, such as leaving clothes in the washing machine for an extended period.
Preferred method of memory assistance: most respondents preferred app-based memory assistance solutions. There was a lot of interest in apps that could integrate with wearables or display reminders on the phone's lock screen.
Basic features of forgetfulness solution: Respondents wanted features such as reminders, memory and brain training exercises, and a straightforward, simple design. Additional features such as goal planning aids and on-screen widgets were also valuable.

Key Insight

Stress and anxiety are key triggers: The link between anxiety and forgetfulness is clear. Effective solutions should not only have reminders but also include stress management components and interventions that address the root of the problem.
Preference for digital solutions: There is a strong preference for app-based solutions, suggesting that programmes can focus on mobile and digital platforms. Simplicity and ease of use are a big plus for reminder tools.
The holistic approach to addressing forgetfulness: Even if the underlying solution is necessary, more profound interventions need to be utilised to address the underlying anxiety and stress. This may include the integrated use of technology and flexible intervention methods.

The interviews provided invaluable first-hand information, revealing how users feel and giving feedback when faced with forgetfulness. This information helped me identify shortcomings in the current programme and inspired me to think about new features and directions for improvement. Therefore, based on this week's interviews and peer feedback, it is further substantiated that a combination of multiple techniques can be used to create interventions.

Feeling:

After this week's thought process, my feelings changed from empty to full. Through in-depth questionnaires and detailed analyses, I not only deepened my understanding of the needs of my audience but also gained many new inspirations and ideas. This process makes me understand that only by truly listening to the users' voices can I have the courage to design a product that meets the actual needs. Throughout the process, I felt confident about my project and motivated to take on the following topics. In addition, I also felt some pressure and challenges. Although the rich thinking process gave me new ideas, it also made me realise the shortcomings in planning and the technical difficulties.

Finding:

This approach is practical because user surveys and secondary data have deepened my understanding of audience needs and supported the project substantially. It has also made me realise that achieving results requires patience; we can only lay a solid foundation for the research project and offer precious solutions to users through step-by-step thinking.

Future:

This week, I have learnt two things: thinking about the thought process and patience. Firstly, this week's reflection has deepened my understanding of the thinking process. At the beginning of the project, my thinking process was one-dimensional, resulting in plans and strategies that may not have adequately considered the actual needs of my audience. However, through in-depth research, analysis and reflection, I realised that building a successful project requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted thinking process. Secondly, patience is the key to success. I faced difficulties during the project's development, including the inability to break through and create new ideas and technical problems. These ever-changing difficulties required me to stay calm and improve the quality of the project through patient investigation and adjustment.

In addition, creating these personas enabled me to design the user experience with greater precision, ensuring that my design solutions met the needs of different user groups. Through an in-depth analysis of Shasha and Jack's personas, I identified the challenges and pain points that international and local students may face when using the final product, further optimising the functional design and user flow. This Persona design tool not only improved the relevance of the design but also allowed me better to balance users' needs in a multicultural context, evolving into a more inclusive design intervention programme.

Figure 3.

International Student Persona

Note. Screenshot of Zihan's Miro Board depicting the persona of international student in China.

Figure 4.

NZ local Student Persona

Note. Screenshot of Zihan's Miro Board depicting the persona of a local New Zealand student.

Figure 4.

NZ local Student Persona

Note. Screenshot of Zihan's Miro Board depicting the persona and the value proposition canvas of an international student and a NZ local student.

Reference

Greenaway, R. (2018, November 5). The four f’s of active reviewing. [image] The University of Edinburgh. https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/four-f

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