Research Phase

The research phase of GDD is one of the most critical parts of the Goal Directed Design process. During this phase, we completed a kickoff meeting, literature review, competitive audit, and user interviews. The purpose of the research phase in GDD is to gather as much information as possible related to the smart mirror design. This step was crucial for us as through research and user interviews, we were able to transition smoothly to the modeling phase, where we created personas. This, in turn, helped us identify user goals more effectively.

Kickoff Meeting

The Kickoff meeting is a critical part of the GDD phase where the team typically meets with the stakeholders to discuss the idea and ask essential questions. As this was a group project for a class, we did not have real stakeholders to consult with, so we simulated the kickoff meeting using a worksheet. The worksheet included questions that are typically asked during a kickoff meeting. Since we were the ones who had created the idea, this allowed us to ask ourselves as many questions as possible about the project.

Literature Review

The literature review is a critical part of the GDD process where we extensively research and gather information on any literature related to the idea. This was important for us as it enabled us to become more knowledgeable about topics related to the beauty smart mirror, such as beauty, skincare, and the use of mirrors. Additionally, we researched general information about smart mirrors, as we did not have sufficient background knowledge on their functionalities. Some of the most informative key insights we gained from the literature review that influenced the design and direction of the smart mirror were:

• Mirrors can help people overcome their insecurities rather than reinforce them.
• Smart mirrors can have self-cleaning functions.
• Smart mirrors can have the capability to connect through WiFi and Bluetooth.
• The most common smart mirrors today have lighting and magnification features.

Competitive Audit

Subject Matter Expert Interviews

SME interviews are interviews conducted with Subject Matter Experts. In conducting our SME interviews, we aimed to obtain information specific to smart mirrors and beauty. We spoke with an esthetician, a makeup artist, and an individual who had created a use case for a smart mirror.

User Research Interviews

The next step in the GDD process is user interviews, which involve conducting interviews with individuals on topics related to the beauty mirror to gather relevant information. For our team, we asked numerous questions related to makeup, skincare, and mirror use during these interviews. We conducted a total of 8 interviews for this project, using a hybrid online and in-person format. We ensured that each interviewee gave their consent and signed a consent form.

During the interviews, we took notes and used affinity mapping to identify patterns among our users. Affinity mapping involves the team grouping their notes to discover commonalities among users.

We identified several prevalent patterns that had a significant impact on the final prototype. These were: 

• Lack of product expiration date and skin tracking
• Prevalent media use when applying makeup
• High value of varied lighting when getting ready for the day

Upon completion of the user interviews, we had successfully accomplished a kickoff meeting, a literature review, a competitive audit, stakeholder interviews, and SME interviews. With the insights gathered from each step of the research phase, we were able to move forward to the Modeling phase, where we identified the user’s goals. Thanks to our comprehensive research, we felt confident in our ability to accurately identify and address the needs of our target users

Requirements Phase

During the next phase of GDD, our main objective was to establish the requirements for our prototype. To accomplish this, we developed a context scenario that outlined the steps the user would take to use the app. This scenario was  extremely helpful in identifying the necessary requirements. Additionally, we included details about our personas in the context scenario, which aided us in comprehending why they would make certain choices within the app. By documenting our context scenarios, we ensured that the entire team was aligned and working towards the same goals.

After identifying the necessary requirements for our prototype using Jamie (our primary persona), we narrowed down the keypath requirements. These refer to the most commonly used features and functions of the app. In addition to this, we also identified the validation scenario requirements, which corresponded to the pathways in the app used by our secondary persona. Additionally, we incorporated general feature requirements that were applicable to both personas, based on our other research.

Frame-Working Phase

Prototyping

Once the wireframe was complete, we moved on to the prototyping phase. Each team member was assigned specific sections of the wireframe to develop. During the prototyping phase, we ensured that we used redlining to ensure proper spacing of elements and to establish consistency. We also selected text and color styles to be used throughout the app to maintain consistency in the design.

In particular, I was responsible for designing the general features of the mirror in the prototype. This included creating all of the pop-up widgets, designing the casting functionality, and developing the settings section. I had to prototype with components and overlays as the general features utilized lots of components and overlays. I didn’t have a lot of prior experience with this, so this was an enjoyable learning experience for me.

Conclusion

Overall, the process of designing the Glo Smart Mirror was a positive experience. Working with my team throughout the entire GDD process was enjoyable, as we were all actively involved in researching, modeling, establishing requirements, and framing the project. I found each step of the process to be engaging and valuable, as it allowed me to gain new insights and expand my knowledge base.

Lessons Learned

• Have more communication with SMEs after our interviews, as throughout the design process, we still had questions relating to beauty and skin care.
• Talk to a wider demographic during user interviews, such as males who use beauty and skincare.

Highlights

• More usability tests –  In this project we decided to do 8 usability tests as with each test we were able to get more feedback as we designed and ultimately helped create a better prototype.
• Red boxing – This project was my first experience with red boxing and although it was a challenge to learn, it helped make the design consistent and even. 
• Account for physical aspects in the design – As the team didn’t have much experience with smart mirrors, it was extremely beneficial for us to research during the he Lit review and competitive audit stage of the research process, This helped us determine what functions a smart mirror can actually do so we know what can be incorporated into the interface.