Smart Studio Apartment Elito Method

I543 Interaction Design Methods !Kudzai Chinyadza & Pui Mo

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Introduction

After analyzing our data, we decided to take our insights and design a Smart Studio Apartment for a college student. We wanted to make the apartment that was efficient in terms of getting work done and staying organized.

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Elito Table

Figure: Elito Table. The red and orange slots in “concept/sketch” column are our selection of potential concepts. We added two columns: “place” & “topic” to help us organizing data and combining concepts.

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#1 Treasure Box

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#1 Treasure Box

• Description: When user can put or “throw” anything in the box, the camera will take a picture of the newly added item and name it by object recognition. User can check the list of items, search if a specific item is in the treasure box on a Mobile App at anytime. !!!!!!

• Rationale: Based on the research, we found that our subject saved a lot of tiny things, for example, tags and buttons of apparel, small stuffed toys, coins, pens, clips and other stationeries, in the shelf for future use. Also, she kept documents, chargers and other electronic accessories in the shelf, so it is really a mess. She had a hard time to find a particular item even if she knows it is there, and sometimes, she thought an item was in it but actually not, so she wasted a lot of time on looking for items. In order to keep track of every little tiny object, we created the concept of treasure box, where you can put whatever you have in the box without worrying about you will forget it.

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#2 Smart Fridge

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#2 Smart Fridge

• Description: It will help users to organize food in an appropriate and systematic way, and remind user to eat or dispose of food when it is about to expire. The fridge has a scanner that is similar to the scanner we see in grocery check out. User needs to scan the barcode, or using the object recognition function to log in the information of the food, then the fridge will automatically highlight the layer to suggest where user should set the food. !!!!!!

• Rationale: Our subject has a systematic method in organizing the fridge: different layer for different food. For example, she has one layer for meat, one for fruit, one for vegetables, and one for cooked meal. From her way of organizing fridge, we got the insight that the fridge can help with organizing food by suggesting a correct way to set up fresh and cooked food.

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#3 Information Wall

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• Description: The information wall is basically a digital screen. User can put different “widgets” using gesture on the screen to present information or act as decoration. For example, user can set “photo gallery” to show photos, set “post-it note” or “paragraph” as reminder or mantra, or pull windows from computer to the wall as an extended screen. !!!!!!!!!!

• Rationale: Based on our observation, our subject sticked a lot of photos, paintings, mantra, and maps on the wall. We found that photos that close to her bed are her families’ photo, and those close to her desk are friends’ photo, so the content on the wall is different according to the location. Since she lives in a small studio so she doesn't have a commodious space to present all those photos, and sticking those pictures on the wall is the most convenient way for her to refer to, so we had the insight that we can transform the wall into an information center, and it’s much easier for user to add or delete.

#3 Information Wall

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#4 Smart Coupons

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• Description: The mobile app will log in the information of coupons. It can recommend coupons based on user’s location and remind user when some of them are about to expire. For example, when user is in downtown and is looking for a place to have dinner, the app will present coupons the user have in the map. By using this app, you can get rid of paper coupons! !!!!!!

• Rationale: We found several coupons on subject’s desk, and when we looked into the details of those coupons, we found that they were already expired. Then subject showed us her purse: she put all the coupons that she thought she might use at some time in the purse. She also mentioned that she got so many coupons in her mailbox, and there are some that she know she will never use. According to the result, we built the coupon app that could help user to organize and use coupon.

#4 Smart Coupons

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#5 Separation of Work and Play

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• Description: Based on the location of the user, their device goes into different modes. The Work mode limits the user’s browsing and application usage so that they cannot be distracted when working. Timer mode puts timers on an application or site. So if they go on Youtube for example they would only have 5mins then it would time out. Play mode means that they have the freedom to do whatever they want. Again these modes are based on the users location. !!!!!

• Rationale: Subject made it clear that the bed was only for sleeping and not for working. Our judgement was that she cannot concentrate on her bed. From this we got insights on how spaces in the home can influence productivity of work.

#5 Separation of Work and Play

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# 6 Gamified Dishwasher and Sink

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• Description: To encourage users to do the dishes, we gamified the experience. When the sink is clean and empty there is a “Good Job” statement that appears on the sink wall. When the opposite is true there is “Please clean me” statement that appears on the sink wall. There is also a smiley face report card that shows on the dishwasher screen showing progress for the week. A simple way to encourage users to do the dishes. !!!!!

• Rationale: From our observation, the subject noted that she would let the dishes pile on until she was sick of looking at them. She had no real motivation to do the dishes. She also noted that she would change her behavior if she was living with someone. Having the smiley face game gives the user much needed motivation.

# 6 Gamified Dishwasher and Sink

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#7 Usage History

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• Description: Documents are organized based on usage not alphabetical order. For example if one were to open their applications folder the list would be based off of usage. The most used application will appear first, being of a lighter color representing wear and tear. This would be the default setting for file hierarchy. !!!!

• Rationale: Subject notes that she doesn’t need to look at book titles to know what book she is picking from her shelf. She knows by the placement of the book. ln addition the placement was done with the most used books being placed closer and in easy reach. From this we gained the insight of personalization. Each user is unique and therefore the organization of their data should represent their uniqueness. We wanted to personalize the way someone found their files, documents or applications. Making the listing more relevant to the user.

#7 Usage History

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#8 Smart Desk

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• Description: User selects the type of activity that they are about to engage in, then the table adjusts itself to meet the users needs. This will allow the user to do all kinds of activities on the same desk, ranging from working, eating, and watching movies. !!!!!!

• Rationale: Subject notes that she spends a lot of her time at her desk and converts it for different uses depending on her need. To better meet the user’s needs for the different activities she has we got the insights to have a table that is adjustable.

#8 Smart Desk

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# 9 Smart Closet

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• Description: The smart closet organizes the clothing based on season and frequency of use. Meaning if a selection for winter is made, all the of the winter clothing is made more visible and in easier reach. In addition the closet is linked to the thermostat and gives users clothing recommendations based on the weather. !!!!!!!!!

• Rationale: From our observation in the subject’s home, she had noted that all her summer wear was put in the lower rack because she did not need them as it was winter. So her closet was organized bases on season and usage. We wanted the user to be freed from this activity and let the closet organize itself. In addition we wanted to make a smart house design solution, that is why we introduced the clothing recommendation system that recommended based on the weather forecast for that day. Pulling that information from the house thermostat.

# 9 Smart Closet

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#10 Trashing System

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• Description: The system will be installed in the space used as a storage. It keeps track of the objects that user save for future use (so user won’t use them for now), and reminds user what are in the space and recommend user to trash some of them. For example, if user saves package boxes in the storage for more than three month without using it, the system will suggest user to discard some boxes. !!!!!

• Rationale: Our subject saved more than five boxes under the shelf, because she thought she might use them when she ships things to her home. However, considering the limited space she had, saving more than one box might not be a smart move.

#10 Trashing System

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Reflection on Elito

• The Elito method is very systematic way of organizing data, it is very detailed and lets researchers know the intricate details of their large data sets. Also, it gives us one more chance to observe the data and generate questions.By going through the videos and pictures we got and writing down whatever we saw and we heard in the observation slot, we started to think about why the subject did this and find more interesting topics. It helps generating insights from the data. By referencing the observation, judgments and values, one can trace back where the concepts came from which is great for justification and rationale purposes.We also added two columns - place & topic to help us combining data.

• Unfortunately, it is very lengthy and tedious. It might not be an appropriate method to use when there is a strict timeline. We think the best way to approach this method would be to start working on the analysis as soon as the data is gathered. So that as the study continues, the analysis is also going in place simultaneously. This would help in reducing the tediousness from trying to analyze all the data at once.