Building on your understanding of the product development lifecycle (PDLC) and user-centered design (UCD) principles, you’ll now put them into action! This mini project challenges you to identify a product in need of improvement and propose a user-centric solution (25 points).
Project Steps:
Product Selection (5 points): Choose a physical or digital product you encounter regularly (e.g., coffee maker, mobile app). Briefly explain why you think it could benefit from improvement.
User Research (5 points): Conduct basic user research to understand user pain points and needs related to this product. This could involve:
Surveys: Create a short survey to gather feedback from potential users.
Interviews: Conduct brief interviews with a few users to understand their experiences.
Online Research: Look for existing user reviews, forum discussions, or usability reports on the product.
Ideation & UCD Integration (10 points): Apply UCD principles to brainstorm potential improvements for the product. Consider:
Empathy: What are the user frustrations and unmet needs?
Iterative Design: Sketch and prototype multiple solutions, keeping user feedback in mind.
Usability Testing: Get feedback on your initial prototypes from potential users. Refine your design based on their input.
Final Proposal (5 points):
Briefly describe the chosen product and the identified user pain points.
Clearly explain your proposed improvement, highlighting how it addresses user needs based on your research.
Include a visual representation of your final design solution (e.g., sketch, mockup, storyboard).
Submission:
Submit your project as a document (e.g., Word, PDF) or a presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote).  If you submit Word or PDF please make sure to add some photos
Ensure your project addresses all the steps and includes clear visuals.
Grading Rubric:
Product Selection & Justification (5 points): Clear explanation of the chosen product and its potential for improvement.
User Research Methods (5 points): Description of appropriate user research methods employed.
UCD Integration in Ideation (5 points): Evidence of applying UCD principles during the brainstorming process.
Final Proposal Clarity (5 points): Clear description of the user pain point, proposed solution, and its benefits.
Visual Representation (5 points): Clear and informative visual representation of the final design solution.
TOOLS for Product Prototyping: 
Figma: https://www.figma.com/ – Collaborative design platform for creating wireframes, mockups, and low-fidelity prototypes.
Balsamiq Mockups: https://balsamiq.cloud/ (limited free plan) – Offers quick and easy creation of low-fidelity wireframes.
Canva: https://www.canva.com/ – Offers basic design tools and templates for creating mockups and presentations (prototyping features limited in free plan).
Pencil Project: https://pencil.evolus.vn/ – Open-source wireframing and prototyping tool.
Marvel App: https://marvelapp.com/ (limited free plan) – Create interactive prototypes for mobile and web applications.