Design process
After determining our user's main need, we embarked on a design process that involved generating, refining and sketching ideas, validating them with users and faculty, and synthesizing them into a single solution.
Our initial concept involved using a system of markers to show plant locations. Based on these markers, some sort of display device should create an augmented view of the garden showing how plants would look in their location.
Some questions we had to answer with this system were:
- How should the markers be designed? As leaves? As QR codes?
- How does the plant image get displayed? Projector? Augmented reality?
- What is the controller for the system? A garden tool remote control? Gloves? Glasses?
Prototypes
The following images are prototype sketches we evaluated while iterating on our design.
Concept Validation
We validated our prototypes with users and faculty and received some useful feedback. Some of the feedback that helped us to answer our design questions included:
- MARKERS SHOULD LOOK LIKE PLANTS
"They will look natural and fit better in the garden." —Mark - AUGMENTED REALITY GLASSES, NOT A PROJECTION SYSTEM
"Be careful about bringing too much technology into the garden." —Faculty & TA - GLASSES THEMSELVES SHOULD BE THE CONTROLLER
"It's one less thing to bring out to the garden - you're wearing them already." —Mark
Controllers shouldn't look like tools if they're not tools.
The glove might get dirty or damaged.
Persona
To guide our design, we developed a persona based on our user research.
Tom
- 27 years old
- Suburban homeowner
- Realtor (interest in home ownership &
improvement) - Expert perennials gardener
- Would like to grow vegetables as well but doesn't have experience in that field
