The Snack Stack:
A Welcome Gift for Full Stack Students at Prime Digital Academy
Research and Product Design
The Snack Stack
The Snack Stack is a three-dimensional organizational product designed as a welcome gift for full stack students who are beginning their program at Prime Digital Academy.
My Role
UX Designer • Researcher • Product Designer
Tools Used
Figma • Google Suite
Scope
February 2024 as part of UX design program at Prime Digital Academy.
Methodology
Participant Observation and Interviews • Heuristic Analysis • Low-Fidelity Prototyping • Usability Testing
The Problem
How can we make a more meaningful welcome gift?
The Background
Water bottles are impersonal. Prime Digital Academy has been giving their incoming full stack students a welcome gift of a water bottle. While water bottles are functional, students have mentioned to Prime Academy, the client, that the bottle feels impersonal.
The Challenge
Values and needs: make it count. I set out to identify the values and needs of full stack students during their intensive program at Prime Digital Academy. My goal was to understand the students’ experience in order to create a more meaningful welcome gift that would reflect student values and needs.
The Process
What approach should I use to solve the problem?
The Iterative Process of Designing The Snack Stack
When working on The Snack Stack, I implemented a four-stage strategy: research, prototype, evaluate, propose. This approach gave direction and focus to the project, while also allowing for movement and exploration between the stages.
Research
How is that water bottle?
Who are the students?
“I like organization. It makes me feel more comfortable.”
Heuristic Analysis
In order to identify pain points and areas of opportunity surrounding the current welcome gift, I conducted a heuristic analysis of the water bottle. This helped me discover which aspects were fulfilling the intended purpose of a meaningful welcome gift. Read the full report here.
Participant Observation and Directed Storytelling
In order to better understand the students within the context of Prime Academy, I conducted participant observation in two full-stack classrooms. I also sat with the students during their lunchtime and asked them to tell me stories about their experiences at Prime. My goal was to identify values and needs that I could incorporate into the new gift to make it meaningful to the intended users. Based on my research, I learned students valued organization, and needed support for physical and mental wellbeing, as some had been sicktahe program..
Initial Goal: To create a meaningful welcome gift for full-stack students that embodies their value of organization and their need for wellbeing.
What gift embodies student values and needs?
What will it look like?
Prototype
Design Concepts
Through the research process, I discovered that full-stack students valued organization and function. Due to long hours at their work stations, students needed focus and wellbeing. I designed three concepts that embodied these values and needs. I then created low-fidelity wireframes and mood boards to better visualize the three concepts, before choosing one to move to 3D prototyping.
3D Prototype
After consulting with other members of my UX cohort, I proceeded with a 3D prototype of Concept Two: The Snack Stack. I went to a maker’s studio to use found objects and materials to construct the 3D low-fidelity prototype. I filled the compartments in the bottom drawer with a variety of snacks and wellness items.
Evaluate
Usability Testing
Evaluation Results
“I would feel very welcome if I got this on my first day.”
Product Evaluation
In order to determine how well The Snack Stack accomplished my initial goal, I created an evaluation protocol (details). I then met with three current full-stack students and had them interact with and explore the 3D prototype. I used the following methodologies:
• Think-aloud Protocol
• User Interviews
• Observation
• Generative Research
Findings and Recommendations
The overall impression of The Snack Stack was very positive. 3/3 students interviewed said they would definitely appreciate receiving The Snack Stack as a welcome gift. Students liked the organizational attributes of the drawers. When asked their impressions of the box and contents, they used words such as “thoughtful,” “welcomed,” and “at home.”
Students suggested adding some functional features, such as a power strip on the back, and a phone charger. 2/3 thought the box could be made shorter, with just two drawers. 1/3 suggested I make the insides of the drawers versatile for various sizes of items. 3/3 said they would take The Snack Stack with them after completing the Prime program.
Revised Goal: To create a meaningful desktop storage box as a welcome gift for full-stack students. The box supports their values of organization and function, and their need for mental focus and physical wellbeing.
Propose
The Solution
The Pitch
Final Concept
The final iteration of The Stack Stack is a two-drawer desk unit. It includes organizational features such as drawers and compartments for various items, such as snacks, clips, pens, markers and stick-it notes.
There are also functional features: such as a power strip on the back, a coffee cup warmer, and phone charger on the left side.
The pre-filled, bottom drawer includes items for focus and wellness, such as peppermints and hot candies to aid in with focus, vitamin C packets to boost immunity, cough drops for scratchy throats, and lip balm for dry lips.
Client Presentation
The project culminated with a five-minute oral presentation pitch for the staff at Prime Digital Academy. I framed The Snack Stack as welcome gift care package from Prime staff to new full-stack students: a symbol of understand, empathy, and support as they embark on this new challenge.
The slide deck for this presentation. can be found here.
Next Steps
In Retrospect
If I were to proceed with this project, I would…
• prototype systems for personalizing the interior compartments of the drawers
• explore additional options for the items in the pre-filled drawer
• create a fully-functioning, high-fidelity prototype in a variety of finishes
• conduct another round of usability testing with the high-fidelity prototype
• explore production options and pricing
What I Learned
Overall, this was a very fun project. I enjoyed the participant observation and interview sessions, as I liked connecting with other students and hearing their perspectives. I learned the importance of a well-planned evaluation protocol, so as to respect the time of users, and get the most information out of the interview sessions.