Tasks and Duties
Objective
The goal of this task is to design a comprehensive empathy research plan to understand virtual retail customers. You will develop an empathy map and conduct a detailed user research analysis focusing on the needs, challenges, and aspirations of virtual shoppers. In this task, you will contemplate how the design thinking process translates into better user experiences in virtual retail.
Expected Deliverables
- A DOC file containing your empathy map.
- A detailed user research report outlining observations, user personas, and journey highlights.
- A section explaining your methodologies and reflections on insights gathered.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Preliminary Research: Conduct desk research using publicly available data to gather information about virtual retail trends and shopper behavior. Document relevant findings.
- User Interviews & Surveys: Create a plan for user interviews or surveys that might reveal deeper insights, and explain the expected outcomes even if actual interviews are simulated.
- Empathy Mapping: Develop detailed empathy maps for at least three different types of virtual retail users. Emphasize feelings, pain points, and motivations.
- Report Writing: Prepare a DOC file containing your empathy maps, research processes, insights, and a reflective section on the impact of these insights on design strategies.
Evaluation Criteria
- Depth and clarity in explaining user insights.
- Relevance and thoroughness of the empathy map and research methods.
- Quality of documentation and reflective analysis presented in the DOC file.
- Logical structure and presentation of findings.
This task is designed to take approximately 30 to 35 hours. You are expected to document every step of your process in detail, justify your methodologies, and present actionable insights that can guide virtual retail strategy. Your DOC file should be self-contained, well-organized, and articulate your understanding of the empathy phase in the design thinking process as it applies to virtual retail environments.
Objective
This task focuses on generating innovative solutions that address challenges identified in your empathy research. You will use ideation techniques such as brainstorming, mind mapping, and sketching to create viable concepts that can enhance the virtual retail experience. The assignment emphasizes applying design thinking methodologies to propose practical and creative enhancement ideas.
Expected Deliverables
- A DOC file that includes a summary of brainstorming sessions and ideation methods used.
- At least three concept sketches or prototypes with detailed explanations.
- A section discussing the ideation process and justification for selecting the final concept(s).
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Review Research Insights: Revisit your findings from Week 1 to identify key pain points and opportunities for innovation in virtual retail.
- Conduct Ideation Sessions: Use brainstorming techniques or mind mapping to generate a wide variety of ideas. Document the process with notes and sketches.
- Concept Development: Narrow down your ideas to at least three viable concepts. Create detailed sketches or digital prototypes, and annotate them to explain how they address user needs.
- Report Compilation: Assemble a DOC file that contains all evidence of the ideation sessions, your final concepts, and a critical analysis of why these solutions are promising.
Evaluation Criteria
- Creativity and diversity of ideas generated.
- Clear connection between research insights and proposed solutions.
- Quality of concept sketches and clarity of annotations.
- Critical discussion of the ideation process and decision-making rationale.
This assignment is scheduled for approximately 30 to 35 hours and expects comprehensive documentation of your thought process, techniques employed, and final picks. Your report must be self-contained and showcase your ability to innovatively tackle virtual retail challenges using design thinking principles.
Objective
In this task, your focus is on translating your ideation outputs into tangible prototypes and customer journey maps. The objective is to simulate the design and testing phase where assumptions are visualized, and a detailed customer journey visual is created. This will help validate your previous concepts and prepare for the next phase of design, ensuring the virtual retail solution is both practical and engaging.
Expected Deliverables
- A DOC file containing detailed customer journey maps.
- A set of low-to-high fidelity prototypes or sketches of your chosen concepts.
- A reflective section outlining any anticipated challenges during testing and implementation.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Define the Customer Journey: Identify key touchpoints and customer actions in a typical virtual retail interaction. Create a detailed journey map outlining each step.
- Develop Prototypes: Convert your conceptual designs from Week 2 into prototypes. These can be graphical sketches or digital wireframes created using accessible tools, and you must annotate each prototype to explain key features.
- Integration of Journey Mapping and Prototyping: Explain how the prototype addresses the pain points and enhances the journey at critical touchpoints.
- Documenting the Process: Prepare a DOC file documenting your journey mapping methodology, prototype development process, and any insights or iterative decisions made along the way.
Evaluation Criteria
- Completeness and clarity of the customer journey mapping.
- Logical connection between the journey map and prototype features.
- Detail and practical relevance of prototypes in virtual retail experience.
- Quality of documentation and reflective insights in the DOC file.
This task requires a commitment of roughly 30 to 35 hours and is a vital exercise in validating design ideas through visualization and user journey simulation. Your documentation should be thorough, demonstrating an iterative design process that clearly communicates the expected improvements in virtual retail experiences.
Objective
The final week is dedicated to evaluating your design prototypes and customer journey maps, iterating on your ideas, and formulating a comprehensive strategy for implementation. This task requires you to critically assess the effectiveness of your proposed solutions using design thinking evaluation techniques, gather potential feedback, and make necessary refinements. The focus is on developing a strategic plan that outlines how your insights and prototypes can translate into a real-world scenario in virtual retail.
Expected Deliverables
- A DOC file containing an evaluation report, iteration notes, and a detailed implementation strategy.
- A clear outline of the testing criteria used for evaluating the prototypes.
- Recommendations for future improvement and potential scalability strategies.
Key Steps to Complete the Task
- Prototype Evaluation: Develop a set of evaluation criteria based on user needs and journey stages identified in previous weeks. Simulate testing scenarios to gauge prototype performance.
- Document Iterations: Based on your evaluation, list specific improvements, adjustments, and iterations made to your design concepts. Explain why these changes are significant.
- Formulate an Implementation Strategy: Create a strategic plan that details steps for moving from prototype to execution. Consider aspects such as resource management, timeframes, and potential risks in a virtual retail context.
- Final Report: Compile a comprehensive DOC file that includes all evaluation processes, iterative changes, and your final strategy. Ensure that each section is clearly articulated and supported by evidence or logical reasoning.
Evaluation Criteria
- Thoroughness in assessment and evaluation of prototypes.
- Quality and clarity of the documented iterations.
- Feasibility and depth of the strategic implementation plan.
- Overall organization, clarity, and detail in the DOC file submission.
This task, expected to take 30 to 35 hours, is critical in linking design thinking insights to actionable strategies in virtual retail. You are expected to present a self-contained report that not only reflects deep analysis and iterative improvement but also outlines a realistic plan for implementation. Your final DOC file should serve as a strategic blueprint demonstrating your capability to iterate on design concepts and plan for tangible business applications in the virtual retail landscape.