Week 5.2 - Final design

Time: 2019.3.4-2019.3.8

Group: Cheuk Him Tam (Jordy) & Irene (me)

Final design and prototypes

Our design is a set of items allowing visitors to navigate the garden by using bookmarks. It consists of bookmarks and collection cover, information standings and an online library. One visiting the Chelsea Physic Garden would first get a package of five random bookmarks with the ticket which he could use to search for the plant and “emboss” the pattern using the redesigned information stands. The pattern would change according to what stage the plant is currently in, and on the corner of the bookmark, it would remind the visitor of the next visit time to see the next stage of the plant. After collecting the bookmarks, one can choose to buy a cover in the shop, with which one can get access to a database with digitised library by simply scanning of the QR code on the bookmark.

Bookmarks

Each bookmark is printed with one specific plant information with illustrations selected form the library items. There is also time suggested at the bottom for the next visit of this plant (to see the next stage). At the back of the bookmark, there is a brief description about the plant in specific stage of its life cycle. Visitors can the see the back images by putting the bookmark under the sun.

Visitors will receive a random pack of 5 different bookmarks from ticketing booth with plants information. Based on the provided information, they search for the plants in the medicinal area.

Bookmark design

Package of bookmarks

"Press" demo

Information stand

This is a re-designed the board combining the description of the site and one plant from the site. The text and the reagent bottle shape are adopted from the original board. We add a stamp machine onto the board. Visitor can 1) stamp a pattern on their bookmarks as a souvenir. The illustration of that specific life cycle will be 2) em­bossed, meanwhile a date will be stamped as a recommendation for the next visit time seeing different stage of the cycle.

Instead of placing a picture, 3) we opened a window. Visitors can see the living plant while reading. Some hashtags are written on to present the keywords from the information, helping user to search for further information online if they are interested.

The staff could change the plant on the stand monthly by changing right half of the board (the black part), which is detachable.

Information stand design

Information stand prototype

Bookmark case/cover & App

Other than a case for visitor to store the bookmarks, it is also an e-book containing digitalised images of library items. Visitor can buy this case form the shop and store the bookmarks in an elegant way.

For the case, there is RRID chip plugged-in under the logo. People can assess and login to the online data­base (within the app) through 1) a sample tap with NFC function on their mobile phone.

The app is simple with only three stages: login, search, and read. User can 2) scan the QR code on the back of bookmark and 3) see the related digitalised items from the garden library after login to the system.

Use of cover and the App

When you buy a cover it is like a vase

User flow

• getting a random package of 5 bookmarks at the ticket booth

• search for the plant on the bookmark in the medical area

• find the stand and press/stamp the bookmark, know about the plants

• (optional) search more information according to the provided keywords

• (optional) buy a case/cover at the shop to make a collection of bookmarks

• (if buying the cover) access the e-book of the garden's library to get more information

• come back at the time written on the bookmark to see the next stage of the plant

Presentation

Me at the presentation

The presentation went quite well. People from Chelsea Physic Garden liked our idea and they were surprised by the prototype we made. They appreciated the details we paid attention to. However, because our design had too many details, it took us a while to transfer the idea, and I felt that we could have organised the story better to get ideas across. John suggested that the cover design could be better. It seems that now everyone could make the cover and do the screw. To correspond with the punch thing, it could be a flower pattern, or a dry flower, for example. The stand was not real enough, too. Alaistair wondered that all of the parts did not fit well with each other and the design was sophisticated and complex. The good thing was that we did not add more things to the current garden but made use of the current information instead, a light touch.

When I look back on the whole design outcomes, I feel like that we are adding too many things and details, which is not always a bad thing though. But the fact is that we kind of left our old-fashioned spirit behind and make things a little complex, though the outcomes still appeared good in another direction. For me, I forgot about the spirit in the busy final days and hurried to make decisions. This teaches me that in my further project, I should always reminds myself of my initial thoughts and stick on the consistent concepts.

#chelseaphysicgarden