Problem

Andrea Small, creative design lead at Samsung Research America, tasked my team and I to create future home products that focus on Gen Z and sustainability.

The first team I was assigned to was in charge of market research. I was tasked with researching public US Census data for homeowners and renters in the last 13 years.The team learned that home ownership rates in the United States steadily dropped in the past 13 years. The average renting prices increased alongside it.

Participatory feedback was important to the project so we interviewed San Francisco residents in public. The survey received 105 responses and here are some key insights:

43.8% of people rent their homes, could mean that permanent installments aren't possible

34.3% of people would like to upgrade their living spaces to be more environmentally conscious

Quality (43%) and Cost (40%) are the most important factors when making purchases


These results made us realize that people are interested in permanent installation products that are built to last. Even though that is the case, people rent their homes because of outside factors.

During the surveying, I had many conversations that opened my eyes to interesting design opportunities. I learned that young people walk around with their smart phones on low battery because they forget to charge their devices at night.

I designed the concept of a sticky note power bank hybrid. The device can be charged with solar technology. Place a sticky note on your window and it will passively charge.

On October 6, 2022, the team held a meeting with Samsung Research America team leaders. I pitched my idea to the team and they gave me good insights into how to improve the concept.

"The sticky note power bank idea could be a great idea. Would the sticky notes be one time uses though? That could be a problem as the technology inside would cost a lot"

"Consider life cycle of these products. How long would a buyer have this product and how difficult would it be to replace the models"


2 days later, I went out in public to test these same concepts with strangers. People loved the sticky note power bank idea, however the only issue with that one was re-usability. "Sticky notes are used once and then thrown away. Is this product reusable?"

Based off the feedback I received from critique sessions, I learned that portability, small product form factor, and longevity were important. I also went out in public with 2 team members once more and pitched out idea. We asked questions like is this a useful tool you would use? Would you be skeptical if it functioning long term? How can we change the design so it looks realistic?

Gen Z consumers oftentimes have phones that are low battery. Charging and plugging in cords is tedious and causes friction. I worked alongside 2 other designers to create a translucent power bank that can be attached to windows and smartphones.

It was a great experience going out in public to gather feedback and opinions on my concepts. This design practice allowed me to have an unbiased participation group. Having conversations with strangers made me realize that there are so many opportunities to design around for the everyday experience that are often overlooked.