Designers
Yashasri Sadagopan, Marta Suslow, Sujeet Kumar, Madhurya Katragadda, Kazuhiro Naito
Year
2024
Category
New Talent
Country
United Kingdom
School
Royal College of Art
Teacher
Nicolás Rebolledo
Three questions to the project team
What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
We swiftly identified in user interviews that public participation mainly happens locally. Addressing the entire ecosystem and determining target stakeholders posed a significant UX challenge. Initially challenging, the recruitment of the right stakeholders eventually succeeded. We grappled with how to make the platform inclusive and, finally, meticulously formulated the value proposition. Design research and user interviews took six weeks, filled with extensive conversations. Notably, the prototyping phase was concise, lasting only 3.5 weeks. Here, we iteratively clarified final features with stakeholders using a mid-fidelity prototype. Subsequently, we compiled a high-fidelity prototype for the conclusive presentation.
What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
Two pivotal "aha moments" emerged during the research and design phase. Firstly, we gained a holistic understanding of the crucial role user interviews play in identifying core problems and the importance of comprehending the stakeholders and personas for whom the design is intended. This understanding is essential for deriving the actual jobs-to-be-done. Secondly, we realized afresh the importance of seeking reassurance and confirmation of designed features from key users, as without this step the realistic validation of a product is not given.
Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
We have found that key platform features are presently undergoing live testing, thanks to our professor's collaboration with UN Habitat in LATAM. The project validation expanded beyond our research, gaining endorsement from Japan and the UK governments. This validation was reinforced at the COP28 exhibition in Dubai, where multiple government actors confirmed the platform's relevance and expressed interest in collaboration. As a result, we are optimistic about the platform's transition to a permanent, live state, fueled by the realization from the research phase that many enablers are eager to engage in meaningful work and contribute to positive transformations in their cities and local communities.
