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Summary: Plan Pal was a startup project to design a desktop web app minimum viable product prototype for landscape architects that makes early workshops with residents and other stakeholders easier. The main challenge was to understand the entire architectural design process and find a relevant problem we could solve with a digital product. We managed to facilitate collaboration through memory map markers and an intentionally simple drawing interface.
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Client: none, prosocial startup
Year: 2020
Team members: Lead Product Designer, Product Design Mentor, 2 Product Designers
Role: Product Designer
I served as a product designer for a startup team to help landscape architects collaborate more easily with residents.
It was challenging to design a tool for designers who had to consider the needs of many different groups (residents of all ages and social backgrounds, government workers, landscape architects, etc.) within a complex and lengthy design process.
We conducted desk research and interviewed stakeholders to understand their overlapping challenges. We mapped user journeys to see the entire architectural process and scoped the product to deliver the highest business value within a short project time. We used the Crazy Eight method to generate novel ideas. Flow maps and prototypes helped us to validate and test our hypotheses quickly.
I conducted and synthesized multiple interviews, created journey and flow maps, ideated during workshops, and designed and tested the early prototypes and user interface visuals.
We knew we wanted to help architects with a digital tool to design better public spaces. However, we did not know what they or the people involved struggled with.
After a brief desk research, we started interviewing different stakeholders involved in the design process. We talked to local government and NGO representatives, residents, and landscape architects.