Study Aid Design: Designing with and for a Friend
ID Special Topics Studio: Design for Divergence (RISD) - December, 2024
The objective of this design project was to design a personalized study/time-management aid device as a gift for my friend, to help them organize their time and enhance their study habits.
This project was an opportunity to practice user-centered design in its most personal form, designing not only for someone, but with them, and making direct connections between user insights and design decisions. From initial interviews and observations to testing and iteration, the user was involved in every stage of the process.
User Research
Primary user research included:
-
Direct observation through FaceTime during study sessions
-
Review of a recorded video of user study routine
-
Two interviews: an initial exploratory interview (pictured here) followed by an in-depth interview
-
Using the “5 Whys” method to uncover deeper motivations
-
Analyzing a journal entry about current strategies
-
Personally testing the device during my own study sessions
These methods were supported by secondary research into time-management strategies, Pomodoro techniques, and sensory design principles, especially the use of light, sound, and scent to support focus and habit formation.
Research Findings
-
User finds a sense of confidence and identity in studying and accumulating knowledge.
-
Existing strategies include the pomodoro method, lists, setting up an atmosphere with a laptop, music, hot beverage, water, candle, decent lighting, books and warmth.
-
User is highly sensitive to surroundings, and easily affected by external factors like sounds, lighting, materials, and overall comfort levels.
-
Leisure activities and studying all take place mainly in one room, so having other ways to separate the two areas of their life through cues such as lighting, sound, etc. is important to them.
Device Preferences:
-
Lighting: Warm, adjustable lighting (possibly flame-like) as cue.
-
Scent: light, sweet scent or pine scent, from an oil diffuser or candle, to turn off and on
-
Sound: A gentle, unobtrusive reminder sound to signal breaks or session changes
-
Task Input: Having a way to input the type of task is preferable, either digitally or on paper
-
Appearance & Materials: User would like the device to have a natural, earthy look (wood, soft earth tones), with a stable but portable build. Not overly clean or ornate. After viewing sketches, User prefers simpler box design.
-
Battery-Powered: As portability is important, they would prefer the device to be battery-powered, even though a cable option is acceptable
-
Timer options: 25 study time, 3x 5 min breaks, 1x 15 min break, and maybe also 45 study time, 3x 10 min breaks, 1x 15 min breaks, no visible clock
Design Criteria
1 / Enhances existing study strategies
Study habits that help them focus: a website that functions as a pomodoro timer and allows them to input tasks and using the candle as a light and scent cue to study. User is sensitive to senses around them, which is why signaling study time through light, sound and scent works well for them. The device should incorporate and enhance these study strategies through its design.
2 / Blends in seamlessly into User’s room
User appreciates a device that would fit well into their room aesthetically; made of natural materials and neutral colors.
3 / Safe to use at all times
The device should be safe to use at all times. The light, sound and scent signals should work through a mechanisms that don't risk overheating the device.
4 / Must be less than 20 pounds
The device shouldn't be too heavy in order for it to be portable when user travels.
5 / Personalization aspects
User appreciates a personalized design that is unique to their interests or a shared memory.
Initial Ideas
-
Study Companion — a wooden companion figure with light/scent functions
-
Candle Appearance — an ornamented candle-shaped object
-
Wooden Orb — a carved sphere with an internal LED for soft ambient lighting
-
Set Design — a combined object with slots for a candle, mug, and scent diffuser
To determine which concept best fit User’s needs, I used a decision matrix based on key design criteria drawn from user research.
Design Direction
-
Incense instead of a candle warmer or oil diffuser to avoid major safety hazards, while getting the same smoke effect.
-
The design will be a box with a dragon design on the front in order to personalize the design to user's interests.
-
In order to enhance existing study habits, there will be a note compartment on the bottom, a compartment for the arduino and one for the incense on top.
-
For lighting and sounds, I will use LEDs and a buzzer on an arduino.
Prototyping
This was an iterative prototyping process, combining circuit building, Arduino programming, and physical form development. The Tinkercad website was used to simulate and troubleshoot functionality before testing with real components. Testing the device with user over FaceTime revealed key bugs, that were addressed in later iterations of the code.
Alongside electronics testing, I began prototyping the wooden casing, incorporating warm LEDs and incense to align with user’s sensory preferences.
Arduino Code
1 / Capabilities
-
Customizable Study Sessions: a 25- or 45-minute study cycle with built-in break timing
-
Ambient Sensory Cues
-
Lighting: Warm, cozy LED glow signals study vs. break time
-
Sound: Subtle buzzer sounds indicate transitions
-
-
Distraction-Free Operation
-
No screens, timers, or flashing clocks
-
-
Portable & Resettable
-
Battery-powered and easily reset with one button press
-
2 / Hardware Components
-
Buttons:
-
Button A: Start 25-minute session
-
Button B: Start 45-minute session
-
Button C: Reset device
-
-
Passive buzzer for audio signals
-
6 LEDs for study-time indication 1 LED for break-time
-
Supporting Electronics: Resistors Breadboard/wiring USB/Battery power source
Final Design
The final product is a personalized study aid that uses light, sound cues, and incense to gently structure study sessions—custom-built for user’s habits and preferences.
