Overview
I had the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Design Blitz hosted by CISSA (Computing and Information Systems Students Association), a three-day design hackathon focused on rapid problem-solving and high-fidelity prototyping. Over the course of the event, my team and I selected a prompt, designed a complete high-fidelity website prototype in Figma, and delivered a final presentation to the judges. We were able to achieve runner-up in the competition.
Timeline
11th - 13th April 2025
Type
Design Hackathon
Role
UX/UI Designer
Tools
Figma
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Adobe Illustrator
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Brief
The design hackathon required participants to choose one of three tracks, each built around a specific product and design theme that teams had to adhere to. Our team selected “Nook,” a smart household companion designed to assist with home tasks, care-taking, and safety monitoring. For each track, the organizers provided a detailed pamphlet outlining the product’s key features, capabilities, and intended use cases. Below is the material we received to guide the development of our website design.
Track Analysis
In the early stages of ideation, we created a series of hand-drawn sketches to quickly explore the different service ideas revolving around our problem statements and the “Make DO and Mend” domain. The sketches were drawn together as a team during the brainstorming session and polished by my teammate.
Early Design Feedback
Home Assistance
Nook would be able to help with reminders, daily repetitive tasks, and automations.
1
Care Taking
Nook can take care of family members with special needs, such as kids and elders.
2
3
Safety
Nook come with safety features such as camera, alarms, and emergency dials.
Key Features
Built-in Speakers
Safety and Security Measures
Voice Assistance
Accessibility Friendly
360-Degree Sensors
Entertainment Features
Productivity Reminders
Pet Friendly and Care
Smart Home Compatible
Health and Exercise Programs
Target Users
Personas
Developing user personas based on our background research and analysis was essential for understanding who we were designing the site for. For Nook, we created two personas, each paired with scenario narratives to make their needs and contexts more relatable.
The first persona is Bryan Lee, a single father raising four children while managing a full-time job. Bryan represents a more demanding edge case, helping us ensure that our design remains accessible, practical, and valuable for a wide range of users, including those with complex household responsibilities and limited time.
The first persona is Bryan Lee, a single father raising four children while managing a full-time job. Bryan represents a more demanding edge case, helping us ensure that our design remains accessible, practical, and valuable for a wide range of users, including those with complex household responsibilities and limited time.
Bryan Lee (Single Dad, 48 years old)
Mock Senario:
1. Wakes up for work at 5:00am
2. Gets ready, then wakes up his kids (6, 8, 12, & 16 year olds)
3. Gets his kids dressed and makes breakfast for everyone
4. Picks up his kids from school
5. Buys groceries from his list
6. Comes home and wants to cook something new for kids birthday (new recipes)
7. Unwind after cleaning
8. Put kids to the bed
9. Asks for lighting and orchestra ambiance
2. Gets ready, then wakes up his kids (6, 8, 12, & 16 year olds)
3. Gets his kids dressed and makes breakfast for everyone
4. Picks up his kids from school
5. Buys groceries from his list
6. Comes home and wants to cook something new for kids birthday (new recipes)
7. Unwind after cleaning
8. Put kids to the bed
9. Asks for lighting and orchestra ambiance
The second persona represents a more common user group, Angel Rosh, an elderly individual who spends most of her time at home. Because Nook is designed as a home-assistance companion, it was important for us to consider users who may rely heavily on daily support. Angel’s persona allowed us to explore how Nook could provide comfort, safety, and practical assistance, particularly for seniors who value independence but may require help with routine tasks.
Angel Rosh (Elderly walker, 76 years old)
Mock Senario:
1. Takes walk in the morning and prepares her drinks and medication (cholesterol tablets)
2. Morning stretches with grandpa Albert
3. Afterwards, they watch tv and news
4. Go to medical appointment (gets a reminder)
5. Gets medicine and enters the medical routine
6. While walking, she accidentally trips over
7. Alerts through a sound and notifies emergency contact: hospital call
8. Cancels the appointment as she realized it’s not that serious
2. Morning stretches with grandpa Albert
3. Afterwards, they watch tv and news
4. Go to medical appointment (gets a reminder)
5. Gets medicine and enters the medical routine
6. While walking, she accidentally trips over
7. Alerts through a sound and notifies emergency contact: hospital call
8. Cancels the appointment as she realized it’s not that serious
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