Blumen
The development of Blumen was rooted in a user-centered design methodology, prioritizing direct interaction with the target audience. We conducted several ethnographic research visits to various schools and kindergartens. This hands-on approach allowed us to observe children's natural play behaviors, identify their preferences, and gather crucial feedback on block size, material feel, and interactive elements. The insights gathered from these in-field experiments were instrumental in refining the product's safety features, optimizing the light-changing mechanism of the totem, and ensuring the toy effectively balanced open-ended construction with guided sensory engagement, thereby validating Blumen's potential as a valuable early childhood development tool.
4 👤
September-November 2024
Type: University Project
Tags: Engineering, Product Design, Graphic Design
To effectively communicate the product’s ecosystem, we produced a comprehensive explainer video that functions as both a technical demonstration and a commercial spot. This visual piece meticulously showcases the light-interaction mechanics, demonstrating how the environment transforms as the user toggles the totem. To enhance the immersive experience, the video features a custom-composed soundtrack, specifically designed to synchronize with the sensory shifts of the toy. This multidisciplinary approach ensured that the project's core value—the magic of light and construction—was communicated clearly and engagingly to both educators and stakeholders. Original track composed by Mario García Luque.
A defining aspect of the project was the close collaboration with a primary school in the province of Málaga. This partnership allowed for an iterative validation process where children interacted with multiple prototypes at various stages of development. By observing their engagement in a real-world educational setting, we were able to pivot the design based on tangible user feedback. These on-site testing sessions were crucial for refining the ergonomics of the blocks and perfecting the intuitive nature of the light-totem interaction, ensuring the final product was perfectly tailored to the developmental needs of its young users.