Team members:
Agathe Malbet, Hanjun Chu, Julia Knabe, Mustafa Terzioglu, Arezou Mortazavi
My role:
Interview with stakeholders, workshop facilitation, visual design
Timeline:
5 months (2021-2022)
Mentor:
Gonzalo Sanchidrian (IBM)
The problem it aimed to solve:
When newcomers, whether Swedish, international, or exchange students, arrive at Linköping University (LiU), they often seek essential items to help them settle in. Despite the strong presence of second-hand culture in Sweden, these students typically purchase these necessities firsthand from stores.
Design Process:
After conducting several workshops with students and interviewing numerous stakeholders, we gained a more profound understanding of the existing system, identified pain points among the actors, and learned about their expectations, habits, and motivations. Through discussions with other stakeholders, we uncovered additional opportunities to establish a service centered around second-hand furniture.
The concepts we developed were rooted in hyperlocal solutions, leveraging existing resources to create a stress-free, time-efficient journey without the need for ownership, all while adding diverse value. Moreover, we recognized that maintaining the solution on a local scale would be a crucial element in ensuring the concept’s benefit to all stakeholders. Following ideation sessions, we prototyped some of these ideas and tested them with students.
Final concept:
Fifth-Hand provides a room-based, hyperlocal rental solution for furniture and household items, offering various plans. By passing down pre-owned items to successive generations of students, this approach keeps the furniture in circulation within local communities. Bulky furniture is included in the accommodation, while other essentials can be sourced from nearby furniture hubs. This service streamlines the student moving process and collaborates with stakeholders to promote sustainability in local communities.
High-fidelity mobile app prototype
Reflection:
This project taught me about user-centric design, sustainable services, and collaboration. Emphasizing the significance of incorporating insights from various stakeholders to achieve optimal outcomes. It also underscored the importance of considering local needs and possibilities when introducing a new service.