Craft Collection Journal to Store Forever Memories

Our Goal

Our team was tasked with designing a user-centered app that promotes exploration throughout Kyoto while also connecting visitors with the city’s traditional crafts and local artisans.

About the Project

We worked together throughout the design process, beginning with branding before moving onto user research, wireframing, field research and interface design. Combining our observations with user-centered thinking, we created OMIYAGE, a personalized discovery app experience for Kyoto visitors.

The Team

Overview

Our goal is to encourage visitors to experience Kyoto through its historic traditional crafts rather than simply visiting popular tourist attractions.

To better understand how visitors experience Kyoto, We conducted both direct observation and firsthand exploration, studying how visitors navigated the streets of Kyoto while also documenting our own experiences moving through the city. By experiencing this environment ourselves we were able to gain more insight on factors like walkability, crowd density and overall pace of exploration.

Our research revealed that many visitors rely solely on search rankings and social media. While these resources highlight Kyotos most famous landmarks, they often overlook the city’s historic traditional crafts and the local artisans who preserve them. This presented us with the opportunity to design an app experience that encourages visitors to slow down and explore beyond the typical tourist routes, discovering Kyoto through its craftsmanship.

To get a better understanding of how this app experience can be intigrated into the real world, we explored a variety of locations throughout Kyoto, including Nishiki Market, Fushimi Inari Temple, Sake District, Craft Museums, and Kiyomizu. Visiting both populated tourist destinations and quieter cultural areas.

Research

Rather than jumping straight into solutions, we first asked ourselves who this app should serve? Was it designed for first time visitors or frequent travelers? What age group would it benefit most? What budget range should we consider? Would users prefer a structured itinerary or independent exploration? Answering these questions helped our team define the needs, motivations, and travel habits of our potential audience.

From these discussions, we curated three user types, each representing a different style of traveler. Comparing their goals and behaviors allowed us to identify needs while recognizing opportunities for each personality. This process ultimately led us to land on persona Mr. Chen as our primary. Serving as the foundation for our research and app building process.

Using these insights from the user types, we began brainstorming how the needs of different visitors could translate into an app experience, exploring everything from possible app names and core features, to navigation, rewards, and the users overall journey.

Digging Deeper

After solidifying our target audience, we wanted to find a location that embodied the type of experience we envisioned for OMIYAGE. Kiyomizu stood out as the ideal environment due to being rich in traditional crafts, independent artists and walkable streets. The historic road leading to Kiyomizu-dera Temple naturally encourages exploration with its narrow streets lines with pottery studios, tea shops, confectionary stores, handmade souvenirs, and many other locally crafted goods.

Unlike many of the commercial shopping districts in Kyoto, Kiyomizu offers visitors the opportunity to discover authentic craftsmanship while exploring at their own pace. The areas moderate pedestrian traffic, nearby public transportation, and recognizable landmarks also play a big part in making it an ideal setting for our navigation system. These qualities allow us to design a scavenger hum that felt immersive and realistic while also encouraging visitors to engage with the city’s cultural heritage.

Stop 1 — Johns Blend

This location within Kiyomizu was selected because it combines the modern shopping experience with traditional Japanese craftsmanship. The Kyoto-exclusive products and interactive “YOUR MUSK” fragrance creation experience encourages visitors to curate something personal rather than simply purchasing a souvenir. This stop aligns with our goal of assisting users with making meaningful memories through a hands-on experience while also introducing them to local traditional products.

Stop 2 — Ishidatami

Ishidatami represented the intimate connection between visitors and local artisans that we wanted OMIYAGE to encourage. Speaking directly with the owner, Hitomi, allowed us to understand the time, care, and traditional craftsmanship behind each of the handmade Mizuhiki jewelry pieces. This stop is a perfect demonstration of how our app can guide users towards hidden local businesses where authentic stories and personal interactions become just as memorable as the crafts themselves.

Stop 3 — Hatsune Antiques

Hatsune Antiques was able to broaden the app experience by introducing users to Kyotos rich, artistic, and historical heritage. The shops collection of antiques from different eras, armor, metal work, and traditional crafts, highlight centuries of Japanese craftsmanship that many visitors might overlook. Including a destination like this can allow for users to appreciate not only the handmade goods but also the cultural history behind it that has shaped Kyotos artisan community.

How The Name Came To Be

Finding the right name was a very important part when establishing our apps identity. Throughout the brainstorming we explored a variety of names and styles that reflected Japans travel culture, memories, and exploration. However, a few of our ideas focused solely on the collection aspect rather than capturing the memorable and emotion we want users to experience.

We ultimately landed on OMIYAGE, a traditional Japanese word that refers to souvenirs or gifts collected and brought back from a memorable trip. Our interpretation of the phrase perfectly aligns with our goal of encouraging visitors to discover Kyoto through traditional crafts, representing the memories, stories, and cultural experiences collected along the journey.

Every completed hunt, journal entry, and handmade item collected, becomes a personal OMIYAGE, a permanent reminder of the places visitors explored, artisans met, and experiences created. By choosing a culturally significant Japanese word, we were able to curate a name that feels authentic to Kyoto while also remaining memorable and unique within the travel app space.

Logo Sketches

Hand-Drawn Concepts

Early sketches mainly focused on different compositions and lettering styles while also establishing the brands visual identity inspired by traditional Japanese signage and traditional seal stamps. This stage encouraged experimentation before committing to a final logo direction.

Final Logo Designs

The final logo combines a handcrafted workout with a simplified Japanese, お, character enclosed within the stamp-inspired icon. By incorporating this character into the logo design, it created an immediate connection to the app’s name while also serving as a distinctive visual mark that user can easily recognize throughout the app and its various formats. Inspired by traditional Japanese hank seals, the logo reflects the apps focus on craftsmanship, authenticity, and cultural exploration. The rounded forms and handcrafted lettering reinforce OMIYAGE’s welcoming personality while also celebrating the personal experience of exploration.

To ensure flexibility across different digital interfaces, we developed multiple variations, including horizontal, standalone, and both light and dark versions. These variations allow for the brand to remain consistent across splash screens, navigation, app icons, and promotional materials, while maintaining legibility and visual impact across different backgrounds and applications.

User Flow

After defining our users and finalizing the app’s core features, we mapped out the user journey to get a better understanding how each screen would connect throughout the users experience. Creating a user flow allowed for out team to better organize the app’s navigation, identify any missing interactions, and ensure the users ability to move through the scavenger hunt naturally from onboarding to completion.

This process established the foundation for our wireframes, ensuring each feature supported a logical and intuitive progression throughout the app and its design.

Low Fidelity Wireframe

Our wireframes serve as the blueprint for OMIYAGE, allowing us to translate our research and ideas into a structured user experience before moving into high-fidelity design. By mapping each screen and user interaction, our team was able to establish the app’s navigation, information hierarchy, and overall flow, while also ensuring every feature is aligned with the users’ needs.

The wireframing process allowed for us to iterate quickly, test different layouts, and refine the experience as out concept evolved. This foundation helped us visualize how users would progress from onboarding and personalized quizzes, to discovering hunt locations, documenting their experiences, and building their digital craft collection throughout their journey.

High Fidelity Wire Frame

Personalized Quiz

The onboarding quiz has the ability to tailor each users experience based on their interest, budget, preferred environments, and travel style. Rather than presenting every location, the quiz curates a personalized scavenger hunt that reflects each of the visitors preferences, making every visitors journey through Kyoto unique.

Dashboard

The dashboard serves as the user’s home screen after completing the onboarding quiz. It provides a look into current hunt progress, collection, access to hunt map, profile, and allows user to easily continue their journey without having to navigate through multiple screens.

Journal

The Journal page transforms the collected crafts into lasting memories by allowing users to upload photos and write about their experiences. Each entry becomes a digital keepsake that users can revisit at any time, creating a personalized travel passport that extends beyond the trip itself.

Kyoto Map

The map provides users with a visual overview of their personalized scavenger hunt, highlighting the nearby neighborhoods included within their journey rather than revealing every destination upfront. By encouraging users to navigate towards a general area instead of giving exact locations, the map is able to promote exploration and allow visitors to experience Kyoto in a more natural way while also discovering on their own pace.

Clue Page

The clue page introduces the hunt stop through a nearby landmark photo, and short riddle/hint instead of revealing the destination upfront. This feature transform navigation into an interactive experience, ecouraging users to observe their surroundings, engage with Kyotos streets, and uncover the local artisans through curiosity and discovery rather than traditional map, turn-by-turn, directions.

Branding

To achieve the apps visual identity, we created a comprehensive style tile that defines the apps typography, color pallette, textures, iconography, and overall visual direction. Establishing these design standards early on ensured consistency across all screens, while also allowing our team to make design decisions that align with the apps identity.

The color palette was inspired by Kyotos traditional aesthetic, combining warm and neutral tones with muted and deep accent colors that correlate with Japans natural materials. These colors create a calm and inviting environment that complements the idea of collecting memories. Simple typography and the clean layout further reinforces the app’s focus and readability.

These branding elements help transform OMIYAGE into a cohesive experience that celebrates Kyotos culture while encouraging users to slow down, explore, and preserve their memories.

Conclusion

Designing OMIYAGE allowed for our team to explore how design revolved around user experience has the ability to encourage visitors to engage with Kyotos historical culture in a more meaningful way. Through user research, field observations, and designing, we were able to create an app that transforms traditional sightseeing into a personalized journey that is centered around discovery, local artisans, and cultural appreciation.

By combining personalized hunt recommendation and a digital craft journal, OMIYAGE encourages users to slow down and explore beyond popular tourist attractions, preserving their memories along the way. The app doesnt just help visitors find a nice place to shop, but rather it celebrates the stories behind each craft, craftsmanship, and curates an authentic experience for each user. Ensuring each collected craft becomes a reminder of their unique Kyoto experience.

OMIYAGE — A Craft Collection App was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Joe Rozek, Ethan Podgers, Erica Martin

Introduction

Kyoto Flo is an app that aids exploration and connects people more deeply to the history and context of Kyoto. Rather than solely act as a mapping tool, the app is a scavenger hunt that incentivizes exploration and rewards a deeper understanding of the city and its history. Kyoto Flo guides users through a space with different clues that are formed from contemporary features of the city, revealing the underlying art and history and connecting them to tourist attractions.

The app is intended to be used by English-speaking tourists as a means of navigating the city who are looking for more than the conventional guidebook experience. Our ambitions are to develop an app that allows for exploration of Kyoto as a whole, but for our project we have focused on Nishiki Market, a highly trafficked tourist attraction that has its roots in old Kyoto and old Japan.

Nishiki market is an ideal proof of concept for our app. It is a market that has been operating in some form or another for at least the past eight hundred years in the Heian era, and it received official recognition from the Shogunate in 1615. The clean, cold water from melting hillsides allowed fish traders to keep their stock fresh and palatable for visitors to the Imperial palace.

Today Nishiki is a dense collection of shops, desserts, goods, historical landmarks and artistic references that rewards exploration and stimulates curiosity.

Project Team

The project team is made up of three Temple University students, led by professors Kelly Holohan and Abby Guido.

Erica Martin — Is a rising senior in Temple’s Graphic Design program with a background in branding and wayfinding. She developed the UX/UI and layout systems.

Ethan Podgers — Is a complete ninja with illustrator and developed the brand identity and graphics of the project. They are a rising senior in Temple’s Graphic Design program specializing in UX/UI and Publishing.

Joe Rozek — Is a landscape architect in training, ecologist by background, and a collector of hobbies that lead him into gardens, museums, or the wilderness. He’s happiest sketching a temple in Kyoto, styling a bonsai, or SCUBA diving, and is convinced every place has a story worth uncovering. His research allowed for the in-depth exploration of Ito Jakuchu and the story of Nishiki Market.

Research Summary

Our research combined field observation, historical exploration, and experiential learning. The project began with multiple visits to Nishiki Market where we experienced the space as first time visitors. We documented how tourists navigated the space, where congestion occurred, and what stores we were first drawn to. We saw first hand how the space functions and where it discloses its history versus what parts remain hidden or opaque.

To better understand this history of the market we consulted literature relating to the market’s formation, survival to the present day, and the history of individual stores some of which have been in operation for centuries. We also visited museums and historical sites to understand Kyoto and how the city has functioned through the ages.

Ito Jakuchu

One facet of Nishiki Market quickly became central to our app: reproductions of Ito Jakuchu’s paintings adorn the shutters of the market. Ito Jakuchu was one of Kyoto’s most notable painters in the 1800s, rising to prominence as a young man. Nishiki Market was threatened by competitors, and its survival was only ensured when Jakuchu abandoned his profession and became an administrator of the market. These reproductions offer a touchstone that connect the modern tourist attraction to the history and aesthetics of Japan.

User Types

Culture-Minded Traveler — The Culture Minded Traveler is visiting Kyoto for the first time. They want to experience authentic Japanese culture, but feel intimidated by unknown streets, language barriers, and a profusion of travel recommendations. Although they enjoy learning, they rarely know what makes one site more historically significant than another.

Kyoto Flo provides structure for the Culture-Minded Traveler without removing the excitement of exploration and discovery. Scavenger hunts help them navigate with confidence to discover stories that would have otherwise remained hidden.

The Try-Everything — The Try Everything is a curious, adventurous traveler who enjoys wandering without a fixed itinerary. They have done less research and aren’t very concerned with checking off monuments from a list — they just want to find weird Japan.

For the Try-Everything, Kyoto Flo is a jazzy and spontaneous exploration that educates as it ushers them through some of the most interesting places.

Site Map/ User Flow

The scavenger hunt model allowed us to gamify and reward close inspection, transforming history into an interactive experience. Instead
of simply presenting historical facts, our app encourages users to solve for clues, locate landmarks, and create connections independently before being given additional information.

The Site is designed around the idea of Kyoto as a living city, not just Nishiki Market. This meant that the layout of the app would need to expand beyond the limit of our scavenger hunt. Our systems are designed to apply to a variety of other locations, and the inclusion of seasonal scavenger hunts allows for special events and an app that is reactive to the continuous changes of Kyoto.

Wireframe

Key screens include onboarding, map navigation, scavenger hunt progression, historical information pages, clue interactions, and completion rewards. These screens illustrate how users move between physical exploration and digital storytelling while navigating Nishiki Market and offer a template for further development of an app that explores Kyoto as a whole.

The wireframe allowed us to experiment with various ideas such as the ways that users can expand and minimize information about the scavenger hunt, and the process of active tracking as the hunt progresses.

Our final High Fidelity wireframe uses color as the backbone for navigation, with each major type of interaction serving as the primary visual aid. This allows for users to easily move through the app and understand when they are presented with a different function or feature.

Branding

The visual identity of Kyoto Flo draws directly from Nishiki Market itself. The overall tone of the application is puckish and textured. Rather than treat history as a series of facts or the city as a list to be checked off, Kyoto Flo treats exploration as a game and the city as a place to be engaged with playfully and thoughtfully. The interface encourages discovery and respect of the city’s roots.

The project evolved through stages of research and refinement. Field observations suggested that a conventional information system would not be effective or improve user’s experience of the space; tourists already have maps and guidebooks, but no incentive to slow down and explore the historic details of a space.

Logo

The crux of Kyoto Flo’s logo is the iconic ceiling of Nishiki Market. The chevrons above the marketplace were an obvious point of inspiration. The Chevron functions not only as a nod to the focus of the project, but also as a representation of the motion of moving from one location to the next.

The Nishiki chevron appears in other forms across the brand; creating an overall sense of harmony and playfulness for the user.

Icons

The design of the icon began with the chevron, building the home icon for the dashboard with the same shape used in the logo. From there, a system was created which took care to explore the limits of incorporating the limited palette or individual colors.

Image Making

When developing the illustration style, loose inspiration was pulled from Japanese woodblock prints, and we placed emphasis on a limited palette. Both Illustrations and Pictograms use the tints and shades of our brand colors to build simple representation of iconic locations and objects.

Both the Pictograms and Illustrations incrementally build up in detail and use of color — culminating in a visual system which speaks the same language but covers a spectrum of complexity.

Page Navigation

The pages of Kyoto Flo are designed around the scavenger hunt feature. Visitors are moved through the hunt and provided with additional facts and information about each of the stops along the way.

Style Tile

During the design process we places special emphasis on creating a brand that felt both modern and playful as well as informative and respectful of the place it represents.

The result is an app that feels less like a travel book and more like a travel companion.

Closing Thoughts

Joe

I gained a great deal of insight into the design process. What was notable for me was the attention to user archetypes and the tailoring of each element to those predicted users. I’m excited to implement these insights in my landscape architecture work.

Erica

I enjoyed working with a capable and positive group. Exploring a new country with a graphic design themed analysis was a new way of seeing sights. I found this analysis to be a productive lens both within the project and the larger context of graphic design.

Ethan

I appreciated working as part of a team. In previous projects I had not been given a singular role, so it was refreshing to hone in on my graphic design. I enjoyed working internationally for the first time and gaining fresh perspective on UI.

Kyoto Flo — Case Study was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Stampo! — Collecting Stamps in Japan

A Scavenger Hunt App Case Study

Overview

Stampo! was formed during an 8 week summer Design & Illustration workshop that took place in Temple Japan’s Kyoto Campus. The class was instructed by two professors from Temple’s campus in Philadelphia, Kelly Holohan who led the first half of the semester and Abby Guido leading the second half.

Students from various majors and experiences with graphic design were brought together to Kyoto for the same goal — creating a scavenger hunt app for users to discover Kyoto in their own special way.

When our group of 3 first formed, it didn’t take long before we found a common interest in Japan’s collectible stamps. This led to the development of our app Stampo! to guide stamp enthusiasts on their journey to grow their collection in Japan. We were determined to make stamp hunting fun and seamless, and to provide a way for users to keep a digital collection of what they found. Stampo! isn’t limited to specific types of stamps, opening up varying collectible designs and locations to be discovered.

Our Team

Initial Inquiries

After finding our shared interest for Japan’s stamps, we first asked ourselves — Why stamp collecting?

We found that:

1. Many different locations offer collectible stamps, with some stamp stations being hidden or fairly noticeable to find, all bringing a fun range for a scavenger hunt.
2. Affordability, with the majority of stamps being free and a small amount costing only a few hundred yen.
3. They are great keepsakes since stamps contain either a written location, unique image to the site, or both.

We then questioned — What would our app cover that physical stamp collecting doesn’t?

What we determined was that:

1. Since users can collect stamps digitally, there are no worries with needing a physical book. Moreover, users who do want to collect with tangible books will find our app helpful as a safety measure when problems arise with the physical stamp, like not having enough ink.
2. Our app creates an even more interactive experience for stamp collecting, featuring several personalizations for the stamp book and tanuki character, counting the user’s steps and searching time taken, and the option to share to socials.
3. The hunt for stamps becomes more fun by notifying users of nearby stamps on the map, giving users a hint without uncovering the exact location, and providing directions or help when needed.

Diving Deeper

After making an outline of what we were aiming to accomplish, we dove into more research about stamps and what exactly is offered. We knew we wanted to have an assortment of designs and locations, so we thought about how we could highlight this aspect in our app when our objective is to involve 3 stops. We explored available locations online, read stamp collector’s experiences, conducted field visits at different sites, and collected some stamps ourselves. What we decided on was the Kyoto Botanical Garden, Kyoto Imperial Palace, and Tamaru Inbou which is a stamp shop located in Nishiki Market. We thought these locations would emphasize the diversity in Japan’s obtainable stamps.

During our search, we also came across a special type of stamp called goshuin, which are official shrine or temple seals collected as a proof of visit. Goshuin are in their own special category which many consider sacred. Since they are seals that are not to be mixed with other forms of stamps, we decided not to include them in our app. Although, some shrines or temples do have tourist stamps, different from goshuin, which we will include.

Competitors

To further our research, we observed existing Japan stamp collecting apps and their functions. There were three apps which stood out in our research: Stamp Quest, Ekitag, and Stamp Map. We found that most of these apps had an abundance of train station stamps. Many user reviews also brought attention to this, expressing their desire to also have other locations. Since we wanted to include but not limit our app to train stations, we decided to show a wider range by choosing the garden, historical landmark, and shop, plus many more locations to be added.

Another feature we focused on for our app is the language accessibility. We found that some apps were mostly or entirely in Japanese when typical users are foreigners who are in search for stamps as souvenirs of their trip to Japan. This made the apps difficult to navigate, frustrating, or intimidating to use, which is why we kept away from adding an excessive amount of Japanese characters.

User Types

We devised our 3 user types when taking into consideration of the location in Kyoto, anticipated users being foreigners, and what stamps are to be collected. Our main focus was The Family, which was important to help guide and manage our choices to best fit the atmosphere of our app, which is having a fun and bright feel that adds to the excitement and desire of exploring Kyoto.

User Flow & Site Map

With the research collected, our next steps were making the user flow and site map. We began with the userflow and how a first-time user would navigate creating their account and collecting stamps. By building this model, we were able to visualize a clear picture of what our app should include. Additionally, the site map was helpful in organizing what screens we would have and the options included under each section.

A key change from the first draft of our app was how we initially had all stamp locations mapped out. With our prompt in mind, we came to question this design because if the stamp locations were already displayed, we thought this would take way from the scavenger hunt aspect. Our draft then progressed to users having unknown whereabouts about stamp locations, driving the app to be more interactive. Users will now receive a notification when stamps are in a nearby location without fully revealing their specific spot. This also shaped the addition of a clue inbox, where all of the clues for nearby stamps will live inside.

Wireframe

Next was creating the wireframe, which progressed our app even further from our initial designs in the user flow and site map. One of the biggest changes, after many reflections on its use, was removing the social media section of our app. We originally created this in hopes for members to interact and share their collections with one another easily. After breaking down the contents of what could be shared and how this would look, we had concerns with the ease of sharing stamp locations and designs to those who have not collected them yet. We thought this would subtract from the angle of a scavenger hunt to find locations and discover unidentified stamps. Nonetheless, we wanted users to have the option to share their collected stamps or stamp books. So while we did remove the social media page, we instead added the option to share to already existing platforms.

Overall, our app was made to have a welcoming environment, pushing our designs to be adaptable for each individual user. This led to the formation of customizable stamp book covers and a customizable Tanuki character. The app will also count user’s steps and the time taken to discover stamps, letting users look back at what they’ve accomplished. Furthermore, we created an encouraging atmosphere with supportive words, assisting the locations of exact stamp locations if users are having a difficult time, and celebrations for finding stamps.

Name

Our first name idea was Sagashi Sutanpu which combines the romanization of the Japanese words “to search for” (sagashi) and stamp (sutanpu). After feedback from peers in the class and brainstorming other ideas we chose Stampo! which had a nice flow and left quite an impact. We also wanted to keep the element of stamp searching, which Stampo! delivers with its combination of the word stamp and the Japanese word for “to take a leisurely walk” (sanpo). In tribute to our first idea, Sagashi Sutanpu became our team name and can still be found in some designs of our app such as one of the book covers.

Logo

After our team experienced seeing baby Tanukis first-hand on a site visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha, we knew they would be perfect for Stampo! and the atmosphere we were aiming for. Tanukis are a Japanese raccoon dog that’s unique to East Asia and especially well-known in Japan as a playful, mischievous creature that also symbolizes luck, making it an enjoyable companion for a scavenger hunt.

Our Tanuki features:

1. A determined & mischievous face
2. Tourist guide flag
3. Traditional Tanuki character attire
4. Big eyes to help users observe and pay attention to surroundings
5. Smile symbolizing friendliness & kindness
6. Hat for protection from trouble & accidents
7. A stamp-like texture

Style Tile

Since we aimed to have a bubbly and fun energy for our app, we chose to incorporate bright, bold colors that bring about an enjoyable feeling. We also included designs that transfer how stamps and stamp books are experienced in the real world to the digital world.

Mockups

Insights

This project was a great addition to each of our personal growth, combining both the challenges and excitement of navigating a new city and creating an app within that area. There were struggles both outside and inside the classroom, like language barriers in our Kyoto exploration or needing to learn tools on Figma. Despite the trials, we continued to face this chapter of our lives with determination, leaving with new skills to build upon and an unforgettable semester.

Credits

Designers: Abby Aguilar, Eva Miller, Kacey Mare Cuizon

Instructors: Kelly Holohan, Abby Guido

Institution: Tyler School of Art and Architecture — Design & Illustration

Figma Prototype Link

https://www.figma.com/prototype/stampo

Stampo! — Collecting Stamps in Japan was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As students traveling through Kyoto, Japan from overseas, there’s a lot that we’ve had to learn. From the language to the navigation to the different cultural norms and customs of Japan, we’ve experienced a lot of culture shock throughout our time here in our summer semester.

However, collectively, our team had the most issue with something that may seem unexpected: navigating Kyoto’s food scene. While there’s an abundance of food everywhere you look, whether it’d be small, local businesses or popular food chains, it was incredibly difficult for us not only as foreigners but as foreigners with food restrictions to be able to comfortably eat in Kyoto.

All three of us have some sort of food allergy, dietary restriction, or eating preferences (including: religion (Halal), lactose intolerance, food texture, and more). There is also a bit of a language barrier as foreigners who aren’t always able to understand what’s written on the menus (not all places offer English menus, Japanese that we can’t read, etc.).

We were thinking, what would be the best way for us and other foreigners with food restrictions and preferences to navigate Kyoto in a fun way? A way that would allow them to travel and explore this iconic city comfortably and easily?

If you’re someone who is in Kyoto who feels this way (or who would just like to explore Kyoto’s food scene in general), KYO’PICK is an app for you.

Overview

What is KYO’PICK?

Our app, KYO’PICK, short for “Kyoto Pick” (or Today’s Pick in Japanese) is an app made for people wanting to explore Kyoto and its food scene while also considering their specific food restrictions (Ex:// “I’m allergic to dairy,” or, “I can only eat halal foods,”) and preferences (Ex:// “I don’t like the texture of eggs very much.”)

KYO’PICK will navigate its users through Kyoto’s restaurants and their menus while clearly stating what is included in the food and what isn’t. It will provide clarity on which ingredients are used throughout the menu, making it clear to the user what they can eat in regard to their specific allergies and restrictions.

So, how does it work?

KYO’PICK acts as a scavenger hunt throughout Kyoto where users navigate through the city to different food locations that can fit their needs.

When signing in for the first time onto the app, the user creates their own profile, deciding whether they are a scavenger or a restaurant owner. As a scavenger, they choose which food restrictions/preferences they have which will filter which locations will show up on the home screen of the app.

On the home screen, users can choose restaurants and favorite them. They can also filter them by food type (ex:// sushi, Chinese, tempura, etc.), rating of the restaurant, and how close by it is.

After each stop, users will scan a QR-code that tracks their progress confirming that they ate at each location before giving them a digital sticker. After successfully eating at three locations, the user will get a coupon for a free meal.

User Archetypes

Who is this app for? This app is primarily for:

1.) Foreign Tourists and Travelers

These are people from a country other than Japan who want to try Kyoto’s food with specific food preferences/restrictions but know little to nothing about Japan.

Needs:

• Want to travel Japan and try food knowledgeably
• Want to know the details of what they’re eating
• Want to have an easy and fun time finding new foods and places to eat
• Want to find places that fit their individual needs/preferences

Pain Points:

• Limited Japanese/knowledge of Japan and its customs/culture
• Can’t go to just “any” place or eat “any” food (a “picky eater”)

How Does This App Address These Needs?

• Will give foreign users an easier way to navigate restaurants in Kyoto, Japan
• English (+ other languages) for menus and clarification on ingredients
• Will include recognizable icons showing which foods have which dietary restrictions

But this app is also for:

2.) Restaurants and Food Providers

These are people who own food businesses in Kyoto, Japan (of all backgrounds) who are open to advertising their establishments to people with specific food needs and restrictions.

Needs:

• Wish to advertise their business to more people
• Want to use a platform similar to Door Dash or Uber Eats’ advertising and UX/UI (search engine function)

Pain Points:

• Struggle with translating information about their food (language barrier, too local of a spot, etc.)
• Wish to advertise their food to a larger audience
• Sometimes struggle as a business because not enough people know about them/their options are too niche

How Does This App Address These Needs?:

KYO’PICK will give food providers and restaurant owners an additional platform to advertise their products to a larger audience (foreigners and those with food restrictions).

Research & Brainstorming

• Our app is all about navigating through Kyoto’s food scene, keeping places in mind that are especially accommodating and/or inclusive to people with different kinds of food restrictions.

Site Visits:

• Nishiki Market: a wide range of options for food; specific to Kyoto; limited English
• Aeon Mall (Kyoto): a sizeable food court, Japanese & foreign foods; lots of English
• Tofukuji and Fujinomori: near train stations and easily accessible for many; local restaurants and cafés

Competing Apps:

• Uber Eats/Door Dash/etc.
• Tabé Log

Our Experiences with our own Restrictions:

• The importance of universal signs (no language barriers)
• Skipping locations where we don’t understand the menu

Style Tile

UX/UI

Lo-Fi Sketches

This is a collection of early sketches of the lo-fi wireframing for KYO’PICK. Here, we brainstormed ideas about the backbone of the app and the specifics of what a foreign user using this application would want and need the most. For example, where would the user choose their preferences during the on-boarding process, where would they choose restaurants to go to while on the home page, and how would they track their progress through the scavenger hunt.

Lo-fi Wireframing

Here, our early wireframing sketches were developed through Figma on a deeper level with more attention given to the details of the app’s overall UX/UI and functional design.

Hi-fi Wireframing

Finally, we added our color palette, logos, fonts, icons, and images to give our app a fully completed and cohesive look. The user is clearly able to understand where to click, where to exit out of each page, and where to navigate through the app in order to meet their needs.

Site Map

This is a closer look at all of the options our users will have while navigating through our app. During the on-boarding process (at the top of the map) is where the user will choose if they are a “user” or a “restaurant owner” before choosing their specific food preferences and restrictions. The rest of the app will be the scavenger hunt itself including the user’s account, a favorite restaurants page, as well as the community tab to communicate with other users.

User Flow

Here is an example of one of the paths users may take while using KYO’PICK. This flow begins with the on-boarding process and goes through the scavenger hunt before ending with a reward of a stamp and/or a coupon.

Branding

Final Deliverables

Conclusion

If you happen to be a foreigner visiting Kyoto with specific food preferences, this is the app you’ll need. KYO’PICK aims to be accommodating to most individuals while also still allowing them to have a fun and easy time eating foods in Kyoto. Whether you have a basic understanding of Japan or know nothing at all, this app will offer details of the menu in English for those who have a limited knowledge of Japanese.

“Dine Through Kyoto Your Way”

Reach out to our Team!

• Elena Hardesty: elena.hardesty@temple.edu
• Maria Camila Peña: maria.pena0001@temple.edu
• Mohand “Zaha” Alzahrani: mohand.alzahrani@temple.edu

(Credit to Adobe Stock for all Stock Image Photos)

(AI was used for translating some of our images and their text.)

KYO’PICK was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This thesis is about Frank Sinatra as an artist, not in the musical sense overall, multi-medium, covering, conceptual design, fashion, and his personal paintings. I have spent nearly half my life obsessed with Sinatra. He, as an entertainer, has been my primary motivation and inspiration for many aspects of my life. He is the reason I learned to sing, and his films and stage performances have been a visual inspiration to me as a designer and artist. How I came to the conclusion to make this my thesis topic was tough. Many will have a righteous or productive topic to focus on for their thesis, but I could not think of any way I could conjure up a concept that valuable, and so I fell to my desire to produce a thesis relating to my personal obsessions. My initial idea was just to research the art of Sinatra’s album covers, as I had previously learned that he was the first music artist to have a concept artist, and the graphic design of album covers is extremely important to a concept album. But as I failed to find enough information to fill out a small book filled with albums, credits and design analysis, I decided to expand the topic to Sinatra’s influence on the design of his albums and his overall art philosophy. I for sure wanted to have a section on his history as a painter in his personal life but for the middle section, I was torn between his fashion statement and his history as a film producer and actor, but I was able to find more about his fashion philosophy and decided to go with that. From there I had the basic outline and idea of my thesis.

Chapter 1: Album Art

As it was my initial idea, I decided album art would be my first chapter. I still wanted to write about the people who designed the album covers, who they were, how they ended up in the position to be designing these album covers and if Sinatra was involved in the creation process outside of the music having influence over the tone of the art.

The first album I decided to cover was Wee Small Hours. The reason I chose Wee Small Hours first was due to it being considered the first concept album, which is an album that contains a narrative or consistent ‘conceptual’ theme. Painted by Alex Steinweiss, who invented album cover art as a concept in 1940; it shows Sinatra as the man in the narrative, sitting under a streetlamp at night, smoking a cigarette, solemnly. On the informational page for this album, is a picture of Alex Steinweiss, next to a passage about him and his position in the Capitol records art department. The additional visual decor on the info page is taking colors from the album cover as well as the visual motif of lamp posts and their shining light.

The second album I covered was All Alone. This edition being released in 1962, shows a painting of Sinatra by an artist only known as Weber with typography from Sinatra’s personal branding and can be found reused elsewhere in Sinatra’s career and is the primary inspiration for the cover of my thesis project. The full painting used for this cover could be found in Sinatra’s home; he is pictured with the full painting on the information side of this spread, as well as the interior cover of the album. For the decor of the page, I once again pulled the colors from the album cover design, but decided to go with imperfect rectangles, which is used in the painting as well as, in general, being a popular design motif during the time period the album was produced.

Next album up was a Swingin’ Affair! released in 1957, this album cover was a photo composite of photography by famous and influential Hollywood photographer, Bob Willoughby. The title typeface, which itself is inspired by Futura, would become an early version of Avant Garde by the ITC. Avant Garde, is used throughout my thesis project here and there, and in this case is the initial cap for the informational page. The accent decor takes the green from the title typeface as well. On the right side of the informational page is a photo of Bob Willoughby and the photo on the left column is another example of his photography, showing a picture of Sinatra and fellow Rat Pack member, Dean Martin, taking a smoke break on a film set.

Album number four is Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely, quite the long name. The cover was painted by Nicholas Volpe, a commercial artist who worked with Capitol Records on several album projects. Depicted in oil pastel is Sinatra as Pagliacci (sad clown archetype). It is said that Sinatra came up with this conceptually. It is also important to note that this cover design won a Grammy for Best Album Cover at the first ever Grammy Awards ceremony in 1959, hence the colorized grammy on the right side of the page in front of a reocurring design element colored to match the clown makeup on Sinatra’s illustrated face. The diamond pattern used on the cover I as well pulled to create the end-pages for this book, pictured below.

The final album covered is Come Fly With Me. Released in 1958 and painted by James D. Johnson, also known as ‘Jim Jonson’. The cover is a fantastic oil pastel illustration and one of the most iconic Sinatra album covers. I took, once again, from the title type for an initial cap for the information page, overlapping with a sort of ribbon wrapping around the pages, taken from the racing stripes of the plane, but inspired visually from PAN AM, as I had taken visual inspiration from PAN AM branding of the era for other aspects of the page decor.

Break chapter: The Foundation of Reprise Records

Reprise Records was founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, who sought to create a label that gave artists greater creative freedom and ownership over their work. Reprise Records was a major game changer for the rights of musical artists and, while currently under ownership of Warner Bros, still abides by the founding principles set by Sinatra. This spread is probably my favorite, or at least one of my favorites that I’ve done for this thesis project. I think the visual emulation of a warn album was pretty successful. The design on the faux album is original, using inspiration from the actual record labels on records released by Reprise, using their steam boat emblem and the Reprise Records logo itself, which has an official vector file available online!

On the left side of the spread (below) I created a record visual in photoshop, taking public scans of records and paper textures. I think it turned out pretty convincing as well.

Chapter 2: The Sinatra Style

Sinatra was a very influential figure in the public world of fashion amongst the general American culture from the 40s to 60s, inspiring the style for the typical men of the era who idolized him, trying to imitate his aura or attitude. This fashion, is an art and design that is essential to Sinatra as person. I was torn in the early stage of this project between covering either his fashion style philosophy or his experience as a movie producer, director and actor and the philosophy behind those artistic choices for the second chapter. Ultimately the decision to go with his fashion was due to the amount of information found about his fashion compared to film in the context of art and design.

Not much to say about this spread, heavy on the type, describing Sinatra’s style in detail, how it impacted pop culture of the period and includes quotes directly from Sinatra about when, where and why he wore what he did. Design accents are reused from other page but recolored to fit the pink color theme of the chapter. One note about the design of this page I’d like to bring attention to is the initial cap being the ‘S’ of The Sands casino, a location in Vegas often frequented by Sinatra and the Rat Pack and synonymous with their reign in the Sin City.

The Final spread of chapter two, pictured above, showcases some of Sinatra’s iconic looks, including a few that were mentioned in the informational spread.

Chapter 3: The Painter

Something new I discovered during the research for this project, was Sinatra being a pretty adept painter. I was aware that he had painted before and would take pictures occasionally as a hobby, but I didn’t know he painted to this extent.

Sinatra painted for over 40 years but his activity as a painted ramped up in the late 80s until his death in the 90s. It was fairly difficult to obtain information and even images of his paintings that I could use in this project, as the most extensive archive of his paintings online is from an auction site that has DRM protection, preventing people from saving images of the paintings without paying an expensive subscription fee of a couple hundred dollars a month. Luckily I still was able to pick some of my favorite paintings by Sinatra, especially this untiltled abstract painting of flowers, pictured below.

And with that, we have reached the end of my thesis project, until next. In the future I’d like to go back and explore Sinatra’s film career and continue to add to this book as I discover more and more about Sinatra and the art surrounding him. As for now, this journey has lead to the discovery of so much surrounding my all-time favorite music artist and someone I’ve been fixated on for a good chunk of my life. Thank you for joining me in the artistic life of Frank Sinatra, outside of the singing.

Works Cited

• dial35. (n.d.). Sinatra: Drawn & Painted (grassroot, harlow123, & Egbert1971, Eds.)

[Review of Sinatra: Drawn & Painted]. Rateyourmusic; Sonemic inc. Retrieved January

24, 2026, from https://rateyourmusic.com/list/dial35/sinatra__drawn_and_painted/

• Solenthaler, B. (2024, September 15). The Great Hits of Frank Sinatra album art [Reviewof The Great Hits of Frank Sinatra album art]. FONTS in USE; Colophon.

https://fontsinuse.com/uses/39990/the-great-hits-of-frank-sinatra-album-art

• Polyphonic. (2019). How Frank Sinatra Invented the Album [Review of How Frank

Sinatra Invented the Album]. In MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peopleandplaces/how-frank-sinatra-invented-the-album/vi-AA1txPv0

• KARA. (2011, July 23). Music for the Eyeballs. [Review of Music for the Eyeballs.].

Teensluth; Wordpress. https://teensleuth.com/blog/?p=6845

• Berman, R., & Cournoyer, J. (n.d.). Alex Steinweiss: Creator of the Album Cover

[Review of Alex Steinweiss: Creator of the Album Cover]. Alexsteinweiss; Robert

Berman. Retrieved January 24, 2026, from https://alexsteinweiss.com/as_index.html

• Brower, S. (2016, June 2). How Columbia Records’ 23-year-old Art Director Alex

Steinweiss Changed the Way We Buy Music [Review of How Columbia Records’ 23-

year-old Art Director Alex Steinweiss Changed the Way We Buy Music]. AIGA Eye on

Design; AIGA. https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/how-columbia-records-23-year-old-art-

director-alex-steinweiss-changed-the-way-we-buy-music/

• (n.d.). Alex Steinweiss [Review of Alex Steinweiss]. FONTS in USE; Colophon.

Retrieved January 25, 2026, from https://fontsinuse.com/designers/5563/alex-steinweiss

Thesis: Sinatra by Design was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Problem

For most beginners, getting into PC building means jumping between YouTube videos, Reddit threads, and tools that assume you already know what you’re doing. Terms like GPU, PSU, and motherboard chipsets are introduced without explanation, and figuring out compatibility between parts can feel confusing and risky.

On top of that, information is usually presented all at once. Instead of being guided, users are expected to figure things out on their own. This creates a frustrating experience where beginners feel overwhelmed before they even start.

This led to a central question: how can design make a complicated hobby feel less intimidating?

The Goal

The goal of BuildSmart is to make PC building easier to understand for people with little to no experience. The platform focuses on guiding users step-by-step, breaking down complex information into smaller parts, and creating an experience that feels approachable instead of overwhelming.

The Approach

This project focuses on reducing complexity through design. Instead of adding more features or information, the goal was to organize content in a way that feels clear and structured.

Research into usability and interface design helped shape the direction of the platform. Visual hierarchy, spacing, and pacing were used to guide users through information gradually. Every decision was made with beginners in mind, making sure the experience feels supportive rather than intimidating.

Branding & Personality

The name BuildSmart was chosen because it clearly communicates both the action and the intention behind the platform. It suggests a guided and thoughtful approach to PC building rather than something overly technical.

To make the experience feel more approachable, I introduced a mascot named Pip. Pip is a small CPU chip character that appears throughout the platform, helping guide users as they move through different steps. Instead of presenting information coldly, Pip adds a sense of personality and makes the experience feel more welcoming.

Reflection

One of the biggest takeaways from this project was how important structure and pacing are when designing for beginners. Breaking information into smaller steps makes a big difference in how users understand and interact with a product.

I also learned how to balance personality with usability. Elements like Pip help make the experience more engaging, but they need to support the content rather than distract from it.

If I were to continue developing BuildSmart, I would expand the platform with more interactive features, deeper educational content, and additional community tools to support users throughout the entire process.

BuildSmart — Making PC Building Beginner-Friendly was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A Visual Warning of the Effects of AI on Human Relationships

Public Service Announcement is a visual warning and study of Artificial Intelligence and its effect on interpersonal relationships. The topic of AI has become profoundly controversial in many different spaces. On the issue of its place in human relationships in particular, there are many arguments both for and against it. Some believe it allows them to seek safe, empathetic companionship, reducing loneliness and providing mental health support. While others find that it does the opposite, providing a false cure for loneliness and further isolating individuals from authentic human connection. Through the study of academic and non-academic texts and the design of a brand and visual language, the dangers of Artificial Intelligence and its effects on interpersonal relationships are explored through the lens of what defines companionship and connection.

The Problem

AI has crept into almost every facet of the human experience by replacing commonplace search functions and mundane features in human jobs and now human relationships. This has caused society to be driven further from human connection, causing individuals to become dangerously disconnected from the social development necessary to maintain a functioning society. In many cases, the technology is viewed as a tool to enhance communication and ease the emotional risk of rejection. Yet, it is argued that the emotional risk of rejection is a deeply human experience and necessary to understanding the range of human emotions and interactions. Despite this difference of opinion, some studies regarding AI and its effects on human relationships believe there must be a balancing act in the integration of the two, not allowing one to dominate the other, while others maintain the belief that it has absolutely no place and should be done away with entirely or solely utilized as an educational tool outside of interpersonal relationships and interactions.

The Approach

This widely debated and controversial topic felt extremely important to discuss because there has been a lack of focus on the effects of Artificial Intelligence through a human-centered lens, rather than focusing on corporate productivity standards. Through research of academic and non-academic texts, it became clear that the integration of AI within human relationships is not inevitable or neutral.

“We are living through a paradox that may define our era. Humans are wired to connect, yet we’ve never been more isolated. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) is growing more responsive, conversational, and emotionally attuned by the day. Perhaps because of this, we are increasingly turning to machines for what we’re not getting from each other: companionship.”

The decision that society makes now to seek companionship not from one human to another, but from a soulless algorithm programmed to please, will define the course of humanity as we know it. The idea that humans will become more withdrawn from one another in favor of a chatbot trained to reflect their owners’ needs and biases, regardless of the morality and the potential for future danger to themselves and others, is utterly terrifying. These thoughts guided the design direction of the project, resulting in it taking the nature of a series of posters and motion graphics warning users and non-users alike of the menacing and perilous nature of AI chatbots and companions.

The Branding

While establishing the direction of the brand identity for PSA, it was important that it feel as convoluted, disturbing, and destructive as Artificial Intelligence itself, while clearly communicating the mission of the work.

The first step of creating the identity was establishing a cohesive color palette. The restrictive and vibrant color system was an intentional choice to frame the nature of AI technology with grit and moodiness. The green and purple are paired together for their stark and intense contrast that invokes the feel of coding and the visual language of the internet. The dark grey and off-white act as neutrals and balance out the color palette. In wanting to have texture that communicated the grittiness of the topic throughout the brand, along with the color palette, I established textures to be applied across various aspects of marketing.

When it came to the design of the logo, it needed to be bold, impactful, and push the boundaries of texture and how it pushes the narrative of the work. The logo takes the typical PSA logo and spins it into something that draws attention through its punchy texture and bold color.

Lastly, the typography system for the brand needed to be defined. Given the topic and the inspiration for the color palette, it was only fitting that the secondary type be in pixel type to have a direct relationship to technology and coding. The pixel type needed to be balanced so the primary type became a bold sans serif to add clear hierarchy and clarity to the quotes detailing the dangers of AI and calls to action, urging viewers to fight back against the integration of AI in their relationships.

With the foundation of the brand being built, the rest of the design relied on the pairing of brand application and imagery that related to the fears surrounding and dangers of AI. While choosing photos and videos to be used in the advertisements, I honed in on images of people that I could strip to black and white that still communicated their strong emotions or lack thereof as a demonstration of the two sides of the AI companion user spectrum. I also placed a strong emphasis on showing and abstracting elements of technology that are behind AI now or have the potential to develop in the future.

The Deliverables

Since the project spans across platforms, it was necessary to direct viewers of the posters to the motion graphics, providing more quotes and information regarding the effects of AI on interpersonal relationships through the use of QR codes. The choice to utilize QR codes came from the instinctual reaction to take pictures of images and scenes that we find interesting in this age of technology, so when viewers snap a picture, they will scan the code and be guided to another element of the work to experience and invoke thoughtfulness in how they are interacting with AI technology and what communication and companionship mean regarding it.

The aforementioned motion graphics include voice-overs from human voice actors, enhanced by AI. The choice to utilize AI-enhanced technology was intentional, as the quality of the voice-overs felt somewhat detached from the issue at hand, furthering the message of AI driving a wedge between individuals in real-world relationships.

In Conclusion

While this project is centered on Artificial Intelligence and heavily influenced by my personal experience with and disdain for it, I have learned a lot about its uses and effects through my research for this project. This project challenged me to push the boundaries of my relationship between research and design. It reconnected me with my passion and reason for pursuing design, which was to communicate the missions and ideals of my beliefs to a wider audience so that a larger conversation can be started. While working on my thesis and explaining it to my peers, professors, and others for critique, it opened the door to in-depth conversations surrounding everyone’s own relationship with AI and how they utilize it to streamline their work processes.

Credits

Designer: C’yanna Harris (cyannamnharris.com)
Instructor: Matt Curtius (ginaandmatt.com), Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Image/Video: Adobe Stock, Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash |
Audio/Voiceovers: Epidemic Sound

References

Demopoulos, A. (2025, September 9). The women in love with Ai Companions: “I vowed to my chatbot that I wouldn’t leave him.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/09/ai-chatbot-love-relationships

Hau, I., & Winthrop, R. (2025, October 29). What happens when AI chatbots replace Real human connection. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-happens-when-ai-chatbots-replace-real-human-connection/

Kirk, H. R., Gabriel, I., Summerfield, C., Vidgen, B., & Hale, S. A. (2025, May 28). Why human–AI relationships need socioaffective alignment. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-025-04532-5

Rowe, C. (2025, July 20). The Rise of AI Companions: A Dangerous Step Backwards for Human Connection. Substack. January 28, 2026, https://clarerowe.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-ai-companions-a-dangerous

Technology, C. for H., & Barcay, D. (2025, June 2). People are lonelier than ever. enter AI. People are Lonelier than Ever. Enter AI. https://centerforhumanetechnology.substack.com/p/people-are-lonelier-than-ever-enter

Wang, W., & Toscano, M. (2024, November 14). Artificial Intelligence and relationships: 1 in 4 young adults believe ai partners could replace real-life romance. Institute for Family Studies. https://ifstudies.org/blog/artificial-intelligence-and-relationships-1-in-4-young-adults-believe-ai-partners-could-replace-real-life-romance

PSA: Artificial Intelligence & Interpersonal Relationships was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Digital wellness and fitness technologies are designed to help users improve their health and establish a strong routine, yet many rely on constant tracking, reminders, notifications, and daily performance metrics. While these systems promise motivation and accountability, they often produce the opposite effects: pressure, guilt, and burnout. Wellness becomes something users feel obligated to maintain, and over time, that pressure can make it feel more like a task or assignment than something people genuinely want to return to.

The Problem: Wellness in an Age of Obsession and Overtracking

Research reflects this growing tension. A study analyzing ~13,800 negative posts on X (formerly Twitter) about major fitness applications found that users frequently reported feeling discouraged almost immediately by rigid calorie goals and persistent notifications.¹ Many individuals balancing full-time work, familial responsibilities, or unpredictable schedules struggle to maintain streak-based systems that assume consistency and control over daily routines. This, in turn, creates unnecessary stress for the user. Episodic use might even be inherent to self-tracking, as it may serve as a mechanism for coping with tracker-related stress.²

Studies on dietary self-monitoring platforms like MyFitnessPal further show that constant tracking and gamification can influence negative body image perception and contribute to unhealthy relationships with food. On average, respondents spend over an hour every week manually logging their data and checking their health apps at least once a day (58%). In fact, more than one in ten (11%) admit to checking their app data hourly.³

Tracking itself is not inherently harmful. Research from the Pew Research Center shows that 46% of people who track their health say it has changed how they maintain their well-being, and 40% report asking doctors new questions as a result. Tracking can even act as a “low-cost, effective health intervention.”⁴ However, the same research suggests that most people engage with tracking flexibly, half update their data only occasionally, and many track informally in their heads.

Despite these advantages, many mHealth studies struggle to sustain long-term engagement. The Stanford-led MyHeart Counts study, for example, reported an average engagement time of just 4.1 days, while broader data suggests that approximately 71% of users disengage within 90 days.⁵

Rather than fostering sustainable habits and encouragement, existing wellness technology can unintentionally transform self-care into performance. The question then becomes: what could wellness look like if it removed pressure instead of adding it?

The Initial Approach

Before beginning logo development or defining the system visually, I focused on establishing a clear emotional and aesthetic direction for Qi. Rather than jumping immediately into form-making, I built a mood board to explore how calm, non-demanding technology could feel visually.

The moodboard explores a balance between technology and softness. On one side, there is a clear reference to contemporary digital products through dark interfaces, clean layouts, and structured UI systems. On the other hand, softer elements such as gradients, flowing graphics, and ambient color transitions introduce a sense of calm.

Reframing the Idea of Wellness

As someone who thoroughly enjoys fitness and a healthy lifestyle but does not rely on tracking systems due to these issues, I became interested in the gap between being active and being measured. Many wellness products assume improvement comes from constant incoming data, more reminders, and more engagement. However, personal well-being does not always operate on schedules, streaks, or numerical progress.

Instead of encouraging constant interaction, my goal became designing something that allows absence, flexibility, and personal agency. Wellness could become something users return to when needed rather than something they must maintain every day. From this question, Qi was born. a quiet wellness system centered on optional engagement, reflection, and calm presence.

Logo Development and the Name

The naming process began broadly, with longer, more descriptive words that directly referenced wellness, balance, and mindfulness. Early directions included names that felt explanatory or conceptual, but many of them lacked flexibility when translated into a visual identity. They often felt too literal, too long, or too difficult to express clearly within a logo system.

Qi • (/CHē/)

The vital life force or energy in Chinese philosophy and traditional medicine represents the energy that animates and balances the body. It is also spelled “chi” or “ch’i” and commonly refers to the energy used in martial arts, acupuncture, and tai chi. It represents intrinsic energy drawn from the body, earth, or atmosphere.

In my case, I like to pronounce it like “key,” to symbolize the user’s ability to “unlock” their greatest potential.

I ultimately landed on Qi, not only for its symbolic meaning, but also because its letterforms translate naturally into a compact and balanced logo mark.

The Process of Visual Identity

I began by analyzing existing wellness branding. Most products fell into predictable categories: smartwatch trackers, fitness apps, habit streak platforms, and gamified health systems. Nearly all relied on continuous tracking and feedback loops that reward constant consistency.

Initial sketches explored app-only concepts, ambient reminders, and wearable accessories. However, purely digital solutions felt too similar to existing systems, leading me to shift toward a physical object with its packaging that could exist independently while also connecting to an app.

The Coin

Through portability and usability considerations, the coin emerged as the most natural solution. A coin is familiar and non-intrusive. Unlike a watch or ring, it does not need to be worn and can exist passively in a pocket or bag.

The form also draws loosely from the idea of a challenge coin, which traditionally represents identity, novelty, and shared meaning within a community. While Qi is more personal than social, this reference reinforces the idea of the object as a symbolic token rather than a device.

The coin is easily forgotten positively. It does not demand attention, allowing users to feel free from the obligation to wear another piece of technology loudly.

Packaging Design

The packaging extends Qi’s philosophy, creating a calm and intentional first interaction, while being attractive and an “experience” in itself. Instead of presenting the product as performance-driven, it introduces it as something quiet and minimal.

The outer box uses a dark base with a soft gradient with the shape graphics, referencing flow and energy while maintaining a sense of restraint. Inside, the coin is centered within a precise insert, emphasizing it as a singular, meaningful object that speaks for itself.

App development

Instead of tracking calories, productivity, or streaks, Qi focuses on moments of voluntary engagement. Interaction is minimal and intentional, acting as a subtle cue to pause, breathe, and reflect.

The accompanying interface mirrors this philosophy through a clean, minimal design system that surfaces only what is necessary. Engagement happens only when the user chooses, removing pressure while still offering support.

I began by creating 3 personas with varying yet similar wants and needs that are accomplished by Qi. One that wanted to stay connected without pressure, another that wanted wellness that adapts to a busy schedule, and one that wants alignment with their personal mindfulness principles.

Soon after came the wireframing and mapping out the accompanying UI for Qi. I wanted it to be simple yet informative, where it would track what you need, but nothing more than that. The app encourages without nagging, and leaves the user checking longer and more frequently with less pressure.

The Final Experience

Qi is a coin-like object paired with a minimal digital interface. Rather than functioning as a tracker, it acts as a companion object, something carried, not worn as a performance device.

Users engage on their own terms. The object becomes a tactile reminder to pause or reset, without generating notifications or expectations. Packaging and interface design emphasize clarity, softness, and intentional simplicity, reinforcing the system’s philosophy.

Challenges

Designing a wellness system without traditional, pre-existing metrics presented unique challenges. Wellness products typically communicate value through measurable outcomes, so creating meaning without data required a different approach.

A major challenge was ensuring the object felt intentional rather than gimmicky. It needed enough presence to encourage reflection while remaining subtle enough to avoid becoming another responsibility.

Conclusion

The Qi Wellness System reframes personal wellness through autonomy, mindfulness, and intentional interaction. Instead of motivating users through pressure or gamification, it proposes a quieter relationship with technology, one rooted in choice.

By removing constant monitoring, Qi encourages independence and allows users to build a relationship with wellness that feels self-driven rather than forced.

References

¹ StudyFinds. “Your Fitness App May Sabotage Your Motivation, Study Suggests.” Study Finds, 23 Oct. 2025, studyfinds.org/fitness-app-motivation-study-myfitnesspal/.

² Attig, Christiane, and Thomas Franke. “Why Do People Abandon Activity Trackers? The Role of User Diversity in Discontinued Use.” International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 3 May 2022, pp. 1–13, www.researchgate.net/publication/360361258_Why_Do_People_Abandon_Activity_Trackers_The_Role_of_User_Diversity_in_Discontinued_Use, https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2067935.

³ Digital Information World. “Survey: 45% Report Health App Burnout as Average User Juggles Six Apps.” Digital Information World, 3 Mar. 2026, www.digitalinformationworld.com/2026/03/survey-45-report-health-app-burnout-as.html.

⁴ Pew Research Center. “Tracking for Health.” Pew Research Center, 28 Jan. 2013, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/01/28/tracking-for-health/.

⁵ Amagai, Saki, et al. “Challenges in Participant Engagement and Retention Using Mobile Health Apps: A Literature Review .” Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 24, no. 4, 26 Apr. 2022, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9092233/, https://doi.org/10.2196/35120.

Qi: The Quiet Wellness System was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

My partner is the kind of person who will always find the best deal. Whether it’s groceries, furniture, or anything in between, he’ll scan every option and quickly calculate the cheapest choice. At first, it felt smart — almost impressive. But over time, it started to reveal a friction point. He’d hold off on buying things unless they were on sale or go out of his way just to save a few dollars — decisions I wouldn’t normally make.

I saw the same behavior, even more intensely, with my dad. Every weekend, my parents drive to Delaware to avoid sales tax, then stop at multiple stores, sometimes up to six, just to get the lowest prices on their groceries. For him, that’s what it means to shop intelligently.

That’s when it clicked: there are a lot of “budgeters” out there, and the process they go through to save money is often time-consuming, fragmented, and inefficient.

So I designed Listy for them.

Project Overview
Listy is a grocery price comparison app that helps users save money without the hassle. It allows people to build smart shopping lists and instantly compare prices across nearby stores, making it easier to make cost-effective decisions without jumping between multiple apps or locations.

My Role
I did end-to-end design, including UX research, interaction design, visual design, and branding. I also created illustrations and developed the design system.

Timeline
This project was completed over the course of a semester (approximately 12–14 weeks).

Tools Used
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, FigJam

The Problem

Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of how and where they spend their money. Many people want to save on groceries but lack the time or tools to effectively compare prices across multiple stores.

Why This Matters
Grocery shopping is a frequent and essential activity, yet it often involves inefficient decision-making. Users either settle for convenience or spend excessive time searching for deals, leading to frustration or overspending.

Research
To better understand this problem space, I examined how rising grocery costs are influencing consumer behavior and decision-making. The research revealed several key patterns and pain points:

Price is a primary driver

• 62% of U.S. adults prioritize cost when grocery shopping
• 41% stock up during sales
• 37% buy fewer items
• 35% switch to store brands

Shopping is time-intensive

• Grocery trips typically take 45–60 minutes
• Time investment increases for families

Convenience often outweighs savings

• Grocery delivery usage increased by 56% from 2022 to 2024
• Despite this, 74% of shopping still occurs in physical stores

The experience is inefficient and fragmented

• 58% of shoppers believe the best deals are found in-store
• The lowest prices are often spread across multiple locations
• Too many unorganized choices contribute to decision fatigue
• Many shoppers default to convenience, even at a higher cost

Opportunity gap

• There is no widely adopted, seamless solution for real-time grocery price comparison across stores

Defining the Users

To ensure the solution addressed real needs, I defined key user types based on common grocery shopping behaviors and constraints. These personas reflect a range of priorities around time, budget, and household size.

User Personas

Busy University Student
Needs quick, affordable options and prefers efficiency over extensive planning.

Single Office Worker
Values convenience but wants to stay within a budget and minimize unnecessary spending.

Parent Managing Household Groceries
Focuses on maximizing value while managing larger shopping lists and family needs.

Here are some “how might we’s” to help us come up with some solutions.

How might we…

• Reduce the time and mental effort required to make cost-effective grocery decisions?
• Make saving money on groceries feel as convenient as shopping at a single store?
• Help users confidently plan efficient shopping trips across stores?

Ideation

I explored a range of solutions through brainstorming and sketching, focusing on ways to simplify grocery price comparison.

I prioritized features based on user value:

Must Have

• Grocery list creation and editing
• Price comparison across grocery stores
• Cheapest store recommendation for full grocery list
• Location-based nearby store detection

Should Have

• Item-level price comparison
• Total estimated cost per store + price breakdown
• Save and reuse grocery lists

Could Have

• Deal highlights
• Shopping route suggestions
• Budget setting with alerts
• Weekly deals and discounts view
• Price drop notifications
• Shared grocery lists

Won’t Have (for now)

• Receipt scanning
• Barcode scanning
• Price history graphs

Initial Concept
A mobile app that enables users to compare grocery prices across multiple stores in one place. This approach aligns with current shopping behavior, where users plan digitally but still rely on physical stores for the best deals.

User Flow

Mapping key user journeys ensures the experience supports efficient decision-making from start to finish.

Primary Flow: Comparing Grocery Prices
User creates a list → adds items → views price comparisons → selects preferred store(s)

Secondary Flows

• Editing a grocery list
• Viewing detailed price breakdowns
• Switching between stores

Wireframes

I developed low-fidelity wireframes to explore layout and functionality.

Focus Areas

• Clear hierarchy of information
• Easy list-building experience
• Accessible comparison views

These early sketches helped refine interaction patterns before moving into higher fidelity designs.

Visual Design

Brand Direction

Direction 1: Clean and minimal, emphasizing clarity and efficiency
Direction 2: Friendly and vibrant, focusing on approachability and ease

Final Direction
I chose a balance between the two, combining clean structure with approachable visuals to reduce stress around budgeting.

UI Design

Final Designs

The final product includes high-fidelity mockups of the mobile app.

Key Screens

• Grocery list builder
• Store selection interface
• Price comparison dashboard

Feature Highlights

• Real-time price comparison
• Clear cost breakdowns
• Streamlined, user-friendly interface

In the end, I made four flows, a new user, new “Listy”, single store search and multi store search. Have a look!

Interact-able prototype coming soon…

Reflection

Challenges

One of the main challenges was simplifying complex pricing data into a format that is both accurate and easy to understand. Designing for a range of user types, from highly budget-conscious shoppers to convenience-driven users, also required careful consideration. Maintaining clarity while presenting large amounts of information was a constant balancing act throughout the design process.

If I Had More Time…

With more time, I would explore adding personalization features, such as saving preferred stores or recommending shopping strategies based on past behavior. Improving the brand voice across the app through micro-interactions would also be a priority. Finally, expanding retailer integrations (e.g. how would we filter by brands and business UI) would increase the app’s usefulness and make it a more comprehensive solution for everyday grocery shopping.

Credits
Designer: Stephanie Du (portfolio link)
Instructor: Paul Kepple, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Special Thanks to Helen Shaffer

Designing a Smarter Way to Compare Grocery Prices — Listy was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

INTRODUCTION.

The brightest of the planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, have been known to humans since ancient times. All five are easily visible to the naked eye; glowing as bright as, or even brighter than, the stars in the sky. Saturn is the sixth planet from our Sun and is the furthest one from Earth that can easily be seen.

The oldest written records of the planet date back to 700 BCE. Saturn, the slowest of the naked-eye planets, was described by the Assyrians as a sparkle in the night and was named “Kayyamanu.” Kayyamanu roughly translates to permanent, regular, constant, or steady.

As a lifelong astronomy lover, during my first year of college, one of the first electives I took was astronomy. During one memorable lab session, we set up our telescopes and instead of observing the moon that day, we set our sights on planets instead. Even with telescopes nearly as tall as me, the ringed planet was nothing but a tiny speck — so small, my phone camera couldn’t even focus on it. Saturn is 9 times farther away from the sun than we are and over 9 times bigger than the Earth, and there we were looking at it like an out-of-focus germ under a microscope. An astonishing sight that still sticks with me today.

I knew I wanted my thesis to combine my love of design and astronomy; a sort of full-circle moment. There was no better candidate for an astronomical subject than Saturn. With this project, I wanted to explore the history of observation and exploration of the planet, its rings, and its numerous moons. As a designer and science lover, I wanted this book to be both a work of design as well as a fully functional scientific reference.

Steady Giant is a non-fiction book about the planet Saturn. The sixth planet in our solar system is a scientific wonder with so much to learn about. This piece was made to explore experimental, editorial design and to stand as a work of design that functions as a scientific reference as well.

PROBLEM.

Space is big.

So big it can be difficult to understand topics that people may not have personal connections to. This book dives into the nitty-gritty details and provides an in-depth overview of a relatively small topic in astronomy—a single planet — while still providing a look at bigger pictures: the history of astronomical observations, the strides in space exploration, and our understanding of other planets. Reframing these vast topics under the umbrella of a local planet provides readers with a chance to learn more than the bare bones of space science while remaining easy-to-access and non-intimidating.

Guiding Questions: What is everything you could possibly know about a single planet? How do you make so much information both captivating and easy to understand?

PROCESS & APPROACH.

The first step to a project like this was to gather all the necessary data. I wanted this book to be a landmine of information, from general knowledge all the way down to obscure details never taken note of. Much of my information comes from NASA, the ESA, and the IAU. Further research involved my local library; I checked out a bunch of children’s books on astronomy and Saturn to see how information like this was organized and presented. I also looked into Carl Sagan’s works, including his very popular books, Cosmos and Pale Blue Dot. I dug into the Cassini team’s research as well and looked into some of the writing of Carolyn Porco, who was the Cassini Imaging Team Leader.

The next step was researching editorial works. I wanted this piece to be experimental in design, so initially I looked into books like S. by Doug Dorst & J.J. Abrams and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I originally wanted to have an interactive component as well, like oversized spreads that could fold out, different paper, and inserts included in the book. I ended up scrapping the idea due to time constraints and settling with a square book (8.5 by 8.5 inches).

MOODBOARDING & SKETCHES.

DESIGN.

Design-wise, the main things I wanted to work on were a vibrant color palette, clean typography, and circle motifs.

I wanted to include a vibrant color palette throughout to make it stand out from your average science textbooks. I went for a highly vibrant palette because I was initially thinking of a sci-fi aesthetic and neon film lighting. I also chose this because I needed a good color palette to use for my images. Thanks to the amazing people who worked on the Cassini-Huygens team, I had a vast library of images to use for this. Though there are images in color, there are also many that are only in black & white or have false colors applied. I wanted to use from all of these for this book, so I decided to apply gradients in my color palette to some to make them appear more cohesive while keeping in real-color and black & white images as well.

Clean typography was also a must for this project. There is so much information included in this book that a good balance was needed to keep everything easy to digest. I used more typefaces than I normally would, but kept the display fonts to titles, subtitles, and callout quotes.

A final design motif that I used throughout the book was circles. Initially unintentional, but as I worked more on this, I noticed just how much circles are prevalent in the images—makes sense, seeing as I was working with a planet, rings, and moons. I leaned into it more and used circles throughout the design as abstract spots, rounded text boxes, the mission badges I designed, as well as later on in the book for the infographic spreads.

CHALLENGES.

Core challenges I faced with this project were the research and organization.

Research was a big struggle for me because I wanted this book to be a very in-depth book. I wanted to include literally everything you could possibly want to know about Saturn. My first mistake was thinking I could do that in such a limited time. Sourcing baseline information was pretty easy; NASA and the ESA were valuable resources there, however sourcing more obscure stuff was much more difficult. A lot of time was spent looking at digital archives of old astronomy books, both for images/sketches and for historical context.

Another big issue I had was organization. I wanted this to read smoothly as a book, so I needed to work out a proper method for organizing the data in a way that made sense. After a lot of reorganizing, I ended up with four sections: observations, exploration, the planet, and the moons. I initially had a separate section for the rings as well (between the planet and the moons sections), but it was cut and merged with the planet section due to time restraints.

FINAL.

The final deliverable for this project was a fully designed and printed book. Steady Giant is 160 pages long with 79 designed spreads.

CONCLUSION.

Creating this book has given me a deeper appreciation for the immense amount of work that goes into both researching for and designing a non-fiction book. I learned alot about making better typography choices, editing photos, and playing with unique layouts. If I were to design a book like this again, there are many things I would do differently, such as: deciding on chapters first before collecting so much information and getting overwhelmed, collecting photos and organizing them better, deciding on a set print size earlier on & having a production company decided, doing more test prints for text sizing (towards the end of the project I had to go back and resize my body text down), and being a bit more realistic on how much I can accomplish in the time restrictions.

Overall, very happy with how the book turned out. Even now, I feel like I could go back and add more spreads easily because of how well its organized into sections and sub-sections. I also think working out an easy-to-understand system makes this easy to expand upon in terms of creating additional books on other planets or adding/subtracting chapters.

I hope this book inspires people to learn more about science and see that science can be made fun to learn and read about. I also hope other art/STEM lovers can enjoy the intersection of art & science here. I sure enjoyed making it and hope to continue making more.

CREDITS.

Designer: Saba Sajad (sabasajad.com)
Instructor: Nathan Young (nathanyoung.design)

Tyler School of Art & Architecture,
Temple University
Spring 2026

RESOURCES.

Programs:

Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator

Fonts in Use:

Covik Sans (Regular)
Orpheus Pro (Bold)
Acumin Variable Concept (Bold)
Acumin Variable Concept (ExtraLight)
Gunter (Regular)

Works, Articles, Information, and Image Sources:

ESA. (2025a). Christiaan Huygens: Discoverer of Titan. Esa.int. https://www.esa.int/About_Us/50_years_of_ESA/Christiaan_Huygens_Discoverer_of_Titan

ESA. (2025b). Jean-Dominique Cassini: Astrology to Astronomy. Esa.int. https://www.esa.int/About_Us/50_years_of_ESA/Jean-Dominique_Cassini_Astrology_to_astronomy

Fraknoi, A., Morrison, D., Wolff, S. C., Openstax College, & Rice University. (2017). Astronomy. Openstax.

Minor Planet Center. (n.d.). IAU Minor Planet Center. IAU Minor Planet Center. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/

NASA. (2019). NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) — Space Mission and Science News, Videos and Images. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/

NASA. (2023). Cassini-Huygens — NASA Science. Science.nasa.gov. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/cassini/

NASA. (2024a). Saturn — NASA Science. Science.nasa.gov; NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/

NASA. (2024b, November 6). Pioneer 11 — NASA Science. Science.nasa.gov. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/pioneer-11/

NASA. (2025). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA; NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/

NASA. (2026). Voyager — NASA Science. Science.nasa.gov. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). (n.d.). Planetary Satellite Discovery Circumstances. Ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sats/discovery.html

Porco, C. (2017). We Came. We Saw. It’s Done. (Captain’s Log, September 15, 2017). Ciclops.org. https://ciclops.org/index/8615/We-Came-We-Saw-Its-Done.html

Sagan, C. (1997). Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1994)

Siddiqi, A. A. (2018). Beyond Earth : A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration. NASA History Program Office.

USGS. (2017). Planetary Names. Usgs.gov. https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Planets#saturnian-system

Steady Giant was originally published in TylerD&I on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.