INDUSTRY:
THE PERFECT GIFT-GIVING EXPERIENCE
CLIENT:
TAKUMI FUJI
YEAR:
2022
EXPERIENCE:
BESPOKE DESIGN
Bespoke Design Project 1
about.
This project focused on the Design Thinking methodology. The objective was to create a "Bespoke Design" - a highly personalized product or experience tailored to a specific user. For this assignment, I was paired with a peer to research their life, values, and hidden needs in order to design a meaningful "surprise" gift experience that would resonate with them on a personal level.
The core challenge was to move beyond superficial knowledge of the user and uncover deep insights into their personality, cultural background, and emotional drivers. I needed to answer questions like "What brings this user fulfillment?" and "How does their culture impact their celebrations?" to ensure the final design wasn't just a generic gift, but a reflection of their identity.
design process.
I utilized a variety of qualitative research methods to build empathy and gather data:
Participant Observation: I spent time with the user in their natural environment, observing them cook at home and visiting a bookstore café to understand their daily routines and passions.
Cultural Probes: I deployed Diary Studies, asking the user to log their emotions and activities for five days, and assigned a Mood Board task to visualize their aesthetic preferences.
Trigger Techniques: I conducted interviews using Directed Storytelling (eg. asking "Who would you bring to a deserted island?") to bypass standard answers and elicit intuitive responses about their relationships.
Data Analysis: Using Affinity Diagramming, I clustered hundreds of data points into key insights, identifying that the user has a deep passion for cooking, values intimate connections, and appreciates gifts with a comedic or "absurd" twist.
result.
The immediate outcome was the creation of a "Surprise" unboxing experience that perfectly matched the user's persona:
The Concept: Based on the insight that cooking is central to the user's life and identity, I designed a package shaped like a stove/oven.
The Interaction: The user had to "turn on" the oven using a physical knob to unlock it and dig through confetti "flames" to find the gift.
The Gift: Inside was a porcelain garlic and ginger grater, chosen because the user appreciates practical, handcrafted items and needed better kitchen tools.
Outcome: The user instantly recognized the gift was for them and expressed genuine excitement, validating the research insights.
testimonial.
I loved it! The unboxing experience and the gift were perfect!
TAKUMI FUJI
CLIENT