The project was divided into 2 phases.

Initially, we embarked on a journey of exploration and comprehension, diving deep into the problem and discerning user needs. Subsequently, we fostered a plethora of innovative ideas to address the issue at hand. Finally, we meticulously refined and selected the most promising concepts, ultimately translating them into tangible prototypes.

The initial research was divided into

The initial phase of our research involved an extensive exploration to comprehend both the problem areas and the user base. This journey commenced with a meticulous software audit, followed by a thorough analysis of the competition, and culminated in conducting four in-depth user interviews. These sequential steps provided us with clarity and a foundational understanding of the project's landscape, setting a strong groundwork for our design endeavors.

We categorized the insights gathered into three main areas.

The first pertains to DISCOVERABILITY. Our research highlighted a significant concern regarding the difficulty users face in locating advanced features within the Shapes Panel. Despite the wide array of available tools and effects, users often encounter challenges when trying to locate and utilize them effectively.

The second category revolves around ENHANCEMENT. In addition to addressing discoverability issues, it is imperative to improve the functionality of the shapes provided in the Shapes Panel. Users are expressing a desire for greater versatility and the ability to create intricate shapes effortlessly.

Moreover, the rapidly advancing pace of TECHNOLOGY is reshaping the way we engage with digital tools and conduct our work. Consequently, there is a growing demand to integrate these technological advancements into the Shapes Panel to expedite and streamline the design process.

The most critical phase was the process of pinpointing the diverse challenges and obstacles encountered by users. This step was of paramount importance as it laid the foundation for the project's final stages setting the stage for a comprehensive understanding of the issues users were facing.

Having identified an extensive and broad range of issues, common patterns emerged among the identified problems.

All these patterns that were recognized became the key pillars serving as the foundation for the solution:

1. Future Technologies:
   Exploring technologies and trends to ensure our solution stays relevant and adaptable to upcoming advancements.
2. Discoverability of Current Capabilities:
   Focusing on making existing shape creation tools more intuitive and easier to find. Bridging Gaps in Existing Functionality: Addressing any shortcomings or limitations in the current tools.
3. Coming Up with Newer Capabilities:
   Aiming to introduce innovative features and tools, expanding the possibilities for shape creation.
4. Small Help and Nudges:
   Recognizing the importance of user assistance, we integrated subtle yet valuable nudges and helpful tips to guide users and provide delightful surprises during idle moments.

A pivotal phase in my project journey revolved around ideation and conceptualization. To broaden the spectrum of ideas, we engaged in a dynamic brainstorming session using the Random Word or Object Prompts Ideation method.

As observed in our explorations, we encountered numerous challenges to address. However, a prominent issue that stood out was the deficiency in discoverability. Recognizing this as a central concern, we decided to anchor our concept around discoverability and sought to integrate other pillars and concepts within this framework.

The Tool Properties Panel incorporates elements from 10 distinct solutions, organized into four sections. As we delved into the discussion about the pillars earlier, we formulated various concepts aligned with each of those pillars.

discoverability

Note: The details of each of the concept in the Tool Properties Panel has been omitted as it falls under NDA. For further discussion on the solutions, feel free to reach out :)