Critical Reflection
Strengthes
Weakness
UniBulk has a strong foundation based on research, which helped us focus on real student needs. We chose technology that’s simple and practical, making the project easier to set up at the university. By using familiar shopping elements like grocery layouts and self-checkout systems, we kept the experience intuitive, so students can adjust to it quickly without learning a whole new process.
Although we’re happy with the core design, there are some limitations. For instance, certain features require manual steps, which might feel a bit slow or outdated for some users. Also, the project isn’t fully inclusive, as it lacks support for people who need features like screen readers or voice commands. These are areas we’d focus on improving to make UniBulk more accessible to everyone.
Challenges
Lesson Learned
1.Building Confidence in Applying Design Thinking
Initially, we struggled with fully embracing the design thinking process, feeling unsure about how to navigate its stages, especially under time constraints. This led to hesitation and occasional doubts about our approach.
2.Balancing Diverse Perspectives and Idea Generation
With each team member bringing unique insights, it was sometimes difficult to align on a single concept or direction. The variety of ideas and perspectives occasionally led to differing viewpoints on what the final solution should prioritize.
As we worked through each phase, we became more comfortable with the iterative nature of design thinking, realizing that uncertainty is part of the creative journey. This experience taught us to approach complex problems with an adaptable mindset, building our confidence in using design thinking to develop meaningful solutions.
We recognized the importance of fostering an open environment where all ideas—no matter how simple or unconventional—could be shared and considered. By embracing this diversity, we were able to combine elements from multiple ideas, creating a solution that was richer and more comprehensive than if we had settled on a single approach.
User Research
Interview
To address our research goals, we used a combination of interviews and online ethnography to explore how postgraduate students define essentials, identify budgeting pain points, and understand financial decision-making factors.
Semi-Structured
Semi-Structured
In person and remote
September 4- 15, 2023
Type
Mode
Period
10 USYD Postgraduate Students
Participants
Online Ethnography
Criteria
Discussion threads of USYD students
Subject
#BudgetingTips #Advice fot Postgraduate #Grocery #Finance
02
03
04
Students are aware of their essential expenses and where their budget goes.
There is a gap in regards to understanding the pricing of items.
Students’ main consideration when buying essential items is the proximity of the store from their home.
The definition of everyday essentials depend on factors such as the person’s priorities, interests, and lifestyles.
01
KEY FINDINGS
design process
Develop
Sketches
Prototypes
Demo Video
Define
Key Findings
User Persona
User Needs
Discover
User Research
Competitor Analysis
Deliver
Usability Testing
Feedback Analysis
Our design process follows the Double Diamond framework, using a structured approach to understand user needs and develop targeted solutions.
Problem Statement
Solution
Postgraduate students at USYD face significant financial pressure due to high living and tuition costs in Sydney.
Provide a bulk warehouse that leverages student buying power to offer essential items at reduced prices.
Integrate expense tracking and budgeting tools at self-checkout to help students monitor their spending in real time.
Students are aware of their spending but often overlook essential expenses, resulting in budget overruns.
DesiGN Concept
UniBulk Warehouse is a dedicated bulk shopping space on the USYD campus, exclusively for students. It provides a wide selection of essentials—food, study materials, and personal care products—leveraging collective student buying power to offer significant financial savings.
The warehouse features a thoughtfully designed floor plan for efficient navigation, a student card scanning gate for seamless access, and self-checkout counters with integrated budgeting and expense tracking tools.
This design aims to support students’ financial well-being by providing a cost-effective, convenient shopping experience tailored to their needs.
Floor plan of Unibulk Warehouse
Student Card Scanning Gate
Self-Checkout counter
Self-Checkout counter Interface
Competitor ANalysis
We conducted a competitive analysis of three USYD initiatives—Food Co-Op, USU Rewards Memberships, and FoodHub—to understand their effectiveness in supporting student financial needs and identify gaps our design could address.
Strengths
Weaknesses
USYD FoodHub
2020
USYD
Food Co-Op
2012
USU Rewards Memberships
2019
Offers organic and sustainable food options
Cost savings through bulk purchases
Direct savings on everyday expenses
Wide range of benefits
Limited product range
Limited product range
Less flexible operating hours compared to larger supermarkets.
Annual fee may deter some students
Savings are limited if not frequently using USU services.
Food may be close to expiration
Limited range of food and essentials.
Provides free food and essentials
Alleviates financial burden for students.
Persona
Based on user research, we developed personas that capture the budgeting challenges, goals, and lifestyle priorities of USYD postgraduate students, guiding our design to better meet user needs.
Jenny, 25
• Updated to deals and vouchers
• Stay within allocated budget for the month
• Confused if items are reasonably priced
• Unforeseen expenses
Goals
Frustrations
• Balance social life and spending
• Purchasing healthy options
• No time to think about his purchases
Goals
Frustrations
Tommy, 26
Sketches
After developing our persona to understand student needs, we created sketches that visualize the UniBulk Warehouse layout, including student card scanning gates, self-checkout counters with budgeting features, and an interactive interface to support financial management.
Student Card Scanning Gate
02
Students need to tap their USYD student cards to gain entry into UniBulk Warehouse.
01
Floor plan of Unibulk Warehouse
The UniBulk Warehouse is divided into six distinct areas: the entrance with student card scanning gates, the service desk, the food section, the personal care section, the study supplies section, and the self-checkout counter area at the exit.
03
Self-Checkout Counter
Unibulk's self-checkout counters include a "My Budget" feature, allowing students to quickly review and adjust their monthly budgets and displaying the remaining budget as a reminder at checkout.
04
Interactive Interface for Self-Checkout Counter
Tap To Pay
Payment Successful
My Budget
Budget Setting
Welcome Page
Budget Copy via SMS
My Cart
Home Page
Welcome Page
Home Page
My Budget
Budget Setting
Budget Copy via SMS
My Cart
Tap To Pay
Payment Successful
Prototype
Our prototype focuses on high-fidelity iterations of the Interactive Interface for the Self-Checkout Counter.
DEMO VIDEO
To better showcase the features, we created a demo video that illustrates the Self-Checkout Counter’s budgeting and expense tracking capabilities, providing a clear view of the user experience.
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