Protect Your Magic
If there ever was a pig that could protect your magic — it would definitely be Mimi, the mini pig! Through this UX Design Immersive class — I quickly became aware of Mimi & her well-deserved fan club. I interviewed Mimi’s dad, James, & began trying to find ways to give James access to qualified pig-sitters for his beloved, Mimi. After viewing Mimi’s pictures of her interacting with both humans (& pugs) — it is easy to see how quickly Mimi bonds & makes connections with others. Mimi’s health is always a priority to James.(after all… he is her dad.) So, I asked James to tell me more about a typical day for the two them & then created out a journey map to better understand their world.
After multiple interviews, I realized that ultimately, both James & Mimi needed a greater level of independence — but also needed to allow James the peace of mind of knowing that Mimi is getting enough outdoor breaks while he is away from home. So by learning more about Mimi & her adventures & needs — I began, through collaboration with James — researching technologies & options that I could offer James in the form of an app. to help both him & Mimi to get through a typical day.
He said his friends say that they will stop by & take care of Mimi but more often than not — they forget to stop by & check-in on her. I also quickly learned that qualified pig-sitters were in short supply in the area of Atlanta. Apparently, pig-sitters need experience handling & interacting with livestock. Pigs are highly intelligent & also can be highly moody, bored & at times — even aggressive. So, I started researching & thinking about different options that I could offer to James to help solve his problem. What features should this app offer? How could I help both Mimi & James?
Listening carefully & objectively to James’s situation & also being open to all sorts of new paths & options helped me solve a his problem. Hmmm…what should I stop doing? I need to stop overthinking the whole process & stay focused on the James & Mimi’s needs. I really put a lot of extra & unnecessary pressure on myself through-out this journey into Mimi’s world. Extra pressure can lock up your mind — a quality I don’t want to have while interviewing/listening to the James (& for that matter — anyone else that might have a problem that I could work through with them). It’s better to operate with a clear & open mind. I chose researching & evaluating different solutions and not locking-in too quickly to one solution to resolve James & Mimi’s problem. Everyone loves Mimi — but they don’t always remember to check-in on her. This charismatic pig needs a little magical help herself!
After completing & then presenting this app. design project, I feel very hopeful about the new direction of my career & also gained a greater sense of self-confidence — Mimi’s magic at work on me! The lesson that I learned from Mimi, the pig is to “Protect your Magic”. Thank Mimi for allowing me a glimpse into your world & the opportunity to help you & James achieve a higher level of independence! It was truly refreshing.