UW 536 Project

Virtual Pet Task Buddy

OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW

In the vibrant world of luxury beverages, "Glod Water" emerges as a beacon of elegance and purity. This fictional project encompasses the creation of a distinct brand identity for Glod Water, inspired by the fusion of gold's luxury and water's freshness.

Rapid Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping

Ethnography Methods

Ethnography Methods

AI Prototypes

AI Prototypes

ROLE

Product Designer

Researcher

TIMELINE

TIMELINE

Apr 2026 (3 weeks)

TEAM

TEAM

Just me!

See Outcomes

See Outcomes

See Outcomes

A black and white image of a handrawn logo
A black and white image of a handrawn logo
A black and white image of a handrawn logo
Image of a Gray to white soft gradient
Image of a Gray to white soft gradient
Image of a Gray to white soft gradient

Context

The Glod Water project was conceived to craft a unique position in the premium water market. The brand identity combines minimalist design principles with luxurious gold accents to convey the product's premium nature. The packaging design, logo creation, and marketing materials were developed to resonate with a high-end consumer base, looking for more than just hydration; they seek an indulgence that speaks to their lifestyle and values.

The problem space.

Design Approach

Search Definition

Browsing Experience (Search Results Page)

Property Detail Exploration

Comparison and Selection

3

part semi-structured interview study

to evaluate the experience with data captured across multiple UX research methods

Part 1

Part 2 - 1 hour

Part 3

Pre-test Questionnaire

Task Scenarios &
Post-Task Questionnaire

Post-test Questionnaire

  • Trip planning habits

  • Experience withVrbo

  • Their upcoming trip

  • Task observation

  • Product usability

  • Feature discovery

  • Overall product perception

  • Overall product perception

  • Additional thoughts

Attitudinal
+ Qualitative
Attitudinal + Qualitative
Attitudinal and Behavioral
+ Qualitative and Quantitative
Attitudinal
+ Qualitative and Quantitative

PROS

CONS

  1. Multiple Angles

  2. Screen Visibility

  3. Less Intrusive

  1. Additional Set-up

  2. Moderator Multi-Tasking

Research

The Glod Water project was conceived to craft a unique position in the premium water market. The brand identity combines minimalist design principles with luxurious gold accents to convey the product's premium nature. The packaging design, logo creation, and marketing materials were developed to resonate with a high-end consumer base, looking for more than just hydration; they seek an indulgence that speaks to their lifestyle and values.

Findings

The Glod Water project was conceived to craft a unique position in the premium water market. The brand identity combines minimalist design principles with luxurious gold accents to convey the product's premium nature. The packaging design, logo creation, and marketing materials were developed to resonate with a high-end consumer base, looking for more than just hydration; they seek an indulgence that speaks to their lifestyle and values.

Next Steps

Future Research Directions

Study Limitations

  • Lack of quantitative data due to open-ended nature of study

  • Small number, and unrepresentative set of participants due to time constraints

  • Test phone usage limited data to IOS user flows only

Next Steps

  • A/B testing of the compare tool discoverability and graphical changes

  • User research on expectations of AI integration

Some of these steps are already being taken!

What I Learned

My wonderful team!

Image of a Laptop on top of an eletronic device
Image of two smartphones with a gray background

Available for Fulltime Work

Keep Exploring ᯓ★

1:07:32 AM

Seattle, WA

© 2026 Janny Gao, Made with coffee, dry eyes, and neck cramps.

Available for Fulltime Work

Keep Exploring ᯓ★

1:07:32 AM

Seattle, WA

© 2026 Janny Gao, Made with coffee, dry eyes, and neck cramps.

Available for Fulltime Work

Keep Exploring ᯓ★

1:07:32 AM

Seattle, WA

© 2026 Janny Gao, Made with coffee, dry eyes, and neck cramps.