User Testing

31st April 2025

Interview Questions:

1. What was your first reaction when interacting with the book?
2. Did anything surprise or confuse you about its form or layout?
3. How did the physical interaction (flipping, rearranging) influence your engagement with the content?
4. Did you feel a sense of authorship or creative control while interacting with the system?
5. How would you compare this experience to reading a traditional book or magazine?
6. Did the format prompt any new thoughts or interpretations you might not have had with a standard publication?
7. Do you see a potential use or application for this kind of system in your own life or work?
   

INTERVIEW 1: User is a non-designer

INTERVIEW 2: User is an Interior Designer

Reflection

That questions that I asked the interviewees lead to some more thoughts and questions which I will be answering below:

Q1. Why not make a 3D prop, model, or reconfigurable toy instead of a book system? Wouldn’t that be more effective?

While a 3D prop, model, or reconfigurable toy could offer physical interactivity and modularity, a book system provides a unique balance between structured communication and open-ended exploration. I believe a book would be ideal for:

1. Balancing Structure and Play
   
   • A book is an established medium for storytelling and communication, but by subverting its format, it retains legibility while introducing playfulness.
   • A purely sculptural model or toy might lean too far into abstraction, making it harder to engage with as a narrative system.
2. Contextual Flexibility
   
   • Books exist in a context of learning, storytelling, and visual communication. By redesigning this format, the proposal directly challenges existing expectations of narrative and design.
   • A toy or model might be seen as a novelty rather than a serious tool for co-design and shared authorship.
3. Reconfigurability Without Over Complication
   
   • A book system is inherently modular—pages can be folded, expanded, rearranged, and layered in multiple directions while maintaining coherence.
   • A 3D object, while physically engaging, might require a more complex system to achieve the same level of adaptability and user interaction.
4. Bridging 2D & 3D Storytelling
   
   • This design system plays with both flat and dimensional elements—it’s part-publication, part-interactive object.
   • A purely 3D form might limit the ability to explore layered visual storytelling, transparent overlays, and collage-like composition that a book naturally accommodates.
5. Accessibility & Usability
   
   • A book format is easier to distribute, reproduce, and interact with across different audiences.
   • A model or reconfigurable object might require specific materials, a more complex production process, and less portability compared to a book.

Q2. Would the user have confusion in navigation ?

My solution: To provide a simple instructional guide or visual indicators (e.g., arrows, numbered sections) to assist navigation.

Q3. Is limited flexibility in content customization an issue ?

Q4. Is it suitable as a co-creating/ collaborative tool? Isn’t the book better used my one person at a time ?