What is Bijoux?
Bijoux is a digital jewelry product designed to offer personalization and sentimental value, helping people stay connected to their loved ones regardless of distance.
We recognize that while calling, texting, and Facetime are common methods of long-distance communication, they often lack the depth and sincerity that our relationships deserve.
Bijoux aims to address this by providing a more meaningful and personal way to maintain these connections.
Research Goals
Our primary goal was to understand how technology can enhance emotional connectivity in long-distance relationships.
We found that calling, texting, and Facetime lack the ability to capture the depth and sincerity of our relationships.
“as many as 75% of college students have been in a long-distance relationship.” (Roberts and Pistole, 2009) People we know experience the lack of connection with their loved ones when they are away. Anyone can send a text message or make a video call and thus lacks genuine connection and personal touch
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Competitive Analysis
In our competitive analysis, we carefully selected companies that represented different facets of digital and emotional connectivity, including Lovebox, Bond Touch, and the Apple Watch.
Lovebox demonstrated the appeal of tangible notifications in a home setting, while Bond Touch captured the intimacy of sharing biometric data, though it lacked an interactive display. The Apple Watch offered extensive features but its broad focus diluted the personal touch we aimed to emphasize.
By examining these competitors, we identified gaps in the market for a more personal and wearable device that combines the strengths of these products while focusing exclusively on enhancing emotional bonds—leading to the unique value proposition of Bijoux.
Value Flow
In our competitive analysis, we carefully selected companies that represented different facets of digital and emotional connectivity, including Lovebox, Bond Touch, and the Apple Watch.
Lovebox demonstrated the appeal of tangible notifications in a home setting, while Bond Touch captured the intimacy of sharing biometric data, though it lacked an interactive display. The Apple Watch offered extensive features but its broad focus diluted the personal touch we aimed to emphasize.
By examining these competitors, we identified gaps in the market for a more personal and wearable device that combines the strengths of these products while focusing exclusively on enhancing emotional bonds—leading to the unique value proposition of Bijoux.
Interviews
Key insights led to significant design decisions:
1) Users valued the emotional resonance of receiving timed photos, leading to the implementation of a scheduling feature for sending images at meaningful moments.
2) Preferences for an intuitive digital interface led to the adoption of on-screen controls over physical buttons, enhancing the user experience.
3) Feedback on exclusivity influenced the design to allow users to limit connections, ensuring personal and intimate interactions with the locket.
Budget
The financial planning for Bijoux was meticulously crafted to support both initial development and ongoing operations.
We allocated funds for design, development, prototyping, and certification, with an overall crowdfunding goal of $94,700 to cover startup costs including manufacturing and marketing. Monthly expenses were projected based on advertising, service hosting, and salaries, balanced against expected revenues from product sales to ensure sustainable growth and profitability.
Startup Costs
Expenses Per Month
Features
These features were carefully chosen to foster an emotional link between users, making each interaction feel more significant and heartfelt. By focusing on these personalized and interactive elements, Bijoux aims to capture the essence of emotional connectivity that modern technology often
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Schedule a Send
Users can choose to schedule a photo to be sent at a specific time, rather than immediately. This feature is designed to accommodate those with strict daily schedules, preventing disturbances. It also allows the sender to provide timely encouragement, such as sending extra encouragement before a loved one's big presentation at work.
Send a Nudge
This feature enables wearers to send a tactile 'nudge' to a paired locket. If both users send a nudge simultaneously, their lockets respond with a special animation and vibration, creating a playful and intimate way to feel connected.
Notifications
Users can send photos to each other's lockets, which notify the wearer through both visual and haptic feedback. This feature transforms the locket into a private and continuous sharing space, making the interaction feel more immediate and personal.
Customization
Allowing users to customize their locket display with photos stored on onboard memory gives a personal touch, making each Bijoux locket a unique reflection of its wearer’s relationships and memories.
Reflection
The startup world demands patience and passion for your product. It's crucial to focus on identifying the problems you're solving before designing features. Evaluating your design ideas from a business perspective can help pinpoint potential gaps and opportunities for your company to address and grow.
This project also inspired me to take design risks. While everyone in the class focused on online services or digital products, my team opted for a physical product, a bold move given the time constraints. Exploring the world of product design provided a new outlet for invention, business, and creativity, all in one.
