Observations & Interviews
Person A:
Wanted to make cosplay outfit.
Choose which patterns were ones desired and that fit silhouette from pattern book.
Calculated pattern.
Described difficulty of adjusting patterns without mathematical knowledge of patterns.
Person B:
Wanted to make plushie dog.
There were no instructions.
Labels were in Korean.
Images were not informative enough.
Was having difficulty visualizing the project. It was like a "puzzle" to solve
User groups:
-People interested in sewing as a hobby and want a way to start
Characteristics:
- have lots of free time!
- want avenue for creativity
- want to start a long term relationship with sewing
- tend to be female
Needs/Goals
- find an interesting project that is appropriate for their skill level
- have very detailed step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow-- detailed to a level that would frustrate more experienced sewers, but may be necessary to avoid beginner mistakes
- acquire the beginnings of a well-rounded skill set that they can build on in the future to allow them to take on more difficult projects in the future
-People who want to learn how to sew for a specific goal in mind
Characteristics:
- need sewing only to accomplish a particular task
- how involved this task may be varies-- could be just a simple repair or making a specific costume
- generally wants to not spend as much money
- not as female-skewed as the want-to-pick-up-as-hobby group
Needs/Goals
- have straightforward but clear instructions to complete the specific task
- easily find a fix given a specific problem (instead having to browse through things)
- have a easy-to-navigate reference (including common gotchas)
- learn how to solve basic sewing-related problems/categories of problems themselves for future quick fixes
Other considerations to keep in mind:
- age groups (small kids? old folks?)
- physical capabilities (unsteady hands? bad eyesight? dexterity?)
- monetary considerations (have more or less money to spend on a project?)
- technological savviness