Boxtie
Boxtie
Boxtie - 01: Hero
Boxtie
Boxtie - 01: Hero
Boxtie
Boxtie
Boxtie
Boxtie
Project Overview
UX Researcher
2022
UX Research
Project Overview
I worked on a team of four to design Boxtie; a recipe box exchange service crafted for those of mixed cultural identity. Its goal is to help users develop a personal connection to cultures through peer-to-peer recipe & story exchange.
UX Research
Boxtie - 02: Project Overview
Project Overview
Boxtie - 02: Project Overview
UX Research
Project Overview
UX Research
UX Researcher
2022
Project Overview
UX Research
UX Researcher
2022
I worked on a team of four to design Boxtie; a recipe box exchange service crafted for those of mixed cultural identity. Its goal is to help users develop a personal connection to cultures through peer-to-peer recipe & story exchange.
Project Overview
UX Research
UX Researcher
2022
I worked on a team of four to design Boxtie; a recipe box exchange service crafted for those of mixed cultural identity. Its goal is to help users develop a personal connection to cultures through peer-to-peer recipe & story exchange.
Project Overview
UX Research
UX Researcher
Background
Part I
Background
Part I
Boxtie - 03: Background
Background
Boxtie - 03: Background
Part I
Background
Part I
Background
Part I
Background
Part I
Background
Part I
Motivation

For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation
For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Boxtie - 04: Motivation
Boxtie - 04: Motivation
For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation

Boxtie - 04: Motivation
For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation


For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation

For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation

For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation

For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation


For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation
For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.
Motivation
For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.


Motivation
For me, this project resonated deeply; being half-Filipino & half-White American, I've wrestled with the cultural dissonance experienced by those growing up in a mixed race family.
The team felt that it was an important and worthy space to explore, and so we hypothesized that our initial target user group would be of mixed ethnicity and proposed that food could somehow be a valuable intervention medium.
To gain a more informed & nuanced understanding, we conducted two rounds of literature review surrounding the phenomenon of acculturation.

Our Understanding
However, we are confident that younger generations will be able to rediscover heritage through modern technology, with an increased global interconnectedness that has never been seen before by generations-past.
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
Boxtie - 05: Our Understanding
Our Understanding
Boxtie - 05: Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
However, we are confident that younger generations will be able to rediscover heritage through modern technology, with an increased global interconnectedness that has never been seen before by generations-past.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
However, we are confident that younger generations will be able to rediscover heritage through modern technology, with an increased global interconnectedness that has never been seen before by generations-past.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
However, we are confident that younger generations will be able to rediscover heritage through modern technology, with an increased global interconnectedness that has never been seen before by generations-past.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
Our Understanding
Societal pressures of the past have resulted in suppressed expressions of immigrant culture within the U.S. Younger generations may hold a diminished sense of ethnic identity.
However, we are confident that younger generations will be able to rediscover heritage through modern technology, with an increased global interconnectedness that has never been seen before by generations-past.
User Group Characteristics
Multifaceted identity
This population has many cultural influences including upbringing, family, food, place, relationships, and lived experience.
Varying cultural comfort
This population feels as if they don't fully belong within any of their cultural backgrounds.
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
User Group Characteristics
Cooking as expression
This population considers cooking to be an act of self expression.
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
Boxtie - 06: User Group Characteristics
User Group Characteristics
Boxtie - 06: User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
Multifaceted identity
This population has many cultural influences including upbringing, family, food, place, relationships, and lived experience.
Varying cultural comfort
This population feels as if they don't fully belong within any of their cultural backgrounds.
User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
Multifaceted identity
This population has many cultural influences including upbringing, family, food, place, relationships, and lived experience.
Varying cultural comfort
This population feels as if they don't fully belong within any of their cultural backgrounds.
Cooking as expression
This population considers cooking to be an act of self expression.
User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
Multifaceted identity
This population has many cultural influences including upbringing, family, food, place, relationships, and lived experience.
Varying cultural comfort
This population feels as if they don't fully belong within any of their cultural backgrounds.
Cooking as expression
This population considers cooking to be an act of self expression.
User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
Multifaceted identity
This population has many cultural influences including upbringing, family, food, place, relationships, and lived experience.
User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
User Group Characteristics
Immigrant ancestry
This population experiences the effects of fractured cultural identity more acutely.
Multifaceted identity
This population has many cultural influences including upbringing, family, food, place, relationships, and lived experience.
Research
Part II
Research
Part II
Boxtie - 07: Research
Research
Boxtie - 07: Research
Part II
Research
Part II
Research
Part II
Research
Part II
Research
Part II
Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Boxtie - 08: Goal
Goal
Boxtie - 08: Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Goal
After our secondary research, the next step in our process was to deepen our understanding by conducting primary research with the target user group.
Research Questions
When do they feel most or least connected to their cultural heritage?
How do they incorporate aspects of culture into their own identities?
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
Research Questions
How do they relate food to culture & self identity?
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
Boxtie - 09: Research Questions
Research Questions
Boxtie - 09: Research Questions
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
Research Questions
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
When do they feel most or least connected to their cultural heritage?
How do they incorporate aspects of culture into their own identities?
Research Questions
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
When do they feel most or least connected to their cultural heritage?
How do they incorporate aspects of culture into their own identities?
How do they relate food to culture & self identity?
Research Questions
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
When do they feel most or least connected to their cultural heritage?
How do they incorporate aspects of culture into their own identities?
How do they relate food to culture & self identity?
Research Questions
What does this user group do to reconnect with their cultural heritage?
When do they feel most or least connected to their cultural heritage?
Methods

Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
Methods
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
Boxtie - 10: Methods
Boxtie - 10: Methods
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
Methods

Boxtie - 10: Methods
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
Methods


Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
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Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Methods

Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
.gif)
Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Methods

Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
.gif)
Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Methods

Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
.gif)
Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Methods


Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
.gif)
.gif)
Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Methods
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.


Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.
Methods
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.


Methods
Survey
A survey consisting of questions related to cultural & self identity was conducted in order to establish a sample size, assess the prevalence of cultural disconnect, assess how strongly the user group views food as it relates to identity, and recruit participants who best match our user group definition for further research.
The survey was disseminated through social media. A total of 36 recorded responses were received.
Semi-Structured Interviews
A total of 3 survey respondents were recruited as participants and interviewed for approximately 30 minutes per session. During which, scripted questions were posed to participants within the following categories: cultural background, connection to heritage, and self identity.
Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participants’ permission.

Analysis

The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis
The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Boxtie - 11: Analysis
Boxtie - 11: Analysis
The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis

Boxtie - 11: Analysis
The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis


The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis

The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis

The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis

The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis


The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis
The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.
Analysis
The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.


Analysis
The team transcribed and analyzed each session in order to establish a code book consisting of recurring themes related to culture, personal identity, and food. Once all transcripts were coded, the team then analyzed the prevalence and patterns of certain codes and began to draw insights.

Research Findings (RF)
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RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background
RF-4
Bridge or island: multicultural people vary greatly in their comfortability with their identity in the intersection of cultures
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.
Research Findings (RF)
RF-5
Growing up in an area where the dominant culture differs from one’s own can lead to feelings of rejection/embarrassment of one’s culture
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.
Boxtie - 12: Research Findings
Research Findings (RF)
.png)
Boxtie - 12: Research Findings
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.
Research Findings (RF)
.png)
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.

RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background

RF-4
Bridge or island: multicultural people vary greatly in their comfortability with their identity in the intersection of cultures
Research Findings (RF)
.png)
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.

RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background

RF-4
Bridge or island: multicultural people vary greatly in their comfortability with their identity in the intersection of cultures

RF-5
Growing up in an area where the dominant culture differs from one’s own can lead to feelings of rejection/embarrassment of one’s culture
Research Findings (RF)
.png)
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.

RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background

RF-4
Bridge or island: multicultural people vary greatly in their comfortability with their identity in the intersection of cultures

RF-5
Growing up in an area where the dominant culture differs from one’s own can lead to feelings of rejection/embarrassment of one’s culture
Research Findings (RF)
.png)
.png)
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.


RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background


RF-4
Bridge or island: multicultural people vary greatly in their comfortability with their identity in the intersection of cultures
Research Findings (RF)
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.
.png)
.png)
RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background


RF-4
Bridge or island: multicultural people vary greatly in their comfortability with their identity in the intersection of cultures


RF-5
Growing up in an area where the dominant culture differs from one’s own can lead to feelings of rejection/embarrassment of one’s culture


RF-6
People first learn about their culture through family
RF-7
People connect to culture through food, media, and language
Research Findings (RF)
Overview
Our analysis of all the data collected produced 10 findings in total. Below are the seven-most prevalent.
RF-1
Cultural identity is formed by factors beyond ethno-cultural background
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Task Analysis

With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Task Analysis
With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Boxtie - 13: Task Analysis
Boxtie - 13: Task Analysis
With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Task Analysis

Boxtie - 13: Task Analysis
With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Task Analysis

With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Task Analysis

With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Task Analysis

With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.
Task Analysis
With our research findings drawn, it was important to visualize how these means of cultural connection-making manifest. Task flows were crafted to illustrate the two most-common pathways.

Discussion

Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion
Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Boxtie - 14: Discussion
Boxtie - 14: Discussion
Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion

Boxtie - 14: Discussion
Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion


Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion

Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion

Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion

Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion


Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion
Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.
Discussion
Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.


Discussion
Ethnicity, race, and nationality are traditionally thought to be the source of culture, but it has been shown that food, friends, and the places that one has lived contribute significantly to one's cultural identity. From just this small sample size, it was clear that our user group has a broad range of deeply meaningful stories to tell.

Design Requirements

Functional (FR) & Nonfunctional (NR)
FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all cultural dimensions
NR-3: Preserve the stories and context of fusion and family-tradition foods
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Design Requirements
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Boxtie - 15: Design Requirements
Boxtie - 15: Design Requirements
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Design Requirements

Boxtie - 15: Design Requirements
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Design Requirements


The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Design Requirements

The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Functional (FR) & Nonfunctional (NR)
FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all cultural dimensions
NR-3: Preserve the stories and context of fusion and family-tradition foods
Design Requirements

The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Functional (FR) & Nonfunctional (NR)
FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all cultural dimensions
NR-3: Preserve the stories and context of fusion and family-tradition foods
Design Requirements

The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Functional (FR) & Nonfunctional (NR)
FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all cultural dimensions
NR-3: Preserve the stories and context of fusion and family-tradition foods
Design Requirements


The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Design Requirements
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Design Requirements
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.


Design Requirements
The team began to refine its understanding of our findings into various functional and nonfunctional requirements that an intervention would need to meet in order to successfully address the target user group’s goals. In total, 3 functional requirements and 4 nonfunctional requirements were defined. For brevity, the following are the functional and nonfunctional requirements most strongly associated with our findings.
Functional (FR) & Nonfunctional (NR)
FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all cultural dimensions
NR-3: Preserve the stories and context of fusion and family-tradition foods

Ideation
Part III
Ideation
Part III
Boxtie - 16: Ideation
Ideation
Boxtie - 16: Ideation
Part III
Ideation
Part III
Ideation
Part III
Ideation
Part III
Ideation
Part III
Ideation Sessions

Crazy 8’s
Two rounds of Crazy 8’s were conducted. Sketches were imported into a digital whiteboard and were synthesized into 10 distinct design concepts.
Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.
Ideation Sessions
Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.
Boxtie - 17: Ideation Sessions
Ideation Sessions

Boxtie - 17: Ideation Sessions
Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.
Ideation Sessions

Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.

Crazy 8’s
Two rounds of Crazy 8’s were conducted. Sketches were imported into a digital whiteboard and were synthesized into 10 distinct design concepts.
Ideation Sessions

Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.

Crazy 8’s
Two rounds of Crazy 8’s were conducted. Sketches were imported into a digital whiteboard and were synthesized into 10 distinct design concepts.
Ideation Sessions

Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.

Crazy 8’s
Two rounds of Crazy 8’s were conducted. Sketches were imported into a digital whiteboard and were synthesized into 10 distinct design concepts.
Ideation Sessions


Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.
Ideation Sessions
Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.
Ideation Sessions
Brainstorming
Members used drawings, jottings, and conversation to ideate on design concepts. Ideas did not go into specific detail, but instead gestured to potential requirements, outcomes, and metaphors.
Crazy 8’s
Two rounds of Crazy 8’s were conducted. Sketches were imported into a digital whiteboard and were synthesized into 10 distinct design concepts.

Concepts

The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts
The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Boxtie - 18: Concepts
Boxtie - 18: Concepts
The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts

Boxtie - 18: Concepts
The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts


The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts

The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts

The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts

The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts


The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts
The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.
Concepts
The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.


Concepts
The team brainstormed how each concept could have the most potential for success in terms of meeting our design requirements, and how each could develop further into a coherent user narrative. The team also noted which concepts were the most exciting to pursue further.

Boxtie

Boxtie
Boxtie - 19: Boxtie
Boxtie

Boxtie - 19: Boxtie
Boxtie

Boxtie

Boxtie

Boxtie

Storyboard
.png)
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Boxtie - 20: Storyboard
Boxtie - 20: Storyboard
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
.png)
Boxtie - 20: Storyboard
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
.png)
.png)
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
.png)
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
.png)
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
.png)
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
.png)
.png)
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
Storyboard
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
.png)
.png)
Storyboard
Through storyboarding, our top concept emerged: Boxtie was chosen as the design that had the greatest potential to help our user group meet their goals in self-development and cultural exchange in regards to their complex, multicultural identities.
.png)
Key Features
Users can specify which cultures that they most strongly identify with, and which cultures that they would like to learn more about.
Users can prepare boxes for others who culturally overlap with them.
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Key Features
The service works similarly to traditional pen-pal services, except boxes are exchanged instead of letters.
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Boxtie - 21: Key Features
Key Features
Boxtie - 21: Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Users can specify which cultures that they most strongly identify with, and which cultures that they would like to learn more about.
Users can prepare boxes for others who culturally overlap with them.
Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Users can specify which cultures that they most strongly identify with, and which cultures that they would like to learn more about.
Users can prepare boxes for others who culturally overlap with them.
The service works similarly to traditional pen-pal services, except boxes are exchanged instead of letters.
Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Users can specify which cultures that they most strongly identify with, and which cultures that they would like to learn more about.
Users can prepare boxes for others who culturally overlap with them.
The service works similarly to traditional pen-pal services, except boxes are exchanged instead of letters.
Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Users can specify which cultures that they most strongly identify with, and which cultures that they would like to learn more about.
Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Key Features
Boxtie is a subscription service that sends out cultural goodie boxes to users every month.
Users can specify which cultures that they most strongly identify with, and which cultures that they would like to learn more about.
Justifications
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxtie - 22: Justifications
Boxtie - 22: Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Justifications
Boxtie - 22: Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Justifications
Rather than designing a digital product, Boxtie was designed as a service geared towards accommodating users' diverse self-development and cultural exchange goals by supplying them with monthly boxes with information on holidays, traditional & fusion foods, trends, and more. Our users can obtain in-depth knowledge about their preferred culture which fulfills the FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange requirement.
Boxes provide instructions and stories related to recipes, which meets the FR-2: Promote/elevate fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture and the NR-1: Promote self-reflection and active self-development requirements. The service provides options to choose which cultures users would like to connect with each month, meeting the FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity, along all dimensions requirement.
Strengths & Weaknesses

Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.
Boxtie - 23: Strengths & Weaknesses
Boxtie - 23: Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.
Strengths & Weaknesses

Boxtie - 23: Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.
Strengths & Weaknesses


Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.


Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.

Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.

Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.

Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths & Weaknesses


Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.


Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.


Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.


Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
The strength of this design concept is that it is not just a digital application but a tangible representation of culture that allows the user to learn and experience it in a multi-sensory way. This would make learning more immersive and work as a method of ongoing learning, rather than just a one-time event.
Weaknesses
One potential weakness is the service’s ability to manage shipping logistics. All box contents would be sourced by the service for quality control and food safety. This would be a challenging aspect to overcome since it requires a complex supply chain infrastructure.

Prototyping
Part IV
Prototyping
Part IV
Boxtie - 24: Prototyping
Prototyping
Boxtie - 24: Prototyping
Part IV
Prototyping
Part IV
Prototyping
Part IV
Prototyping
Part IV
Prototyping
Part IV
Goals

The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals
The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Boxtie - 25: Goals
Boxtie - 25: Goals
The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals

Boxtie - 25: Goals
The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals


The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals

The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals

The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals

The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals


The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals
The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.
Goals
The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.


Goals
The next phase of our process was to build out a functional prototype of the end-user experience to undergo further evaluation. The prototype sought to test the onboarding experience of the service along with a handful of other features supplemental to the physical box experience. This forced discussion about the concept’s low level design details.

User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
Boxtie - 26: User Persona
User Persona
Boxtie - 26: User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
User Persona
In order to present a coherent narrative during prototype evaluation, we created a user persona based on our research and used it to guide prototype pathing and interaction decisions.
Meet "Farah"

Meet "Farah"
Boxtie - 27: Meet "Farah"
Meet "Farah"

Boxtie - 27: Meet "Farah"
Meet "Farah"

Meet "Farah"

Meet "Farah"

Meet "Farah"

Prototype Flows
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
Recipes: Sharing your personal fusion recipe & its story
Farah wants to share her personal recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi, along with her memories of the dish. To upload this recipe and its corresponding story, Farah navigates to the “Recipes” tab. There, she is guided through the recipe creation process. Farah is asked to share her story of her Nan-e Nokhodchi and why it's important to her. She can add story flourishes to individual steps throughout the process such as: “Coconut is not traditional in this recipe, but growing up in India, we always added a little coconut with the pistachios!”.
She finalizes the recipe and now “Farah’s Nan-e Nokhodchi” is an available recipe and story on the platform.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses our design requirement: FR-2: Promote/elevate personal fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture. Users’ recipes are expressions of their unique cultural identity and experience. Rather than having users categorize their recipe into binary labels such as “traditional” or “fusion”, the recipe is simply named after the author, representing that the recipe’s proximity to tradition is not what makes it valuable and it is instead valuable because it is authentic to the user.
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
Prototype Flows
Privacy: Specifying permissions for sharing recipes and identity
When finalizing the recipe, Farah is presented with the privacy settings for her recipes. Here she chooses if she wants the recipe to be visible to all users, users with overlaps with her cultural profile, her friends, or to only herself.
If she chooses to publish publicly or with users with overlaps in cultural profile, Farah has the option to have her name and profile hidden from others.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses the design requirement: NR-3: Guard against the commodification of ethnicity and culture by allowing users to specify who can see their published recipes.
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
Boxtie - 28: Prototype Flows
Boxtie - 28: Prototype Flows
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
Prototype Flows
.gif)
Boxtie - 28: Prototype Flows
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
Prototype Flows
.gif)
.gif)
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
Prototype Flows
.gif)
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
.gif)
Recipes: Sharing your personal fusion recipe & its story
Farah wants to share her personal recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi, along with her memories of the dish. To upload this recipe and its corresponding story, Farah navigates to the “Recipes” tab. There, she is guided through the recipe creation process. Farah is asked to share her story of her Nan-e Nokhodchi and why it's important to her. She can add story flourishes to individual steps throughout the process such as: “Coconut is not traditional in this recipe, but growing up in India, we always added a little coconut with the pistachios!”.
She finalizes the recipe and now “Farah’s Nan-e Nokhodchi” is an available recipe and story on the platform.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses our design requirement: FR-2: Promote/elevate personal fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture. Users’ recipes are expressions of their unique cultural identity and experience. Rather than having users categorize their recipe into binary labels such as “traditional” or “fusion”, the recipe is simply named after the author, representing that the recipe’s proximity to tradition is not what makes it valuable and it is instead valuable because it is authentic to the user.
Prototype Flows
.gif)
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
.gif)
Recipes: Sharing your personal fusion recipe & its story
Farah wants to share her personal recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi, along with her memories of the dish. To upload this recipe and its corresponding story, Farah navigates to the “Recipes” tab. There, she is guided through the recipe creation process. Farah is asked to share her story of her Nan-e Nokhodchi and why it's important to her. She can add story flourishes to individual steps throughout the process such as: “Coconut is not traditional in this recipe, but growing up in India, we always added a little coconut with the pistachios!”.
She finalizes the recipe and now “Farah’s Nan-e Nokhodchi” is an available recipe and story on the platform.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses our design requirement: FR-2: Promote/elevate personal fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture. Users’ recipes are expressions of their unique cultural identity and experience. Rather than having users categorize their recipe into binary labels such as “traditional” or “fusion”, the recipe is simply named after the author, representing that the recipe’s proximity to tradition is not what makes it valuable and it is instead valuable because it is authentic to the user.
.gif)
Privacy: Specifying permissions for sharing recipes and identity
When finalizing the recipe, Farah is presented with the privacy settings for her recipes. Here she chooses if she wants the recipe to be visible to all users, users with overlaps with her cultural profile, her friends, or to only herself.
If she chooses to publish publicly or with users with overlaps in cultural profile, Farah has the option to have her name and profile hidden from others.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses the design requirement: NR-3: Guard against the commodification of ethnicity and culture by allowing users to specify who can see their published recipes.
Prototype Flows
.gif)
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
.gif)
Recipes: Sharing your personal fusion recipe & its story
Farah wants to share her personal recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi, along with her memories of the dish. To upload this recipe and its corresponding story, Farah navigates to the “Recipes” tab. There, she is guided through the recipe creation process. Farah is asked to share her story of her Nan-e Nokhodchi and why it's important to her. She can add story flourishes to individual steps throughout the process such as: “Coconut is not traditional in this recipe, but growing up in India, we always added a little coconut with the pistachios!”.
She finalizes the recipe and now “Farah’s Nan-e Nokhodchi” is an available recipe and story on the platform.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses our design requirement: FR-2: Promote/elevate personal fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture. Users’ recipes are expressions of their unique cultural identity and experience. Rather than having users categorize their recipe into binary labels such as “traditional” or “fusion”, the recipe is simply named after the author, representing that the recipe’s proximity to tradition is not what makes it valuable and it is instead valuable because it is authentic to the user.
.gif)
Privacy: Specifying permissions for sharing recipes and identity
When finalizing the recipe, Farah is presented with the privacy settings for her recipes. Here she chooses if she wants the recipe to be visible to all users, users with overlaps with her cultural profile, her friends, or to only herself.
If she chooses to publish publicly or with users with overlaps in cultural profile, Farah has the option to have her name and profile hidden from others.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses the design requirement: NR-3: Guard against the commodification of ethnicity and culture by allowing users to specify who can see their published recipes.
Prototype Flows
.gif)
.gif)
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
.gif)
.gif)
Recipes: Sharing your personal fusion recipe & its story
Farah wants to share her personal recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi, along with her memories of the dish. To upload this recipe and its corresponding story, Farah navigates to the “Recipes” tab. There, she is guided through the recipe creation process. Farah is asked to share her story of her Nan-e Nokhodchi and why it's important to her. She can add story flourishes to individual steps throughout the process such as: “Coconut is not traditional in this recipe, but growing up in India, we always added a little coconut with the pistachios!”.
She finalizes the recipe and now “Farah’s Nan-e Nokhodchi” is an available recipe and story on the platform.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses our design requirement: FR-2: Promote/elevate personal fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture. Users’ recipes are expressions of their unique cultural identity and experience. Rather than having users categorize their recipe into binary labels such as “traditional” or “fusion”, the recipe is simply named after the author, representing that the recipe’s proximity to tradition is not what makes it valuable and it is instead valuable because it is authentic to the user.
.gif)
.gif)
Privacy: Specifying permissions for sharing recipes and identity
When finalizing the recipe, Farah is presented with the privacy settings for her recipes. Here she chooses if she wants the recipe to be visible to all users, users with overlaps with her cultural profile, her friends, or to only herself.
If she chooses to publish publicly or with users with overlaps in cultural profile, Farah has the option to have her name and profile hidden from others.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses the design requirement: NR-3: Guard against the commodification of ethnicity and culture by allowing users to specify who can see their published recipes.
.gif)
.gif)
Create a diary entry about your received box
After receiving Nanaia’s Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box, Farah has the opportunity to reflect on her experience creating Nanaia’s version of Maori potato sourdough bread and learning about its significance to Nanaia. To start a diary entry, Farah navigates to the “You” tab, and selects “Diary”. There, she can see her past diary entries and has the option to begin a new entry. She is directed to a list of received boxes and chooses Nanaia’s Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box, starts the diary from a blank template, and writes about her experience.
The recipe and story that Nanaia shared were both new regarding its Maori influences and familiar in its Indian influences. Farah reflects on this and is reminded her of her childhood. After finishing, Farah indicates that she would like a physical printout of her diary entry in her next received box to be added to her own physical dairy or scrapbook.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: NR-1: Encourage self-reflection and active self-development. By encouraging users to reflect upon their experiences, users re-engage with the cultures that they are connecting with, ruminate on their own cultural identity, and consider how their experiences with Boxtie have impacted them.
Prototype Flows
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
.gif)
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
.gif)
.gif)
Recipes: Sharing your personal fusion recipe & its story
Farah wants to share her personal recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi, along with her memories of the dish. To upload this recipe and its corresponding story, Farah navigates to the “Recipes” tab. There, she is guided through the recipe creation process. Farah is asked to share her story of her Nan-e Nokhodchi and why it's important to her. She can add story flourishes to individual steps throughout the process such as: “Coconut is not traditional in this recipe, but growing up in India, we always added a little coconut with the pistachios!”.
She finalizes the recipe and now “Farah’s Nan-e Nokhodchi” is an available recipe and story on the platform.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses our design requirement: FR-2: Promote/elevate personal fusion foods as authentic expressions of culture. Users’ recipes are expressions of their unique cultural identity and experience. Rather than having users categorize their recipe into binary labels such as “traditional” or “fusion”, the recipe is simply named after the author, representing that the recipe’s proximity to tradition is not what makes it valuable and it is instead valuable because it is authentic to the user.
.gif)
.gif)
Privacy: Specifying permissions for sharing recipes and identity
When finalizing the recipe, Farah is presented with the privacy settings for her recipes. Here she chooses if she wants the recipe to be visible to all users, users with overlaps with her cultural profile, her friends, or to only herself.
If she chooses to publish publicly or with users with overlaps in cultural profile, Farah has the option to have her name and profile hidden from others.
Requirements Addressed
This flow addresses the design requirement: NR-3: Guard against the commodification of ethnicity and culture by allowing users to specify who can see their published recipes.
.gif)
.gif)
Create a diary entry about your received box
After receiving Nanaia’s Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box, Farah has the opportunity to reflect on her experience creating Nanaia’s version of Maori potato sourdough bread and learning about its significance to Nanaia. To start a diary entry, Farah navigates to the “You” tab, and selects “Diary”. There, she can see her past diary entries and has the option to begin a new entry. She is directed to a list of received boxes and chooses Nanaia’s Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box, starts the diary from a blank template, and writes about her experience.
The recipe and story that Nanaia shared were both new regarding its Maori influences and familiar in its Indian influences. Farah reflects on this and is reminded her of her childhood. After finishing, Farah indicates that she would like a physical printout of her diary entry in her next received box to be added to her own physical dairy or scrapbook.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: NR-1: Encourage self-reflection and active self-development. By encouraging users to reflect upon their experiences, users re-engage with the cultures that they are connecting with, ruminate on their own cultural identity, and consider how their experiences with Boxtie have impacted them.
Prototype Flows
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
.gif)
.gif)
Prototype Flows
Onboarding: Signing up for Boxtie
When Farah first downloads Boxtie, she is presented with a series of introductory slides which explain what Boxtie is and its three core features: creating a cultural profile, exchanging boxes with others, and experiencing the cuisine and stories of others.
Requirements Addressed
Our onboarding process, and the cultural profile it creates, address our design requirement FR-3: Accurately represent the user’s identity along all dimensions. Our onboarding goes beyond simply asking for one’s ethnocultural background by asking about the places that have had a significant impact on a user’s cultural identity and other cultures they have an interest in.
Create a box for another user
Farah navigates to the “Boxes” tab, where she can see the status of her current box, select the option to exchange boxes, and see her favorite boxes and past boxes. Our prototype shows a special event, March Match-Up, in which Farah will create a box to send to a mystery match-up partner.
For the event, Boxtie presents Farah with a range of holidays and festivals that occur in March, as well as the option to search for others. She decides to make her box about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and includes her recipe for Nan-e Nokhodchi from her existing recipe. Farah adds ingredients, stickers, a recipe printout to the box, and records a voice memo to accompany the box. After a few aesthetic changes to the box, Farah reviews and submits her entry.
Farah is matched up with Nanaia, based on their shared cultural overlaps. Nanaia, a New Zealander of Maori descent, has lived in India for a significant amount of time. For the March Match-Up, Nanaia has created a Rēwena Parāoa Recipe Box for Farah to receive.
Requirements Addressed
This flow fulfills our design requirement: FR-1: Facilitate cultural exchange between individuals. The box exchange process is inherently an exchange between individuals in which two users are paired. Both individuals then receive a more personal cultural connection experience and can learn about a particular culture directly, from a more nuanced and representative perspective.
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Evaluation
Part V
Evaluation
Part V
Boxtie - 29: Evaluation
Evaluation
Boxtie - 29: Evaluation
Part V
Evaluation
Part V
Evaluation
Part V
Evaluation
Part V
Evaluation
Part V
Evaluation Plans

We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Evaluation Plans
We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Boxtie - 30: Evaluation Plans
Boxtie - 30: Evaluation Plans
We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Evaluation Plans

Boxtie - 30: Evaluation Plans
We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Evaluation Plans


We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Evaluation Plans

We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Evaluation Plans

We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.
Evaluation Plans

We developed both long term and short term evaluation plans to determine if Boxtie and its features succeed in meeting our design requirements. The long term evaluation would be a longitudinal study conducted over several months. The short term evaluation plan tests the features that seek to address our top two design requirements, along with general usability of the digital experience.