I led the end-to-end design process for Collectivity, from discovery research through high-fidelity prototyping. I conducted deep ethnographic research with collectors to understand their motivations and pain points, tested and prioritized concepts through ranking exercises, and developed a digitally connected ecosystem of products that helps collectors seamlessly catalog, showcase, and share their collections with joy and purpose.

  • Reduce friction in the collecting experience

  • Enable collectors to meaningfully share and showcase their collections.

  • Make cataloging and organizing feel as joyful as acquiring new items.

September 2024 - March 2025

Thesis Capstone

Lead Design Researcher, Lead Product Design Engineer, UX Designer, Strategist

User Research, Concept Testing, Product Design, Rapid Prototyping

None

Collectors feel joy when acquiring and sharing items, but cataloging and organizing often feels like a chore.

Question: How might we extend the joy of collecting into cataloging, organizing, and sharing — making these experiences as rewarding as acquisition?

  • User Need: A system to joyfully and purposefully catalog, showcase, and share collectibles at home and with community.

  • Business Need: Enable seamless management and showcasing while creating pathways for ongoing engagement and monetization through hardware, digital platforms, and community features.

Phase 1: Research

Secondary Research

  • Competitive Analysis - Researched existing products and experiences in collecting and analogous experiences.

    • Existing options are fragmented — shelves for storage, spreadsheets for cataloging, forums and events for sharing. No unified ecosystem bridges these needs

  • Competitive Analysis - Researched existing products and experiences in collecting and analogous experiences.

    • Existing options are fragmented — shelves for storage, spreadsheets for cataloging, forums and events for sharing. No unified ecosystem bridges these needs

Primary Research:

  • Observation Studies - I conducted 2 observation studies in collectible stores to study how people interact with collectibles, community, and shared spaces. I also conducted observation studies in spaces centered around storage and cataloging to understand how people engage with these activities and the necessary physical products.


  • Contextual Interviews - I conducted contextual interviews with collectible store owners, staff, and managers to understand their experience both as collectors and vendors.


  • Exploratory Research - I conducted 13 virtual interviews to understand collectors' experiences, motivations, struggles, and needs.

  • Evaluative Research - I conducted 4 virtual concept feedback and co-creation sessions to understand collectors' feature priorities.

Findings:

  • Collectors stay engaged in their hobbies through social validation.

  • Organizing/cataloging feels like a chore compared to the joy of acquisition and sharing.

  • Sharing brings purpose; cataloging often lacks it.

Key Insight:

Collecting is joyful, social, and purposeful — but organizing and cataloging can be aimless, solitary, and joyless.

How might we make organizing, cataloging, and sharing your collection just as joyful, purposeful, and socially rewarding as the moment you get a new collectible?

Phase 2: Concept Exploration

Ideation:

Generated ~10 concepts for concept feedback and feature testing. Brainstormed focused on different aspects of HMW statement to capture joy, purpose, or social reward in each concept if not all three.

Testing:

Four virtual concept tests with ranking exercises identified top-priority features. Concept testing sessions revealed what collectors most resonated with for their collecting experiences.

  • Strong preference was shown for combined physical/digital experiences that aided throughout the experience

Direction: An ecosystem of digitally connected products that integrates cataloging, organizing, and sharing.

Phase 3: Refinement & Prototyping

Refinement:

Clarified core offerings vs. accessory features. Built foam-core and cardboard prototypes to explore size and form.

Field Testing:

Two additional sessions to refine ecosystem offerings, digital experience, and user priorities.

Prototyping & Modeling:

  • Built high-fidelity mockups with wood, 3D-printed parts, and real cameras; paired with Figma wireframes for digital experiences.

  • Developed entire user flow to map and understand collector's journey through the ecosystem both digitally and physically.

  • Refined intuitive interfaces between different physical products to augment collector's current experience.

  • Created high fidelity CAD models and Keyshot renderings


Collectivity:

An ecosystem of products and digital experiences extending joy and social reward across the full collecting experience.

Showcase: 12-inch cube with 64MP camera, studio lighting, and variable turntable to 3D-scan and spotlight items.

Showcase: 12-inch cube with 64MP camera, studio lighting, and variable turntable to 3D-scan and spotlight items.


Cubbi: 12-inch modular storage/display cube that magnetically connects to Showcase and other Cubbis; customizable with risers and lighting.

Cubbi: Modular storage/display cube that magnetically connects to Showcase; customizable with risers and lighting.


ViewPort: Camera attachment for Cubbi that auto-tracks items placed inside and maps the collection as it grows.

ViewPort: Camera attachment that auto-tracks items placed in Cubbi, mapping the collection as it grows.


CollectivityHub: Digital interface with AI assistant, Collecti, enabling cataloging, sharing, and community engagement.

CollectivityHub: Digital interface with AI assistant Collecti, enabling cataloging, sharing, and community engagement.


  • Phase 1 Rollout: Showcase, Cubbi, and CollectivityHub with core cataloging and sharing features.

  • Phase 2 Rollout: ViewPort, marketplace integration, and expanded Hub features.

  • Revenue Model:

    • Hardware sales (~$200 set).

    • Subscription: $5/month for 3D scan storage >100 items.

    • Marketplace: 5% transaction fee between users.

  • Reduced friction in cataloging and organizing, turning chores into joyful interactions.


  • Strengthened community engagement through sharing and validation.

  • Created a viable ecosystem strategy that combines hardware and digital revenue streams.

  • Collector feedback:
    “Collectivity helps reduce the things that feel like a chore in collecting and lets you focus on the more fun parts.” – Krys, seasoned collector

  • Learned to lead an end-to-end design process in an unexplored space, from research through prototyping.

  • Deep ethnographic listening was critical for surfacing the emotional drivers of collecting (joy, sharing, validation).

  • Proved the value of ecosystem-centered product strategies — collectors will eagerly adopt when multiple pain points are solved in a connected system.