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Introduction

Case Study:
Cozy Corner

August-December 2021

Cozy Corner was created during my time in WiCSE's Shadowing Program. The goal of the program was to connect students with industry professionals in creating their own personal semester long project.​

 

Cozy Corner addresses difficulties during the virtual transition during the Covid-19 Pandemic. At a time where many people lost their physical safe spaces, Cozy Corner aims to create a virtual environment that promotes a sense of comfort and relaxation.

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Skills

  • Graphics Design

  • UI/UX

  • Front-end Development

Tools

  • Figma 

  • Canva

  • Photoshop

  • Procreate

  • HTML/CSS/JS

  • Vue.js

  • Netlify

Roles

Roles

  • Me 

  • Marco Pagani (InforTech Mentor)

Problem

How to create a virtual safe space?

Project Scope

For this project, I plan to create a single page web application with the purpose of creating an ideal studying environment for students. The webpage will include various features such as ambience, timer, clock, and a to-do list. The goal will be to create a virtual study space that is both functional and aesthetic.

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Inspiration

The inspiration for this project is from Virtual Cottage, another study application. It was developed by DU&I as a pandemic project.​

It is available on on Steam and Itch.io​

For Cozy Corner, I wanted to take similar concepts from this application that would fit my own personal aesthetic. In addition, I aimed for it to be more accessible as a web application.

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Design

Cozy Corner was designed to be a single webpage application that users will leave open on their device while they work physically. Features would be implemented with a simple and intuitive UI/UX.​

Several design and feature functionalities were discussed to address the question of "what makes a space space design?" It is easy to create calming aesthetic features and color palettes. For functionalities, however, this was more challenging. One example of a "safe space" functionality was the decision to omit the seconds in the clock and timer because countdowns became anxiety inducing.

Challenges + Conclusions

Major challenges began at the beginning of the project during the learning stages. I had no prior experience with Front-End development and web frameworks. After discussing with my mentor, he suggested Vue.js as a beginner friendly option and pointed me towards several resources. At the same time, he offered me the correct technical language so I would know what to begin looking for. Once I had the knowledge, the implementation became much easier.

Overall, I was satisfied with how Cozy Corner turned out and how it functions as a simple study application. The process from design, implementation, and deployment taught me a lot about the web development journey and sparked an interest within me. I would like to delegate this project as the turning point in my interests towards web development and design.

Future Project Goals

Mobile Implementation

Currently there are big trends in mobile applications that fit the following functions:

  • Note Taking

  • Focus Apps

  • Aesthetic

More Functionality

Include more functions such as:

  • Data collection

  • Studying Statistics

  • Day/Night Modes

  • Customization + Presets​

Thus, users can observe their own study and productivity trends. Using this information, users can adjust their focus to reallocate their time.

Gameification

To include my interests in game design, new features can include:

  • Rewards System

  • Daily challenges or study goals

  • Positive Reinforcement​

​Positive reinforcement is known to promote good habits. By including these features, users can reinforce good studying habits in a fun and personalized manner

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Process
Problem
Final Product
Conclusions
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