Custom-made Mouse

Main Role: Co-Founder, UX Design Lead





From 0 to 1: Launching our Startup Project



Custom-made Mouse is our year-long 0-to-1 startup project that is now being funded by Creative Prototyping x Sustainability - das Berliner Startup Stipendium in the Berlin University of the Arts (UDK). 

A unique mouse that adapts 100% to the shape of your hand. It is automatically generated based on individual ergonomic data from your hand and computer calculations. Standardized designs cannot capture everyone's hand data, but with our customization system, it is possible.






Target Market



The product is aimed at a large number of users who occasionally or regularly work at a computer. It is aimed at office employees, the self-employed, and the growing number of home office workers who, in addition to functionality, value an individual, ergonomic, and sustainable input device. They mainly belong to the middle class and have a more conscious purchasing behavior. They do not demand above-average performance from their input device. 






Persona:



Middle-aged female office workers have become our effective persona due to characteristics such as:

  • aged 33-46

  • Working in front of the computer for a long time, for example, 6-8 hours

  • Finding it hard to find small-sized mice

  • suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Being more enthusiastic about buying customized products related to appearance and gifts







The Problem: 
How to guide users online to customize ergonomic mice correctly?



Since the custom mouse market is still a niche market, we wanted to directly digitalize the complex customization process so that we could reach enough interested users online.

However, we found that the current customization process of “mailing clay - scanning the model on cell phone - uploading” brought a lot of difficulties and confusion to users. We confirmed that by running a survey which showed almost 70% of our testers will ask at least one question that confuses them during the customising process. 

Therefore, this posed a challenge to our user experience: How can we redefine our online customization process to more clearly and accurately guide users to provide the data necessary for customization?






First MVP:
Integration of ergonomic cues into the base shape



To provide the user with clearer instructions, we changed the original shape of the clay from “freeform” to “base shape containing ergonomic cues”.

After consulting with orthopedic specialists about anatomy, we concluded that carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by long-term compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel of the forearm. To prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, the shape of the mouse should allow the wrist to be raised to a neutral position, i.e. 0 degrees, where the median nerve is most relaxed.

Therefore, we have elongated the base shape to a sausage shape, which effectively raises the wrist position during the molding process.







User Testing:
Lack of real-time confirmation feedback leads to users’ confusion



When usability testing the Sausage Shape Improvement with 11 target users, we found that more than 54% of them had questions during the customization process, such as “Should I cut off this excess clay?” and “Is this scanned model of sufficient quality?” 

Thus, we realized that for online users, the freedom of “clay shaping” will always bring questions because there is no real-time confirmation feedback.







Refinement: 
Simplify the confusing customization process



To reduce this confusing user experience, we decided to continue simplifying the customization process in the future. 

Users will no longer need to perform "clay shaping and scanning" but will instead take hand photos and provide hand measurements. Our machine learning-trained design system will generate the most comfortable mouse model for each user directly based on their hand photos. 







Wireframe



The complete revised online customization process is as follows:







Final Showcase



We want the app to present a minimalist, clean, and easy-to-display model appearance.







Takeaways



1.  Informed rapid user testing is the most effective and time-saving decision-making method: Real user feedback is the most honest. Instead of endless discussions within the team, it is better to quickly create a rough prototype, invites real users to test it, and record feedback with valid data.

2.  From a user-centered perspective, clearly define instructions in detail: Clear and natural instructions can significantly improve the user experience and reduce a large amount of manual input during the customization process.

3.  Business decisions are the foundation of user experience design: As a product owner, I always make it clear that the ultimate goal of user experience is to improve users' willingness to buy, so when we do user experience design, we must clarify the business goals of different stages, and always keep the big view to guide every detail.


   

Project 1 Custom-made MouseStartup Launching
Project 2 AIsurance AI Agent for Insurance
Project 3 Package DepositBlockchain for Sustainability





Welcome to contact me:       yuhanghan97@gmail.com