Des302 Blog Assessment 
Reflecting Des301
Based on What? So what? Now what? Reflection model
https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/what-so-what-now-what

What？

This week, I focused on refining the app framework design, building upon last week’s progress. I restructured the app flow based on insights from Week 7, prioritizing the most important features to showcase. My goal was to devote more energy to these core elements while scaling back secondary functions.

A significant challenge I faced was related to integrating AR into the prototype. I discovered that Figma—the tool I’m using for my prototype—lacks camera functionality, meaning it couldn’t simulate a user scanning a building to trigger the AR experience. This limitation was frustrating because it made it difficult to properly present one of the app’s key features.

During the week, I received feedback from Mark, who was invited by Dr. Mairi to review our projects. After discussing my concerns with him, I felt reassured that in such a limited timeframe, I didn't need to create a fully functional app. Instead, Mark suggested that using Figma to demonstrate my concept was a valid approach, given the circumstances.

Initially, I was motivated, but as Thursday approached, I started to feel uncertain about how to best showcase the AR interactions. Mark's guidance helped alleviate that uncertainty, providing a sense of validation and clarity moving forward.

This situation taught me several important lessons about managing expectations and limitations. First, it highlighted how I had been placing too much pressure on myself to deliver a fully functional app when my time and resources were limited. Recognizing that I couldn’t meet those high expectations with my current skills and tools was both a humbling and enlightening experience.

Mark's advice emphasized the importance of working within my abilities and focusing on the conceptual presentation of my idea rather than chasing technical perfection. The decision to use Figma—despite its limitations—allowed me to continue moving forward, rather than getting stuck on features that weren’t achievable within the current constraints.

I also realized the value of adapting my approach based on feedback. Instead of feeling disheartened by the AR limitation in Figma, I now understood that demonstrating the concept is more critical than making the app fully functional at this stage. This allowed me to shift my mindset from frustration to acceptance, focusing on how I could creatively use Figma’s existing capabilities to communicate my vision effectively.

​So What?

Moving forward, I will embrace the advice I received and shift my focus toward presenting the core concept of my app using the tools available. Instead of attempting to create a fully functional AR experience, I’ll use Figma to demonstrate the most critical features and interactions. My goal is to ensure that the key elements of the app’s design and user experience are clear, even without advanced AR integration.

To strengthen my presentation, I will explore resources like Kivicube and other case studies that use Figma to simulate AR features, gaining insights from similar projects.