Week 04 - Paper Outline and Milestones for Midterm Demo Day
Paper Outline
This week marks the completion of my paper outline! It can be viewed here.
It provides insight on how MiniKin fits into my research, which is centered around how virtual pets can leverage these qualities to perform implicit interactions that subtly support and enhance users’ daily lives.
Demo Day
What would be Shown
Below is a full deck highlighting features of MiniKin that I aim to showcase for the upcoming midterm demo day on the 11th of March, 2026. Key areas of the deck include the framework I would be using to develop MiniKin, its features, and intended table setup.
Potential Challenges
The next two weeks leading up to demo day would involve translating the prototype that I shared last week into code using the Electron framework.
For the time-based features, I would need to map the code to my built-in clock on my PC. This is so that MiniKin would be able to perform the checks and access the OpenWeather API every 15 to 30 minutes.
As for features with instant feedback, one challenge would be having my code access the Google Calendar API to detect important occasions such as birthdays. I have never used the Google Calendar API before, and would need to do research on this.
Out of the features I aim to implement, the biggest challenge would be the interchanging of MiniKin’s three customization options. Every Lottie file contains one design of MiniKin and its various states. Thus, every time a user selects a different design, I would have to replace the initial MiniKin design’s Lottie file with a new one and remap the states accordingly. I would need to carefully plan how to format my code as efficiently as possible.
State of MiniKin by Demo Day
By demo day, MiniKin would at a state where it would be fit to undergo usability testing. I aim to recruit a minimum of 5 participants.
The usability testing sessions would be held over the course of 3 weeks to allow flexibility for scheduling. Each session will last no longer than 45 minutes. The first 5 minutes would be dedicated to onboarding, followed by 20 minutes of interaction with MiniKin, and the remaining time for feedback and discussion. During the session, participants are to complete a set of assigned tasks. They would also be encouraged to voice their thoughts during and after the session.
Success would be evaluated based on participants’ expressed likelihood of regularly opening the MiniKin application, heeding MiniKin’s implicit cues, and allowing MiniKin to remain visible on the desktop.
Once I gather feedback, I would have gained further insights on how I can improve MiniKin, which could involve adding more features.
Anticipated Reception from Faculty
Because some of MiniKin’s features are time-based, there is a possibility that faculty members may not encounter them during their interaction with it. To ensure they are aware of the full range of MiniKin’s capabilities, I plan to bring an iPad with a separate presentation highlighting these features and walk them through it.
I anticipate that faculty will offer thoughtful and constructive feedback on MiniKin, and I hope they find its concept meaningful and promising! I am also expecting them to identify areas that I might have overlooked that could be improved on. Given their experience, I am looking forward to their perspectives on MiniKin’s usability, whether its purpose is clear, and scalability.
