nabu
User research
The purpose
Nabu's purpose is to accompany university students during their first months after entering. The main focus is to ensure the mental well-being of individuals by providing a feeling of companionship. New students often have various doubts and concerns about entering a little-known space, which is why they can isolate themselves from people and feel little valued and understood.
After qualitative research, Nabu was born, being a collection of four different stuffed animals that reflect a different area of study based on Mexican academia. The plushies can be personalized with the different achievements and failures they have had during their career. The content also has tips depending on the area of study to which it belongs.
Tec
2021
User research, empathy maps, user journey map, sketching, rendering and product development.
Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Miro
The process
Our main users are students seeking guidance during their career selection. To understand them more deeply, we identified the demographic characteristics of our users through secondary research and interviews. With these results, we identified our main problem and the importance of solving it. After creating a journey map, we highlighted the key touchpoints where students need much more support.
The design
For the design, we decided to focus on simple silhouettes that evoke relaxation and support. As you can see, they have simplified organic lines without shapes that stand out or cause stress. The color selection was also based on the colors of the original animals (rabbit, fox, raccoon, and bear), maintaining a palette of light tones. The kit includes a plush toy about 30 cm in size, a guide to understanding the desired career, patches to place on the plush toy, and informative boxes that can help with decision-making.
The impact
Students are at a decisive point in their lives where they are expected to have absolute knowledge about what they want, without having a clear guide to support them. Social and family pressure often works against them, so it is important to provide emotional support. We know that for many young people who are starting to become adults, a plush toy might seem bothersome, but it can also represent knowledge and proper companionship. We must not forget that they are still young and need someone to be with.
