MINOR PROJECT - MOON BLOOMS: PUBLIC MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS VENDING MACHINE

 

||  22/04/25-13/05/25
||  Sun Jia Yi / 0370449
||  Minor Project / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
||  Minor project Compilation 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures 
2. Instructions
3. Feedback 
4. Reflection 

LECTURES 
Week 4 

Prior to creating any prototypes, we should have a fundamental grasp of user-centered design.

INSTRUCTIONS 

This is the Client Project Brief for this Module: 

                                                  Fig 1.1 Client Brief Project _Period Poverty

Through the client brief, we understand some key common challenges about the period Poverty: 
  • Cultural taboos and social stigma around menstruation
  • Silence and discomfort in discussing menstrual health
  • Shame and embarrassment among young women
  • Lack of awareness and empathy among young men
  • Misconceptions about menstruation being unclean or inappropriate
  • Period poverty due to socioeconomic inequality
  • Limited access to affordable menstrual products
  • Inadequate facilities for menstrual hygiene
  • Disruption to education, class participation, and social life
  • Ongoing gender inequality and social exclusion
Team Building
In the week 2, we created a team of 5 from different specializations. 

                                                                   Fig 1.2 Team Member

1. Empathy

Here are the process of EMPATHY :

   1. User interview 
   2. Key findings
   3.Affinity diagrams 

User Interview 

we total got 6 interviews for the user interview, including 3 young adults and 3 mothers:

    1. Christina(Wun Yee) 
    2. Ivy (Saif) 
    3. Lu Feng Lan(Tong Qin Yuan)
    4. Maggie(Saif)
    5. Sammy(Bertrand) 
    6. Tele(Jasmine) 

The respondents were predominantly female and recruited through personal social networks and family connections.

Target users

  • Young girls in schools, who menstruate, particularly from low-income background.

  • They are in situations where they lack access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products.

Interview responses (6): HERE






                                                                   Fig 1.3 Interview Question 

Key Findings 

After the Interview, we starting to do the key findings

 Fig 1.4 Key Findings 1 

 Fig 1.5 Key Findings 2 


 Fig 1.6 Key Findings 3
 Fig 17  Key Findings 4 
 Fig 1.8 Key Findings 5
 Fig 1.9 Key Findings 6 

Affinity Diagrams 

Key findings were grouped into clusters to create affinity diagrams.

 Fig 1.10 Affinity Diagrams Version 1 

 Fig 1.11 Affinity Diagrams Version 1 
 Fig 1.12 Refined Affinity Diagrams 1 
 Fig 1.13 Refined Affinity Diagrams 2
 Fig 1.14 Refined Affinity Diagrams 3
 Fig 1.15 Refined Affinity Diagrams 4
 Fig 1.16 Refined Affinity Diagrams 5 
 Fig 1.17 Refined Affinity Diagrams 6

2. Define 

We move on to the DEFINE phrase after the EMPATHY phrase, which has the following elements:
Persona of the user
Map of the user's journey
"How Might We" is the problem statement.

User Persona 

2 Main User Personas were developed for both young adults and mothers: 


 Fig 1.18 User Persona 

Problem Statement 
  • Public places such as schools and workplaces lack hygienic products or clean toilets.
  • Women wear used menstrual products due to their lack of access to clean ones, which is unsafe and can affect their health, such as infection and skin irritation.
  • Women feel shame about menstruation due to some cultures’ stigma towards it for its “uncleanliness” and being “disgusting”. The stigma can result in a lack of education or awareness and women’s reluctance to discuss the topic.
  • Lack of menstruation education, such as hygiene practices and inadequate access, can lead to urinary tract infections and cause the negative stigma to arise, despite being women’s health cycle.
  • The cost of menstrual products has increased.
        
      Fig 1.19 Insight Statement

      Fig 1.20 Problem Statement 

"How Might We" Questions 

To establish the framework for brainstorming and the direction of the IDEATION term, a set of How Might We questions was created.

       
    Fig 1.21 HMW Question

3. Ideation 

Since vending machine design is outside of our primary area of expertise, concept development proved to be one of the most difficult components of this project. Brainstorming sessions and in-depth research were necessary for this phase.

Pre-Task 1: Presentation of the Solution

We started by organizing the "Crazy Eight" concepts that were discussed in class. We combined, cross-validated, and thoroughly investigated workable ideas using these sketches.

       
    Fig 1.22 Possible Ideas/ Solutions 

After the week 5 meeting, We decided to choose the idea 4. 

Task 1 Proposal: Come up with a creative project idea as a team.

    Fig 1.23 Task 1 Proposal 

After receiving the feedback by Dr. Wong , we aim to build 4 products: 

    1. Moon Blooms Vending Machine 
    2. App UI Design 
    3. Digital Screen UI(Vertical)
    4. Packaging Design For Moon Blooms Pads and underwear
    5. Infographic animation 
  
    Fig 1.24 The features in Moon Blooms 

IDEATION 1: Vending Machine

To further investigate the potential of the products, a few designs are made.

    Fig 1.25 Vending machine Sketch

IDEATION 2: Infographic Animation 



    Fig 1.26 Infographic animation Sketch


4. Prototype 

Branding & Art Direction 

    Fig 1.27 The Logo and sub-logo design in Moon Blooms

Fig 1.28 typography 

Poppins should be used for our brand, as this communicates trust between the brand and users who are trying to educate themselves while trying our products. Dancing Script has a very soft, comfort vibe. Which is why it would be ideal to use the font as MoonBlooms’s tagline, “Let it Flow...”

Fig 1.29 Color Palette 

The pink emphasizes women’s menstruation. The blue and white, which resembles the contrast between the moon and the night sky. The color combination and the brand name itself further emphasize that women can bloom with menstruation and grow with confidence as the moons go by.

PROTOTYPE 1: Vending Machine 

Fig 1.30 The step of the Vending Machine 

Fig 1.31 The Size of the Vending machine 

Fig 1.32 Moon Blooms Vending machine Prototype


PROTOTYPE 2: UI of the Vending Machine 


Fig 1.33 UI of the Vending Machine

Here is the figma Link of UI in the vending Machine

PROTOTYPE 3: UI of the Vending Machine (Vertical)

Fig 1.34 UI of the Vending Machine(Vertical)

PROTOTYPE 4: UI of the Mobile App


Fig 1.35 UI of the Mobile App 

Here is the link in figma of Ui in the mobile app: HERE

PROTOTYPE 5: Infographic Video 

Fig 1.36 Infographic Video

Here is the Link about the Infographic Animation Video:

For my part of the Prototype is Packaging Design. 
Below is my first Version of the Packaging Design: 

Fig 1.37 Pads design(Version 1) 

Fig 1.38 Pads design Mock up( Version 1) 

Fig 1.39 Pads design Mock up( Version 2) 

Fig 1.40 Pads design Mock up( Version 3) 

Fig 1.41 Underwear design(Version 1) 

Fig 1.42 Underwear design Mock Up (Version 1) 

Fig 1.43 Underwear design Mock Up (Version 2) 

Fig 1.44 Underwear design Mock Up (Version 3) 

After done the pads and Underwear Design and mock up. I got some feedback form Dr.wongand our group's leader. Here is the feedback: 1. Change the color that should follow the color palette in the task 1 ppt . 2. Need to put the pads type to the day and night. For the underwear should put the M and L size. 3. For the Size of the pads and underwear, I need to measured again. Cuz I need to make sure all of the products can fit into the Vending Machine. So I created the docs about the size of the pads and underwear. 4. To make sure can fit into the vending machine, so I need to change the Box Design of the packaging to the EVA Material. 

Fig 1.45 The size of the Pads and Underwear

After done the remeasured the Pads and Underwear, I starting to redesign the packaging of pads and underwear using the right color , right size and EVA material. 

Below is the google drive for the final Packaging design. I also put the final Packaging design into the figjam of out group. 

Final Packaging Design: HERE


4. User Testing 

After completing the prototype development, we conducted two rounds of user testing with potential users, including two female college students.

Test objectives were:

To understand the overall user experience of the moon blooms vending machine.

To evaluate the quality of step-by-step guidance provided through the moon blooms vending machine application.

Following are the designed tasks: 

Fig 1.46  Task design 

Fig 1.47 Task design 

FINAL PRESENTATION 


Fig 1.48 Final Presentation- Moon Blooms 



FEEDBACK

Week 10 
For my part Packaging design need to change the type, size and material of the pads and underwear packaging design.

Week 14
After the final ppt present, we need to focus on the period poverty topic not just how to build the vending machine to sell our product. Also for the UI and website design we need to put more information in the education part to match the how might we question.


REFLECTION 

Identifying the Problem (Empathy & Define)

The journey of MoonBlooms began with a deep dive into the harsh realities of period poverty. Through our research, we discovered that the issue is not just about the lack of products, but also includes poor hygiene infrastructure, mental health difficulties like anxiety, and a significant lack of menstrual literacy.

Working on the user personas—Amira Tan (a budget-conscious mother) and Li Xinyi ( a university student)—helped me realize that period poverty affects people differently. While mothers worry about their daughters’ future health and education, students struggle with social stigma and the lack of eco-friendly options in public spaces. This phase was eye-opening as it shifted my perspective from seeing menstruation as a personal hygiene matter to a public health and human rights issue.

Developing the Solution (Ideate & Prototype)

Our group’s goal was to create a solution that was both accessible and educational. We developed MoonBlooms, a smart vending machine and mobile app ecosystem.

  • The Vending Machine: We designed it to provide eco-friendly products like reusable pads and menstrual cups, which are often harder to find or afford in rural areas. Including a digital screen for infographic animations was a key decision to help "break the stigma" by making education available right at the point of purchase.

  • The Mobile App: I found the "Points and Donation" system particularly meaningful. It allows users to earn rewards for engaging with educational content or donating to help others, creating a community of support rather than just a transactional service.

  • Visual Identity: We chose a color palette of soft pinks and deep blues to symbolize "blooming with confidence" as the moon cycles go by. Using the "Dancing Script" font for the tagline "Let it Flow" was intended to convey comfort and ease.

Personal Growth and Collaborative Lessons

Working as a team (Graphic Design, Animation, and UI/UX) allowed us to see how different disciplines intersect to solve a social problem. As a Graphic Designer, I learned how visual branding can normalize a "taboo" topic. The challenge was to make the packaging for products like the Night Pads and Period Underwear look clean, friendly, and professional to build trust with users.

Future Impact

The testing phase, where we mapped out Li Xinyi’s journey from finding a machine to redeeming points, showed me that technology can truly bridge the gap in menstrual care. MoonBlooms isn't just about selling pads; it’s about ensuring that "access to sanitary products is a fundamental right, not a luxury". Moving forward, I am more committed to using design as a tool for social advocacy and helping to create "menstrual-friendly" environments.

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