BOTIBI : CHATBOT + MASCOT
BRIEF
Take internal chatbot that assists with simple tasks such as checking the weather and booking boardrooms and personify it. In time, the chatbot is to be used as an external facing mascot for the company to further highlight IBI’s role as a design technology firm. This is part of a tech pivot as IBI attempts to restructure and rebrand itself as more than just an architecture company.
APPROACH
We used a Design Thinking approach to understand and balance the user’s and stakeholder’s needs while retaining consistency with IBI's brand.
UNDERSTANDING
IDEATION
PROTOTYPING
TESTING
+
VALIDATING
User research analysis
Competitor analysis
Brainstorming
Affinity Diagram
Sketching
Character development
Facial expression studies
Material research
3D modelling
Rendering
3D printing
User surveys
Name testing survey
UNDERSTANDING
We kicked off with a workshop which involved all the stakeholders representing the different departments of the company. This initial workshop laid down the parameters of what the company wanted from their new mascot. We held a brainstorm session to identify the needs and wants and expectations of what this new bot was going to represent.
From the keywords, we grouped them into clusters based on commonalities and identified recurring themes. We then tried to make connections between these themes and tried to understand and see if there’s any underlying issues that may be raising some of these issues.
Some of the descriptors for the new bot included fun, friendly and “not scary”. One of the key takeaways was to accomodate users’ different comfort levels with technology and to reassure them that this bot will not replace their jobs.
IDEATION
The initial stages of design started with sketching. Putting pen on paper is the fastest and most liberating way to let the ideas flow. There were constant meetings and check-ins with team members to validate and make sure we’re on the right track as guided by our research and workshop.
The best ideas were selected and changes were made to be tighter in line with our design goals. These were presented to stakeholders for their input before moving onto the next stage.
REFINING
+
PROTOTYPING
The chosen design was further refined and material and facial expression studies were conducted to give the bot more character and life. We also gave the bot a backpack for it to store its “tools of the trade” so to speak to represent the different arms and departments of IBI. Variations of the bot were modelled and 3D printed to better understand the volume and form. From there it was rendered in higher definition and detail before being presented to the stakeholders and guiding committee.
TESTING
After approval, the bot was sent out for user testing and feedback before making it’s official rollout. We selected participants of various age groups and asked them to fill out a survey to get feedback on how threatening the bot was to them. We also sent out a shortlist of names for the bot for people to vote on naming it. BOTIBI was the winner. A combination of BOT and IBI.
MEET BOTIBI...
BOTIBI made it’s debut and was introduced to the company in May 2019. Since then it has made numerous appearances in internal newsletters and reminders, storytelling mediums, campaign content, product launches, and print, digital, and virtual environments