Students will investigate how real viewers interpret color, texture, and anthropomorphic traits in animal art by conducting interviews and creating empathy maps grounded in direct quotes. They will surface assumptions, practice active listening, and document user insights that will guide their problem definition in the next phase.

Students will synthesize interview data about how viewers interpret color, texture, and anthropomorphic traits in animal portraits. They will identify patterns across multiple users, develop evidence-based empathy artifacts, and craft a focused How Might We statement that guides ideation in the next phase.

Students will generate a wide range of user-centered concepts for communicating animal personality through color, texture, and interaction, then converge on the strongest ideas using evidence from real user research. By the end of the phase, each team will have 2–3 annotated concept sketches or storyboards that directly address documented user needs and are ready for prototyping.

Students will build and refine low- to medium-fidelity prototypes of their anthropomorphic animal portrait scrolls, stop-motion animations, and collaborative mural/kiosk concepts. They will test prototypes with real users, document feedback, and revise based on evidence, preparing strong iteration logs for final presentation.

Students will conduct a final validation test of their anthropomorphic animal portrait animations and exhibition pieces with new users, refine their interactive mural and kiosk based on feedback, and present their full design journey—from empathy research to final iteration—during the Storyteller’s Studio and Animal Collective Mural Unveil.