Cera Cync didn't start as one idea; it started as two. For this project, I had to rethink the form & function of a time-measuring device. I began exploring what that meant in the context of ceramics, where timing is everything. My first concept was a handheld moisture-detecting tool paired with an app that would tell you exactly when a piece was ready to move to the next stage. My second concept was a smart storage case that automatically controlled the drying environment, but without an app component. Neither felt complete on its own, so I eventually merged the two — the case handling the environment, and the app handling the intelligence behind it.

To get there, I leaned on a pretty thorough research phase. I built a user persona to pin down exactly who I was designing for, a student ceramicist trying to manage their work around a packed schedule, and a user journey map to trace all the points where things go wrong in the drying and storing process. I completed benchmarking to look at other similar products/apps on the market, and a competitive audit to identify what was already out there and where the gaps were. A requirements analysis then helped me translate all of that into concrete design decisions, what the case needed to do, what the app needed to show, and where the two needed to talk to each other. That foundation is what kept the final concept grounded in a real problem rather than just a cool idea.​​​​​​​