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Week 10: Refinement, Co-Design, and Looking Ahead

Part I: The Experience

One significant breakthrough this week was in solidifying my confidence with NFC tag technology—not only as a trigger for digital storytelling, but as a design layer in its own right. I spent time re-engaging with NFC tag setup and mobile interaction workflows using apps like NFC Tools and TagWriter. I tested several tag types to understand durability, scanning speed, and placement sensitivity. This hands-on re-familiarisation process helped clarify how these tags can be used not just to deliver content, but to structure the emotional rhythm of the experience.

I began to see NFC tags as more than hardware—they are physical prompts that anchor memory, provoke curiosity, and reinforce the spatial relationship between story and land. This insight helped me think differently about the UI. Rather than building everything on the screen, I’m now designing for what happens just before and just after a tag is scanned—moments that live offscreen, but are still part of the system. For instance, I added animations and audio that fade in after a tag tap, and developed micro-interactions that give the user subtle feedback (such as vibration cues or fade transitions) to deepen the sensory engagement.

This week marked my final cycle of iteration before presentations and allowed me to integrate the feedback from Week 9 more fully. My core focus was refining the emotional clarity and cultural framing of Hīkoi Huna, while reflecting on the future direction of the project. With the major components in place—UI sketches, narrative scripting, NFC exploration—I shifted from experimentation to clarification. I aimed to move past surface polish and deepen my research while tightening the connection between design intention and user experience.

Goals for the Week

Refine and simplify user flow (fewer interaction types, smoother transitions)

Finalize layout logic for mobile and desktop views

Explore ways to co-design interface elements with community engagement in mind

Revisit toolkits: determine what software and skills I’ll need to deepen in Capstone

Begin assembling research-led provocations for user testing next semester

I began with a light UI polish—focusing on the landing screen. Based on Phoenix’s earlier suggestion about emotional onboarding, I created a simple splash screen offering a karakia and introduction to Hīkoi Huna. This screen uses animated elements and soft ambient audio as an optional welcome. I also began drafting a new section for the site history, integrating story fragments shared in peer critiques and insights from previous research into urban Māori storytelling methods.

In parallel, I returned to thinking about material interaction. Although I didn’t make new physical prototypes, I revised how NFC markers could be embedded intuitively within the environment using everyday objects (e.g., stone markers, carved bollards, mural touchpoints). This line of thinking sparked new speculative sketches.

Since I wasn’t aiming to build a full prototype this week, I concentrated on creating the clearest possible representations of the emotional, narrative, and spatial flows in my system. This included:

A revised script structure with more modular paths (inspired by Humayra’s suggestion to let users “follow emotion, not just location”)

Adding short reflection prompts at each site to enable gentle self-guided interaction

Marking NFC tag locations more clearly for mobile-first usability and low-light environments

Considering onboarding for non-digital-native users, including those with low vision or older demographics

Part II: Reflection on Action

The changes this week helped me see how I might approach Capstone as both a researcher and storyteller. I’m no longer just experimenting with technologies, but actively defining the values and frameworks through which I want to design. The feedback from peers reminded me to treat every screen as a point of relationship-building, not just information delivery.

Phoenix’s feedback encouraged me to consider the tone and first impression more deeply, leading to the karakia onboarding. Humayra’s input on modular narrative paths reminded me that agency doesn’t always mean options—it can also mean resonance, connection, and quietness. Their perspectives made me think more critically about subtle interaction and attention design.

I also realised I’m now ready to commit to deeper research. Instead of just playing with formats, I want to identify a few key questions and go deep—what does ethical digital storytelling look like in postcolonial spaces? How can interaction design serve cultural continuity without extractivism? To answer these, I’ll need to learn new tools (like Unity’s AR foundations and better audio integration) but also refine my user research methods and co-design facilitation practices.

Part III: Theory

This week I returned to Anne Galloway’s work on speculative design and indigenous innovation. Her emphasis on slowing down, listening, and crafting presence in digital space resonated with my goals for Hīkoi Huna. This aligned with Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s call for relational accountability, reminding me that design is never neutral.

I also explored UX case studies on cultural tourism and interpretive apps and found patterns in how they incorporate layered narrative, ambient guidance, and flexible pacing. Several of these emphasized design for drift—encouraging users to pause, wander, or reflect.

I’ve bookmarked frameworks from Ngā Aho and the Design for Aotearoa site to use as design ethics reference points, especially as I prepare for stakeholder engagement and co-design next semester.

Part IV: Preparation

I’m entering the final stretch ready to shift from exploration to focused design. I’ll be:

Synthesizing blog learnings into a Capstone framework

Building an annotated research map to track themes, technologies, and references

Identifying technical gaps in Unity, sound design, and co-design workflows

Planning a small co-design session with peers or community mentors to develop visual motifs or metaphor maps

I’m aiming to prototype less, but research more deeply. Hīkoi Huna is evolving not just as a product idea, but as a long-term question: how can I, as a designer, contribute meaningfully to digital placemaking in Aotearoa?

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Week 9: Feedback, Framing, and Low-Fidelity Prototypes

Part I: The Experience

This week marked a key moment in the development of Hīkoi Huna. My primary focus was preparing for Crit Session 2, where I shared the evolution of my concept and gathered peer and tutor feedback to guide the next design stage. Drawing from my preparation in Week 8, I pitched my concept through a structured walkthrough. I narrated the cultural and historical motivations behind the work, explained the choice of mobile-based AR and NFC tags, and presented sketches and annotated screen mockups in Figma that helped communicate how users might interact with the system. I also shared insights from last week’s site audit and NFC experiments and talked through my early interface mockups developed in Figma. I also created a narrative script mapping the flow of interactions across proposed locations like Britomart and Albert Park. The script helped prototype user pacing, story sequencing, and reflective prompts without building an actual interface yet. I plan to convert this into a visual flow or simple clickable wireframe next week.

During the critique, feedback highlighted the strength of the concept’s cultural sensitivity and experiential ambition, but also raised key questions about accessibility, visual clarity, and scope. Several peers commented that while the narrative layering was powerful, the technology stack needed simplification to ensure usability. One tutor suggested testing a text-and-audio-only version to see if the emotional core still resonated without full AR visuals. Phoenix and Humayra offered particularly thoughtful suggestions—Phoenix encouraged me to clarify entry points to the experience and consider how users would emotionally onboard into the story, while Humayra suggested more modular storytelling so users could explore at their own pace.

Part II: Reflection on Action

I left the crit session with a clearer understanding of how my design values were being interpreted by others. While I had assumed the technical elements would elevate the experience, the feedback reminded me that emotional clarity and narrative cohesion matter more than technological flair. This validated my decision to start with low-fidelity tools like narrative script and Figma before jumping into Unity or AR SDKs.

I also appreciated the conversation around my role as a facilitator rather than the author of these stories. Their suggestions affirmed that my design was being received in the spirit of care I intended, while also highlighting areas where I could improve emotional pacing and user agency.

Part III: Theory

I returned to Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s writing on indigenous knowledge systems and user agency. Her emphasis on relational accountability made me re-examine how my prototype invites participation—are users passive receivers or active navigators of knowledge? I found this insight useful as I began restructuring my narrative script to offer more choice and reflection moments.

I also revisited Creative New Zealand’s placemaking strategies and found useful parallels in their emphasis on "shared authorship" in public design. These frameworks helped me better frame the co-design elements I want to include in future phases.

References

Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples (2nd ed.). Zed Books.

Part IV: Preparation

Next week, I aim to integrate the feedback from Crit Session 2 into my next prototypes. My goals are:

Simplify interaction flow based on feedback (e.g. audio-first story triggers)

Explore map-based interfaces that align with urban walking patterns

Continue iterating on narrative script for story structure and Figma for UI concepts

Create a short field test using NFC-triggered text prompts at 2–3 sites

Week 9 helped me refine Hīkoi Huna into something more focused, culturally mindful, and technically feasible. My next step is to begin grounding the digital prototype in real-world spatial movement.

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Week 8 – Grounding Ideas in Cultural and Technological Practice

Part I: The Experience

Coming out of the ideation phase in Week 7, this week was all about beginning my second round of experimentation. Rather than jumping into high-fidelity prototypes, I decided to focus on expanding my knowledge base through research-heavy, small-scale experiments that would guide my design decisions. I wanted to explore the cultural responsibilities of designing with indigenous narratives and investigate how emerging technologies are being used in Aotearoa and beyond to amplify place-based storytelling.

My primary goal for this week was to better understand how Māori stories are being told in the public domain and what tools are being used for that purpose. While I didn’t build a digital prototype yet, I created three research-based outputs that helped me shape the direction of Hīkoi Huna:

1. Case Study Mapping: I built a visual map comparing AR experiences from institutions such as Te Papa, Wētā Workshop Unleashed, and the Smithsonian. I categorized them based on interactivity, narrative layering, cultural representation, and technological platform (e.g. mobile-based AR, headset AR, web-based 3D). This comparison helped me evaluate what is already being done and where my project might sit within that landscape.

2. Cultural Presentation Audit: I walked through several heritage sites in Tāmaki Makaurau (such as the Domain and Britomart) to analyse how history is currently represented in urban space. I took notes and photos of plaques, signs, and QR codes and evaluated their tone, accessibility, and engagement levels. I found most of them static and lacking emotional resonance, which reaffirmed the potential of immersive storytelling.

3. NFC Technology Primer: I revisited my prior experience working with NFC tags this week. I had experimented with them in a previous project but wanted to refresh and deepen my understanding of how they could be applied to interactive storytelling in public spaces. Using my smartphone and blank NFC stickers, I relearned how to encode and trigger digital content using freely available apps like NFC Tools. I also found online tutorials like this video walkthrough on how to use NFC tags with Android helpful to rebuild my confidence and test potential use cases for Hīkoi Huna.

Part II: Reflection on Action

This week helped me shift my mindset from product-making to experience-building. Rather than feeling pressure to “build an app,” I began thinking about how a sequence of moments—visuals, interactivity, reflection—could be curated in the user’s journey.

I also began reflecting more deeply on positionality. As someone who is not Māori, I recognised that my role is to create a respectful framework, not to be the storyteller. I started mapping out ways in which co-design could take place in later phases of development, such as collaborating with kaumātua or working with oral historians.

Part III: Theory

My research this week drew from the Integrated Reflective Cycle and texts on design and decolonisation. A key influence was “Decolonising Methodologies” by Linda Tuhiwai Smith, which reminded me that data and storytelling in indigenous contexts must be guided by ethical relationships and not just innovation.

I also looked at user experience frameworks in cultural institutions, such as the “Place-Making Principles” published by CreativeNZ, which emphasise grounding designs in local context and collective identity. This aligned well with the goals of Hīkoi Huna, particularly around emotional resonance and accessibility.

Part IV: Preparation

With Crit Session 2 approaching in Week 9, I set the following goals:

Draft a slide presentation outlining the cultural and technological rationale for Hīkoi Huna

Continue low-fidelity prototyping using Twine for narrative flow and InVision/Figma for user interface mockups

Begin exploring ways to visualise unseen landscapes, such as Waihorotiu stream overlays

Prepare questions for peer feedback focused on tone, clarity, and cultural relevance

Week 8 was foundational. It grounded my ideas in real-world contexts and provided me with technical pathways to explore, while keeping cultural responsibility front and centre. My plan is to build slow and build well.

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Week 7 – Refocusing My Design Journey

Brief Introduction

At the start of the semester, we were given three design stream briefs to choose from. I chose the DES304 brief, Designing with Emerging Technologies, which posed the challenge: How might we use emerging technologies to create new visitor experiences? The brief felt especially relevant to me as someone who is interested in how technology can be used to surface invisible histories and create emotionally resonant experiences. The inclusion of tools like AR, VR, spatial audio, and empathic sensing—as supported by the Empathic Computing Lab (ECL)—aligned with my interest in immersive design and cultural storytelling.

The brief encouraged us to explore experiences rooted in both local (Aotearoa) and global contexts, and to engage with issues like sustainability, cultural memory, and new forms of human connection. I was drawn to the idea that these technologies could turn passive tourism into an active, emotional, and educational experience, allowing people to engage with places and stories they might never have encountered otherwise.

Reflection on Design Direction

After reading through the brief and completing initial research, I realised I wanted to focus on designing something that aligned more with place-based learning and cultural recovery. The idea of reactivating erased spaces through a layered digital experience stood out to me. I was particularly interested in stories around sites like the buried Waihorotiu stream or the lost pā at Albert Park, and how these could be re-surfaced using emerging tech. I began to shift my thinking from tech novelty to emotional impact, considering how emerging technologies might listen to and respond to place.

This realisation led me to define an early concept: Hīkoi Huna – Revealing the Unseen Histories of Tāmaki Makaurau. The goal of this self-guided AR experience would be to let users discover hidden Māori sites around Auckland's CBD using NFC and location-triggered storytelling. Instead of bombarding users with facts, I wanted them to feel like they were walking with the past, guided by karakia, voices, ambient audio, and visual overlays that reanimated erased histories.

Background Research

To understand how cultural narratives are currently presented, I looked into how institutions like Heritage NZ and the Department of Conservation share historic information. These platforms largely use static signage, mobile-friendly websites, or location apps that focus on factual summaries. While helpful, these formats lack emotional tone and narrative flow.

In contrast, I explored immersive museum and AR experiences such as:

The Smithsonian's 3D-scanned collections and guided AR exhibits

Te Papa's experimental work with HoloLens

Wētā Workshop Unleashed, which mixes set design with sensory storytelling

These examples gave me ideas about pacing, layering, and tone. However, I found that few directly integrated indigenous oral storytelling traditions or emotionally led navigation.

User-Centered Considerations

I mapped out three user personas based on my research: an international tourist, a local high school student, and a curious Aucklander exploring their own city. All three were tech-comfortable and used smartphones for navigation. Importantly, each persona valued experiences that offered something new—a sense of discovery or perspective shift.

Knowing that many users already use apps like Google Maps or Instagram stories, I began sketching how NFC and AR could be embedded within everyday behaviors. For example, a tap on a bronze plaque could launch a 30-second AR scene showing what the street once looked like, while soft audio plays a waiata or voice-over from a kaumātua.

Early Planning and Experiments

While I didn’t make a physical prototype this week, I began drafting:

Storyboards for a site-specific walk (e.g. along Queen Street)

Interface sketches showing how users would navigate the app

A draft emotional journey map (entry, discovery, climax, reflection)

A basic Twine layout to experiment with narrative sequencing

These sketches helped visualise how emotional design could be embedded into spatial movement.

Next Steps

Create a Twine prototype with 3 narrative paths for one location

Gather peer feedback on emotional clarity, pacing, and cultural tone

Explore Unity or Zappar for AR layering (visual overlays and ambient sound)

Draft ethics questions around cultural authorship and co-design

Reflection

This week reminded me that good design doesn’t begin with tools—it begins with listening. The tools come after. My goal now is to ensure that my process reflects that principle. I'm excited by the idea that design can help re-see our cities—not just as concrete and glass, but as living archives of community, resistance, and memory.

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Week 6

Sharing My Work

This week focused on our first critique session, where I presented a curated set of photographs that explored the Rule of Thirds—both when it was followed and when it was intentionally broken. I was excited to share what I’d been working on, but also a little nervous. I wasn’t sure how well the subtle decisions I made in each composition would translate to others, or whether my intent would be clear.

Initial Reactions

To my surprise, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Many peers used words like “thoughtful,” “balanced,” and “resolved” to describe the work. A few even said the compositions felt “quietly powerful,” which meant a lot to me—it showed they were picking up on the tone I’d hoped to create. One person commented that my images felt “confident without being overly designed,” which I took as a sign that the compositions were natural and intentional.

Discussion Highlights

One portrait, where the subject was placed on the left third and gazing into negative space, received especially strong feedback. Someone described it as having “breathing room,” and another said, “It feels like the subject has space to think.” That confirmed for me that composition can shape not just visual flow, but emotional tone.

In contrast, a centered portrait sparked a different kind of reaction. It was described as “confrontational” and “grounded,” showing how breaking the Rule of Thirds could add intensity or authority. This led to a discussion around intentional rule-breaking, and one peer said something that really stuck with me: “You’ve clearly learned the rule well enough to break it with purpose.”

Constructive Feedback

One of the most helpful suggestions was to start thinking in terms of series or sequences, rather than just isolated images. A peer said, “You’ve clearly mastered composition in a single frame—what happens if you carry that intentionality across a narrative?” That made me consider how I might use the Rule of Thirds (or challenge it) to guide a viewer’s experience across time, not just within a single shot.

Another observation that stayed with me was how subjective the emotional impact of composition can be. One image was described as “peaceful” by one person and “lonely” by another. It reminded me that while technical composition provides structure, meaning is often shaped by personal interpretation—and that’s something I want to explore further.

Reflections

This critique session didn’t just validate my work—it expanded my thinking. I walked away feeling more confident, but also newly curious. The feedback made it clear that my photos are saying something—but now I want to ask: what else can be said through visual experimentation?

Next Steps

Take a pause from the Rule of Thirds and begin exploring a new experiment

Reflect on what themes or questions I’m interested in now—perhaps something more abstract or motion-based

Consider experimenting with contrast, light, or repetition—anything that shifts the focus from composition to another core design principle

Keep the spirit of intentional design at the centre, no matter what I explore next

Closing Thought

This week marked a turning point. I’m ready to move forward—not because I’ve exhausted the Rule of Thirds, but because it gave me the confidence to experiment more boldly. Now, I’m on the lookout for a new creative challenge.

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Week 5

This week, I focused on practicing the Rule of Thirds through photography. I spent time taking images in different settings—portraits, landscapes, and everyday moments—consciously applying the rule and observing how it influenced each composition. At first, I had to actively think about where to place key elements, but soon it became intuitive. I started seeing scenes in terms of balance, focus, and storytelling.

Through this hands-on work, I began to master the Rule of Thirds. It no longer felt like a technique I was trying to follow, but something I could use intentionally to shape the mood and flow of an image. I found that aligning subjects with the vertical or horizontal thirds brought a quiet strength and harmony to the photos.

What really excited me was noticing how different choices could completely change the tone of the photo. A face aligned with the upper third felt alert and open; placing the subject to one side created movement or mystery. I also experimented with breaking the rule—centering subjects or placing them slightly “off”—to explore contrast and discomfort.

By the end of the week, I felt proud of the images I had captured. There was a real shift in my confidence. These weren’t just nice photos—they were intentional compositions. I was excited to share them with my peers and see how they responded. I wanted to know: would they feel what I was trying to communicate? Would they pick up on the subtle shifts in placement?

Next week, I plan to:

Curate a set of my favorite shots that use or break the Rule of Thirds

Present them to others and gather feedback

Reflect more deeply on what composition communicates in each image

Continue refining my sense of “intuitive design” by trusting my eye, but questioning it too

This week helped me see that mastering a design principle doesn’t come from just knowing it—it comes from using it, pushing it, and sharing it.

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WEEK 4

This week was the beginning of our first round of prototyping. I had chosen to explore the Rule of Thirds, but at the start of the week, I wasn’t quite sure how to translate that into a meaningful or original experiment. While the concept is widely known in photography and visual design, I struggled with how to make it engaging beyond a textbook demonstration.

Eventually, I settled on a visual comparison activity: I took a series of photos and compositions and overlaid them with Rule of Thirds gridlines. I created paired examples—some aligned with the rule, some deliberately violating it—and invited a few peers to view and comment on which versions felt more "pleasing" or "balanced."

At the start of the week, I felt hesitant and underprepared. I questioned whether my topic had enough depth or flexibility to be prototyped in a compelling way. There was also a sense of pressure to move beyond theory into making something tangible. As the week progressed, creating visual comparisons gave me more confidence. The process of observing how people responded to the different layouts sparked new ideas.

What worked well was the side-by-side image comparisons. They were clear and provoked instinctive preferences from viewers. Most people naturally gravitated toward the Rule of Thirds-aligned images, which affirmed the idea's strength. What didn’t work so well was that the experiment was too static and observational. It lacked interactivity or discovery, and I didn’t learn much about why viewers preferred certain images, only that they did.

The biggest limitation was the one-way nature of the prototype. It showed something but didn’t invite users to do anything with it. I also realized that without context (e.g., what the image is for, or who the viewer is), the "best" composition becomes less objective. The tools I used—camera, grid overlay, PowerPoint layouts—were accessible but limited in flexibility. I began considering how an interactive approach might lead to deeper insights.

This was a shaky but necessary start. I learned that demonstrating the Rule of Thirds is easy; designing an experiment that teaches or challenges it is harder. Going forward, I want to master another photography skill.

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Week 3

This week, I completed my tech demo focused on rendering, particularly lighting and scene composition. I worked on creating dynamic environments by experimenting with various lighting techniques to bring the scene to life. My goal was to showcase how effective lighting can set the tone and enhance a render, while also teaching others how to implement these techniques. Although there was no direct feedback from my peers, presenting my process allowed me to reflect deeply on how well I conveyed these concepts.

I felt proud of the progress I made in the demo. There was a sense of accomplishment in applying my knowledge of lighting and composition to craft a visually compelling scene. While I didn't receive immediate feedback, I felt confident in my ability to communicate the process of setting up lighting and adjusting the scene. Teaching others through my demo reinforced my understanding and made me more aware of how to present my skills effectively.

The tech demo was successful in demonstrating key lighting principles and how they can transform a scene. The lighting setup I used effectively highlighted the composition and added depth to the environment. However, I recognized there are still areas to improve, particularly in exploring more advanced lighting techniques, such as adding more complex shadows or experimenting with colored lighting. Without external feedback, it was harder to pinpoint specific improvements, but I feel the demo captured the essence of lighting in 3D renders.

Creating and presenting the demo highlighted how critical lighting is in setting the stage for a render. Teaching others forced me to break down my workflow step by step, helping me identify areas of strength, such as my lighting setup's overall cohesion. However, I also realized that while my setup was solid, there were still unexplored techniques that could elevate the scene even further. The lack of direct feedback meant I had to self-reflect and recognize where I could push myself to experiment with more complex lighting solutions.

Completing the demo solidified the importance of balancing creativity with technical execution. While my lighting setup was effective, I learned that there’s room to explore advanced techniques that can add more dramatic effects. The act of teaching others also made me realize the value of reflection during the creation process. It’s not just about executing techniques, but also about conveying your knowledge clearly to others, which helps refine your own understanding.

For future demos, I plan to dive deeper into advanced lighting techniques, such as using light sources creatively and exploring how lighting interacts with materials in the scene. I’ll also continue to involve my peers in discussions, asking for constructive feedback to improve my work. Teaching others will remain a key part of my process, as it helps me to stay focused on clarity and precision, which ultimately leads to better results.

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Week 2

This week, I focused on ideating and developing a demo to showcase my Blender rendering skills, particularly lighting and texturing. I aimed to create a realistic object, pushing my technical and creative limits. The planning involved selecting assets, textures, and render settings for the project.

I felt excited but also anxious about meeting my own expectations. Although I was eager to show my Blender skills, I was worried about technical challenges like lighting and render times. As I worked, my anxiety shifted to determination, driving me to push through difficulties.

The ideation was successful, with a clear concept and goals. Researching rendering techniques helped improve my approach. However, I faced challenges with render times, as the detailed textures and lighting caused delays, which was frustrating but also a valuable learning experience.

The project helped me understand the importance of balancing creativity with technical constraints. I learned that while I should aim for high-quality output, I need to consider time and technical limitations. The longer-than-expected render times highlighted the need for better optimization from the start.

I learned to balance creativity with technical limitations, and the importance of optimizing render times early in the process. In the future, I’ll plan better for these technical aspects to ensure smooth progress without sacrificing quality.

I plan to refine my workflow by incorporating render optimization techniques earlier in the process. I’ll allocate more time for testing renders and continue learning ways to improve efficiency in Blender for future projects.

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Week 1

Hello, My Name is Quincy. I am a 3rd year Design student from the Philippines!

In the first week of the course, I began by identifying my interests and experimenting with different ideas for the final project. I was particularly drawn to the concept of rendering in Blender. Given my passion for the software and its capabilities, I felt that creating a 3D model and rendering it would align with my skills and interests. I spent time experimenting with different modeling techniques, getting familiar with the interface, and brainstorming potential ideas that could make the project visually appealing and engaging.

I focused on exploring demo ideas that would not only challenge me but also push my creativity. I considered different design elements, textures, and lighting techniques to enhance the final output, knowing that Blender’s rendering capabilities would be crucial for bringing my ideas to life. This phase of experimentation laid the foundation for the direction I would take with the project, allowing me to visualize how to effectively use 3D rendering as a storytelling tool.

I was leaning toward utilizing Blender for the final project because of my passion for rendering. I was particularly excited about the idea of playing with lighting and materials in 3D space to create an atmosphere that would communicate my design ideas. This passion for Blender naturally shaped my thoughts and actions throughout the first week, guiding my exploration of different possibilities and helping me refine my approach for the rest of the course.