OVERVIEW
The Black Magic Box is a conceptual self-service kiosk designed to make purchasing contraceptives and sexual health products more private, secure, and stigma-free on college campuses.
Inspired by the retail success of self-checkout and fast-food kiosks, our team reimagined the experience of buying items like condoms, pregnancy tests, or emergency contraception for young adults who often feel judged or embarrassed in traditional retail settings.
This project was the final design project for DSGN 100.
DURATION
May - June 2019
6 weeks
MY TEAM
Aldrich Quijano, Sitarah Zemar
MY CONTRIBUTIONS
User research and testing, wireframing, prototyping, and kiosk design
PROBLEM
For many young adults, purchasing contraceptives or sexual health products in-store can be an uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing experience. Social stigma, fear of judgment, and the inconvenience of having to ask for assistance (especially when items are locked behind a glass case) can prevent individuals from getting the care they need in a timely manner. These barriers not only impact users emotionally but can also affect public health outcomes by discouraging safe practices.
Through our online and field research, we found that there were no kiosks like ours yet. Contraceptive kiosk currently do not exist in any retail market, and we found that the concept of contraceptive kiosks has stirred up controversy; critics have argued that these types of accessible kiosks promote easy access to sex.
DESIGN PROCESS
For many young adults, purchasing contraceptives or sexual health products in-store can be an uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing experience. Social stigma, fear of judgment, and the inconvenience of having to ask for assistance (especially when items are locked behind a glass case) can prevent individuals from getting the care they need in a timely manner. These barriers not only impact users emotionally but can also affect public health outcomes by discouraging safe practices.
Through our online and field research, we found that there were no kiosks like ours yet. Contraceptive kiosk currently do not exist in any retail market, and we found that the concept of contraceptive kiosks has stirred up controversy; critics have argued that these types of accessible kiosks promote easy access to sex.
In-Store Observations Reveal Avoidance and Embarrassment
To better understand the real-world experience of purchasing contraceptives, our team conducted field observations in major retail chains such as Target and CVS. We noted that sexual health products were typically placed in awkward or hard-to-reach locations—often near everyday items like toothbrushes or on shelves tucked away toward the back of the store. This layout created unexpected interactions: for example, a person shopping for basic hygiene items might unintentionally find themselves next to someone hesitating to pick up condoms or a pregnancy test.
One particularly telling observation involved a shopper who turned away from the contraceptive aisle when we approached, only to return after we had left. We witnessed others pretending to browse unrelated products while clearly eyeing the sexual health section. These behaviors suggested strong feelings of discomfort, embarrassment, and a desire for privacy.
This insight led us to a broader conclusion: people not only want privacy when buying contraceptives, but they also want to avoid drawing any attention to the act itself. We expanded our scope to include other potentially “embarrassing” products—such as feminine hygiene and adult incontinence items—since they were typically stocked nearby and carried similar social stigma.
Design Roadblock: Privacy vs. Public Perception
Our initial design sketches were heavily inspired by these findings. To address the need for discretion, we conceptualized a kiosk that functioned like a small photo booth—complete with curtains or side panels to shield users from view. The idea was to create a physical space where users could privately browse and purchase sexual health items.
While this solution seemed empathetic and practical at first, it quickly introduced a new problem: visibility breeds association. Once people realized the booth’s purpose, it risked becoming “the contraceptive kiosk.” Instead of reducing embarrassment, we could inadvertently amplify it by marking out a very public space for a very private need.
This became our first major design challenge—how could we create a discreet experience without creating a spectacle?
User Interviews: Narrowing the Scope and Rethinking the Approach
To deepen our understanding of user needs, we interviewed six individuals: five young adults (three of whom identified as female) and one older adult. We asked participants about their experiences purchasing three categories of items:
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Feminine hygiene products
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Contraceptives and sexual health products
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Incontinence products
We also explored how they felt during the process and what improvements they would like to see.
Key Insight: Focus on Contraceptives
The majority of participants did not express discomfort when buying period or incontinence products. These items were generally viewed as necessities, with one older participant stating they primarily ordered incontinence products through subscription services.
In contrast, purchasing contraceptives still carried significant stigma and discomfort, particularly in physical retail settings. Based on this feedback, we chose to narrow the scope of our kiosk to focus exclusively on contraceptives and related sexual health items.
Reframing the Design Philosophy
A turning point in our process came from a user who challenged the assumption that buying contraceptives must be a shameful or hidden act:
“Make it a fun process—have people not be embarrassed when they’re buying those products.”
This feedback prompted a shift in our design approach. Instead of reinforcing privacy through secrecy or concealment, we envisioned a bold, empowering experience that normalizes the purchase of sexual health products.
The result was The Black Magic Box—a smart, self-service kiosk that provides a discreet yet welcoming space for young adults to access the products they need without shame.
User Persona: Young, Independent, and Privacy-Conscious
Based on our interviews, we developed a persona focused on a college-aged adult, navigating health-related decisions independently for the first time. This user:
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Avoids interaction with store staff by ordering online when possible.
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Prefers privacy in public settings to reduce social anxiety or embarrassment.
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Feels discomfort when purchasing sensitive products in line or at checkout counters.
This persona became central to shaping both the physical kiosk interface and the emotional tone of the user experience.
Moodboard and style guide
Our magazine moodboard reflected our changed theme of fun and empowerment with just a tiny bit of secrecy. Our style guide incorporated three main colors of pink, yellow, and teal. Black and light gray were used for text and decorative accents. Fonts were whimsical and playful. We believed that bright colors and rounded fonts would make the Black Magic Box more approachable to everyone. Stars were also added for aesthetic.
From Rough Prototype to Hi-Fidelity Mock-Up
Our design process moved from rough sketches to a full-scale kiosk prototype modeled after a typical self-service machine—compact, user-friendly, and meant for solo interaction. The kiosk stood tall enough for users to comfortably interact with a touch screen, while the upper half of the structure was designed to "open up" as users approached—mimicking a magical box revealing its contents.
Inside, users navigated a simple touch interface to select and purchase sexual health products. Once a purchase was made, a pop-out drawer, operated through a Wizard-of-Oz method, would discreetly deliver the item—signaling that it was ready for pickup.
Kiosk was designed to "open" like a box.
Users would be greeted by a computer screen.
Closer view of the compartment.
Kiosk was designed to "open" like a box.
Physical Form & Aesthetic Choices
For the exterior, we built the prototype using heavy-duty black poster board, chosen for both durability and visual impact. The deep black provided a striking backdrop for the kiosk’s bright, whimsical accent colors—pink, yellow, and teal stars—which reinforced our “magic” theme. The result was a bold, polished look that visually stood apart from traditional, sterile healthcare environments.
Interface & Experience Design
Our digital mock-up featured a welcoming home screen that presented four clearly labeled product categories:
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Contraceptives
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Medication
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Family Planning
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Intimacy Items
To ensure users felt informed and empowered, we also included educational pages—offering guidance on product types, usage, and safe practices. This allowed users to browse with confidence, even if they were unfamiliar with certain products.
FINAL DESIGN
User Testing Validates an Efficient and Secure Buying Experience
To gather real-time feedback, we placed our prototype in a high-traffic area and observed how users interacted with it. The overall response was positive—many people appreciated the convenience and privacy the kiosk offered. Several testers noted that this type of vending kiosk would be especially useful on college campuses, where students might need access to contraceptives during off-hours when campus stores are closed.
User Testing Tasks and Insights
To ensure consistency across sessions, we asked participants to complete three specific tasks:
1. Purchase Simulation – Users were instructed to buy one of four products:
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Condom (Contraceptives category)
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Pregnancy Test (Family Planning)
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UTI Medication (Medication)
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Lubricant (Intimacy Items)
This helped us evaluate whether users could successfully navigate the product categories and follow the correct steps to make a purchase.
2. Usability Flow – We observed whether users could intuitively move through the core purchase process:
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Add to cart
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Checkout
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Select payment options
This confirmed whether the interface was clear and the flow required minimal guidance.
3. Information Access – We asked participants to find more details about the different types of condoms. Successful users navigated to the Information page, which demonstrated their ability to access educational content when unsure about a product.
These tasks allowed us to evaluate the clarity, accessibility, and functionality of our kiosk interface while reinforcing our goal to create a stress-free and empowering shopping experience.
REFLECTION
Final Thoughts, Future Implementations, and Real-World Challenges
Looking ahead, future iterations of the kiosk would benefit from a larger, more realistic model—one that could accommodate the necessary inventory and offer a more spacious user interface. The screen, in particular, could be scaled up to better display information-rich content without forcing users to scroll through long sections of text. Despite these limitations, I was proud of how the prototype delivered an intuitive and comfortable experience for purchasing sexual health items.
This kiosk would be most effective in environments like college campuses, where the demand for accessible, discreet, and small-quantity contraceptives is high—especially outside of traditional retail hours.
That said, we also recognize that implementing this kiosk in the real world comes with challenges. While the system offers privacy and convenience, the concept itself could be met with cultural resistance or societal stigma. One key realization from this project was that societal attitudes can be one of the most complex design constraints. Even the most functional and user-centered designs must navigate public perception, values, and norms—which can vary widely across different communities.
Ultimately, The Black Magic Box opened up new conversations about how design can challenge taboos, shift behavior, and make essential products more approachable. It's a small step toward redefining accessibility and empowerment in retail health spaces.
SPECIAL THANKS
To UCSA President Caroline Singh for fighting to put abortion pills in school vending machines and as an inspiration for this kiosk.
Sylvia O, a staff writer for The Triton, for bringing forth the initial inspiration of making sensitive products more accessible.