My Role:
Developed a framework to understand the problem statement better
Designed Interview Questionnaire
Performed Competitive Analysis
Brainstorming
Designed lo-fi prototypes
Designed Hi-fi prototypes
Developed User surveys using Qualtrics
Challenge:
In the realm of long-distance communication, existing platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat, alongside video call applications, predominantly concentrate on the act of communication, often neglecting the intricate emotional and personal dimensions of the interaction.
Context:
It all started with a design challenge. We were asked to identify a technology gap with human problem and come up with innovative solutions that should not involve mixed reality technologies.
Solution:
A virtual room replicates the feeling of sharing a physical space, fostering togetherness despite the distance. It comforts users who miss daily interactions and the presence of loved ones.
Incorporated daily life interactions, such as sticking notes on a cork board, as an ode to the little things that are often missed during long-distance communication—a recurring concern we discovered through our research.
4 weeks
Little peak into the solution
The clock shows you the local time of your loved ones
The stereo player plays the song that your loved one has set for the room
On the cork board, you can leave messages or photos to your loved ones.
Using the window, you can understand if it’s day time or night time for your loved ones’
Let's look at the journey, shall we?
The Problem-Definition Process
Context:
My team and I were challenged to identify a Social Computing problem space to help address a human problem. So, we started with a basic problem statement that piqued our interest- Long distance Communication method.
"We are looking to tackle inadequacies in text-based interactions to help users feel emotionally closer to their long-distance loved ones"
Let's understand the problem better…
What is the basic need?
Overcome the emotional and personal challenges associated with long-distance communication due to time zone differences.
What is the desired outcome?
Make the communication process not only efficient but also enjoyable, personalized, and intimate.
Who stands to benefit?
Individuals living far away from their family and friends.
What next, you ask?
We recruited and interviewed 20 users and reviewed 30 research papers to gain insights into users' concerns, needs, and preferences. For User recruitment, we focused on people in long-distance relationships ( family, friends, partners).
Our discoveries include….
Dealing with timezone differences
90% of People struggle to understand emotions in remote relationships, said Communication Quarterly
Different schedules
12 out of 15 participants found that different schedules among loved ones made it difficult for them to have synchronous communication.
The little things
12 out of 15 participants expressed they miss the little things they do when they are with loved ones.
13 out of 15 participants expressed how the elderly in their family find it difficult to keep track of timezones and often are confused about apps for communication.
After data gathering, I used thematic analysis to analyze the data from our interviews, secondary research, and competitive analysis. The following are the user requirements we came across upon identifying themes and codes.
Emotional dimension in interaction
Stay time-zone conscious
Better asynchronous communication
After 2 brainstorming sessions using Crazy 8's and the Disney creative strategy, we came up with Room Connect. I sketched a paper prototype to test our idea and understand the user experience.
Brainstorming interactions - first iteration
We then tested the paper prototype within the team to gather feedback and proceed to high-fidelity designs.
Iterations made after preliminary walkthrough with our team:
1. Removed the activities page from the navigation bar to prevent confusion caused by call history and activities.
2. Recognized and removed color-coded circles indicating availability states may be difficult for older users to interpret.
3. Removed the floating button from the bottom right as it does not align with industry standards.
About Room Connect
Why have a virtual room?
A virtual room replicates the feeling of sharing a physical space, fostering togetherness despite the distance. It comforts users who miss daily interactions and the presence of loved ones. Each element in the room has a purpose and serves our key user requirements. Keeping different age groups in mind, we tried to incorporate self-explanatory elements into the room that would give a more personalized experience.
Features
Clock and Window:
Problem Solved: Timezone Awareness
The clock and window in the room help with time zone awareness by letting the user know about day/night time of the loved one and time in their respective time zone.
Corkboard and Music Player :
Problem Solved: Missing daily life interactions , Better asynchronous communication
Incorporated daily life interactions, such as sticking notes on a cork board, and playing your favorite song for a loved one, as an ode to the little things that are often missed during long-distance communication—a recurring concern we discovered through our research.
The ability to schedule messages delivery helps users to have better asynchronous communication, giving the user autonomy to send messages when they are intended to.
My Learnings:
I got to explore emotional design through this project.
Working in an agile environment was a true learning in terms of time management, project management, and also adjusting to the changing team dynamics.
I learned how to push through a project despite having creative restrictions around it.
We consciously practiced "psychological safety" in this project, which helped to be vocal about our opinions, concerns, and ideas.
Scrolling done, now it’s time to talk—let’s connect!
Design thinking to Human Psychology, let's geek out together!
© 2024 Designed by Kavya Maragoni