HUM
Design Innovation Development for Social Engagement in Baby Boomers
Brief Overview
HUM is a part of the course Design Innovation Development and Marketing Strategies. This project focuses on identifying an opportunity space and developing an original design concept for the problem of social isolation among baby boomers. The team started with ethnographic research, analyzed and synthesized data, conducted competitor analysis and defined users to generate a brand and prototype and user test the final solution.
Timeline
January 2019 - March 2019
Services
Business Model Generation, Branding & Strategizing, Information Architecture, UI/UX and Usability Testing.
Team
Charu Pardasani, Kshanika Patel, Shengjie Jiang, Simi Simon
Role
User Research, Data Analyzing & Synthesizing, Brand Development and Conceptualizing.
Network Analysis
Initiated the project with an existing social network by creating a stakeholder map and defined user groups within each market segment.
Umbrella Question
How might we use design thinking to improve social engagement among baby boomers
to build a healthier and happier community?
Secondary Research.
Gathered existing research through academic journals, scholarly articles, publications, case studies and books, and organized in a matrix for an easier understanding. Below are some of the key insights from secondary research.
Primary Research
Survey
Surveys are useful in describing the characteristics of a large population. Hence, to get perspective from a larger population, we decided to create an online survey and posted on Facebook. The secondary research gave us an insight about 90% baby boomers have a facebook account but through our primary research we understood the usage of these accounts are minimal and used only to view posts from friends and family.
Primary Research
Observation
To understand the lifestyle of baby boomers, we attended a weekly get-together where people from every age group came together to have a nice time.
“An evening with friends and family together represented a beehive,” said one of the participants. This get-together had a bigger purpose that just having a good time. They discussed problems and provided suggestions. This community was a vital part of their lives based on love, mutual respect, and understanding.
Primary Research
Cultural Probe
A technique used to provoke users to look and think about their lives, environment, thoughts, and interactions. Responses from this initiated conversations between us and helped us gain deeper insights.
“People work hard to get retired but when they do, they don’t know what to do.”
“People spend a lot of time with business, but it doesn’t take you everywhere.”
“I get discounts because of my age.”
Interviews
We conducted 8 personal interviews with 3 key stakeholders, baby boomers, close knit and supporters which provided in-depth user insights.
“The older you get, it becomes more difficult to make new friends.”
“I play tennis three 3 times a week with friends and participate in leagues”
“We attend many free social events and don’t want to pay much because of lack of financial security.”
Data Analysis
With over 500 data points we processed the data into empathy maps based on 4 user groups. These data points were segregated into Think & Feel, Say & Do, Hear, See, Pains, and Gains which helped in identifying emerging patterns. The broad data clusters directed us towards creating 8 defined personas for each user group. Finalizing an ideal persona helped us in building concepts around that specific persona.
Data Synthesis
Using the Affinity Diagramming technique, we synthesized the data to create a design criteria framework which are the final recommendations for action. The design criteria define explicit goals that a project must achieve in order to be successful.
Ideation & Conceptualization
Using Creative Matrix framework to think divergently, we rapidly generated wide-ranging ideas, and created a shared understanding. For every stage, this activity allowed us to share varied engaging ideas that we combined to create a seamless experience. We placed all the ideas idea in a graph that pointed out the user and business impacts and value. This helped us in finalizing a concept that solves the problem.
Business Model Generation
The business model canvas helped us in describing the rationale of how we can create, deliver, and capture value.
Brand Development
Keeping our mission and vision in mind, we created and strategically explored different ways to brand our innovation. The best way to create an overall experience is to package it well which tells the ultimate store. We explored multiple ways and created a style guide, brand pyramid which focuses on the brand essence, personality and emotional and functional benefits of the brand.
HUM, bring wishes to life
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Introducing HUM
Hum adds value by the unique amalgamation of baby boomers, companions, and business partners. It is an interactive screen placed at high frequency areas for baby boomers to add their wishes and give others a chance to come together and fulfill their wish. Companions get a chance to participate in fun activities and increase intergenerational communication and a sense of belongingness.
Prototyping and User Testing
In the prototyping stage we started with creating an Information Architecture to help us focus on organizing, structuring, and labeling content in an effective and sustainable way. The goal was to help users find right information and be able to complete task with minimum number of steps. Using the Information Architecture, we developed Wireframes and later created the UI and UX of the software. To understand how easy and adaptable the design is, we did digital usability testing on a target user which gave us valuable insights and helped us evaluate the performance.
