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Closer Heart
UIUX 2021
AdobeXD, Photoshop, Illustrator

User Research, Interaction, Visual design, Prototyping & Testing


With significant changes in lifestyles and an overwhelming workload, every family member becomes much busier today. Maintaining long-distance parental-child relationships becomes a more difficult task since individuals are easy to lose their patience when interacting, giving rise to misunderstanding, disconnection, and alienation.

This project aims to encourage family members to keep in touch with each other and maintain good relationships and interaction when living apart with loved ones.



More Work ︎




Features


Ceremony
  • Estabilsh the habit to keep in touch
  • An AI voice evalution for mood

Silence Mode
  • The period of time to calm down.

Letters & Create Events
  • Build a feeling of connection and intimacy

Inspiration


Causes for Long-Distance Communication
  • Study/Work in Other Cities or Countries
Because of the time difference, international students and workers cannot participate in family days.
  • Aging in Place
Many old people prefer to stay in their hometowns when growing older. However, their children live and work in other faraway places, so interaction between them becomes less.
  • Skipped-Generation Family
Many parents will still stay in their job positions after their children are born; thus, children are raised by grandparents.

Secondary Research


How can we do to strengthen family ties when working or studying in different cities and nations?
  • Plan a visit and communicate regularly
  • Have patience and understanding
  • Maintain shared interests

Theory
  • Dimensional Theories of Emotions
  • Separation Anxiety: Physical separation + Emotional Detachment
  • Hawthorne Effect: 1. only listen the thing they believe 2. listening observation 3. empathy

Approach
  • Parento Principle: The 80/20 rule
  • Ceremony: A feeling of belonging
  • Emotion Monitoring Systems: language / Pulse / Face Detection

First-hand Research


Diary Tracking & Interview for 7 days
To understand the frequency, feelings, reasons people call their family.

  • Problems: Hard to know their feelings and thoughts
  • Obstacles: Busy with job duties or assignments
  • Needs: Provide a vent to emotions


Insight
  • Put themselves to each other’s shoes
  • Feel what they are feeling and experiencing
  • Give some time to control emotional ups and downs
  • Check each other’s status regularly


Persona


Lucia is shy, introverted and reliant on her family.
It’s difficult for her to combat homesickness..

Define the Problems and Solutions


  • Mental Pressure > Monitor the mood by AI Voice / Face Monitor
  • Alienation > Cultivate a habit of sharing feeling
  • Misunderstanding > Give time to calm down and talk

Wireframe
 
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