W.E.
To soothe the feeling of loneliness among young adults who study abroad and live alone through physical exhibition and digital website
PROJECT DETAILS
Using therapeutic and artistic healing approaches to create fun, interactive and creative practices for international students to soothe their loneliness.
MY ROLE
As a team of two, we performed the following task:
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Context Research
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User Research and Stakeholders Analysis
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Primary Research
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Co-design workshop
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Sketches and Ideations
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User Flow and Prototyping
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Visual Design
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Usability Testing
As a member, I participated in all the processes above and during the ideations and prototyping. I was responsible for the visual design and creation of frames in Adobe XD.
PROJECT TYPES
Exhibition Design
Website Design
Design for Health
Co-design
PROJECT TOOLS
Adobe XD
Illustrator
Procreate
Rhino
Key Shot Rendering
Miro
Premiere Pro
PROJECT OVERVIEW
As a common and complex mental health issue, loneliness is seldom discussed due to its stigma and shame. The interventions for young adults to soothe loneliness are already less than the elder; however, there is much less research and interventions for international students compared to their peers. In this study, we intend to explore how art healing methods can help raise the awareness of loneliness and help to create diverse interactive, peaceful and joyful experiences to relate and connect with self and others. Build empathy and emotional resonance. And also foster self-exploration, reflection and inspiration.
RESULTS
We propose focusing on creating meaningful activities to soothe the feeling of loneliness where young adults can be inspired to learn, connect, and self-explore. And with those coping mechanisms in mind, we looked at Art to enhance wellness and well-being. To create a healing, safe and comfortable environment that helps international students soothe their feelings of loneliness, and for joy and relaxation. The final design outcome was taken in both physical exhibition and online website format.
The design is not a cure for preventing loneliness but more about creating an intervention that helps people to deal better with the feeling of loneliness and help them to provoke connections with themselves and others and to inspire a positive mindset.
OVERVIEW OF THE FINAL DESIGN
THE PROBLEM & USER RESEARCH
Loneliness is a universal issue, but not often talked about or recognized among young adults, and especially for international students
Compared to other mental health issues and health risk factors, loneliness is not always mentioned a lot. Moreover, due to varied reasons, such as cultures, individualistic society, etc. loneliness is already associated with stigma and shame that people don’t want to admit and are afraid that they will be more isolated.
For most international students, transitioning to a new place is another step towards a new beginning, self-exploration, discovery, and building a new friendship. However, this process of transitioning to another country for education sometimes could be challenging and stressful as the reality and ideal are quite the opposite. And with the pandemic, more isolation occurred due to the online learning environment and homesickness. Despite there being already research focused on young adults, the study focused on international students received less attention than peers. Therefore, more specific issues of loneliness among international students need to be explored, and more attention is required. As the destructive effect of loneliness on people's health and well-being, it is essential to create design interventions to tackle the loneliness problem among international students.
In Canada, according to UNESCO, the population of international:
4.1 million in 2013
Over 5.3 million in 2017
Increased to 6.4 million 2019
Increase to 6.9 million 2030
DESIGN PROCESS
USER INTERVIEWS
Through the surveys and semi-structured interviews with international students, we get to know and validate the loneliness issues among international students and, from their perspective, what will be essential to soothe the feeling of loneliness. We made an affinity map and sum up into four key findings:
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Escaping and Distraction
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People try to shift attention and focus on other activities instead of just thinking about negative feelings.
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People tend to do something healthier, but it is also about finding things that they like to do.
Connection to self and others
Connection to the inner self
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For people who deeply know themselves and make peace with loneliness, it's easier to deal with it.
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Loneliness comes from a sense of loss or uncertainty within oneself, and people are afraid of the emptiness of the self hidden behind the boredom of being alone.
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When life is full of the routine and when we live this fast-paced lifestyle, people don't have time to think about loneliness. And all of this means we don't have time or are not used to being connected to ourselves.
Connection to the others
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If one's positive interaction with others is not satisfied, negative mental impacts can occur. Thus, to create such belonging means that individuals need to feel valued, included and supported.
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Sometimes when we learn to reconcile with loneliness as loneliness is not disgraceful, it is just a state of life, then we might create a positive mindset in life.
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Feeling lonely is not because of having no friends. Instead, it is because sometimes it's not easy to find someone who understands your feelings and thoughts and helps.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Based on findings from both primary and secondary research, we synthesized the data and framed it into design principles as the guiding criteria for the later development of design solutions:
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Providing exclusive access for young adults who study and live abroad.
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Offering a holistic & healthier approach in the support environment.
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Creating empathy and emotional resonance by providing shared experiences to bridge the connection and reduce loneliness.
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Fulfill people's psychological needs for a sense of belonging, connection and community and let individuals need to feel valued, included and supported
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Fostering self-construction, empowering and motivating people to self-explore, reflect and inspire.
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Building a non-judgmental, friendly & trustful atmosphere by creating a safe and comfortable environment.
THE GAP
As we noticed, loneliness can vary from person to person, and it is very subjective for each individual. Therefore, the causes of loneliness can vary depending on different life experiences. To sum up, two primary causes of loneliness need to be both considered in design interventions, which are the lack of external connection and the lack of self-connection.
When considering loneliness, many design interventions try to help young people connect more with their families and friends. Indeed, when people connect with their closed support networks, it significantly contributes to their well-being. However, challenges may go beyond simply connecting with families and friends.
In the current study, the long-term effects of coping with loneliness are more essential. Research suggested that interventions to help young adults cope with their experience of loneliness should focus on activities that foster meaning, growth, and social connectedness (Fardghassemi & Joffe, 2021). Also, engaging in meaningful activities (reading, drawing, dancing, etc.) such as creating the experience of “flow” and diminishing self-conscious rumination, giving enjoyment, meaning, and growth (Fardghassemi & Joffe, 2021).
THE TASK
How might we use therapeutic and artistic healing methods to soothe the feeling of loneliness among international students through a fun and engaging process?
THE SOLUTION
We propose focusing on creating meaningful activities to soothe the feeling of loneliness where young adults can be inspired to learn, connect, and self-explore. And with those coping mechanisms in mind, we looked at art to enhance wellness and well-being.
The final prototype is taken in two forms, which include both physical and online websites:
The interactive physical exhibition offers a holistic and immersive approach by using diverse non-verbal and verbal activities to enhance empathy, connection and self-exploration. We intend to host the exhibition to create a space and chance for people to gather up and feel ok to be ok, to be vulnerable while expressing loneliness, a space that shakes off stigma in talking about loneliness.
Compared to the physical exhibition, the online web design offers more opportunities for students to explore, listen to, create and meet other people through a fun and gamified approach. It also provides a real connection with friends and community in reality.
THE IDEATION PROCESS
How we got there
CO-DESIGN WORKSHOP
Co-designing with participants
To receive ideas and feedback from our target group, we held a co-design workshop where researchers and participants could work together to develop better design solutions. During the session, there are three main activities: 1) Vote, providing feedback on ideas and giving suggestions, 2) Let's Get Heads On! which contains two creative activities and 3) Website Design.
PROTOTYPE PHASE
Exploring and furthering ideas
Based on our initial ideations and the ideas/feedback we got from the co-design workshop session, we refined the ideas for the physical exhibition and continued developing our website design. For the exhibition design, from the entry to the end, there are eight scenes, which include 1) entry intro, 2) loneliness definition 3) shared experience illustration, 4) photography wall-learning and reviewing other people's stories 5) wishes wall 6) illustration wall-create a sense of lonely but not alone 7) music listening and drawing-providing self-explore through artistic activity, and 8) expressing wall-providing opportunity to reflect and inspire.
USER FLOW
Visualizing the user's journey
We created three main user flows that the users would do when opening our website.
Wireframes sketches
For the website design, based on the co-design session, we developed further the ideas of personalization and planet exploring while combining them with the previous concept of sharing, creating and connecting. Four planets have been created, and they are social land, music land, art land and story land. On each planet, one can explore the space, visit unique buildings, create things, play with each other or do the quests.
USABILITY TESTING
Validating and Iterating
Participants were asked for feedback and suggestions on both physical and website design during the user testing. And for the participants who did user testing in the physical space were able to go through the website by using Adobe XD.
Findings
Physical Exhibition
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The use of language- the use of own language sometimes can be powerful and make people feel more comfortable expressing their thoughts.
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Concerns about negative mental health affect- By providing professional mental health consultants in the physical exhibition, it could offer immediate help could be offered to the visitors.
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Balance between non-interactive and interactive activities: Balancing the non-interactive and interactive activities, creating space for people to just view, think and reflect will allowing people to have enough space to relax the mind and not continue output all the time.
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The order of the content- To think the overall flow and storytelling, for instance, what will be an ideal journey that visitors should have. Also, to think about the similar contents whether it could be combined or delete
Website Design
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Mix of 2D and 3D with different visuals and themes-users can visit each planet and explore the planets
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The capability of translating languages
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Add international students' resources and a support /feedback channel
- Navigation through each planet-Instead of completely jumping into another web page, it could be a pop-up window where users can close it if they decide to go to another planet.
- The transition between page to page-it could be nice to see what kind of visuals when user are waiting to enter into another page
THE FINAL PROTOTYPE
The final prototype includes both a physical exhibition and an online website. For the physical exhibition, we held our exhibition during the Gradex in OCAD. Due to the limited space, we cannot put all our contents; however, we chose several contents that we believe are important to show and display during the gradex.
IDEAL USER JOURNEY
MOOD BROAD
The website design considered nature, games, and the fantasy world. We choose a traveler-style look character in our project because as young adults who study abroad and live in another country, just like travelers, where we travel around the world and stay around for a while and then start to move again to the next stop. We want to create a healing and comfortable space for those playing. Therefore, the color choice that we made is trying to create an atmosphere that helps people relax and feel peaceful through the visual presentation. Our website is a color lead painting style, which we try to give people a feeling of joy, calm, and comfort. Overall, we want to create a fun and user-friendly feeling.
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ONLINE WEBSITE DESIGN
W.E. Gamified Website
Personalization & Customization
The opportunity to customize characters based on users' preferences and choices. Choosing the style of the look, immerse and connect with the game (and with your character), and a way to embed personality and identity in the game world.
Own planet
Every user can decorate their planet based on their preferences, and it could be their dreamed space, desired space, or any space that they feel can represent their personality or style.
Creating and Exploring
Themes Planets
With themed planets, users can publish their thoughts, feelings, or stories through varied methods, either non-verbal or verbal. Four main planets, including music, art, social and story lands. Each planet has different visuals and seasons, and there are also various activities, contents and unique buildings.
Socialization & Community Support
Social planet was designed to allow young adults to connect and get support while online and in reality.
Communication and Interaction
For the communication system, users can click on another user's characters to start a conversation or sit on the chair as the conversation icon will pop up. Use emotes to interact with each other. Visiting others' planets.
TRY IT OUT
The prototype is only a demo for core tasks: exploring planets, connecting with others, sharing/creating things, communicating and getting resources.
If you would like to see more, please check out the links below:
Full paper:
Video Link:
REFLECTIONS
The choice of physical exhibition and online website
We choose the exhibition as our format because people can experience multilayered journeys, sensory, aesthetic, intellectual, social, etc. Through the feedback and insights that we received from the participant, storytelling is an important thing. It could enable better user experiences, touch people, and build authentic and meaningful connections. Stories can stimulate curiosity, empathy, and resonance and help people understand others (ex., cultures, difficulties, etc.). Despite the use of exhibition format as a healing method or to let people experience patients' worlds is often seen in some galleries or museums, the conversation about loneliness is still less compared to other topics. For future work, we believe that more attention is needed. It is essential to open up the conversations about loneliness to the large population, as loneliness exists in everyone's life.
Compared to the physical exhibition, the website also offers a way for people to stay in their comfort zone, where they can express and alleviate negative emotions without stress or overwhelming feelings. From the feedback we received, for people who are not comfortable or have difficulty facing others due to depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, the website can provide a safe space for them to stay and express their thoughts. And it also could be an innovative way for people to seek mental health professionals by using their own avatars to represent themselves. We believe that such a gamified website could be another way to integrate into mental health services. However, more research and validation will be needed as it may affect the service system. As not everyone is familiar with the game concept in health, it will have difficulty as healthcare professionals may encounter difficulty learning and using it.
Limitations
In our study, the limitations of this research include the lack of more participants, a small sample size, and constraints due to the current pandemic circumstances. Despite the fact that we received a lot of feedback from international students, insufficient technical, labor and financial support led to a temporary pause in developing and completing our project.
As our participants are mostly OCAD university students, they may be more familiar with the artistic healing as well as having an artistic state of mind, which may influence the final direction of where the exhibition design tends to move on. Due to the pandemic situation, and consideration of safety, most of the primary research was taken online, which, to a certain degree, limited our ability to shorten the distance between us and the students to help them become more open in terms of expressing wholeheartedly.
Next steps
Our next step takes two different directions. For the website, we intend to seek opportunities to develop what we have into an actual web game. Therefore, we are looking for coders to help analyze the difficulty of making it work and potential support that we might need from other parties such as server support, financial support, etc. After investigating the above, we will evaluate the feasibility of our project and plan accordingly.
For the physical exhibition, we intend to explore chances to find an available and appropriate place so it can happen. This is more than a project for those who bravely shared their vulnerable experience and thus contribute to our project. We have been conducting university faculties to ask for space to host the exhibition. The availability remains uncertain.
