Miss or Match
Overview
In my second semester at the University of Oslo, me and my group Public Static Void decided that we wanted to design a solution aimed at alleviating loneliness among high school girls in the Oslo region. The COVID-19 pandemic had intensified feelings of isolation, particularly among teenagers, which led us to explore innovative ways to build connections and reduce loneliness. Our project resulted in "Miss or Match," an interactive game designed to spark conversations and build connections among users.
My contribution
Programming the artefact with Arduino Design
The team
5 x design students
Year
2021
Process
How It Started:
Initially, we did not have a clear idea of what we wanted to create or who our target group would be. However, we knew we wanted to address the theme of loneliness, which had been intensified by the pandemic. Through discussions and research, we identified high school girls in Oslo and Viken as a vulnerable group experiencing significant loneliness. Reports indicated that nearly half of all individuals aged 16-19 in Norway felt lonely due to the pandemic. (Udir, 2020).
A pilot interview with a female high school student revealed that loneliness was a frequent topic of discussion among girls. This insight led us to focus specifically on female high school students in our design process.
Insight:
Our project was structured into several key phases: data collection, analysis, ideation, prototyping, and evaluation. We conducted three semi-structured interviews with two participants from our target group, which provided deep insights into their experiences of loneliness and their needs for social interaction.
The interviews highlighted two main issues: loneliness without a partner and the discomfort of dating. Participants expressed a desire for intimate relationships but felt apprehensive about dating, describing it as awkward and intimidating. These findings guided our design process, aiming to create a solution that made dating less daunting and more enjoyable
Data Analysis and Design Iterations:
We used open coding to analyze the interview transcripts, identifying key themes such as loneliness, socialization, and technology. We then grouped these themes into categories using an affinity diagram, which informed our design iterations.
In our first iteration, we brainstormed various ideas, including interactive glasses and a mobile phone hotel, but ultimately settled on a game-based approach. Inspired by games like Battleship and Love Calculator, we designed "Miss or Match" as a tangible interface involving buttons and lights to facilitate interactive question-and-answer sessions.
Prototyping and User Feedback:
Our initial prototypes were simple sketches and low-fidelity models, which allowed us to gather feedback from users and refine our design. Through several iterations, we adjusted the game's size, form, and functionality based on user input and expert evaluations. We aimed to make the game portable, discreet, and engaging without relying on loud sounds or intrusive elements.
By the final iteration, "Miss or Match" had evolved into a compact, foldable game with an LCD screen displaying match percentages and conversation prompts. This design encouraged users to engage in meaningful discussions. Although we felt that the physical design could have been improved, the project provided us with invaluable learning experiences in user-centered design and iterative prototyping.
Referanser:
Udir. (2020). Ekspertgruppe: Konsekvenser av smitteverntiltak i barnehager og skoler (Konsekvenser av smitteverntiltak i barnehager og skoler).
