Portfolio
wise owl
A digital tool to encourage the social participation of retirees with other generations.
Role: UX Research, UX Designer, UX Visual (solo project).
Tools: Figma, Google Forms, Photoshop & Illustrator.
Duration: 8 weeks
what is the problem?
retired generations are constantly overlooked
- how can we use technology to keep them engaged as part of the community? -
Society is more individualized than ever, and with the speed at which technology changes things, older generations are constantly left behind. Is it possible to enhance their participation through technology itself? Are they interested? What would motivate them? What would stop them?
why is it important?
older people are especially vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation – and it can have a serious effect on health.
Worldwide
1 in 3
older people feel lonely.
-WHO
In 2021 there were over
750
million people over 65 years.
In 2050 is projected to more than double to
1.6
billion.
-United Nations
the goal
Design a digital tool for retirees to participate socially with other generations. This will facilitate the creation of a community among retirees.
the solution
A user-friendly digital platform that is intuitive,
helps them connect with other people and generations and allows them to share their knowledge and experience, as well as learn new things.
an overview of how it was done
design thinking methodology
empathize
Secondary Research
Interviews
Surveys
Affinity Map
define
Empathy Map
User Persona
User Journey
ideate
Crazy 8's
Brainstorming
Card Sorting
prototype
Prototypes
Wireframes
Figma
test
Usability Tests
whose problem
am I solving?
Primarily older generations, yes. But, eventually, a worldwide society. We are all going to get older if we are lucky. We are an aging world and there is much to do to adapt to our soon-to-be 'gray world population'.
The app proposal mainly suggests network building between university students and retired communities.
It can be a nutritious exchange for both sides.
Retired Community
Many retirees want to share their life's experiences and/ or learn something new.
University Students
University students are an interesting target since they are on a more conscious learning path and can be a more proactive exchange, and learn to teach or share their own experiences and knowings as well.
a general wide view
as wide as the world iteself
ux research methods
Secondary Research
there is a lot of information about the subject. in an attempt to narrow it down and look a bit closer at the relationship between these older generations and technology, i used secondary research to understand better this particular approach.
The number of older adults who own a smartphone has risen dramatically from 18% in 2013 to 83% (age 50–64) and 61% (age 65+) in 2021.
An even larger portion of older adults own a laptop or computer (90%) and use the internet.
As people live longer, technologies become more affordable, and broadband access increases, we can expect that prevalence of “plugged in” older adults will continue to rise.
let's talk
Interviews
in a couple of interviews, i was able to have a more deep and raw conversation about the fears and motivations retirees are having in this constantly changing world. and what are the motivations in their futures around society and the role they can play in it.
''I like to help my grandsons with their homework, I'd like to think I can still have something to pass on .''
Mónica Ramírez
''I'd like to discover new interests and don't be stuck in my old ways or ideas. If I could get suggestions for topics and in the process meet people.''
Oscar Lomelí
Surveys
in a more general approach to the situation, through surveys, i was able to get a clearer view of what people are feeling about being retired today and how is their relationship with technology.
75%
Feel their mobile phones help them stay easily connected to their loved ones and friends.
25%
Feel uninterested in using their mobile phones.
55%
Use technology as a way of entertainment or learning daily.
pain points & takeaways
common obstacles
It is difficult to connect with new people and younger generations.
They can feel intimidated by technology.
The processes or interface can be confusing.
Fear of change.
user needs
The need to connect easily.
To find new topics and suggestions.
A user-friendly platform.
Processes and options are presented simply and clearly.
With a system of reminders and notifications.
Every action that is needed to accomplish collaboration needs to happen within the platform.
problem statement
how might i bring technology closer to older generations to find new ways to engage as part of society by sharing experiences and learning new things?
the solution
wise owl is a amicable mobile application that allows a community of retirees to connect easily with university students and exchange knowledge.
how are we doing it?
an amicable app
It can sound simple enough, but for the not tech-savvy can be a game changer or better yet, the whole difference.
a whole new world
There is always something new to discover. With a previous set-up of preferences, having a function that suggests and recommends new topics and areas users can explore.
a win for everyone
One of the strong intentions of the app is to promote exchange intergenerationally, so it has to encourage everyone to find something valuable. Everyone can learn and everyone can teach.
the foundations
plan first, act later with information architecture
the prototype
...and even if one wants to run before walking
The interface proposal was initially worked on with a general idea, exploring solutions in low fidelity.
After its evaluation, a more defined view was explored through medium fidelity.
And eventually, work was done in a much more specific way on the proposal for high fidelity.
design
a graphic language
COLORS USED
Teaching
Discuss
Learning
There are 3 colors to categorize courses, workshops or consultations. This way it is easier to identify them depending on what each user is looking for.
FONT USED
Merriweather
The choice of typography
Mulish
The selection of typography was based on combining two very different types, which, by their uniqueness, make an excellent combination by contrast. On the one hand, Mulish with a more modern and light stroke, and on the other, Merriweather with an air of sophistication and knowledge.
ACCESSIBILITY
To create accessibility during navigation, elements like the navbar with described text and marked selection were used.
prototype
a closer look
setup for success
With a setup establishing interests, the user can find easily lessons or workshops that may engage them
home sweet home
On the homepage, lessons are sorted by categories according to subjects and interests, using different colors to highlight what is for learning and what is for teaching.
all in one 'room'
One way to help users keep up with their courses is by structuring in a friendly way what they are involved in.
information helps to understand
Many older adults tend to find difficulty understanding new ways, mostly because of a lack of enough information. Wise Owl gives them different ways to navigate through their doubts, curiosities, and the application itself.
results & numbers
The high fidelity prototype was tested with 4 users obtaining the following results and observations:
app perception
‘It seems very accessible that you can learn something new. It is very intuitive’
‘‘It is very friendly, accessible and simple’’
‘It is quite simple, has important and clear content. Very eye-catching and user-friendly’
2/4
Found it is more practical that reminders were automatically activated when registering for classes.
areas for improvement
‘Learn about the teacher, not just information about the class’
‘Add confirmation when registering in the ‘quick way’
‘Have reminders by default’
‘The selection of topics of interest is not so intuitive’
4.7/5
General Satisfaction
85%
Completed tasks
'when an old person dies, a library burns to the ground.'
- African proverb
things that i learned
people want to be in community
We are social animals, we belong to each other. In this overly productive society, we tend to leave our social interactions last, however, if this topic can teach us at least one thing, it's that we can't thrive alone.
people want to share their knowledge and experience
if i had additional time
developing a responsive app
To allow the users the choice of the device that better suits their necessities.
continuing promoting the idea to a bigger scale
It is a topic in which I am most interested, and I would love to see it take on widely.
It has been refreshing to see how people want to share their knowledge for the good of it. Most of the people who I talked to about the project were fairly interested in contributing to the equation.