Product Info: San Francisco | Type : Individual Work | Role : UX/UI Designer
Goal : To create an app for early-teens to learn about Puberty
Package Design:
Activity:
To explore the general topic of new arrivals. It's to interpret this topic in a variety of ways, and encouraging broad and future thinking. It could be a fresh purchase coming home, it could be a device being relocated, it could be about house guests (wanted or unwanted), a child or pet, it could be subscribing to a new service, a vehicle (or living without one), a subscription of some sort…basically whatever we pick. Especially at the outset, we'll have to cast a broad net.
Brainstorming :
I started exploring this project from the perspective of a new immigrant. So I picked many examples that are different from my home country. However certain universal needs are similar across the globe, the design behind those needs are different based on the geographical locations. This confuses the immigrants as they land in a new country and start using certain products which are customized for user need.
For example, labels & icons on the washing machine, colored trash, care instructions labels on clothes, Size labels on Sanitary Napkins, labels on the Mattress Sheets are customized and designed differently. But the universal needs are similar -like washing clothes, buying mattress sheets or even simple as buying Sanitary Napkins. This was my exploration on how could we design Universal Labels which could be understood by any user around the globe through symbols. But I had to choose one example from the lot to design further.
Problem:
The confusion for women in the the label design of Sanitary Napkins ! So I did create a use case and also a solution for the design problem and challenged myself to explore the socially uncomfortable issue.
User Feedback on the Problem:
"I get to pick the wrong one and the whole thing goes waste."
"The labels are so confusing in a new country all the time, so I prefer to carry my own!"
"It would be better if they are more clear and simple."
Scenario:
Sex and puberty has been a taboo subject among the younger and older generation with a level of secrecy, confusion in general. Parents feel embarrassed to help their kids to make them understand the seriousness of adulthood in a right way.
User Research :
I have researched and studied about early teens and about parents who have experienced difficulties in talking about puberty to their own kids.
Parents are having hard time in educating their kids about puberty in the very initial stage. The research shows that parents have less knowledge to inform kids in the appropriate way.
Many parents are wondering whether their kid is too young to discuss about puberty or what kind of information to give. Through interviews with parents we figured out that the parents want to discuss the topic with kids but not quiet sure what information would be appropriate based on their age group.
Parents are hunting for good hospitals or good schools such that they believe the sensitive topics like puberty would be clarified in detail with pictures and illustrations to inform them about their bodily changes in a more effective way.
Design Process: I sketched the whole idea with pen and paper to draw the bigger picture first.
Wire - Framing
"An app for both boys and girls to understand about their bodily changes"
Interview with an Nurse Practitioner/ Mom : I did talk with a nurse in Palo alto medical foundation!
She totally agreed as a mom of a 6 year old, that although she is a nurse, she isn’t sure enough what information to convey to her child when she grows up. Adding to that information, she mentioned in her hospital there is a summer wellness program which actually helps kids to understand about puberty. She mentioned each kid comes with their parent to the session to know about their bodily changes. And she appreciated our idea of combining the puberty information of a boy and girl, such that the opposite sex can know each other and will create awareness . She felt it interesting as designers we are solving problems related to personal well being to help in the hospital wellness programs and show it to kids.
User Testing/Feedback:
"It's a cool idea to combine both genders in one app. Very Informative!"
" I like this idea of an puberty app which would guide me through the process of puberty without having to ask my parents."
"This app would really help kids who are shy."
