Lynn Zhang | HIVE

Lynn Z

Work

Resume

Etc.

About

HIVE

Better Socialization for Lao Piao

Individual Project

User Experience & Service Design

2021.08 — 2021.10

Duration

Team

August 2021 — October 2021

Myself

My Role

As the

Project Owner & Service Designer

, I independently carried out the whole process of the project from problem discovery and idea exploration to design and deliverables.

Research:

Desktop Research, Field Research, User Interview, Empathy Map, and Research Analysis

Design:

Ideation sketching, Product Modeling, Storyboard, Interaction & Visual Design

Project Overview

Context

Problem

Solution

HIVE focuses on elderly drifters in China, known as Lao Piao. Lao Piao drift to look after their grandchildren, but there is no one to care for their physical and mental needs.

An age-friendly physical social interaction is designed to enhance Lao Piao's social possibilities, thereby satisfying their emotional needs and increasing their focus on themselves. Activities related to the elderly's physical health are introduced, thus meeting the synchronization of physical health.

Looking after the grandchildren and doing household chores, Lao Piao have

little time

for themselves

The

activity spots

for Lao Piao are limited to pocket parks and housing estates

Lao Piao

lack self-awareness

and are not cognizant of their own needs

Solution Preview

Process

DISCOVER

DESIGN

DELIVER

KICK-OFF

Start Point

FAMILIES IN THE 996 OVERTIME CULTURE

996 overtime culture was first prevalent at Internet companies in China, where a large number of employees have been forced to work overtime. For families with parents in a 996 working system, children hardly get any parental company.

Reference: < 996 Urban Children Report >

996 WORKING SYSTEM

77%

54%

LAO PIAO

Work At 9 | Leave At 9 | 6 Days A Week

Little Company

Leave to Elders

The Elder Floating Generation

Top 3 cities with the 996 overtime culture in China

of parents spent less than 4 hours with their kids.

of parents leave the kids' daytime to grandparents.

To support children's careers, seniors leave their hometowns to care for their third generation. 18 million Lao Piao account for 6.8% of the elderly population in China.

Desktop Research 1 - What is Lao Piao's living situation?

OBJECTIVE ENVIRONMENT

SUBJECTIVE CONTRADICTION

Smart Home Appliances

Fraud

Mobile Phone

Formality

Reimbursement

Aging

Disease

Lao Piao marginalized by technology are not used to using smart appliances.

Multifarious fraud routines in first-tier cities make Lao Piao with a single access to information difficult to guard against.

Most Lao Piao do not know how to use smartphones.

Hospitalization is cumbersome and expensive.

Medical policies, treatment coverage, and drug reimbursement rates vary across the country.

Lao Piao worry about health problems that come with aging and have anxiety and fear of death.

Lao Piao are prone to diabetes, cervical spondylosis, and other diseases, which causes mental burden.

Children

understand

how hard it is to raise grandchildren.

Children can

support

Lao Piao to a certain extent.

Children

respect

the way Lao Piao raise their grandchildren.

Lao Piao can

make new friends

in a new city.

Children and Lao Piao have

similar

habits.

Lao Piao can always

keep in touch with

their mates in their hometown.

Children often think that Lao Piao

spoil

their grandchildren.

Lao Piao get

little

attention from their family.

Children often

blame

Lao Piao for their education way.

Lao Piao and local seniors have

nothing

in common.

Their living habits are quite

different

There is

no one

to take care of Lao Piao's mates.

Inadaptation

Anxiety

Lack Of Health Care

Expectation

Reality

Desktop Research 2 - Why Lao Piao are still willing to drift?

CHINESE CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT

TYPICAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF CHINESE PARENTS

Chinese advocate collectivism. When there is individual and collective conflict, they will abandon their interests.

Under the influence of cultural values, Lao Piao tend to place more emphasis on the collective, especially family.

Chinese prefer to interfere in the affairs of their children and build interdependence.

Chinese regard helping their children as an achievement.

Parenting Styles

Geographical Conditions

Natural Disasters

Interference

Self-Worth

natural conditions in China led ancestors to live in groups.

frequent disasters require a collective effort in relief.

based on Developmental psychology

This sense of collective identity and belonging has created the Chinese family-oriented culture

Chinese are used to taking children as appendages, so they take it for granted to look after their child's kid.

Interview

I interviewed 12 Lao Piao in the residential areas corresponding to 2 primary schools in Minhang District, Shanghai.

Explore Lao Piao's routine and identify their features

2021.08.02

Jiangchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai

Aim:

Date:

Place:

Persona

It's my responsibility to take care of the kid, but I'm tired of it.

I take the pressure off my son by looking after my grandson.

I love looking after my grand-daughter, she is lovely.

Wang

Zhu

Drift Situation

Socializing & Activities

Contact Frequency with Home

Level of Cell Phone Use

Drift Situation

Socializing & Activities

Contact Frequency with Home

Level of Cell Phone Use

Drift Situation

Socializing & Activities

Contact Frequency with Home

Level of Cell Phone Use

3.2 years with a 3-year-old grandson

10 months with a 1.5-year-old grandson

about 4 years with a 6-year-old granddaughter

She can't understand the dialect.

Morning exercise is her daily entertainment.

She can't understand the dialect.

Her daily entertainment is watching TV.

He knows a little bit about the dialect.

His daily entertainment is not fixed.

about once every 2 weeks

not fixed

basically 2-3 times a week

She is very skilled at using her phone.

She doesn't know how to use a cell phone.

He rarely uses his cell phone.

Field Research

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF LAO PIAO

LAO PIAO'S DAILY SPHERE OF ACTIVITY

EMPATHY MAP OF LAO PIAO'S EMOTIONAL NEEDS

By interviewing 12 Lao Piao, I sorted out the daily routine of Lao Piao as well as the time required.

I asked the three Personas to draw their daily paths on a map to find commonalities in their spheres of activity.

Based on interviews, I made an empathy map to analyze Lao Piao's emotional needs and feelings.

They have little time for themselves, and if they do, it is very fragmented.

Lao Piao's activities are restricted in terms of location and scope.

Lao Piao gradually lose self-aware due to The satisfaction of affection.

The social and emotional needs of Lao Piao are not being met.

Regular Chores

Raising Grandchildren

Home

Pocket Garden

Estate

Food Market

Although the scope is different, there is a high degree of overlap in type, mainly home, grand-childre's schools, food markets, and pocket parks.

Lao Piao are prone to ignore or weaken their own needs and pains owing to emotional gain.

Despite the happiness of kinship, they have little company or social contact.

More than 555 min = 9.25 h

Wang

Zhu

Insight

Childcare and daily chores are unchangeable and fixed to Lao Piao.

Lao Piao's sphere of activity is limited by chores and caring for their grandchildren.

Lao Piao's external social needs are not met, still stuck in family-centered internal socializing.

LIMITED & FRAGMENTARY TIME

CONCENTRATED & FIXED AREA

UNMET URBAN SOCIAL NEEDS

REFRAMED QUESTION

How Might We meet Lao Piao's social needs within a limited scope of activities and time thus promoting their focus on self?

Low Self-Concern of Lao Piao

In order to better study the psychology and needs of Lao Piao, I followed up and interviewed 12 Lao Piao families.

The satisfaction of family intimacy and the sense of value make Lao Piao unconsciously weaken their own needs.

WEAKENED DEMAND FOR LAO PIAO

Kinship

Ego State

Loneliness

Traditional Family Value

Self-Worth

Interference Desire

Dependence on Children

Parents Behavior Patterns

Cultural Environment

I spend most of my time with my grandson.

Raising him gives me a sense of accomplishment and joy.

I recorded Lao Piao's eating and exercise habits to get an insight into their living conditions.

UNAWARENESS OF THE FUTURE STATE

min

Unnoticed Diet Nutrition

Aimless Exercise

5 out of 12 Lao Piao take their grandchildren's leftovers as their meal to avoid waste, which is terrible for their nutritional absorption.

11 out of 12 Lao Piao prioritize their grand-children's nutrition but hardly care about what is good for their health.

9 out of 12 Lao Piao usually don't take the healthcare products their children buy for them on time or forget to take them.

7 out of 12 Lao Piao have the desire to exerc- ise, yet they do not have their own regular exercise program.

The average daily exercise time of the 12 Lao Piao is 35 minutes, less than they should for their age.

The nutritional intake of Lao Piao includes

nutritional supplements

and

dietary structure

, few Lao Piao pay attention to nutritional intake, and even if they do, it is passive.

Although there is a certain willing-ness to exercise, their exercise is

affected by time, location, and facilities

, and there is no professional and purposeful consideration.

LACK OF SELF-AWARENESS

In Shanghai, the social connections of Lao Piao are limited, mainly among themselves and with their families. According to Mead, the self is formed and developed through interaction with others.

I usually talk to Lao Piao from my hometown and we both need to spend time with our grandchildren. I won't think about how life could be better.

My grandson is the most precious in the family, and I am willing to help my child to raise him together.

Who doesn't help raise the third generation of children in our age?

My son thought he was inexperienced and asked me to help them raise their children together.

the Convergence of Ideas

Lack of Concern

brought by the interaction among themselves

from family focusing on children

Lao Piao lack more social activities to gain insight into the diverse life possibilities of peers to promote formation of their own sense of self.

Social Needs Dilemma of Lao Piao

According to the interviews, most Lao piao have the desire to socialize, but they have a variety of worries.

I don't speak Shanghainese and I am afraid of being looked down upon by the local elderly.

At the same time, I don't understand what they say.

I don't know what I can talk about with the local elderly.

Of course, I want to look around, but I haven't taken the metro very often, and with so many roads in Shanghai, I am embarrassed to ask the youngsters how to get around.

willingness to break the fixed path & fear of the unfamiliar environment

community identity & lack of self-confidence

differences in living habits & lack of social opportunities

Ideation

LOGICAL MINDMAP

DESIGN OPPORTUNITY

Complete Mask Recycling

Innovative Social Style

Limited But Shared Scope of Activities

Discovery of Commonality

short-term behavior

discover self-worth and sense of self

within the limited time

health-related hobby and diet

Emotion Needs

Value Sense

Self Concern

Creating social opportunities by discovering commonalities thro- ugh healthy hobbies helps meet Lao Piao's social needs.

Design Content

SMART DEVICES

BASED ON SECURITIZATION

SENIOR COMPANIONS

BASED ON COMMON HOBBIES

AGE-FRIENDLY DESIGN

BASED ON PHYSICAL TOUCHES

Position | Falling Alarm | Adaptation

Matching | Same Hobby

Physical Buttons | Screen Avoidance

Wearing Form

Matching Mode

Age-Appropriate Design

Neck Strap

Bracelet / Watch

Flashlight

Vibration

Screen

Button

Role Play Prototype & Testing

After comparing the neck strap and the bracelet/watch, I chose the latter for the convenience of Lao Piao doing housework.

After comparing the luminous type and the vibrating one, I chose the latter to match Lao Piao's social psychology and sensory experience.

After comparing the screen and button, I chose the latter to accommodate Lao Piao's declining eyesight and inflexible fingers to avoid screen mis-touch.

Design Concept

HIVE

hopes to drive busy Lao Piao to gather and socialize in their limited free time and activity areas like bees in a hive, through physical social interaction.

Physical Social Design For Lao Piao

Family Share

Waterproof Material

Aging Adaptation

LED Display

Watch Sensor Module

Strip Lights

visual display

tactile & auditory

Position and fall alerts are fed back to the children's phones timely.

The waterproof silicone material can be adapted to different wrists.

Strips are colored to correspond to the states of the Hive Cabinet. The dot matrix display shows the time.

Press and hold the push button for 2 seconds and the built-in audio will broadcast the weather.

Marked items are displayed on the display screen to attract Lao Piao.

This module marks items with watches access. The cabinet door will open when sensed marked by 2 watches within 3 minutes.

The different states of the cabinets correspond to the different colors of the light strips.

Interaction Concept Introduction

PLACEMENT OF CONTENTS

MATCHING THE SAME HOBBYISTS

USE & PUTBACK

Community workers organize idle items recycling activities to get entertainment props into the Hive Cabinet, the door is shown in red.

Find a cabinet door with no lights on to return borrowed items.

2 Hive Watches can sense and open the cabinet in 3 minutes.

Their Hive Watch vibrates when they encounter someone who has marked the same item.

Flashing yellow lights of the Hive Cabinet door attracts Lao Piao to put in their unused items of interest.

Lao Piao marks the cabinet door of the items he is interested in, and the information is input into the Hive Watch.

Relevant information appears on the LED screen to attract other Lao Piao to come and play together.

Storyboard

He drifted to look after his granddaughter.

Besides the joy of kinship, He often felt lonely.

Despite his desire to socialize, He had no time.

His range of movement is also restricted.

In his sphere, He was drawn to the Hive cabinet.

Lao Piao Lu was also attracted to the content.

They borrowed contents using the hive watch.

He and Lu often play table tennis together.

Still, He is eager for more social opportunities.

Lao Piao Lu was also attracted to the content.

Alone again, He felt his watch vibrate.

As the two get closer, the vibration got stronger.

He made a new friend by marking contents.