Creating Emotional Service design An investigation in how to support people in coping with social isolation by enabling for opportunities to be alone together Lin Johnsson [email protected] Interaktionsdesign Bachelor 22.5HP Spring 2021 Supervisor: Li Jönsson 2 of 53 Abstract How might we through emotional service design investigate how to support people in coping with social isolation by enabling for opportunities to be alone together? This is the research question this interaction design bachelor thesis, through applying theories of emotional and service design, has been aiming towards investigating. What is presented in the work is a merge of the terms, emotional service design. In addition to this, a service to help improve its user’s well-being and ability to cope with the effects of an isolated stay-at- home life is proposed. The conducted research has taken a qualitative approach, using methods of semi-structured interviews, affinity-diagramming, cultural probes, co- creative workshops and prototype testing, insights indicating that loneliness can be combated through two main ways: by finding an activity-based escape or by connecting with people or others. What is argued for is the importance of keeping emotional reactions in mind when designing for experiences. 3 of 53 Acknowledgements This project has had its up and its downs and without the support from family and friends I would not be sitting here writing the acknowledgment section today, so thank you. Thank you Melika, for our endless discussions and Zoom-coffees. Thank you, Li, for challenging me and providing support to the very end. Thank you, E, you know who you are. Thank you to all the participants for allowing me to get a glimpse into your lives. And of course, a final thanks to my beautiful dog Alice. Thank you for reminding me to take breaks, to get some fresh air and reflect. 4 of 53 Table of contents 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Aim ........................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Delimitations ............................................................................................ 7 1.3 Design positioning .................................................................................... 7 1.4 Ethical considerations ............................................................................... 8 2 Background ....................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Social isolation & loneliness .................................................................... 9 2.1.1 Historical perspectives on loneliness ............................................... 9 2.2 Emotional services .................................................................................. 11 2.2.1 Service design ................................................................................ 11 2.2.2 Emotional design ........................................................................... 11 2.2.2.1 Visceral ...................................................................................... 12 2.2.2.2 Behavioral .................................................................................. 12 2.2.2.3 Reflective ................................................................................... 12 2.2.2.4 The levels relating to each other ................................................ 13 2.2.3 Emotional service design: breaking it down .................................. 13 2.3 Related work: services to cope with loneliness ...................................... 14 2.3.1 Puppy society ................................................................................. 14 2.3.2 QuarantineChat .............................................................................. 15 2.3.3 The loneliness project .................................................................... 15 2.3.4 Relevance & positioning ................................................................ 16 2.3.5 Applying theory ............................................................................. 17 3 Methods & design process .............................................................................. 18 3.1 Part one: getting to know the participants .............................................. 18 3.1.1 Semi-structured interviews ............................................................ 19 3.1.1.1 The participants ......................................................................... 19 3.1.1.2 Affinity diagramming ................................................................ 20 3.1.1.3 The insights: Coping .................................................................. 22 3.1.1.4 The insights: Presence ............................................................... 24 3.1.2 Cultural probes ............................................................................... 25 3.1.2.1 01 Short story............................................................................. 26 3.1.2.2 02 Say it with a picture .............................................................. 26 3.1.2.3 03 Change it up .......................................................................... 27 3.1.2.4 04 Give it some time .................................................................. 27 5 of 53 3.1.3 Designing loneliness together: Workshops in social isolation ...... 29 3.1.3.1 The first session ......................................................................... 29 3.1.3.2 The second & third session ........................................................ 31 3.1.4 Part one: Summary ......................................................................... 33 3.2 Part two: ConnectiFlow, a design proposal ............................................ 34 3.2.1 Ideation .......................................................................................... 34 3.2.2 ConnectiFlow ................................................................................. 34 3.2.3 Why an app? Connecting to the fieldwork .................................... 35 3.2.4 Sketching & prototyping ................................................................ 36 3.2.5 Wireframes & paper prototype ...................................................... 37 3.2.6 Digital prototype: First iteration .................................................... 40 3.2.7 Digital prototype: Second iteration ................................................ 40 3.2.7.1 Visceral ...................................................................................... 41 3.2.7.2 Behavioural ................................................................................ 42 3.2.7.3 Reflective ................................................................................... 42 3.2.8 Digital prototype: Third iteration ................................................... 43 3.2.8.1 Reflecting on the design ............................................................ 45 3.2.9 Part two: Summary ........................................................................ 45 4 Discussion & Reflection .................................................................................. 46 4.1 Why emotional design? .......................................................................... 46 4.2 Reflection ................................................................................................ 47 4.3 Contribution ............................................................................................ 48 4.4 Future work ............................................................................................. 49 5 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 50 6 References ....................................................................................................... 51 6 of 53 1 Introduction Fear, social isolation and loneliness. A world turned upside down. The past year did not turn out like anyone could have ever imagined, and we have had to re-think our way of living. With this, comes new issues, and new responsibilities for us as designers. Responsibilities not only for today, but for the tomorrow. This thesis work is a part of prepping for this, emotionally and socially. Negative emotions such as stress or sadness are emotions we have all experienced and coped with before, but that with social isolation might have taken a stronger presence in our minds. What this thesis is therefore proposing is a service and tool designed for coping with what the world has now given us. A service which is hoped to help improve its users well- being and ability to cope with the effects of an isolated stay-at-home everyday life. The topics this thesis is based upon are therefore: loneliness, social isolation and coping as well as emotional service design, something which will be further expanded upon in the upcoming background section below. In investigating this, the following research question has been created: How might we through emotional service design investigate how to support people in coping with social isolation by enabling for opportunities to be alone together? Keeping emotional reactions in mind when designing for experiences is important, this is what determines the overall impression of a design. How it is perceived, how it is experienced. The usage of the term alone together, has been inspired by the hashtag, #alonetogether, and its website (alonetogether.com,