1. Problem Space

College students, particularly those adjusting to a new environment, often struggle to stay emotionally connected with loved ones. Our interviews revealed that students using art for emotional expression felt misunderstood or disconnected, particularly when sharing with distant friends or family.

Problem Statement: It is difficult for participants to communicate the emotional intent behind their art to their audience, particularly with distant loved ones who cannot grasp the full context.

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2. Research & Persona Development

User Research

We conducted 10 interviews and diary studies with students who considered themselves creative. Most used art for stress relief, identity exploration, or emotional processing.

Key Insights

• Perfectionism prevented some from starting new projects.
• Emotional meaning was hard to communicate without verbal explanation.
• Users missed low-stakes, spontaneous collaboration.

Persona: Sam ("Stink")

Sophomore biology student at Columbia, originally from California. Sam finds emotional release through painting but feels cut off from family and friends. They're a perfectionist, overwhelmed by school, and hesitant to share art due to fear of judgment.

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3. How Might We (HMW) Framing

To reframe the problem space creatively, we asked:

• HMW help students express emotion without fear of judgment?
• HMW support remote emotional expression through visual media?
• HMW build playful, non-verbal tools for emotional communication?

These led us to brainstorm 15+ interaction concepts.\

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4. Ideation

We created over 15 ideas using a FigJam board and the HMW method. Some top ideas included:

• Smart clocks reflecting emotional status
• Breath-synced watch vibrations
• “Art Telephone” collaborative drawing
• AR mood characters in a shared space

Final Choice: Mood Characters + Shared AR Space — selected for emotional expressiveness, customizability, and feasibility.

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5. Final Product Concept: Spaces

An AR app where users and their loved ones co-create daily mood characters and design a shared digital environment that resets weekly. This balances continuity and play.

Key Features

• Mood Characters: Visualize daily feelings
• Accessories: E.g., socks, laptops, knapsacks for nuance
• Shared Spaces: Virtual rooms users decorate collaboratively
• Thought Bubbles: Show internal vs. external feelings

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6. User Journey Mapping & Storyboarding

Journey Map Example: From Isolation to Emotional Connection

• Before Spaces: Feel distant → Create art alone → Unsure how to share → Disengaged
• After Spaces: Choose mood → Customize avatar → See partner’s space → Feel connected

Storyboard Scenarios:

1. Day 1: Discover Spaces, make first mood character
2. Mid-week: Interpret loved one’s setup and respond
3. End of Week: Reflect on emotional journey via snapshot

(Visuals available upon request or embedded in PDF format)

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7. User Testing & Iteration

We tested with pairs of close friends using physical prototypes in silent collaboration.

Findings

• Easy onboarding, no training needed
• Thought bubbles helped communicate hidden emotions
• Participants compared it to a fun, expressive “dress-up game”

Changes Made

• Added new accessories
• Introduced thought bubbles
• Clarified object labels

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8. Final Design Solution

Spaces helps users and their loved ones maintain emotional closeness through the co-creation of mood avatars and a shared AR environment.

Each week, users create expressive avatars, customize emotional settings, and build visual narratives together — bridging the gap of distance with creativity.

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9. Reflection & Learnings

“I didn’t expect a digital tool to make me feel this understood.”

Key Takeaways:

• Emotional nuance is core to good design
• Users value non-verbal tools for connection
• AR provides an immersive medium for shared creative rituals

If revisited, we’d explore:

• More advanced emotional expression tools (music, movement)
• Onboarding for users with minimal AR experience
• Integrating weekly recap journals or memory maps

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