Parent to Parent

UX Design + research

Project Overview

Design a web application to connect parents that works in a hybrid or remote work model. Dispersed employees are having difficulty making connections and feeling a sense of belonging and part of a collective culture.

PROJECT LENGTH: March-May 2023

‍ROLE: UX Designer and Researcher
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‍COLLABORATORS: Trinity Fodor and Gaspar Mendoza
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‍TOOLS: Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator

Context

The future of work was already trending toward a more flexible model, and COVID accelerated that trend. A hybrid model means it is harder to facilitate a sense of connection and belonging; and intentionally get to know colleagues and feel part of a collective culture.
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Employees have also voiced that they value accessible, inclusive and equitable connected ways of working in a hybrid model. The goal of this project is to address these wants.

‍Parent to Parent is a web application designed to allows busy parents to connect with other parents who have similar profiles and schedules, to facilitate deeper conversations and build stronger connections

Research

After initial research we narrowed our audience from all employees to parents of young children. We interviewed 8 parents of children from ages 7 months to 3 years old who work hybrid schedules to gain insight of their experience.

Synthesis of Findings

After completing interviews we took our findings and organized them. We found emerging themes and common sentiments that were expressed by our participants

Limited Opportunities
Between work, school drop-off and pick-up, and extracurricular activities, parents have limited opportunities to meet and connect with other parents
Lack of Common Ground
Even when parents do have a chance to connect, it can be difficult to find common ground with others who have similar schedules and lifestyles
Isolation
Introverted parents may experience feelings of isolation and may benefit from connect with like-minded individuals who can relate to the particular difficulties of juggling career and family responsibilities

Features

Personalized Profiles

Create a profile that highlights your schedule, interests, and hobbies, making it easy to connect with like-minded parents.

Schedule Coordination

Easily coordinate schedules with other busy parents to find times that work for everyone

AI-Conversation Prompts

Our conversation prompts help break the ice and facilitate deeper conversations between parents.

AI-Matching Algorithm

Our AI-powered matching algorithm connects parents based on shared interests, hobbies, and schedules, creating more meaningful connections.

Sketches & Iterations

Armed with a deep understanding of user pain points and needs, we embarked on translating our insights into tangible solutions.To kickstart this phase, we began by sketching preliminary designs that embodied the core features we had identified during our research. These sketches served as a visual brainstorming tool, allowing us to explore diverse layouts and interactions. Simultaneously, we engaged in the meticulous process of creating an experience map.

Wireframes

Cognizant of the insights garnered from our research, and after mapping out the user journey through an experience map, we progressed into the next phase: developing wireframes. These wireframes served as the blueprint for our web app's layout and functionality. The lo-fi wireframes allowed us to focus on the fundamental structure and user flow without getting entangled in visual details enabling us to iterate rapidly, experimenting with various layouts and refining the placement of key features.

Once the lo-fi wireframes were refined and validated, we elevated our designs to the next level by transitioning to hi-fi wireframes. In this phase, we added finer design details, incorporating color palettes, typography choices, and realistic content.

Results + Reflection

After reviewing and refining iterations we made final changes to our prototypes. The Parent to Parent platform emerges as a powerful solution, poised to seamlessly connect colleagues within the dynamic framework of hybrid and remote work models.

Although the project's timeline hindered comprehensive user testing, the essence of our dedication to enhancing user experiences and streamlining workplace interactions remains resolute. The promise of AI augmentation to redefine user engagement holds immense potential, a vision that we are eager to materialize with more extensive development time.
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This endeavor served as an invaluable growth opportunity, allowing me to flourish both as a diligent researcher and an effective collaborator. The completion of four in-depth interviews marked a personal milestone, where each successive interaction bolstered my confidence and elicited increasingly insightful responses. Throughout this journey, the guidance of our mentors at Workday was an invaluable asset, enriching our project with the seasoned perspectives of senior designers and fortifying the overall quality of our outcomes.