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Introduction
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced cities, people often find themselves navigating through efficiency-based routines and pre-planning most aspects of their daily lives. This leaves little time for spontaneous exploration within urban environments. This project addresses urban alienation, the feeling of profound disconnection and isolation that leaves individuals detached from their surroundings and themselves. This issue is particularly relevant in the UK, where around 45% of people report experiencing loneliness, with the highest rates often found in urban cities.
My design journey was purposefully non-traditional. Instead of starting with a predefined problem, I began with 4 abstract concepts and conducted deep observational studies to rigorously uncover the core mechanism of urban alienation: how routine and a relentless focus on efficiency perpetuate the "commute mindset." This user-centric process was essential for understanding the core problem.
This research then led to Roam, a unique service designed to combat this alienation. Using a whimsical digital-physical approach, integrating a mobile app with urban kiosks, Roam gently guides long-term residents to serendipitous discoveries and authentic connections, ultimately prioritising experience over efficiency.
In today’s fast-paced cities, people often find themselves navigating through efficiency-based routines and pre-planning most aspects of their daily lives. This leaves little time for spontaneous exploration within urban environments. This project addresses urban alienation, the feeling of profound disconnection and isolation that leaves individuals detached from their surroundings and themselves. This issue is particularly relevant in the UK, where around 45% of people report experiencing loneliness, with the highest rates often found in urban cities.
My design journey was purposefully non-traditional. Instead of starting with a predefined problem, I began with 4 abstract concepts and conducted deep observational studies to rigorously uncover the core mechanism of urban alienation: how routine and a relentless focus on efficiency perpetuate the "commute mindset." This user-centric process was essential for understanding the core problem.
This research then led to Roam, a unique service designed to combat this alienation. Using a whimsical digital-physical approach, integrating a mobile app with urban kiosks, Roam gently guides long-term residents to serendipitous discoveries and authentic connections, ultimately prioritising experience over efficiency.
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Roam At A Glance
Roam At A Glance
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Concepts In Focus
Concepts In Focus
/ Flânerie
/ Flânerie
The act of strolling leisurely through urban spaces with no particular destination, observing society and surroundings without actively interacting with it (Duncan, 2023)
The act of strolling leisurely through urban spaces with no particular destination, observing society and surroundings without actively interacting with it (Duncan, 2023)
/ Dérive
/ Dérive
An unplanned journey through a landscape, especially urban, guided by the momentary attractions of the terrain and encounters, aiming to explore and understand the city's psychological layout (Debord, 2021)
An unplanned journey through a landscape, especially urban, guided by the momentary attractions of the terrain and encounters, aiming to explore and understand the city's psychogeographical layout (Debord, 2021)
An unplanned journey through a landscape, especially urban, guided by the momentary attractions of the terrain and encounters, aiming to explore and understand the city's psychological layout (Debord, 2021)
/ Serendipity
/ Serendipity
Unplanned happy moments that one comes across when wandering about the city. It encourages curious exploration and the idea of “getting lost” (Sameer Gudhate, 2024)
Unplanned happy moments that one comes across when wandering about the city. It encourages curious exploration and the idea of “getting lost” (Sameer Gudhate, 2024)
/ Dolce Far Niente
/ Dolce Far Niente
An Italian phrase meaning "the sweetness of doing nothing" (Winig, 2024)
An Italian phrase meaning "the sweetness of doing nothing" (Winig, 2024)
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Process
Process
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Meet Serena
Meet Serena
I believe, there is an opportunity for a new service for Long Time Urban Residents who find their city to be monotonous & routine-bound and engage more deeply with their surroundings, who want to break free from their usual “Commute mindset” but struggle to disengage from automatic behaviours on familiar routes, consistently trade potential discovery for efficiency, and often lack the motivation to actively seek new experiences, so that their daily lives are transformed into journeys of constant revelation, fostering a vibrant and evolving relationship with their city
I believe, there is an opportunity for a new service for Long Time Urban Residents who find their city to be monotonous & routine-bound and engage more deeply with their surroundings, who want to break free from their usual “Commute mindset” but struggle to disengage from automatic behaviours on familiar routes, consistently trade potential discovery for efficiency, and often lack the motivation to actively seek new experiences, so that their daily lives are transformed into journeys of constant revelation, fostering a vibrant and evolving relationship with their city
- UX Vision Statement
- UX Vision Statement
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Co-Design Workshops
Co-Design Workshops
10 Participants
10 Participants
10 Participants
Storyboarding
Concept Ideation
Touchpoints Ideation
MoSCoW
Feature Ideation
User Journey Mapping
Storyboarding
Storyboarding
User Journey Mapping
User Journey Mapping
Concept Ideation
Concept Ideation
Feature Ideation
Feature Ideation
Touchpoints Ideation
Touchpoints Ideation
MoSCoW
MoSCoW
We Generated a broad range of potential concepts & ideas directly from user needs and desires, ensuring relevance
We Generated a broad range of potential concepts & ideas directly from user needs and desires, ensuring relevance
We then efficiently prioritised ideas & concepts using the MoSCoW grid for effective decision-making
We then efficiently prioritised ideas & concepts using the MoSCoW grid for effective decision-making
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Lo-Fi Prototype Testing
Lo-Fi Prototype Testing
3 Participants
3 Participants
3 Participants
Storyboarding
Concept Ideation
Touchpoints Ideation
MoSCoW
Feature Ideation
User Journey Mapping
Storyboarding
Storyboarding
User Journey Mapping
User Journey Mapping
Concept Ideation
Concept Ideation
Feature Ideation
Feature Ideation
Touchpoints Ideation
Touchpoints Ideation
MoSCoW
MoSCoW
We Generated a broad range of potential concepts & ideas directly from user needs and desires, ensuring relevance
We Generated a broad range of potential concepts & ideas directly from user needs and desires, ensuring relevance
We then efficiently prioritised ideas & concepts using the MoSCoW grid for effective decision-making
We then efficiently prioritised ideas & concepts using the MoSCoW grid for effective decision-making
Key Features
Drifts
Drifts
Non-Linear Navigation
Non-Linear Navigation
Encourages Unstructured Exploration
Encourages Unstructured Exploration
Immersive Journeys
Immersive Journeys
Gamified Discovery
Gamified Discovery
Let your curiosity navigate you through your city
Let your curiosity navigate you through your city
Pings of POIs nearby that fit your vibe
Pings of POIs nearby that fit your vibe
Turns exploration into a treasure hunt, guiding you subtly to your next discovery
Turns exploration into a treasure hunt, guiding you subtly to your next discovery
Drift Curation
Drift Curation
Breaks Routines
Breaks Routines
Vibe Curation
Vibe Curation
Mood + AI Based Curation
Mood + AI Based Curation
Find places tailored to your vibe, not just your location
Find places tailored to your vibe, not just your location
While the drift is active Roam suggests POIs based on user’s vibe
While the drift is active Roam suggests POIs based on user’s vibe
Transforms routine into discovery by providing tailored suggestions
Transforms routine into discovery by providing tailored suggestions
Collaborative
Experiences
Collaborative
Experiences
Shared Experiences
Shared Experiences
Shared Memories
Shared Memories
New Connections
New Connections
Shared Experiences
Shared Memories
New Connections
Transform solo experiences into shared, collaborative adventures
Transform solo experiences into shared, collaborative adventures
Create or join a drift with friends, making discovery a shared experience
Create or join a drift with friends, making discovery a shared experience
Build memories by experiencing your city together
Build memories by experiencing your city together
Memories
Memories
Capturing Moments
Capturing Moments
Encourages Serendipity
Encourages Serendipity
Capture & share serendipitous moments from your experiences
Capture & share serendipitous moments from your experiences
Log your thoughts and feelings to remember these fleeting urban moments
Log your thoughts and feelings to remember these fleeting urban moments
Roam Postcards
Roam
Postcards
Roam Postcards
Non-Linear Navigation
Non-Linear Navigation
Encourages Unstructured Exploration
Encourages Unstructured Exploration
Immersive Journeys
Immersive Journeys
Gamified Discovery
Gamified Discovery
A physical postcard is sent to the user to unlock a unique monthly discovery challenge
A physical postcard is sent to the user to unlock a unique monthly discovery challenge
The postcard serves as a direct prompt to break monotonous routines
The postcard serves as a direct prompt to break monotonous routines
Completing these challenges signifies a growing narrative and encourages further exploration of the city
Completing these challenges signifies a growing narrative and encourages further exploration of the city
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Hi-Fi Prototype Testing
Hi-Fi Prototype Testing
3 Participants
3 Participants
3 Participants
Experiential Testing
Experiential Testing
Qualitative Feedback Sessions
Qualitative Feedback Sessions
Users appreciated the subtle guidance cues and acknowledged that it would help reduce distractions
Users appreciated the subtle guidance cues and acknowledged that it would help reduce distractions
The postcard concept resonated deeply, enhancing tangibility and connection
The postcard concept resonated deeply, enhancing tangibility and connection
Qualitative analysis allowed me to get valuable insights, from the users, on the integration of features & touchpoints
Qualitative analysis allowed me to get valuable insights, from the users, on the integration of features & touchpoints
For my concept behind designing Roam, understanding the users’ thoughts and feelings when navigating using Roam
For my concept behind designing Roam, understanding the users’ thoughts and feelings when navigating using Roam
Post the testing sessions I made UI changes that the users suggested could improve the experience
Post the testing sessions I made UI changes that the users suggested could improve the experience
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Business Model
B-B-C Business
Business Model
B-B-C Business
My Takeaways
My Takeaways
I learned that the UX process isn't a rigid, linear checklist. By starting with abstract concepts, I let the problem of urban alienation surface naturally, leading to a more original and impactful solution
I learned that the UX process isn't a rigid, linear checklist. By starting with abstract concepts, I let the problem of urban alienation surface naturally, leading to a more original and impactful solution
My process was driven by continuous user feedback. Co-ideation workshops and prototype testing justified the major design choices I made through the design process
My process was driven by continuous user feedback. Co-ideation workshops and prototype testing justified the major design choices I made through the design process
My experience with AI was about augmentation, not automation. Using it to analyse data & refine prompts helped me become a more precise visual storyteller and designer
This project taught me to design holistically, going beyond a single app to thinking about the ecosystem. I also learned to think about all the physical and digital touchpoints that make up a service
This project taught me to design holistically, going beyond a single app to thinking about the ecosystem. I also learned to think about all the physical and digital touchpoints that make up a service
My non-traditional approach taught me to be comfortable with ambiguity. I learned that allowing a problem to emerge organically, rather than forcing a solution, can lead to more innovative and meaningful work
My non-traditional approach taught me to be comfortable with ambiguity. I learned that allowing a problem to emerge organically, rather than forcing a solution, can lead to more innovative and meaningful work
