tomo

redefining our relationships with our mobile devices

This project started with a personal experience.

One day, my friends and I visited a restaurant. The meal started off amazing with everyone
laughing and having a good time. During the meal, I excused myself briefly to use the restroom.
Upon returning, I felt disappointed by what I saw. All of my friends, who had been enjoying
themselves just moments before, sat in silence.

The reason: every single person was staring at their phone.

This experience frustrated me because our phones had dismantled a fun moment. It prompted me
to examine the role that our devices play in our lives.

narrative

defining the problem

User Research:

"Everyone knows that we shouldn't be on our phones as much as we are"

"When I get a notification, I need to check. I can't not look!"

"You can't digitally replicate all aspects of human interaction."

Pain Points:

People feel disappointed when phones interrupt private moments (e.g. shared meals).

and

People have a constant urge to check notifications on their phones.

the design objective

Facilitate healthy phone use in private spaces.

lotus flower form exploration

change in direction

Through testing with users, I learned that my initial design took up too much space.

I decided to change the original design to fit underneath tables.

testing prototypes

The prototypes endured rigorous testing in various settings. I spoke with users about their thoughts on the product and used their feedback to streamline the user experience. During this step, I received valuable insights for evolving the design.