My Role:
Design Researcher
Project Duration:
10 Weeks
Project:
Team Project
This project is curated to gain a comprehensive understanding of how Gen Z experiences, engages in and values social interactions in order to design a research framework that is relevant, aspirational, holistic, rigorous, and actionable.
The Project.
Our goal is to focus on understanding this generation's social desires by identifying the key moments, attitudes, and aspirations that characterize their optimal interactions with both peers and individuals they encounter for the first time.
By delving into their ideal social experiences, we can tailor products and services to meet their needs and expectations, fostering innovation and empathy along the way. This research allows us to step into the shoes of Gen Z individuals, understanding their perspectives and challenges, and building bridges of understanding across generations.
The Goal.
Qualitative Research Methods . Quantitative Research Methods
. Data Collection . Data Synthesis . Insight Generation
. Conceptualization . Story-telling . Data Visualization
Skill Sets Used.
The 3 Key Questions.
What are the key factors that contribute to a positive socializing experience for Gen Z?
What challenges does Gen Z face when socializing and how do they navigate these challenges?
What are the long-term goals and aspirations related to socializing among this cohort?
PHASE 01: COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE DATA
WHAT GEN Z SAYS . WHAT GEN Z DOES . WHAT GEN Z MAKES
These questions address important elements of social interactions for this generation, which are:
OUR SECONDARY RESEARCH
#Tight-Knitters
#Compartmentalizers
#Samplers
A journal article titled Friends with Academic Benefits by Jamie McCabe, categorized students into 3 distinct categories. By dividing the research participants into groups based on their similarities, we were able to create activities that better suited each group. This helped us gather even more information for our research.
30+ LOCATIONS
were observed in order to collect data.
40 GEN Z INDIVIDUALS
took part in our research methods and activities.
OUR PRIMARY RESEARCH
This phase enabled us to discover pivotal observations regarding how this generation presently participates in social interactions with others, outlining their preferences and identifying barriers hindering their ideal experiences.
BONDING ENABLERS:
Food . Houseparties . Boardgames . Pets . Alcohol . Sleepovers . Coffee . Houseparties . Movies . Outdoor activities
SOCIALIZING IS:
A mood-based activity . About vibing with people . Very taxing sometimes . Social anxiety inducing . Influenced by childhood experiences . Establishing a connection with people
CHALLENGES:
Phone usage . Inauthentic conversations . Social anxiety . Not being in the moment . FOMO . Excess social media . Bad energy . Forced efforts
PREFERENCES:
Intimate and homely setups . Potluck at friends' . Cooking with friends . Games . Houseparties . Roadtrips . Long drives . Traditional gatherings
Cultural Probe and Sensory Cues Workshop.
Our workshops provided Gen Z participants with stimuli such as pictures and words, prompting them to articulate their ideal experiences. Each participant interpreted the prompts uniquely, aiding our understanding of desired activities, preferred items, conversational topics, ideal companions, atmosphere, and other situational outcomes.
Each individual's unique thoughts, values, and approaches towards the idea of socializing played vital roles in shaping our research.
THE GEN Z DRIVEN PERSPECTIVE
After gathering information about our ideal customer through interviews and surveys, we dug deeper. We used this data to create a visual map (empathy map) and a detailed profile (customer profile) to understand their needs, desires, challenges,and goals. These tools helped us organize the information and uncover key insights about our target audience.
Defining Value.
PHASE 02: DATA SYNTHESIS AND INSIGHT GENERATION
The comprehensive documentation of this project has been meticulously compiled within a client magazine, that includes our research data into our final visual framework.
The magazine explains each insight through the lens of our participants and the Gen Z cohort.
The Research Magazine.
My Role For The Magazine: Visual Designer
