What is Gen Z's
social pulse?
Overview
In today’s hyper-connected world, social interaction remains a non-negotiable aspect of human experience, especially for Generation Z. This generation, known for its digital fluency and evolving communication styles, presents a unique case study in how we connect and build relationships. Our research project embarked on a mission to understand the inner workings of Gen Z’s
social life, deciphering their values, preferred engagement styles, and aspirations for social interaction.
The goal
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.
While traditional market research often focuses on demographics, we delved deeper. We recognized Gen Z as a generation shaped by technological advancements, economic realities, and a rapidly changing social landscape, however, our goal was to move beyond these broad categories and gain a nuanced understanding of what truly makes social interaction positive and meaningful for this specific cohort.
Role
Design Researcher | Visual Designer
Duration
10 Weeks (2024)
Team
4 Students
Skillsets used
Contextual Research
User Research
Ethnographic Research
Visual Design
Netnographic Research
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
UX Research
Data Visualization
Insight Translation
Insight Generation
Interviews and Surveys
Visual Storytelling
Magazine Design
Ideation
Design Thinking
and More...
Our multi-faceted approach
To achieve a comprehensive picture, we employed a multi-faceted research approach curated by Lextant,
the human experience firm. The in-depth interviews conducted allowed Gen Z individuals to share their experiences and challenges in their own words. Focus groups fostered open discussions and explored shared experiences. While tools like cultural probe and sensory cues workshops, provided a broader perspective on the preferences and ideal socializing scenario across the demographic.
We conducted research at 40+ locations, and had 50+ Gen Z participate in our research activities in the span of 3 weeks after which we synthesized and analyzed all the collected data.
Our Research Methods
Ethnographic Research
Surveys
User Interviews
Cultural Probes
Sensory Cues Workshop
Interesting Gen Z research findings
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.
#Tight-Knitters
Have one densely woven friendship group in which nearly all their friends are friends with one another.
#Compartmentalizers
These individuals form two to four clusters, where friends know each other within clusters but rarely across them.
#Samplers
Samplers befriend individuals from diverse locations, yet these acquaintances remain disconnected from each other.
WE COLLECTED
2000+ data points
The final framework
Our socializing blueprint
Using the Lextant's research framework provides a rich foundation for designing a visual model that captures the nuances and aspirations of an socializing experience for a generation with such complex mindsets.
This dynamic framework created based on the Lextant research framework covers the emotional core, the guiding values, and the practical elements that guide and inform Gen Z's preferences regarding meeting new people. This framework can be referred to when creating products and/or services for this generation.
Curious to know the details?
Are you interested in knowing more about the above framework and get into the details? Below are snippets of our client magazine. The visuals were carefully curated to fit the theme and vibe of this generation including bright, neon colors, bold fonts, and exciting layout designs for maximum appeal.
The research magazine
The comprehensive documentation of this project has been 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.
My role: Magazine Designer
©2025 by Tanvi Lakdawala. All rights reserved.