User Research: Mom who has Empty Nest Syndrome

Problem:

Based on a recent call with my mom, we realize she could be suffering from Empty Nest Syndrome. As a single parent, she is alone most of the time. Most of her kids are working and living abroad, and has only one kid left in college who doesn’t live with her anymore.

Goals:

 

• When she has time alone, she starts really feeling sad, and this is sometimes confusing for her. She would go to church and find herself crying out of nowhere.

• As a daughter it is comforting that I am able to reach her anytime when I find time. Living far away, I’d like to work with my mom to remind her to text or call me, or to reach out without hesitation.

• She values time with friends. She also finds that going out and her work makes her distracted.

• She likes shopping and traveling, because seeing things really give her a dose of good feeling!

 

Constraints:

 

• Mom finds it hard to translate her feelings.  She doesn’t like to write her thoughts. She would rather talk and meet with friends.

• Some notable qualities on digital space: likes posting emojis to express her feelings on Facebook, likes using app that give advice.

 

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What is being done to solve depression?

Woebot – The Chatbot Therapist. cognitive behavior app developed in Stanford.

Main Feature: Self-checkin

Koko – a social app for people with depression.

Users are encouraged to post short messages about what is currently making them depressed or anxious, along with what they think the worst case scenario is. Once they’ve posted their message, other users try to point out what Morris calls the “bugs” in their operating system by suggesting more positive ways to think the problem.

Notable Feature: Anonymous Posting

Crisis Text Line’s model

Notable Feature: Live Response from Experts

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