The UX of Hair (Week 2)
Brief: Design a way to intensify how we experience human hair. Research Methods: Directed storytelling and bodystorming
Team: Hong Zhou, Akriti Goel, Kye Li Chia, Sushi Sylvestor
We agreed to gather more participants and write a new set of questions to focus on, and receive more information on hair loss. This would help us learn what had helped people with hair loss and how they felt along their journey. We reached out to our friends and family, asking if they would be comfortable talking to us about their hair loss.
Reviewing new set of interviews. Photo credits: Hong Zhou
We reviewed and highlighted the common themes in the transcripts, turning the participants' information into a table to identify connections; we found there was a significant correlation when talking to others and acceptance.
Analysis of interviewees's. Image captured by author.
Clip extracts of the commons themes throughout our recorded interviews. Compiled by author.
We generated ideas from everything we had learned from the participants; it was key that we found a way to create a positive and empowering experience for these people.
Generating ideas and connections. Image captured by author.
There were three key ideas that we had narrowed it down to:
Creating an audio soundscape of participants talking about their experiences and overcoming/reaching acceptance
Holding a photoshoot/Creating a gallery of photos with the participants as the subjects, focusing on and promoting their positivity for inspiration to others
Writing letters to their hair/to others with hair loss
Responses from interviewee's on our final three ideas. Image captured by author.
We asked for feedback from the participants so that our development was grounded within their experience and reflected what they thought would be appropriate and constructive. Both the images and the letters were preferred, and therefore we decided on a combination: postcards.
Whilst we wanted to try a live version, the postal service could be unreliable, so we opted for alternative solutions that would test different elements of our idea.
The first activity was hosting an in-person exchange of letters, written live, and exchanged in person. Below is a clip of their thoughts after the event.
In-person participants taking part in the experience. Video credits: Akriti Goel
The second activity was digital, with participants recording themselves reading their letters aloud. We anonymised the recordings and distributed them to a different participant to hear someone else’s thoughts.
Planning the audio swap. Image captured by author.
We received a wonderful set of feedback, which can be found below.
Taking the feedback on board, we realised that the concept was becoming successful - people liked writing out their thoughts and feelings and loved reading others' stories. There was a lot of compassion for the other people, particularly within the anonymous audio exchange.
Love and breakup letters from participant. Photo credits: Participant A.T.
We turned this into a digital and physical postcard, so that we could facilitate both formats for the person to choose how they would engage with the project.
Digital prototype of postcard.
Exchanging postcards. Photo credits: Sushil Sylvestor
To ensure that we conveyed the full process, we meticulously planned the presentation; our process had been particularly important to us, and we endeavoured to display this in the presentation.
Planning the presentation to the second. Photo credits: Akriti Goel.
The feedback we received from the group was incredible; we were humbled and uplifted to receive a lovely set of responses. Some of the points were about the expansion of this idea, into a book, or sculptural art.
I am very proud of the group, we handled a sensitive topic delicately, and they were committed to achieving the result through the proper means of engagement with our participants, and overall, have been a joy to work with.
Participant Feedback from anonymous audio exchange
"Love the idea of an exchange of digital experiences - it’s why I’m on TikTok despite being a generation too old for it.
The audio files were interesting - sounded like the same person was having a dichotomous experience. That resonates with me. I’m grateful to my hair because it makes me feel confident. But similar to the person from the audio file, it’s heartbreaking to lose it (potentially, momentarily), and have some confidence with it."
"It was a great experience to listen to another person talk about their hair as it made me think there might be a community of people going through the same thing and they just need someone to listen and understand. Hair loss should not be looked at as a shameful thing, its a part of that specific person who is just looking to be accepted and have a safe space where they don't need to worry that they have a bald patch which is visible or that they are wearing a wig."
"Just listened to the file, while listening to it I felt like I can connect with this person as I seem to be in a similar situation and relationship with my hair. I really just wanted to reassure this person that they are beautiful no matter what, when she said “please don't leave me” I could almost feel the sadness and that the hair loss is causing her and I wanted to be there for her to get through this journey."
"Sharing this kind of thing I feel is really good, and helps people have a better understanding of how we cope with loss and change"
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