starbreak

Winter 2023

Timeline: 1 day design sprint

Collaborators: Ben Wu, Vivian Hung, Renee Chien

Rhinoceros 3D + Keyshot + user research

Design a system, product, or experience that helps teleworkers mitigate the challenges of overworking, mental health, and social isolation, specifically focused on work-life separation.

StarBreak creates a ritual for teleworkers to take mental breaks, practice setting boundaries, and take care of their non-work needs.

BACKGROUND

During the past three years, the coronavirus pandemic has ushered in a new era of remote work for millions of employed Americans. The development of new online tools that enable teleworkers to establish structure, communication, and efficiency has paved the way for the future of working from home.

However, the emphasis on productivity and constant online access has resulted in new challenges regarding the separation of work and personal life. Without clear boundaries, workers are feeling new levels of pressure to work around the clock, making it more challenging to establish healthy living habits.

More specifically, workers experience high levels of burnout, limited personal lives, and general unhappiness. As younger generations emerge into the workforce, never having experienced traditional office settings, it is important to explore and understand the purpose of a distinct working environment to help mitigate work-life balance challenges.

Leakage of work into the home environment

Teleworking may cause

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Schedule irregularity

Blurring of work-life boundaries

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Constant overworking

Inspire teleworking people to physically and mentally detach from work

What

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Remote teleworkers with flexible schedules

Who

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Addressing the transitionary period between work and life by inspiring “mutual care”

How

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How might we inspire teleworkers to transition off work by addressing the time in between tasks and free time?

CRAZY 8 BRAINSTORMING

Although we did not move forward with any of our Crazy 8 concepts, we chose features from each of our highlighted concepts to integrate into Starbreak. We especially wanted to incorporate light features and physical interactions.

MOODBOARD

Highlighting tactility, ambient lighting, and warmth to create an inviting and comforting atmosphere, as well as focusing on soft and round forms.

REFINED CONCEPT + FEATURES TO INEGRATE

Automatically synced with digital calendar tool

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Showing time progression in gentle way, nudging user to acknowledge that work is coming to an end

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Addressing the transitionary period between work and life by inspiring “mutual care”

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USER FLOW