Parent Pilot
UX Research and Design
UX Research and Design
Student Group Project
Tools: Figma, Miro, Trello, Illustrator
Role: UX Researcher, UX Designer
Team: Jinzi Wei, Han Zhao, Leah Li, Annie Dong
Duration: Feb 2023 - May 2023 (16 weeks)
Problem Statement
Final Solution
Through peer-to-peer and focused group discussions, as well as targeted posts, it tackles specific parenting challenges, ensuring you have the knowledge and community support you need, anytime and anywhere on your parenting journey.
Parent Pilot:
Your Essential App for New Parenthood.
Affordable and private, Parent Pilot offers 24/7 emotional and informational support for new parents.
The app intelligently recommends group discussions based on your specific concerns. New parents can join these conversations to share their experiences and hear from others. The need to connect and feel seen is fundamental, and these group talks provide that opportunity. An interactive "thumbs-up" feature lets users show appreciation and connection, enhancing the sense of community.
Focused Group Talk
Caring for a newborn can be tough and isolating, especially when you’re alone at home. Our 1-on-1 chat feature lets new parents connect with peers who share similar experiences. Talking to someone who truly understands can provide a crucial emotional outlet, offering empathy and support that helps relieve stress and recharge your energy.
Peer-to-Peer Support
For those who prefer not to talk online, Parent Pilot allows users to post questions, share solutions, or offer strategies based on their personal experiences. Others can comment, creating a dynamic exchange of valuable insights. Additionally, users can save key points from group talks and convert them into posts for future reference.
Information Sharing and Discussion
User Research and Analysis
How might we bring more JOY to New Parents?
To address the problem, we conducted interviews and observations with 12 new parents, including 5 dads and 7 moms. Their children ranged in age from 1 month to 2 years.
Color Coding Method:
We used a color coding method to analyze the interview data and identify factors that contribute to or detract from joy in five categories: work, personal hobbies, family, baby, and friends/social support.
Warm colors were used for joy-enhancing factors, while cold colors indicated factors that reduced joy, with a total of ten codes applied.
Coding Transcripts and Extracting Quotes:
Relevant quotes were identified from all interview transcripts based on their color-coded classification. These quotes were then reorganized by category.
From each category, we selected the most representative quotes to uncover key insights and identify needs.
A mother who finds joy in caring for her baby but feels exhausted and in need of support.
User Persona and Journey Map
Ideation
Focusing on the problem, we brainstormed and critiqued various creative ideas and potential solutions.
After exploring many options, we decided to move forward with two key directions: developing a babysitting helper app and an emotional support app.
1. Creating a Babysitter-Finding App: Parents Helping Each Other with Babysitting
In this solution, we aimed to address the challenge by creating a babysitter-finding app that allows new parents to connect with each other for babysitting swaps, giving them more time for personal hobbies and responsibilities. However, user testing revealed critical trust issues. Many parents expressed discomfort with leaving their newborns with strangers and were reluctant to participate in a babysitting exchange. They also preferred to spend more money on professional nannies or babysitters for peace of mind.
Key Features:
Feature 1: Calendar-Based UI. A user-friendly, calendar-based interface that allows parents to schedule babysitting appointments with other parents nearby.
Feature 2: Flexible Communication and Scheduling. Options for parents to contact each other, coordinate babysitting times, and adjust schedules easily.
Feature 3: Posts and Forums. Each parent can create posts under various topics, such as family and babysitting, to share their experiences. Other users can comment and engage in discussions. The app also includes a forum where parents can discuss various topics, share advice, and connect over common concerns.
The babysitting idea failed during user testing due to concerns such as trust issues among users.
Trust Issues and App Limitations
The core challenge was the lack of trust between parents and babysitters. While the app provides a platform for searching, reviewing, and booking babysitters, it cannot address deeper human factors—like trust, communication, and the dynamic nature of personal interactions. These complexities extend beyond what technology alone can solve.
Parents Struggled to Find Consistent Time Slots
Many users reported the need to frequently adjust their babysitting reservations. Although we added flexibility, interviewed babysitters were not keen on this approach, as they were often fully booked two weeks in advance.
Monetization Was a Challenge
Our research indicated that at least 20 available babysitters were needed to support a local community of 200 parents. Unfortunately, our business model couldn't sustain this requirement, making monetization difficult.
2. The peer-to-peer support app helps parents navigate emotional challenges and find solutions.
This platform provides an emotional outlet where new parents can discuss their concerns, empathize with others, and seek guidance by hearing others' experiences and opinions. Users can choose specific topics and join group discussions or opt for one-on-one chats for more personal support.
Meanwhile, we further iterated on some features of our initial app. For example, we transformed the forum into group discussions, allowing parents to communicate by talking and listening rather than typing and reading—perfect for those busy with newborn care. While the post feature was retained, it no longer needs to fit within specific topics. Parents can share anything, not just about their newborn, but also about their personal feelings and experiences. This gives users the freedom to discuss whatever is on their mind.
Wireframe
The user flow was developed based on insights from our previous iteration.
Prototype
Solution Presentation
1-on-1 Talk
Personalized, real-time conversations with other parents for mutual support and shared experiences.
Group Talk
Engage in topic-focused group discussions, providing a space for community support and advice.
Post and Comment
Share posts on various topics and interact through comments to exchange insights and advice.
Usability Testing
We conducted both paper and phone prototype tests with our new parent users, gathering feedback to further refine our user interface. This feedback helped us enhance both functionality and visual appeal.
Go-to-market
Final Product
Based on our business model, we developed a guided sign-up page that allows users to enter their child’s information, enabling us to provide smart recommendations.
This scene demonstrates a typical group discussion interaction, where users can also share posts directly within the conversation.
Typography
Key Takeaways
Facing challenges throughout the project fueled my creativity and determination, teaching me that obstacles can inspire innovative solutions in real-world problem-solving.
Our ability to advance this project, even when facing obstacles, was essential. From the moment we identified our main user group, we encountered difficulties finding participants willing to be interviewed. Privacy concerns and other issues led to multiple rejections from childcare centers and campus family dorms. Although we knew that interviewing acquaintances might reduce the credibility of our findings, we initially reached out to people we knew. As the project progressed, we expanded our efforts, contacting anyone who might know new parents and even approaching potential participants at events. Ultimately, we secured enough interviewees to support our research and usability tests. This experience taught me that challenges not only excite me but also continually spark new ideas for problem-solving. I truly enjoy tackling complex, real-world problems.
Team dynamics and morale are deeply influenced by balanced recognition of diverse skill sets, and fostering this balance is crucial for maintaining engagement, creativity, and innovation.
Throughout this project, we experienced shifts in team composition as some members left and new ones joined. I noticed that the person taking charge significantly influences team dynamics and morale. For example, when the focus shifted heavily toward precise drawings, team members with different skill sets, like psychology, felt undervalued and less engaged in the process. This reduced their motivation to contribute to discussions, especially as deadlines approached. Reflecting on this, I realized that I should have been more assertive in addressing the sense of imbalance within the team. Each skill set—whether design, psychology, business or otherwise—brings essential diversity to a project, and no one contribution should outweigh others. Without balanced input, team members may feel less inclined to bring their unique talents forward, ultimately impacting the project’s diversity and innovation.