How our interactions with the future inform today
UX Research |
Photoshop | InDesign
CURIOSITY
The average human lifespan has doubled in the last century, but are we prepared for our longer futures? Is there a way to tap into our future selves and thus encourage better decisions today to contribute to better tomorrows?
APPROACH
Explore one very specific way of interacting with the future: visiting a psychic. This project developed and evolved at each stage. What started as a playful and fun inquiry unearthed some unexpected and insightful answers. I quickly realized that what people don't want to know may be even more informative than the questions they choose to ask.
METHODS
I conducted a variety of UX research techniques to inquire about participants' interests, beliefs, experiences, and expectations. Initial online surveys were followed by more in-depth interviews. Three participants met with an intuitive card reader, which was then discussed in a group Zoom session. My most informative method involved mailing 'crystal balls' to nine participants, followed by interviews while they interacted with the balls. Holding something tangible, even a simple glass sphere, made the exercise seem more real and my questions were thoughtfully and definitively answered.
VISUAL PRESENTATION
Although my research questions and conversations mostly skewed towards the hopeful and positive, looking into the future can easily veer into a shadowy, negative realm. To balance out this potential darkness, I purposefully opted for graphics that conveyed a sense of fun and possibility. Working with figures that I adored in childhood, tapped into a playful creativity, not often utilized when I am working with data.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
As new technologies continue to promise us more and more, it is not hard to envision the realization of an actual crystal ball - one making predictions based on data, rather than magic. But, as my limited research demonstrates, people aren't necessarily looking for all the answers. Maybe that is a mistake we make when presenting data... we're overselling its omnipotent nature? Although we are living in the age of data, people are still looking for some mystery and magic.
