This work is the final project I completed to graduate successfully from my BSc Product Design course.
Stemming from the effect of the COVID19 pandemic on working environments, I developed a pair of products to aid and enhance intra office communication while working from home.
Creating this work was challenging under the circumstances of multiple lockdowns and other restrictions, as well as having very limited access to resources. However, the challenge made the final outcome very fulfilling.
The two products co exist in the home of the user in an effort to create a new line of back channel communication whereby office members can form social connections with one another. The goal for this project is to encourage a playful social working atmosphere in the home working setting.
The outcome - though it may be more conceptual than commercial - is something I'd hope would spark joy in a somewhat lonely work environment and opening lines of communication between colleagues.
The first product 'CHIME' facilitates a more comfortable way to have an input into conversation without interrupting the speaker.
Through use of interchangeable inserts, opinions & small comments can be shared on screen to make online meetings more seamless - reducing the chance of audio interruption.
The second product 'REACT' encourages playful interaction between two users by sending curated sound bites to communicate emotions and feelings throughout the working day.
The analogue selection interface allows the users to connect to each other without spending more time on screens than necessary.
Back channel communication has long been acknowledged as unprofessional and sometimes inappropriate in a professional environment. However in the most recent turn of events with almost 70% of people now working from home or being placed in a furlough scheme, social isolation within office working groups is at an all time high.
As humans, we are drawn to personal connection and face to face interaction as our instincts need it to continue to function and work efficiently. With the pandemic having a big impact on social interactions, loneliness levels have risen significantly over the past year and because of that, mental health has also suffered greatly.
Focusing on reducing anxieties of working online and strengthening connections with colleagues, the purpose of The Back Channel is to give the user an opportunity to enjoy more of a social atmosphere while working remotely.
My full process was documented on a dedicated Instagram page