TideTalk
The Story.
Driven by climate change, rising sea levels pose a serious threat to the next generation. This includes college students, as millions live in coastal cities but are unaware of the issue - only 27% of students discuss climate change information in regular conversation (Head, 2024). For my Human-Centered Design Methods Final, I designed TideTalk as an interactive keychain to spark on-campus conversation about rising sea level.
The Design.
To simulate the constraints of a real design brief, materials were limited to an Arduino circuit, basic sensors, and a 8" x 5" x 1.5” plastic box.
Gesture activation. TideTalk is triggered by swiping to the right, creating easy yet personal involvement for the user.
Dynamic water effect. Blue and white LEDs fill the box to simulate rising water in an attention-grabbing way.
Urgency alarm. A flashing red LED is accompanied by a buzzer alarm that activates after a user’s gesture, creating a sense of urgency.
Symbolic form. Metallic structure represents a sleek cityscape, compelling and relevant for urban students.
Design Methods
Mindmap
Cultural Probe
Interviews
The development of the TideTalk prototype placed a heavy emphasis on user-centered design methods, ranging from concept to ideation. I gained experience in conducting user research, and using data to drive design changes.
Design Methods
Moodboards
Morphological Chart
Role Play
