Horizon
Helping System-Impacted Women (SIW) build interpersonal skills
OVERVIEW
Human-focused learning platform and personalized avatar coach to help SIW build interpersonal skills to lead a confident life post-release.
Research reveals that previously incarcerated women struggle with the interpersonal communication skills, like job interviewing, necessary for re-entering society. The real-time practice that allows these women to improve human-to-human interaction. Over time, users will build their interpersonal skills with like-minded peers, still virtually, the better to feel comfortable in transitioning to human-to-human interaction. Users create their own avatar and they collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar. The cool thing is that there is a human behind the virtual avatar.

Who are the System-impacted women (SIM)? they are incarcerated or recently released from custody.
My role
Secondary, Primary research
UX research
Co-creation
Usability Test
Experience design
Interaction design
Wireframe, prototyping
Sponsored by
Chicago 77, Rebel Health Corporation
Duration
January - May 2023 (5 months)
Team
Woo-Mi Jeong
Sandhini Ghodeshwar
PROJECT GOAL
Design digital experiences for System-Impacted Women (SIW) to build trust, confidence, and skills in using technology to access services that help them regain their independence.
Technology access skills
Build confidence
Regain independence
Feel empower
PROBLEMS
SIW struggle with re-entering society due to difficulties in interpersonal communication.
They often have limited exposure to healthy relationships and educational resources since childhood which hindered the development of emotional intelligence and empathy.
HOW MIGHT WE
How might we help SIW transition out of prison to build interpersonal skills with minimal learning curve using technology?
DESIGN STRATEGY
Providing programming opportunities help not only reduce recidivism rates but also get independence as a member of society.
SOLUTION
Human-focused learning platform with personalized avatar coaches.
Horizon helps SIW build interpersonal skills to lead a confident life post-release. For SIW who are struggling with building soft skills such as small talk for job interviews before re-entering society.
The features align with SIW's expectation
Avatars play a role in multidimensional
Personalized learning coach
Real time interaction with peer
WHY DIGITAL HUMAN AVATARS?
Digital Humans are human-like virtual beings that offer realistic conversational practice.
The platform seeks to make SIW more comfortable with technology-based interaction, for example by using verbal and non-verbal cues – tone of voice and facial expressions.
Increase attention
Relatable
Accessible 24x7
Applied knowledge
FINAL DESIGN
Use case 1. Choose the interesting lecture
Helps SIW who are confused about what to choose, screen function by giving them detailed content information - Lesson resource, learning time to complete, content module, and expectations after completion.
Maximize intrinsic learning interests through
On-boarding.
Through the secondary and primary research, we figured out that SIW generally work in face-to-face service industries like retail. We, therefore, offer interpersonal skills to support their future job interviews and workforce journey.
Use case 2. Customization
Allows users to create personalized avatar coaches, giving the users greater agency and an emphasis on diversity.
Customizing avatar.
Soft Skills Builder allows users to create personalized avatar coaches, giving the users greater agency and an emphasis on diversity. Users can also create their own avatar- this acts as a fun element, that uses real-time interaction for practicing human interaction, for example, job interviews with other SIW.
Use case 3. Learn, practice, and feedback
SIW choose from a wide range of interpersonal skills to pick from like small talk, active listening, and reading body language. The digital human coaches give a guided experience to build these skills and real-time feedback.
Learning module.
SIW can choose from a wide range of interpersonal skills to pick from like small talk, active listening, reading body language, introductions, and talking about their past, among many others. Our human AI coaches give the users a guided experience to build these skills.
Practice and feedback.
Using human AI coaches, users can practice their newly learned skills by creating their own structures for their answers and getting real-time feedback from the coaches on what worked well and what did not.
Use case 4. collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar
The women choose from a pre-existing avatar that other people have used and a human behind the virtual avatar. They would experience power differences like the interviewee as well as the interviewer.
Real-time interaction with peers.
SIW create their own avatar and they collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar. SIW could play with the tool and choose from a pre-existing avatar that other people have used. The cool thing is that there is a human behind the virtual avatar.
Multimodal interface for wide accessibility.
To improve accessibility, SIW are able to practice with coach and peers with less time and place limitation.
Build Use Cases
Customization
This feature allows users to create personalized avatar coaches, giving the users greater agency and an emphasis on diversity.
Learn, practice & feedback
SIW choose from a wide range of interpersonal skills to pick from like small talk, active listening, and reading body language. The digital human coaches give a guided experience to build these skills and real-time feedback.
Real-time interaction with peer
They collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar. The women choose from a pre-existing avatar that other people have used and a human behind the virtual avatar. They would experience power differences like the interviewee as well as the interviewer.
Choose the interesting lecture
This feature helps SIW who are confused about what to choose, screen function by giving them detailed content information - Lesson resource, learning time to complete, content module, and expectations after completion.
Horizon
Helping System-Impacted Women (SIW) build interpersonal skills
OVERVIEW
Human-focused learning platform and personalized avatar coach to help SIW build interpersonal skills to lead a confident life post-release.
Research reveals that previously incarcerated women struggle with the interpersonal communication skills, like job interviewing, necessary for re-entering society.
The real-time practice that allows these women to improve human-to-human interaction. Over time, users will build their interpersonal skills with like-minded peers, still virtually, the better to feel comfortable in transitioning to human-to-human interaction.
Users create their own avatar and they collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar. The cool thing is that there is a human behind the virtual avatar.
My Role:
Secondary / Primary Research
UX Research
Co-creation
Usability Test
Experience Design
Interaction Design
WireFrame/Prototype
Sponsored by
Chicago 77, Rebel Health Corporation
Duration
January - May 2023 (5 months)
Team
Woo-Mi Jeong, Sandhini Ghodeshwar
PROJECT GOAL
Design experiences for System-Impacted Women (SIW) to build trust, confidence,
and skills in using technology to access services that help them regain their independence.
Technology access skills
Build confidence
Regain independence
Feel empower
WHO ARE THE SYSTEM-IMPECTED WOMEN(SIW)?
Women who are incarcerated or recently released from custody.
Problem
SIW struggle with re-entering society due to difficulties in interpersonal communication, as limited exposure to healthy relationships since childhood can hinder the development of emotional intelligence and empathy.
DESIGN STRATEGY
Providing programming opportunities help not only reduce recidivism rates but also get independence as a member of society.
How might we
help the SIW transitioning out of prison to build interpersonal skills with minimal learning curves with technology?
Solution
Human-focused learning platform with personalized avatar coach that helps SIW build interpersonal skills to lead a confident life post-release. For SIW who are struggling with building soft skills such as small talk for job interviews before re-entering society.
The features align with SIW's expectation
Avatars play a role in multidimensional
1.personalized learning coach
2.Real time interaction with peer
Why digital human avatars?
Digital Humans are human-like virtual beings that offer the best human conversation. The platform seeks to make SIW more comfortable with technology-based interaction, for example by using verbal and non-verbal cues – tone of voice and facial expressions.
Increase attention
Relatable
Accessible 24x7
Applied knowledge
Final Design
Choose the Interesting Learning in On-boarding
Through the secondary and primary research, we figured out that SIW generally work in face-to-face service industries like retail. We, therefore, offer interpersonal skills to support their future job interviews and workforce journey.
Customizing Avatar
Soft Skills Builder allows users to create personalized avatar coaches, giving the users greater agency and an emphasis on diversity. Users can also create their own avatar- this acts as a fun element, that uses real-time interaction for practicing human interaction, for example, job interviews with other SIW.
Learn
SIW can choose from a wide range of interpersonal skills to pick from like small talk, active listening, reading body language, introductions, and talking about their past, among many others. Our human AI coaches give the users a guided experience to build these skills.
Practice & Feedback
Using human AI coaches, users can practice their newly learned skills by creating their own structures for their answers and getting real-time feedback from the coaches on what worked well and what did not.
Real-Time Interaction with Peer
SIW create their own avatar and they collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar. SIW could play with the tool and choose from a pre-existing avatar that other people have used. The cool thing is that there is a human behind the virtual avatar.
Multimodal Interaction
To improve accessibility, SIW are able to practice with coach and peers with less time and place limitation
Community
Leveraging a sense of community that already exists in prisons, Soft Skills Builder allows SIW to practice with their friends to help them grow and build confidence.
SECONDARY RESEARCH
Building skills is fundamental to help SIW live with independence and confidence.
Prevention of recidivism rates
Providing women in prisons with programming opportunities (vocational studies, education, employment skills, financial wellness) can help reduce recidivism rates 1 2 3
Understanding SIW context through AIEOU
10 things to know about the technology acceptance model
Expected process to regain independence.
USER INTERVIEW
SIW need soft skills to build interpersonal relationships for career development.
Needs
Soft skills to build interpersonal relationships with people.
Financially support themselves.
Must transition from pen-and-paper to touch interfaces without much technical support to access needed resources.
Barriers
Emotional intelligence
Uncomfortable counselors
In-person education
"Just respond based on feeling... something hurts, angers...they will respond immediately in social settings that can backfire "
"Counselors are not always doing their job, and not caring and being sympathetic. Looked as someone who is bad, dangerous and stigma."
"Not financially literate... This was not taught in high schools. People are hungry to learn."
DESIGN STRATEGY
Providing programming opportunities empowers SIW, reducing recidivism rates and gaining independence as a member of society.
IDEATION
Personalized avatar coach to foster a sense of community across time and place.
Needs
Financial independence
Learn interpersonal skills
Make practice habits
Leverage a sense of community
Contexts
What industries SIW work? face to face service like retail
How encourage SIW interact with technology?
How SIW get motivation to practice? share similar experience each other
How SIW regain confidence?
Ideas
Help SIW find job that requires interpersonal skills
Digital human avatar coach
Collaborate with peers
Build community
USABILITY TEST
SIW are empowered to make decisions about choosing their coach from diverse options including appearance and personality type.
Diversity helps system-impacted women feel comfortable. This personalization allows users to feel more comfortable when interacting with the coach. The learning wheel improves confidence and independence. Learning motivations from peer or coach improve the connection with real life.
Diversity
Customize avatar
Learning wheel
Apply to real world
ITERATION
Optimized verbal interactions and feedback between SIW and avatar coach to reduce learning curve and increase engagement.
Wireframing
Visual Experience Design
Clickable Prototyping in Figma
Secondary Research
Building skills is fundamental to help SIW live with independence and confidence.
1. Prevention of recidivismrates
Providing women in prisons with programming opportunities (vocational studies, education, employment skills, financial wellness) can help reduce recidivism rates 1 2 3
2. Understanding SIW context
3.10 things to know about the technology acceptance model
4.Expected process to regain independence.
User Interview
Interview purpose was to figure out what kind of skills they really needed.
Needs (key takeaways)
1. SIW need to learn soft skills to build interpersonal relationships with people.
2. SIW have a strong need to financially support themselves.
3. SIW must transition from pen-and-paper to touch interfaces
without much technical support to access needed resources.
Barriers
Emotional intelligence
"Just respond based on feeling... something hurts, angers...they will respond immediately in social settings that can backfire "
Uncomfortable counselors
"Counselors are not always doing their job, and not caring and being sympathetic. Looked as someone who is bad, dangerous and stigma."
In-person education
"Not financially literate... This was not taught in high schools. People are hungry to learn."
Ideation
Need
1. Financial independence
2. Learn interpersonal skills
3. Make practice habits
4.leverage a sense of community
Context
What industries SIW work?
Face to face service like retail
How encourage SIW interact
with technology?
How SIW get motivation to practice? share similar experience each other
How SIW regain confidence?
Idea
Help SIW find job that requires interpersonal skills
Digital human avatar coach
Collaborate with peers
Build community
Usability Test
1. Diversity helps system-impacted women feel comfortable.
2. The learning wheel improves confidence and independence.
3. Improve the connection with real life.
Diversity
Customize avatar
Learning wheel
Apply to real world
Build Use Cases
Customization
This feature allows users to create personalized avatar coaches, giving the users greater agency and an emphasis on diversity.
Learn, practice & feedback
SIW choose from a wide range of interpersonal skills to pick from like small talk, active listening, and reading body language. The digital human coaches give a guided experience to build these skills and real-time feedback.
Real-time interaction with peer
They collaborate with each other - avatar to avatar. The women choose from a pre-existing avatar that other people have used and a human behind the virtual avatar. They would experience power differences like the interviewee as well as the interviewer.
Choose the interesting lecture
This feature helps SIW who are confused about what to choose, screen function by giving them detailed content information - Lesson resource, learning time to complete, content module, and expectations after completion.
Iteration
Wireframing
Link
Visual experience design
Link
Prototyping
Link
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