To understand students' attitude toward animals, I sent out a survey containing 7 short questions to students at Northeastern University. I got 30 useful responses.
Throughout the survey, I found out that
+ 96% of students think animals have positive effects on reducing stress
+ 85.7% of students think they feel less stressed when they are around with animals
After the survey, I found out students at Northeastern University have positive attitude towards animals. So I set up an interview with 5 selected students to get ideas about how to bring animals into our living learning community.
+ What would you rate your current stress level on a scale from 1-10?
+ Do you think a living learning community that allows pets would be a possibility for the future?
After interviews, I gathered information about students’ schedule and created a persona with a user experience map to understand a student’s typical week at Northeastern University, and the potential stress they can get without any external helps. With the map I can better illustrate when stress may come in.
3.1 Problem Framing
After research, I found out the question is how to let students interact with animals throughout a normal week at school to help relieve students’ stress during week days.
"how might we help relieve students’ stress during week days by letting students interact with animals throughout a normal week at school. "
3.2 Brainstorming
I do Crazy 8's section to brainstorm about ideas to invite therapy animals into students' community. I sketched out 3 ideas in details. After some brainstorming and research, I came across an idea to let student request therapy animals to sit in class.Then the question is where to hold these animals and who takes care of them.
3.3 Competitive Analysis
During competitor research, I found out there is a Boston local therapy animals agency can provide with experienced therapy animals.
I came up with an idea that a win-win cooperation can be made between Caring Canines and Northeastern University. In this way, the school doesn’t need to worry about where and who to take care of the animals and the students can volunteer to help the agency.
Keep track of users stress level
• Monitor your stress level
• Generate stress level graph
• Remind you when stress level is unusual
• Give out suggestions to relieve stress
Request therapy animal sit in class
• Bring therapy animal in your selected class
• Help confirm with your professors and colleagues
• Provide different types of animals
Make appointment with therapy animals
• 1v1 appointment with experienced therapy animals
• Variety of animals for selection
Make appointment with therapy animals
• Give out opportunities to work withanimals
• Help bring therapy animals to those who need them
• Have fun and help others at the same time
4.1 Usertesting Feedback
If you like what you see and want to work together, get in touch!
kat_dy12@outlook.com