Empower Parenthood
Case
Study
Empower Parenthood
Case
Study
Koray Tekin
CODE University
Graduation Project
2023
Objective
Objective
This project aims to create a tool designed to support new parents by simplifying access to vital resources, organizing childcare information, and connecting them with a community.
The case study demonstrates my approach to creating a user-centered design that enhances usability and accessibility for parents navigating early parenthood.
Problem
Problem
New parents often feel overwhelmed by information overload, time management challenges, and the difficulty of building community connections.
New parents often feel overwhelmed by information overload, time management challenges, and the difficulty of building community connections.
Research — Semi-structured Interviews
Research — Semi-structured Interviews
I analyzed research data from a series of semi-structured interviews with 8 participants, designed specifically to encourage them to share their past experiences and personal stories. This in-depth exploration offered a glimpse into the lives of working parents, revealing their daily challenges, aspirations, and the coping strategies they rely on.
I analyzed research data from a series of semi-structured interviews with 8 participants, designed specifically to encourage them to share their past experiences and personal stories. This in-depth exploration offered a glimpse into the lives of working parents, revealing their daily challenges, aspirations, and the coping strategies they rely on.
Insight #1
Challenges Achieving the Work-Life Balance
Insight #1
Challenges Achieving the Work-Life Balance
The interviews highlight the significant challenges working parents face in managing time and achieving work-life balance.
All participants noted that unexpected situations contribute considerable stress to their daily routines.
The interviews highlight the significant challenges working parents face in managing time and achieving work-life balance.
All participants noted that unexpected situations contribute considerable stress to their daily routines.
"It's so often that you'd like wake up in the morning and suddenly your child was sick, or you know, something's happened in kindergarten, or also kindergartens are not open every day."
"It's so often that you'd like wake up in the morning and suddenly your child was sick, or you know, something's happened in kindergarten, or also kindergartens are not open every day."
- Participant 1
- Participant 1
Insight #2
Supportive Environment
Insight #2
Supportive Environment
The importance of a supportive environment emerged strongly, including having supportive partners, employers, colleagues, and access to peer networks.
Participants emphasized the need for greater organizational support and flexibility, such as flexible working hours and understanding during family emergencies.
The importance of a supportive environment emerged strongly, including having supportive partners, employers, colleagues, and access to peer networks.
Participants emphasized the need for greater organizational support and flexibility, such as flexible working hours and understanding during family emergencies.
"For an employer to be flexible and to be understanding, like this is how I can be a valuable part of the workforce."
"For an employer to be flexible and to be understanding, like this is how I can be a valuable part of the workforce."
- Participant 2
- Participant 2
Insight #3
Societal Expectations and Stereotypes
Insight #3
Societal Expectations and Stereotypes
Societal pressures and stereotypes heavily impact working parents, particularly mothers. Traditional expectations often force them to choose between parenting and career advancement, with working mothers frequently facing doubt about their professional commitment after childbirth.
These biases undermine the value of their career aspirations.
Societal pressures and stereotypes heavily impact working parents, particularly mothers. Traditional expectations often force them to choose between parenting and career advancement, with working mothers frequently facing doubt about their professional commitment after childbirth.
These biases undermine the value of their career aspirations.
"Historically society has said that if you have children, you can't really have a career anymore, which is not true these days. But yeah, I think that's more like a mental block that happens and I really think there's not really support around that."
"Historically society has said that if you have children, you can't really have a career anymore, which is not true these days. But yeah, I think that's more like a mental block that happens and I really think there's not really support around that."
- Participant 7
- Participant 7
Research — Journey Mapping
Research — Journey Mapping
Following a thorough review of the interview data from my research, I developed a comprehensive Journey Map that outlines the stages working parents experience—from the initial decision to start a family to managing the complexities of balancing work and parenting.
Each stage in the Journey Map is carefully detailed, capturing actions, needs, touchpoints, opportunities, and emotional states.
Following a thorough review of the interview data from my research, I developed a comprehensive Journey Map that outlines the stages working parents experience—from the initial decision to start a family to managing the complexities of balancing work and parenting.
Each stage in the Journey Map is carefully detailed, capturing actions, needs, touchpoints, opportunities, and emotional states.
Journey Map (Illustrations are created by DALL-E 3)
Research — User Personas
Research — User Personas
After creating the Journey Map, I developed two distinct User Personas based on the interview data. These personas capture the experiences and needs of working parents, reflecting the common challenges, aspirations, and circumstances they encounter.
After creating the Journey Map, I developed two distinct User Personas based on the interview data. These personas capture the experiences and needs of working parents, reflecting the common challenges, aspirations, and circumstances they encounter.
After creating the Journey Map, I developed two distinct User Personas based on the interview data. These personas capture the experiences and needs of working parents, reflecting the common challenges, aspirations, and circumstances they encounter.
Research — Storyboarding
Research — Storyboarding
In this case study, I concentrated on the Child Care-Working Parent experience, specifically the community aspect. My research highlighted a key concern for working parents: managing emergencies and unexpected stress, underscoring the need for a supportive, empathetic environment.
To engage participants effectively, I developed a detailed concept storyboard—a visual tool designed to immerse them in the proposed solution. This method allowed me to capture initial reactions, specific concerns, and valuable suggestions, providing early insights that informed further refinement and development.
In this case study, I concentrated on the Child Care-Working Parent experience, specifically the community aspect. My research highlighted a key concern for working parents: managing emergencies and unexpected stress, underscoring the need for a supportive, empathetic environment.
To engage participants effectively, I developed a detailed concept storyboard—a visual tool designed to immerse them in the proposed solution. This method allowed me to capture initial reactions, specific concerns, and valuable suggestions, providing early insights that informed further refinement and development.
Storyboard
Research — Key Findings
Research — Key Findings
Analyzing the responses revealed that participants consistently highlighted the social dimension of the working parent experience, emphasizing its importance for both parents and children.
The findings underscored the value of a child-inclusive approach within workplace environments.
Analyzing the responses revealed that participants consistently highlighted the social dimension of the working parent experience, emphasizing its importance for both parents and children.
The findings underscored the value of a child-inclusive approach within workplace environments.
Clustered data collected through targeted questions
Insight #1
Playground Safety and Supervision Concerns
Insight #1
Playground Safety and Supervision Concerns
Participants voiced concerns about the safety of workplace play areas, emphasizing the need for strict safety measures such as childproofing and providing non-toxic toys.
Participants voiced concerns about the safety of workplace play areas, emphasizing the need for strict safety measures such as childproofing and providing non-toxic toys.
Insight #2
Child Activities
Insight #2
Child Activities
There is a strong desire among parents for engaging and educational activities for their children within the workplace, viewed as valuable for keeping children occupied while also supporting their development.
There is a strong desire among parents for engaging and educational activities for their children within the workplace, viewed as valuable for keeping children occupied while also supporting their development.
Insight #3
Collaboration Calendar
Insight #3
Collaboration Calendar
This insight highlights the need for a centralized platform to streamline scheduling and simplify the process of booking childcare slots.
This insight highlights the need for a centralized platform to streamline scheduling and simplify the process of booking childcare slots.
Design — User Flows
Design — User Flows
The feedback and insights gathered have helped define two distinct user flows within the app:
1. Parent User Flow: Tailored for working parents, focusing on the process of scheduling and bringing their child to the workplace.
2. HR/Employer User Flow: Deisgned for HR personnel, concentrating on the setup and management of an office playground area within the app.
The feedback and insights gathered have helped define two distinct user flows within the app:
1. Parent User Flow: Tailored for working parents, focusing on the process of scheduling and bringing their child to the workplace.
2. HR/Employer User Flow: Deisgned for HR personnel, concentrating on the setup and management of an office playground area within the app.
User Flow for HR/Employer
User Flow for Working Parents
Design — Wireframes
Design — Wireframes
Design — Styleguide
Design — Styleguide
The app’s style guide utilizes purple as the primary color to evoke a sense of creativity, warmth, and inclusivity.
A complementary color palette has also been curated to differentiate between playgrounds, providing users with a visually distinct experience when selecting and interacting with various options.
The app’s style guide utilizes purple as the primary color to evoke a sense of creativity, warmth, and inclusivity.
A complementary color palette has also been curated to differentiate between playgrounds, providing users with a visually distinct experience when selecting and interacting with various options.
Design — User Testing
Design — User Testing
Utilizing the user flows as the foundational architecture for my design, I crafted screen designs and developed the first version of a prototype for the purpose of conducting user testing.
During testing, three participants were assigned specific tasks to evaluate the functionality and usability of the prototype.
Utilizing the user flows as the foundational architecture for my design, I crafted screen designs and developed the first version of a prototype for the purpose of conducting user testing.
During testing, three participants were assigned specific tasks to evaluate the functionality and usability of the prototype.
Participant completing a test scenario
Feedback #1
Clarification and Communication
Feedback #1
Clarification and Communication
The concept of scheduling a visit at their workplace was confusing for some participants.
The descriptions for child activities lacked clarity, leading to misunderstandings.
The supervision policy was not well understood
The concept of scheduling a visit at their workplace was confusing for some participants.
The descriptions for child activities lacked clarity, leading to misunderstandings.
The supervision policy was not well understood
Feedback #2
Design and Visual Clarity
Feedback #2
Design and Visual Clarity
Schedule page was not intuitive, finding it difficult to distinguish between full and available days
In the check-in area, participants felt that the placement of illustrated characters seemed random and disorganized.
The placement of the check-out button was unclear and caused confusion.
Schedule page was not intuitive, finding it difficult to distinguish between full and available days
In the check-in area, participants felt that the placement of illustrated characters seemed random and disorganized.
The placement of the check-out button was unclear and caused confusion.
Feedback #3
Customization and User-Focused Features
Feedback #3
Customization and User-Focused Features
Improved customization options, such as selecting specific colors for their playground and having a dedicated icon list for custom activities.
An invitation code feature is suggested, allowing companies to generate unique codes for their employees.
Improved customization options, such as selecting specific colors for their playground and having a dedicated icon list for custom activities.
An invitation code feature is suggested, allowing companies to generate unique codes for their employees.
Solution
Enabling Child-Inclusive Work Environments
Enabling Child-Inclusive Work Environments
To address these challenges, my solution introduces a secure, on-site playground where children are welcome. This space enables parents to work with their children nearby, fostering both networking among parent colleagues and socialization for the kids.
It’s designed for those days when bringing a child to work is essential, creating a supportive, low-stress environment that promotes productivity and a healthy work-life balance.
To address these challenges, my solution introduces a secure, on-site playground where children are welcome. This space enables parents to work with their children nearby, fostering both networking among parent colleagues and socialization for the kids.
It’s designed for those days when bringing a child to work is essential, creating a supportive, low-stress environment that promotes productivity and a healthy work-life balance.
Final Prototype
Final Prototype
// Get in touch with me
// Get in touch with me
// Get in touch with me