With the global spread of the Coronavirus forcing the general population to isolate themselves indoors, students and workers have had to adapt to using virtual platforms such as zoom. Working in an online environment has proven difficult as many people have reported suffering from a term coined zoom burnout and a general disengagement from social relationships. The primary goal for this project was researching how we might make zoom more physically and mentally stimulating for users.
User Research
Interviews
Journey Map
UX/UI Mockups
1 Analyze the impact of an individual’s learning environment on their online work experience.
2 Learn about accessibility and ease of use of Zoom
3 Better understand the effects of zoom on users physical and mental health
4 Draw a comparison between in person and online work
Find it difficult to focus on zoom
Have difficulties with mental and physical health
Report having a negative experience with zoom
Users report that zoom is easy to navigate, especially with the new updates
Under the restrictions of the corona virus and an increase in online work users find it tough to maintain physical and mental health
* Disclaimer: the sample size for this study was limited and thus affects the statistical accuracy of the data
Due to limited movement users find it hard to establish a routine and daily schedule
The lack of structure and engagement makes it easy to fall back asleep after classes and meetings and procrastinate on assignments
Major: Political Science
Grade: Sophmore
Location: Bay Area
Age: 19
“In zoom, you’re just sitting around all the time. I get zoom fatigue because I feel like my life is just constantly filled with screens and that’s kind of depressing.”
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Extended screen time use combined with a lack of physical activity leads to stiffness and aches in the body
Users experience difficulty focusing due to a lack of engagement and more distractions in an online setting
Users experience difficulty focusing due to a lack of engagement and more distractions in an online setting
Increased levels of zoom fatigue: tired, back pain, strained eyes
Lack of intimacy over zoom, difficult for users to form meaningful connections with other students and professors
No boundaries between work and non-work routine with quarantine
Easier to access study groups; however, not always as efficient as in person sessions
After brainstorming, the idea I decided to move forward with was exploring ways to to integrate interactive games into zooms interface in order to increase user engagement. Based on our research the main issues I wanted to target was the lack of physical exertion and mental stimulation users were experiencing from long hours online.
These are a few examples of the layout from my mid-fidelity prototype. The functions I prioritized for this iteration were creating an interface that users could log into, add a meeting, answer questions, and do activities in during breaks. for the next phase of the project I enlisted a select number of users to do a usability test in order to identify any issues with the design.
After getting feedback during the usability test I found the main issue users expressed was the lack of instruction for the break time activities. For example after clicking a game and being redirected to a new screen, the users said it would be helpful to have a pop-up explaining the rules. Based on this information I altered the interface to include this new addition. Below are some examples of the final design for the zoom add-on called zoom connect.
The design for Zoom Connect was based on the companies style guide for their platform.
