TALKATIVE

An inter-generational communication tool

Talkative is a communication device designed to help grandparents have easy, interesting, and vibrant conversations with their grandchildren who are remote from them.

Duration

1 Month

DATE

Nov - Dec 2024

Type

Product, UIUX, Service, Care

01

Identifying Problem

Most grandparents are not living with their family members. Apart from occasional reunions, videocalling has become a norm for the elderly to keep in contact with their loved ones, but the experience is semi-idential for both the seniors and often their offspring.

14 in-depth interviews with seniors from Greater Boston, the US, and Shanghai, China, were conducted to identify key insights. Among them, 3 stood out for problems that summarize the current issues with regular video calling conversations.

Age: 86
Occupation: University Department Head
Grandchildren: 2
Summary: ““I like using FaceTime and video chats as I can visually see and hear my grandkids, This really helps me a lot...The only thing that worries me is when to call them...I am so afraid to disturb their school and working life...”
3 Key Problems: outdated topics to discuss, poor memory to recall what have already been talked about, unsure when to call
Age: 77
Occupation: Retail Manager
Grandchildren: 4
Summary: “One thing that saddens me the most is they don’t share the same hobby as I do so I sometimes don’t know what to talk to them about...they probably gonna sell my motocylce collection after I die since they don’t understand me... I also miss traditional communication like postcards but young generations don’t like it... ”
3 Key Problems: outdated topics to discuss, can’t keep up with modern technology, miss traditional communication tools (i.e paper letters)
Age: 69
Occupation: Farmer
Grandchildren: 1
Summary: “Scheduling time to talk with my little girl is hard because I sometimes work in weekends...I have bad eyesight, hearing and memory so I struggle with making a phone call...texting a message can cost me more than an hour so I only use video calls...since she lives in a big city and I live in rural areas, I don’t really know what topic I should bring up... ”
3 Key Problems: wish to cherish each conversations, video call via phone is confusing, outdated topics to discuss

“Difficulty & long learning curves in using smartphones”

“Want to but hard to come up with new topics”

　．

“Poor memory leads to redundant talks”

“How might we help the elderly have conversations with their grandchildren more easily and without repetitive topics?”

02

Market Research & Design Criteria

Competitive communication products, such as Amazon Echo Show and Meta Portal, are primarily designed for general use and not specifically tailored for the elderly. The remaining few lack variation, being limited to either a virtual or a physical form, but never both.

CallGenie - TV Video Calling for the Elderly

Pricing: $525+ w/ optional $200 support

Key features: Video calls via Skype on TV, auto-answer

x Highly Technical

x Still relies on offspring to manage and set up

· Business expansion from UK to US since 2019.

Keeping Busy Let's Chat Conversation Cards

Pricing: $28

Key features: Playcards with 224 questions, helpful for memory

x Incapable for long-distance families

x Repetitive with a limited number of topics to pick from

· 4.6 rating on Amazon, 400+ sales per month (December 2024).

What is currently missing is a solution that is:

Tangible

&

Elderly-friendly

Physical

&

Digital

Generative

&

Intuitive

03

Development

Idea finalizing - rapid sketch models for user testing to gain feedback.

Conclusion:

An analogue radio-shaped box for the elderly to schedule talking time.

Seniors have a longer learning curve with electronic products; touch screens and excessive features of mobile phones are often despised and rejected by elderly users.

An AI-integrated app for the grandchildren to generate neutral conversation topics.

The user habits of the other end of these family conversations - grandchildren - demand technology and simplicity; an app saves space and time for another physical product.

Idea brainstorming - presented to senior interviewees for opinion feedback. Three products that fit seniors’ past product experiences - radio, beeper, and receipt printer - took the most liking from the interviewees and served as a source of inspiration.

03

The TALKATIVE Box & The TALKATIVE App

Schedule time to talk

Reply to talk request

See the topic and preserve memory

THE TALKATIVE APP

For Grandchildren

An AI app for grandchildren to generate friendly conversation topics tailored to their grandparents and themselves. Also include a schedule system paired with the TALKATIVE BOX for grandparents to choose - whether it is having a voice call directly through the BOX like listening to old-time radio channels or using a extrior platform like FaceTime, it’s their call.