PICO
Introducing PICO, a collaborative digital working environment dedicated to promoting workplace inclusivity.
Context
Independent Speculative Design Project
Aug - Sep 2022 (6 weeks)
Independent Speculative Design Project
Aug - Sep 2022 (6 weeks)
Role
Design Research
User Research
Wireframe
Interface Design
3D Modeling for Concept
Design Research
User Research
Wireframe
Interface Design
3D Modeling for Concept
Concept
Service Design
Social Wellness
Gamification
Web 3.0 work system
Service Design
Social Wellness
Gamification
Web 3.0 work system
Tools
Figma
Photoshop
Illustrator
Blender
Figma
Photoshop
Illustrator
Blender
The Outcome
A more interesting, more equal, and more friendly multi-person online collaborative office system. PICO is committed to creating efficient and user-friendly Metaverse office products.
We increase employees' office flexibility through online virtual office, and help create an equal, happy and efficient office atmosphere through functions such as virtual characters, virtual activities, and virtual meetings. In PICO, employees will be able to maximize their personal strengths and collaborate with others seamlessly. This will be a full-process product that will serve employees from pre-employment to post-employment.
01 | Online Orientation for New Employees
New employees will have their first meeting online. With their Avatar
New employees will have their first meeting online. With their Avatar
02 | Employee Collaboration and Network System
Employees can participate in meetings, view project progress, and view member information on the virtual platform. At the same time, a gift system is set up to promote employee’s inter-relationships.
When users get certain amount of gifts, they could be exchanged for tokens for shopping. Through these functions, employees are encouraged to practice workplace friendliness,better promoting trust and friendship between people.
When users get certain amount of gifts, they could be exchanged for tokens for shopping. Through these functions, employees are encouraged to practice workplace friendliness,better promoting trust and friendship between people.
Easy Employee Collaboration
Gift System
03 | Work Progress Recorder and Work Incentive Mechanisms
Every time a team completes a project, the virtual platform will notify all users in the chat. The message records the tacit value among team members just like winning a game.
The system will give each member virtual rewards, and members can also send gifts to each other. We hope that through this gamification method, members can have some fun and become more passionate about the work process and build a better relationship with their collegues.
Every time a team completes a project, the virtual platform will notify all users in the chat. The message records the tacit value among team members just like winning a game.
The system will give each member virtual rewards, and members can also send gifts to each other. We hope that through this gamification method, members can have some fun and become more passionate about the work process and build a better relationship with their collegues.
MY PROCESS
Identifying the Problem
Workforce population is becoming increasinly diverse in the past few decades. Employees from different generations, gender, race, and culture coexist in an intimate workplace, raising the prevelance of workplace discrimination and mistreatment (WDM) as not only a social but health dilemma.
Research shows that experiencing workplace discrimination and the stress resulting from discrimination are related to a host of negative organizational and employee outcomes, such as lowered job satisfaction, reduced organizational commitment, reduced job performance, decreased helping behaviors, and increased turnover intentions.
Research shows that experiencing workplace discrimination and the stress resulting from discrimination are related to a host of negative organizational and employee outcomes, such as lowered job satisfaction, reduced organizational commitment, reduced job performance, decreased helping behaviors, and increased turnover intentions.
Background & Research
︎Types and Percentages of Workplace Discrimination
The Equal Employment Opporunity Commision (EEOC) identified major causes for workplace discrimination claims in 2020, and Disabilities. Retaliation has an overall above 50% cases, followed by disabilities, race, gender, age, nationality, and religion.
Most discriminations originate from phenomenal factors that likely triggers innate/ingrained insecurity and identity differentiation.
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of the American adults have experienced some forms of discrimination at some point in their working career.
Most discriminations originate from phenomenal factors that likely triggers innate/ingrained insecurity and identity differentiation.
of the American adults have experienced some forms of discrimination at some point in their working career.
︎The Equal Employment Opporunity Commision
Study (Harnois et al, 2017) shows that the prevalence of workplace abuse, sexual harassment at work, and lifetime experiences of racial discrimination was extremely high among the United for Health cohort of 1,202 predominantly black, Latino, and white women and men low-income union workers.
Discrimination is extremely common in workplaces in the U.S. It is a problem needed to be properly addressed.
Discrimination is extremely common in workplaces in the U.S. It is a problem needed to be properly addressed.
Exposure to at least one of the three social hazards. (Krieger et al.)
︎Feedback From Individuals on Workplace Discrimination
30 % of exposure to all three hazards are among Black women & Racial/ethnic minorities*.
Workplace discrimination is reoccuring and has a target group of victim with a strong pattern.
Workplace discrimination is reoccuring and has a target group of victim with a strong pattern.
The majority of workplace abuse are reported by white men .
This might be the result of women and racial minority feeling uncomfortable coming forward.
This might be the result of women and racial minority feeling uncomfortable coming forward.
People who experience workplace discrimination find ways to solve the problem.
Most people do not seek help or they cannot find a suitable way to resolve their workplace discrimination.
Most people do not seek help or they cannot find a suitable way to resolve their workplace discrimination.
︎The Emerging Era of Virtual Work
Statistics on remote working shows that more than 4.7 million people work remotely at least half the time in the U.S.
Globally, 16% of companies are fully remote. And due to COVID-19, 61.9% of the companies were planning more remote work now and in the following years to come.
Globally, 16% of companies are fully remote. And due to COVID-19, 61.9% of the companies were planning more remote work now and in the following years to come.
U.S Labor in 2025*
︎The Harm of Workplace Discrimination
Studies have predicted and confirmed a positive relation between perceived interpersonal discrimination and stress & a negative correlation with future performance & physical health.
Discrimination & mistreatement in the workplace is harmful to the overall physical and mental wellness of all employees.
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Discrimination & mistreatement in the workplace is harmful to the overall physical and mental wellness of all employees.
Deterioration of mood caused by workplace discrimination*
The Challenge!︎
The reasons for workplace discrimination are complex, thus we need to analyze the internal and external causes of it. By analyzing the core reasons for the occurrence of discrimination, the initial time point and the occasion of occurrence, we will gain insight into the core strategies to solve the problem. Some disruptive changes to the workplace system will be proposed.
Questionnaire
QTE Experiment
Selective Attention Experiment
After researching existing studies, I wanted to use a Quick Time Event experiment to explore the hidden factor in the questionnaire to proove my hypothesis - most workplace discriminations are triggered by subconscious selective attention, resulting in passive stereotyping association and categorization.
Experiment Logic︎︎︎
A probe is hidden from view behind one of two stimuli that are simultaneously presented on a computer screen.
The probe is subsequently revealed when the two stimuli disappear.
A short response latency to detect the probe suggests that participants’ attention had been oriented to stimulus 2 in their free looking time.
What We Did︎︎︎
Conclusion
︎Discrimination due to external differences
︎Stereotypes are not immutable
︎The power of preconceptions on people's first impression
︎Stereotypes are not immutable
︎The power of preconceptions on people's first impression
Market Opportunities
The core functions of the office software currently on the market are more to help complete the most basic office work. The main function of products on the market for workplace discrimination is that users can quickly report after being discriminated against.Reporting when encountering discrimination is a very necessary means, but once discrimination occurs, the psychological and physical harm it causes will be indelible. Our biggest opportunity is to create an office collaboration software that pays more attention to the mental health of employees, taking into account basic office functions and collaboration functions, and reducing the probability of workplace discrimination through some special programs.
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Vision & Main Goal
︎We hope to promote mutual understanding among employees in a more humane way, and help employees pay more attention to each other's advantages during the collaboration process, reduce the presentation of shortcomings, and create a more friendly working and social atmosphere.
︎By making a full-process product, subversively change employees' perception of collaboration software, and better help employees (individuals) and other team members (groups) to understand and cooperate with each other.
︎By making a full-process product, subversively change employees' perception of collaboration software, and better help employees (individuals) and other team members (groups) to understand and cooperate with each other.
PROGRAM ANALYSIS
User flowchart
Story 1
New employees logging in to the app to complete online onboarding.
New employees logging in to the app to complete online onboarding.
Story 2
Employees completing their daily work with the app
Employees completing their daily work with the app
Final Interface
01 | Training Stage
Generate user “pixi” by extracting keywords from user resumes
Company wide Ice-breaking activity introducing new employees to existing members
02 | Work Flow
Easy access to basic information and on-going projects for all employees
Virtual workspace for team members staffed on the same project
03 | Project Evaluation
Employees can send each other virutal gifts to express gratitude and love
Virtual office for on-going projects, spatially mapping individual’s progress
Basic Functions
With the goal of fully integrating PICO into the daily working environment for office workers, we introduced some common basic functions for office APP.
With the goal of fully integrating PICO into the daily working environment for office workers, we introduced some common basic functions for office APP.
User Profile
Project Invitation
Progress Record
Calendar SystemUsers can quickly view their employee cards, create project folders and invite project members to edit together, make reminder labels to update project progress, and record daily work arrangements on the calendar.