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2015
Design Thinking

The Course for Human-Centered Design

I collaborated with 2 other professionals for 7 weeks to solve a real-world challenge using human-centered design. We used IDEO.org's human-centered design methods to synthesize information, discover problems, and narrow down an effective solution. It was a valuable and eye-opening learning experience.

My Team

Myself, Ian Hoene, Jeanne Kaluza

My Responsibilities

  • Collaborating at each phase of the project
  • Interviewing 3 immigrants and 1 immigration expert
  • Creating presentation of our findings used to gather feedback from our interviewees
  • Scheduling and coordinating each meeting
  • Completing readings on human-centered design and case studies

Project Details

Design Challenge: How might we improve experiences for immigrants?

Inspiration Phase
Baseline Knowledge and Assumptions about immigration challenges

Immigrants coming to the United States may…

  • have a difficult time finding work
  • face language barriers
  • become frustrated by government paperwork and procedures
  • face a reduction in community stature
  • have a sense of isolation
Ideation Phase
Research Interviews

All interviews were conducted by myself except Mr. T, who was interviewed by Jeanne.

Expert
United States Immigration & Refugee Attorney

Mr. P
45 year old male of Indian descent. Immigrated in 1975 from Africa to Canada, and in 1999 from Canada to the United States (Florida)

Mr. S
55-60 year old Indian male. Immigrated in 1989 from India to US (Florida)

Mrs. K
50-55 year old Indian female. Immigrated in 1989 from India to US (Florida)

Mr. T
56 year old British male. Immigrated in 1990 from the UK to the US (Maryland)

Ideation Phase
Processing Interviews & Finding Meaningful Insights

Our interview findings uncovered issues that could be sorted into 4 main themes: Economic, Social, Legal, and Emotional.

  • Starting from Scratch Our participants said they often arrive with less than $100 to their name. They have a place to live, but nothing else, including transportation.
  • Job Search Difficulty They have a hard time finding work, except through another immigrant. They often face a language or cultural barrier (ie wearing a turban) in the job search.
  • No Skills Transfer Their skills and experience before immigrating are not accepted here. With their reduced income, a US education is expensive. They are limited to low-wage jobs.
  • Fellow Immigrants Our participants said their connections with fellow immigrants are very important, not only socially, but for help, advice and finding a job. Having family nearby is essential. Religion is a major way to connect with members of your culture.
  • Difficulty Connecting They often feel they don’t belong for a number of reasons. Some face discrimination. All have a hard time connecting due to language barriers and cultural differences
  • Social Status Changes They may be unprepared for a shift in social status and feeling so different.This can lead to major changes in lifestyle (ie a socially active life to zero socializing).
  • Asking for Help It is the immigrants responsibility to learn about and keep track of what is expected of them in the government process. Our participants said they rely heavily on other immigrants and should seek help from non-profits (but where?). Or a legitimate lawyer if all else fails. However, they could fall victim to fraudulent “experts”.
  • Follow Directions If there is one error in paper work, the whole process is thrown off. They must also be very organized throughout the process.
  • Surprises Sometimes immigrants are not aware of important dates and what is expected of them when. Some don’t know they must pay taxes.

Our participants said being an immigrant means being alone in a new, strange place. All participants, regardless of language, race, or religion, face barriers. The most isolating is to face a language barrier. They experienced:

  • Fear of deportation and social barriers
  • Fear, self-conscious of social rejection. A feeling that they are out-of-place and different. They are not necessarily well-respected in their new country, and are sometimes the victims of hate crimes.
  • Confusion, frustration, helplessness
  • They are lost: isolated and alone. Homesick and longing for the days that they fit in.
  • A Good Decision No matter how difficult their transition has been (or continues to be), our participants are happy with the decision to move here.
  • Other Immigrants They go out of their way to help a fellow immigrant, answering questions and helping them to find jobs.
  • Religion The said religious organizations are important, especially to those with a significant cultural or language barrier. They often provide immigration help, as well as a place to socialize with other members of the same cultural background and feel less different.

‍

Finding Opportunities for Design

After synthesizing our research, we had 3 burning questions.

  1. How might we streamline documentation and organize legal tasks? (Legal, Emotional)
  2. How might we foster social networks among immigrants? (Economic, Social, Legal, Emotional)
  3. How might we connect new immigrants with job opportunities? (Economic, Emotional)
Brainstorming & Prototyping

We are proposing an in-browser app to address the more difficult parts of immigrating to the US, such as: 

  • completing government forms
  • staying organized and on top of government expectations
  • building a strong network of immigrant-to-immigrant support
  • job searches
High-Level Sitemap

Signing Up

When you first visit the website, you would have the option of 

  • browsing features
  • signing up
  • signing in (returning user)

You set your language preference as you sign up. From there, your experience with the website will be in that language.

Dashboard

You would have a dashboard page giving a snapshot of each section of the app:

  • Documentation and task tracking
  • Social Networking
  • Services to aid the transition
  • Your profile
High-Level Storyboards
User Flow: Discovery & Snapshot
Feedback

Overall, every immigrant we asked for feedback was very enthusiastic about the proposed app.

Positive Feedback

  • The Documentation and Tracking Section
  • Expert legal advice, even if an FAQ format
  • Discovering fellow immigrants’ experiences
  • Simply the idea for this app gave one reviewer a sense of worth as an immigrant
  • Centralized and accessible information
  • Stress reliever

The Question on All Participant's Minds

  • All reviewers want to be sure of a secure network and that privacy and sensitive data is protected 

Suggestions

  • Translation was appreciated, but a request was made that we also strongly encourage users to learn English
  • There was a request for a clear distinction within the setup from those applying for their initial visa, and after that person gets here.
  • Elaborate on instructions. Often the immigrants will know what the end result needs to be, but not how to get there.
Final Thoughts

Our process and studies show us that an Immigration App seems to be a wanted and necessary tool for immigrants. We have identified obstacles that could occur during development of the product. We’ve also learned the benefits immigrants would gain from it. Should we ever decide to move forward on the project, we certainly have a lot to go off of.

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in one sentence

I’m a visual designer who tackles each project with a focus on both form and function.

where to find me
Orlando, Florida
jillnorrisdesign@gmail.com
External Link
LinkedIn
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