O! Locals
Make your retirement more fun and meaningful!
"O! Locals" is a Chinese social app for retired aging group. The goal is to help aging parents spend their free time properly and connect them with more potential friends through free or low cost local community activities .
Challenge
In China, the aging population [50+] in 2025 will reach 300 million, who are also influenced by "one-child" policy. Besides, the law allows companies to legally force them to retire after that age [man 60, woman 50]. After their retirement and their only kid apart from them, they lose ideas about how to spend their excess amount of free time on meaningful things.
Designer: You Xu (Irene)
Duration: 8 weeks
My Role: User Research; UI/UX Design; Graphic Design; Motion Graphic Design
Research
These are the 3 main characters of this upcoming aging population, which is a bit different than our stereotypical understandings:
1. Exceed amount of free time
Most of them only have one kids because of "one child policy" [*One family can only have one kid]. They get used to looking after their only kid but after kid become independent and leave apart from them, they will have no idea how to spend their extra free time
2. Relatively self-focusing
They experienced economic reform, which makes them have more willingness to spend money on themselves.
3. Adapt internet as a tool
They are familiar with the internet but not as immersive as Z-gens.
Ideation
Goal: Help aging parents spend their free time properly and connect them with more who share same interest with them
Idea: An convenient digital platform for retired aging group
In interview, I found many retired people have the wishes to spend to learn new things to fulfill their free time. Some people may lose the ability to do their original hobbies for too long time. In many circumstances like those, the retired people have willingness to learn new things.
Basic Functions:
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Provide free activities
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Inspire them to find new interest
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Connect them with more potential new friends
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[Related with culture events?]
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Share their own skills with other aging people in their local community
ALL Activities are free!
(business model chart)
Prototype
UI Design
Branding Character Design
An active and welcoming-looking character can help with the brand image as a friendly community social platform.
