This app results from a research called Negotiating the Uncomfortable: Exploring Deep Conversations around (un)sustainable futures. The project focuses on negotiating the uncomfortable by supporting deep, meaningful, and reflective conversations around (un)sustainable futures, expanding the conversation from the individual to a collective level.

About the project

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The project was developed with Enpuls, a semi-governmental entity in the Netherlands. They are concentrated on supporting the transition to renewable energy and define themselves as a future-focused company that seeks to explore options to accelerate the production and sustainable conversion of energy sources in communities. This opening created an opportunity to collaborate on supporting communities in ways to imagine their sustainable futures.

The objectives of the project focused on supporting conversations around sustainable futures, making the outcomes of the discussions tangible, so the community could keep building on top of their own ideas, and trying to escalate those conversations with larger communities.

The design process

The project was carried out under a design thinking process, with constant iterations that helped refine the research and experiments until getting to the outcome. 

The research behind the app

Part of the design process was to empathize with the stakeholders and participants part of the project to delve into the reasons for their reasoning, hopes, dreams, and fears. To do so, the team created several design experiments to delve into the participant’s points of view and identify design opportunities to tackle. 

Mapping the insights

Some of the experiments included workshops, cultural probes, Interviews, and observation. Every experiment guided us toward a direction, and constant iterations led us to refine the objective of every experiment. To foster the conversations the team identified that for participants is fundamental to have a safe space where they can be vulnerable with each other. Through the research, we recognized 4 main bubbles that can build that safe space: the physical environment, the behavior, the feelings, and the relationship with the participants.

Features created from the research

The features created in the app come after bringing the research’s conclusions to the table. The ideation was complex and long, but the app answered the problems and needs the participants mentioned during the research process. Some of the features will be mentioned ahead.

The rules

When starting and registering for the app, the first step that must be followed is to accept the rules to participate. With these rules, the team intends to create a safe space that consists of 3 main pillars: Relationships, behavior, and feeling of acceptance.

Ice breaker: Something personal to the table

During some of our experiments, we found that one of the most valuable points before starting a conversation was knowing more about the participants in the conversation. This icebreaker allows the users to see others as equals and unite people with different backgrounds and interests by highlighting something they have in common.

Conversation assistance: Why ?

Findings from the design experiments showed that conversations about the future and sustainability usually don’t start on their own because of how uncomfortable it might be when participants are not feeling in a safe space. The app helps create a setup for these conversations and also informs users with sustainable facts to explore topics they haven’t dived into yet. the setup helps to get to deeper conversations by having steps to build upon each other.

Using speculative scenarios

Speculating helped participants explore the unknown, thoughts that they wouldn’t approach on their own because of fear of feeling ignorant or uncertainty

Materializing a conversation

As the last part of the setup, the participants have the chance to conclude their discussions and conversations by collectively creating something visual and creative.