jienyoo-son profile photo

Jienyoo Son

User Experience and Service Design MA

My goal is to be a UX designer who deeply understands and solves user problems. The simplest solutions are often the hardest to achieve. I am committed to embracing feedback and iterating as needed, even if it means starting over.

Pepper
AI Scheduling App for Parents

Pepper helps busy parents to spend more quality time with their children. It suggests activities that positively impact a child’s development while ensuring parents have moments to unwind.

The brand colours represent togetherness and trust, and they were tested for colour blindness to ensure visibility for all users.

Background Research
While parents are motivated to create a better environment for their children, they face many barriers such as cultural norms, insufficient financial resources, and lack of educational attainment.
A 2022 report shows that a significant percentage of parents feel stressed about managing their schedules, and post-pandemic, many worry about their children’s development. Financial concerns are also more pronounced among parents than non-parents, indicating greater economic hardship.

Data Collection & Analysis
Interviews and surveys were conducted to understand parents’ lifestyles and emotions in raising their children. Key insights were identified and prioritised, which highlighted the following:

1. Children are shaped by their surroundings and social interactions.
2. Parents are unable to tend to their own needs due to constant pressure from relentless demands.
3. Parents should communicate regularly with their children to create a supportive environment.
Service System
Pepper partners with after-school programs and local clubs to promote community activities, helping activity providers gain exposure and connect with more potential customers. This collaboration enhances parental social interactions, improves children’s social skills, and builds community trust.
Revenue will come from a subscription model offering advanced features such as calendar integration and AI scheduling including transportation time.
Key Feature 1: Schedule Management
The user can manage their schedule by leaving a voice memo, Pepper’s AI will automatically organise the user’s tasks without manual planning. A “Me Time” feature alerts the user to have enough breaks and not overwhelm themselves.

Pepper will also suggest activities to do with their children. Suggestions can be refreshed or deleted as needed, and clicking on the guide provides activity instructions and helpful tips. Once the activity is completed, the user can record their child’s reaction by adjusting the character’s emotion.
Key Feature 2: Activity Engagement
Pepper connects families to activity programs effortlessly. A “like” button shows how many users have enjoyed each program. The user can view more details and register by clicking on a program.

Weekly progress is tracked across physical, emotional, and intellectual categories, helping parents understand which activities their child engages in most. The AI analyses the child’s reactions to provide an overview of their preferences and suggests ways to enhance family quality time. The simple advice encourages positive actions while allowing parents to take initiative.

Future Developments

Future updates will include features for adults with speech impairments and hand motion recognition for British Sign Language. My final goal is to expand Pepper globally, explore parenting practices in different countries, and offer access to international activities with translation support.

← Previous - Mehul Shah
Next - Ting-Yu Su →