Final takeaways and next step

After conducting our research and thoroughly synthesizing our findings, we reflected on some major takeaways to direct us in the exploration phase of our project.

Takeaways:

• Couples develop a personal language; not necessarily verbal. Mike and Kathy said that they could be driving down the road and each notice a street sign that they find means something funny to each of them and they don’t even have to say anything just look at each other.
  
• Routines change when couples are separated resulting in bad and sometimes good aspects. A bad aspect was when Triba wouldn’t have pizza/game night on Fridays when her husband was gone. A good aspect was that when Jordan was gone Laura could watch the TV show she wanted.
  
• It becomes harder to fall asleep without your significant other. Kathy said that when you are used to falling asleep next to you for 25 years and then they are not there it is harder to sleep because something is out of place.
  
• Do not feel safe. Triba mentioned that when her husband wasn’t there she didn’t feel safe and therefore did things like checked the locks twice.
  
• Miss out on shared experiences. Mike mentioned that when he was in Vegas walking down the strip he wished Kathy was there so he could show her the fountains in front of the Bellagio. Something similar was when I was working on the past Charrette with Liz Sanders of SonicRim, the husband of our couple we had test our toolkit created a device that was two buttons, on and off. The on button made his wife appear so he could show her something then the off button he used when he was finished sharing an experience with her.
  
• Having to check in constantly. One of the problems that Jordan had was he would get worried and upset when Laura wouldn’t check in although he was worse than she was a checking in.
  
• Cell phone trouble. Wilbur mentioned that he always had a hard time reaching his wife because not only was she a realtor and always busy, her phone always lost service and she would forget it behind.
  
  

Design direction/next step:

• Design a device that connects the user through multiple senses to create an intimate connection while separated from their significant other.