About the Project
The idea of this study came to me right around the time when the world (specifically USA) transitioned to social distancing and a remote/virtual society because of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Because of this we have relied heavily on digital platforms such as text, email, and video conferences to stay connected with one another. Effectively and accurately communicating our feelings and emotions is already hard enough...even more so digitally.
The meaning and interpretation of a simple text message can get lost in translation after they are sent...especially without physical, cultural, social-psychological or temporal context. In person, we use context like these to help establish meaning and can influence what is said and how it is said and interpreted. When it comes to visuals, we use them as we communicate to help to provide context and meaning. Even more so digitally with the use of memes, gifs, and emojis.
Essentially with this study, I wanted to better understand how emotions and feelings are communicated, shared, and received.
The idea of this study came to me right around the time when the world (specifically USA) transitioned to social distancing and a remote/ virtual society because of the Covid Pandemic. The number of interactions I started ahving over text messages, video conferences, facetimes, dm's, and emails immediately went up and after a month or so I started to feel a little overwhelmed...and to be quite honest a little exhausted. Communicating via digital platforms became more work than I initially expected.
The meaning and interpretation of a simple text message can get lost in translation after they are sent...especially without physical, cultural, social-psychological or temporal context. In person, we use context like these to help establish meaning and can influence what is said and how it is said and interpreted. When it comes to visuals, we use them as we communicate to help to provide context and meaning. Even more so digitally with the use of memes, gifs, and emojis.
Essentially with this study, I wanted to better understand how emotions and feelings are communicated, shared, and received.
The idea of this study came to me right around the time when the world (specifically USA) transitioned to social distancing and a remote/ virtual society because of the Covid Pandemic. The number of interactions I started ahving over text messages, video conferences, facetimes, dm's, and emails immediately went up and after a month or so I started to feel a little overwhelmed...and to be quite honest a little exhausted. Communicating via digital platforms became more work than I initially expected.
The meaning and interpretation of a simple text message can get lost in translation after they are sent...especially without physical, cultural, social-psychological or temporal context. In person, we use context like these to help establish meaning and can influence what is said and how it is said and interpreted. When it comes to visuals, we use them as we communicate to help to provide context and meaning. Even more so digitally with the use of memes, gifs, and emojis.
Essentially with this study, I wanted to better understand how emotions and feelings are communicated, shared, and received.
The idea of this study came to me right around the time when the world (specifically USA) transitioned to social distancing and a remote/virtual society because of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Because of this we have relied heavily on digital platforms such as text, email, and video conferences to stay connected with one another. Effectively and accurately communicating our feelings and emotions is already hard enough...even more so digitally.
The meaning and interpretation of a simple text message can get lost in translation after they are sent...especially without physical, cultural, social-psychological or temporal context. In person, we use context like these to help establish meaning and can influence what is said and how it is said and interpreted. When it comes to visuals, we use them as we communicate to help to provide context and meaning. Even more so digitally with the use of memes, gifs, and emojis.
Essentially with this study, I wanted to better understand how emotions and feelings are communicated, shared, and received.
Duration: Approximately ~5 weeks
Discipline: Qualitative User Research and Design
Tools
- Google Forms
- Mural
- Adobe Photoshop
Team
- Armon Burton
Role/Responsibility
- Create and distribute questionnaire to users (version 1 and version 2)
- Plan and conduct user interviews
- Perform analysis and synthesis of data (via Mural)
- Craft a presentation deck and present insights, findings and outcomes
Deliverables
The following final deliverables were developed and provided to the client at the end of the study.
- Presentation Deck - A slide deck which summarizes the study goals, approach, insights, findings, outcomes, and next step
- A Set of Emotional Pokemon Gif Cards - Digital representations of the insights, findings of the user research study.
Discipline
User Experience (UX), Prototyping, Usability Testing, Eye Tracking
Tools
- Adobe Photoshop
- Google Forms
- Mural
Team
- Armon Burton
Role/Responsibility
- Create and distribute survey (version 1 and version 2)
- Conduct stakeholder interviews
- Analysis and Synthesis of Data via Mural
- Craft a presentation deck and present insights, findings and outcomes
Duration: Approximately ~8 weeks
Deliverables
The following final deliverables were developed and provided to the client at the end of the study.
- Presentation Deck - A slide deck which summarizes the study goals, approach, insights, findings, outcomes, and next step
- A Set of Emotional Pokemon Gif Cards - Digital representations of the insights, findings of the user research study.
Goal of the Study
Goal of the Study
To understand on how people use reaction gifs in text or group messages to express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts...
...and to figure out a fun and interesting way illustrate my findings.
To understand on how people use reaction gifs in text or group messages to express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts...
...and to figure out a fun and interesting way illustrate my findings.
To understand on how people use reaction gifs in text or group messages to express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts...
...and to figure out a fun and interesting way to present or illustrate my findings.
My Research Methods
My Research Methods
Primary Research
Primary Research
I conducted first hand to obtain data through questionnaires and interviews with a total of 32 participants.
Secondary Research
I conducted first hand to obtain data through questionnaires and interviews with a total of 32 participants.
Secondary Research
I conducted first hand to obtain data through questionnaires and interviews with a total of 32 participants.
Also known as desk, I used already existing published reports or studies from a variety of sources.
Also known as desk, I used already existing published reports or studies from a variety of sources.
Also known as desk, I used already existing published reports or studies from a variety of sources.
My Questionnaire Consisted of Two Sections
My Questionnaire Consisted of Two Sections
General Questions
General Questions
General Questions
10 ”reaction” gifs
To understand users habits, preferences, and examples of visual communicative formats.
To understand users habits, preferences, and examples of visual communicative formats.
To understand users habits, preferences, and examples of visual communicative formats.
10 ”reaction” gifs
10 ”reaction” gifs
Asked participants to analyze a 10 different gifs and to describe the percieved emotion, feelings, or scenario they see could see the gif being used for.
Asked participants to analyze a 10 different gifs and to describe the percieved emotion, feelings, or scenario they see could see the gif being used for.
Asked participants to analyze a 10 different gifs and to describe the percieved emotion, feelings, or scenario they see could see the gif being used for.
To help participants with the 10 "reaction" gifs section, I provided them with Geoffrey Roberts version of the Feelings Wheel.
To help participants with the 10 "reaction" gifs section, I provided them with Geoffrey Roberts version of the Feelings Wheel.
To help participants with the 10 "reaction" gifs section, I provided them with Geoffrey Roberts version of the Feelings Wheel.
Insights from my research...
Quotes from participants on communicating with words or visuals...
“Depends from the person I talk with - in general, I treat gifs and memes lighter - words have more meaning for me”
"I prefer to use a combination of words and visuals, because both can be misunderstood on their own."
"I think it's a faster way to do it [with visuals] and an easy response when a longer one is not needed."
"Both. I find visuals help prove the intent of what I’m saying"
A marketing company, Emogi, conducted a study...
...and found people utilize emojis because they believe it helps them to be better understood and to create more personal connections.
...and found people utilize emojis because they believe it helps them to be better understood and to create more personal connections.
...and found people utilize emojis because they believe it helps them to be better understood and to create more personal connections.
According to a study by the Telegraph...
Emoticons have become an indispensable part of online communication, so much so that the human brain now reacts to them in the same way as a real face.
Emoticons have become an indispensable part of online communication, so much so that the human brain now reacts to them in the same way as a real face.
Emoticons have become an indispensable part of online communication, so much so that the human brain now reacts to them in the same way as a real face.
Findings based on my research insights...
Based on my research, it was clear people use reaction gifs to communicate emotions, feelings, and thoughts...however what and how they are used will vary depending on a variety of factors.
Visuals provide clues to the tone in messages that can be hard to succinctly describe in words alone.
Visuals provide clues to the tone in messages that can be hard to succinctly describe in words alone.
Visuals provide clues to the tone in messages that can be hard to succinctly describe in words alone.
People use reaction gifs to only express positive emotions.
The people I talked to and surveyed use gifs to express positive emotions.
People use reaction gifs to only express positive emotions.
The gifs people use when communicating are very personal and they tend to only use gifs they identify with.
The gifs people use when communicating are very personal and they tend to only use gifs they identify with.
The gifs people use when communicating are very personal and they tend to only use gifs they identify with.
Race, sex, culture all play a part in understanding (and ultimately the use) of the gif.
Race, sex, culture all play a part in understanding (and ultimately the use) of the gif.
Race, sex, culture all play a part in understanding (and ultimately the use) of the gif.
Emotional Pokemon...
"A picture, in this case animated, is worth a thousand words."
Race, sex, culture all play a part in understanding (and ultimately the use) of the gif.
"A picture, in this case animated, is worth a thousand words."
Throughout this study my expectation of understanding how people use reaction gifs in their communication to express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts was achieved. I also gained a better understanding of how users perceive these things through reaction gifs as well.
One of the realization I had was that while there are popular gifs (taken from pop culture), they aren’t universal in terms of how they are used or perceived. I wanted to create something that would help with this and use the information I collected from this study as a foundation. The eventual output of this study is based on this idea of expressing and perceiving
What is a great way to display information with specific themes, attributes, and can be used a variety of scenarios or situations??? A Pokemon (and Yu-Gi-Oh) card!!!
Below is a breakdown of how I incorporated the information and insights from my study into one of the my Emotional Pokemon card I created:
As mentioned in my study goals, I wanted a fun and interesting way to display the insights and findings of my research...
Throughout this study my expectation of understanding how people use reaction gifs in their communication to express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts was achieved. I also gained a better understanding of how users perceive these things through reaction gifs as well.
One of the realization I had was that while there are popular gifs (taken from pop culture), they aren’t universal in terms of how they are used or perceived. I wanted to create something that would help with this and use the information I collected from this study as a foundation. The eventual output of this study is based on this idea of expressing and perceiving
What is a great way to display information with specific themes, attributes, and can be used a variety of scenarios or situations??? A Pokemon (and Yu-Gi-Oh) card!!!
Below is a breakdown of how I incorporated the information and insights from my study into one of the my Emotional Pokemon card I created:
All of the information and details included in my Emotional Pokemon Cards are based on the responses I collected during the interviews and questionnaire.
Below are the other cards I created to represent a variety of emotions/scenarios: Red = Angry, Black = Disgust, Purple = Surprise, Yellow = Happy.
What's next...
There is some much more to explore when it comes to understanding how people use visuals in their communication to convey emotions, thoughts, or feelings. This study was just the tip of the iceberg. I plan to continue this exploration of visual communication and plan/execute related studies (w/ reaction gifs) in the future. May possibly look to explore other formats of visuals as well, such as memes and emojis.
I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this study...from the topic (reaction gifs), to insights I gained during user research, to creating the eventual Emotional Pokemon cards. It was a lot of fun to work on and design...and to see it all come together.
Thanks for reading...and as Truman said "In case I don't see ya: Good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"
I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this study...from the topic (reaction gifs), to insights I gained during user research, to creating the eventual Emotional Pokemon cards. It was a lot of fun to work on and design...and to see it all come together.
Thanks for reading...and as Truman said "In case I don't see ya: Good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"
