Antonio Bonet
© Antonio Bonet

ThisPlace

To make displaced people feel they are part of here.


— ROLE

UX

Strategy

Service Design


— DATE

Fall 2022

1 Week

During my participation in the Service Design workshop at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID) Pop-up school in Como, Italy. Where I collaborated with a diverse team to create a unique service with the objective: Easing the onboarding process for displaced individuals.


Our service was specifically designed to support individuals who have been displaced due to natural disasters or conflict, helping them navigate the complex bureaucratic procedures involved in obtaining necessary permits and documents to ensure a smooth transition.


The workshop was lead by Fabio Sergio and Roberta Tassi

ThisPlace

Is the only service that connect displaced persons and volunteers with each other to receive and give care by

equipping them with access to accurate and trustworthy information, guidance, time management, and appointment scheduling abilities.


Making the onboarding to Italy efficient & convenient.


OUR

PROCESS

We utilized the Triple Diamond framework to establish a human-centered design approach. This extended version of the Double Diamond model enabled us to deeply investigate immigration and resettlement concerns, identifying pain points and challenges experienced by immigrants.


We applied this framework from problem understanding to functional prototype creation, keeping user needs and goals in mind throughout the entire design process.

DESIGNING FOR URGENCY

When displaced persons arrive in a new country, they need support quickly.


We analyzed the short-term needs a displaced person might need. With this in mind, we started conceptualizing designs of an app that simplifies the onboarding process and provides essential services.


Which helped us establish our design process by understanding the needs of displaced persons.


This wireframe shows our app's core features and how it addresses urgent needs.

Uniting for a Common Goal: Our Team Alignment Exercise.

OUR

RESEARCH JOURNEY

As a team, we engaged in a thorough research process, combining desktop research with face-to-face interviews. We interviewed stakeholders from various organizations in person, including the Como town hall, caritas, NGOs assisting Ukrainian refugees, donors through a Zoom call, and a family in their context, right at their home.


To ensure alignment and understanding of our research objectives, we collaborated to create comprehensive interview questionnaires.


The insights we gathered helped steered and shape up better how displaced users would expect to access and interact with our service.

  1. By understanding the mental models of the different personas involved, we were able to map out an opportunity area that addressed the needs of our stakeholders.


Service Blueprint which showcase how different actors interact between them from the arrival of a Displaced person until it become an advocate to help others.

EASING ONBOARDING

The System Map visually represents how ThisPlace connects Displaced Persons with vital services provided by Government entities, Embassies, Caritas, and Volunteers.


Through the platform, Displaced Persons can access personalized in-person translation services, while Volunteers utilize the platform to provide effective communication and support to those in need.

PROTOTYPE

DELIVERABLES

The deliverables we produced for this project were a number of screen mockups that illustrate the service experience.


Our goal was to provide a solution that streamlines the procedure and do away with red tape so that displaced people can handle it more easily and with less stress.


To make sure the design matched their needs and expectations, we interviewed end users and co-designed with them.


Our design gives users to navigate the complex resettlement process with confidence by offering tailored support and guiding users through the procedure on a case-by-case basis.



Onboarding Questionnaire


We designed for a questionnaire screen to assist our AI companion better assess each user's needs and objectives.


The questionnaire is similar to a self-assessment quiz, gradually presenting detailed questions about documentation, relatives, and other relevant information to ensure that the AI can provide a tailored and efficient service.



A Mobile AI Companion to streamline duties


Our prototype features a simple and intuitive interface that helps users manage their journey to onboard a country, guiding them through tasks like getting their work permits or school enrollment for their relatives.

With a detailed checklist of each step, users can ensure that no crucial details are missed.


Additionally, our AI Chatbot companion streamlines the experience by remembering conversations, scheduling appointments, and connecting users with assistance as needed.


The provided prototype outlines a streamlined school enrollment flow, which guides users through the required documents and provides chatbot support for additional assistance.

USER

FEEDBACK

We presented our prototype to the stakeholders we interviewed, demonstrating how our service streamlines the onboarding and settlement process for displaced persons.


As we walked them through the service and the prototype screens, they expressed their enthusiasm and relief, telling us that this was the solution they had been hoping for to address the frustrations they experienced with the current system.

NEXT

STEPS

To further take this service, we would like to keep conducting more extensive user research, establishing partnerships with organizations that work with displaced persons, and validate the network with the various stakeholder that will be at hold of this service.


Beside of just initial onboarding, service for the companion could

include features such as access to legal or medical assistance, language learning resources, and social support networks.



I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Simona Maschi, Tess Kuramoto, and the entire CIID team for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Service Design workshop.


Moreover, I would like to acknowledge the connections and new people I met during the workshop, which made this experience even more enriching.


Lastly, you can reach out my other fellow teammates, which contributions was essential for the result of this project:

Chiara Pantani – Visual Designer

Meenakshi Singh – UX Researcher

Nimmi Cherian – Strategy