MOPS TM

This project explored the bug “working from home.”  We focused on parents who must now work remotely in the wake  of the COVID-19 pandemic and sheltering-in-place. We seeked to understand the holistic experience of parents working from home with their children.

Mops TM is an app designed to help parents during the COVID-19 pandemic by keeping their children engaged while they work. The app encourages children to complete house chores and homework by providing a points-based reward system. Parents can assign tasks, set due dates, and attach resources, while children earn points for their accomplishments. Additionally, it offers interactive and educational activities, parental monitoring, and rewards to motivate children. With Mops TM, parents can create a structured routine and foster responsibility in their children while maintaining a productive work environment.


THE SITUATION

OUR APPROACH

Discover

Research

Define

Sintethyze

Diverge

Converge

Ideate

1 Single Parent

Converge

DISCOVER

We conducted 12 interviews:

Age Range 30-50

Deliver

Prototype

8%  Associate degree, 25% BA Degree, 67% Masters degree

Mothers 85%, Fathers 15%

CA, PA, WI, NJ, Canada

58% Caucasian, 25% Black, 17% Hispanic

30% have previous experience working from home

Two Children: 55% (average 3 years apart)

Single Child: 45% (Average age 4)

11 Partnered Parents

AFFINITY MAP

DEFINE

Under the new COVID-19 stay at home orders, parents are overwhelmed with the responsibilities of parenting, educating all whilst working under one roof, yet they truly are enjoying the extra time with their children.

INITIAL HYPOTHESIS

REFINED HYPOTHESIS

REDEFINING THE PROBLEM

Brainstorming followed by Brain writing

Top 5 Ideas for each category

Design

Diverge

Parents need help managing their time

Parents need help managing their time so they can enjoy the moments they have with their kids

Parents finds their kids disruptive while working at home, but surprisingly they cherish the extra time they are spending with them.

HOW MIGHT WE

  • HMW allow working adults to still have the feeling of normal adult interactions while working at home with children?

  • HMW create a conducive environment where parents can work and still enjoy spending time with their children?

  • HMW allow parents to focus on work and stick to a schedule while still being able to complete parental duties?

  • HMW engage children for longer periods of time to allow parents to focus on their work?

  • HMW keep remote work expectations clear, and prevent folks from spending endless hours on their job?

  • HMW minimize disruptions to remote work when there is no physical separation between work and home and school?

How Might We…. allow parents to fulfilL their responsibilities as parents & employees whilst still allowing them to enjoy their time with their kids?

DESIGN

Storyboards

DELIVER

Prototype Testing

CANVAS BUSINESS MODEL

FINAL INSIGHTS

Majority of participants agreed that this app is most appropriate for kids between the ages of 5 and 12.

  • Parents wanted the rewards system needs to be more informative and intuitive.

  • Parents feared extrinsic motivators would promote a transactional nature of behavior and would not persist after the rewards are removed.

  • Parents feared children would be encouraged to further extend their screen time.

design implications

  • AGE FRIENDLY: The “likes” of different age groups is vastly different. Design the app to have an evolving look and feel that is unlocked as you grow up.

  • INCENTIVES: A clear and intuitive incentive structure, that rewards children for completion of tasks but also links intrinsic goals to these extrinsic rewards.

  • REWARDS: A reward system that rewards behavior as well as tasks. And an easily navigable reward editor.

next steps

  • Desirability Test: Are people willing to pay?

  • Usability Test: Further high fidelity test

  • Outcome testing: Does it actually work with children?

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