Project Overview
About
As part of an undergraduate design course with sprint-style weekly challenges, my team designed a hat that provides additional warmth when it is in close proximity to other users. Ideally, this would promote outdoor social interaction during cold weather—particularly for people experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
We conducted benchmarking research, identified various use cases, and developed technical specifications for our wearable item.
The result: a hat that warms both heads and hearts.
Objective
Design a technology that encourages people
to socialize during winter
Institution
Team
Harvard College • ES22: Design Survivor
Isabel Alexander, Dani Cinali, Adam Moss,
Zaria Smalls, Emily Thompson, Vicky Xu
Role
Usability Researcher
Timeline
5 days (part-time) — April 2018
01. Define
Customer Segment
People experience cold weather differently. In thinking about who might benefit most from outdoor socialization, we considered two behavioral dimensions: need and desire. From there, we created four archetypes of people when it comes to outdoor tendencies — two of which seemed most promising for our customer segment.
The Flakers
The Go-Getters
The Frontliners
The Homebodies
LOW NEED, HIGH DESIRE
HIGH NEED, HIGH DESIRE
HIGH NEED, LOW DESIRE
LOW NEED, LOW DESIRE
People who want to be outdoors,
but either lack motivation or obligation
People who fulfill their
goal of being outdoors
People who want to stay inside,
and have no reason to leave
People who are required to spend
time outdoors, but don't enjoy it
Journey Mapping
We then imagined the high-level experiences of a Flaker and a Frontliner — mapping their emotional highs and lows across seasons.
02. Ideate
How might we
use technology to promote
social activity
in the winter?
After a lot of brainstorming, we decided to design a hat containing proximity sensors that heat up when the user is near another user.
Benchmarking
For inspiration, we did some online research to identify similar technologies in the current market. These existing products contain battery-powered heating devices, but not the capability to sync with other users in close proximity.
ActionHeat Rechargeable Battery Heated Beanie Hat
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Power System Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery
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Heating Elements on Ears
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Heat Settings Low, Medium, High
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ActionHeat 5V Power Bank 4000mAh
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Gender Unisex
Hammacher Schlemmer:
The Heated Hat
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Microfleece
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Up to five hours of heat
-
Rechargeable lithium battery
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Heat at three different intensities
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Temperature control under the brim
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Color-coded LEDs
ThermoBand
Rechargeable Battery
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Charge Time - 2 hours
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Material - Fleece with hook and loop enclosure for adjustment
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Voltage - 3.7V
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Battery - 3.7V 2600mAh
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Temperature - 100-107F / 38-42C
03. Prototype
Tech Specs
Proximity sensor triggered if within 4 inches of another sensor
​
Sensor will not work above 100 F temperature 9 volt battery
​
5 seconds before heating to stabilized temperature
​
Heats to up to 95 F (increased risk of heat exhaustion above 105 degrees F)
​
Stays warm for up to 2 hours
Design Specs
Sensors will always stay on
​
Waterproof — to avoid battery damage
​
Has to stay on the head, especially for running and other aerobic activity
​
Designed for ease of use, comfort for many people
Classic sporty look with ability to branch out to other styles in the future
Assumptions
Sensors need to be worn on the outside
Added weight due to battery, sensor, etc. will not be bothersome
Heating up the head will adequately warm the rest of the body
People prefer to engage in outdoor activities with other people
One temperature will be comfortable for many different types of people
​
Journey Mapping (Revisited)
We mapped a second path onto our previous journey maps, showing the intended effect of the Chat Hat on people's seasonal emotions.
04. Research
User Personas
To synthesize multiple feedback sessions we conducted with our personal networks, we created three user personas showcasing how Chat Hat might benefit people with different lifestyles and goals.
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During team exercises, multiple hats can be connected to promote bonding. Individuals will associate the feeling of warmth with being near other members of the group, which may facilitate a sense of unity while teammates tough out the cold weather together.
