Revisiting My Problem Statement

I have been working with the same problem statement since this idea first came to me two summers ago in Design Studio, so it's probably about time I made some revisions.

Last week, I received a piece of feedback in class that caused me to take a closer look at my existing problem statement. Specifically, it made me aware that my problem statement could be strengthened and inextricably linked to ArtWalk if I added some information about art and its effect on the brain. I had one of those moments as a designer where I had to take a step back and see that my related background knowledge of something had influenced a decision, and that I hadn't explicitly explained that connection or reasoning while presenting my design. Afterwards, I had an enjoyable time diving into research on art and the brain, refreshing my memory of why practices such as art therapy, drama therapy, and music therapy work. Then, I edited my problem statement, hoping to add just enough of that context in.

In addition to adding information about how art connects to my design problem and solution, I wanted to add some information about my target audience. Over the weekend, during my first subject matter expert meeting, we discussed my audience and decided it would be helpful to narrow it. That inspired me to research what the loneliest age groups are and to find out why. What I found was that young adults are the loneliest. Looking back on my own experience in my mid-twenties, this makes sense. It's a time when people are adjusting to no longer having the proximity or time to bump into friends on a daily basis. It's a time when many people are trying to find their way in the job market. Friends move away to other states. Eventually some people may start to get married and life changes even more. It can be a turbulent time full of comparison, identity-seeking, pressure to climb a very linear ladder of milestones further into adulthood (of course, this is not necessary but it can feel that way). I believe all of this would likely be intense enough even without the help of social media. So, although I still would like older users to feel free to enjoy the app, it makes sense for my target audience to narrow to young adults. For now, I'm thinking that would include 18-29 year olds, as that's the demographic my research is leading me to believe is the loneliest.

I may continue to polish this new statement, but the current draft is below:

The United States is currently facing an epidemic of loneliness. Social isolation is linked to a significantly increased risk of depression, anxiety, inflammation, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease as well as lowered ability to fight viruses. Studies show that of the current generations, young adults are the loneliest. This has been attributed to young adult years introducing large social and geographic changes, a lack of community and family connection, and social media use.


 Research suggests that artistic expression and appreciation can improve well-being by increasing serotonin, activating the pleasure and reward system of the brain, and eliciting feelings of hope for the future. Viewing art is said to have benefits similar to those of meditation or mindfulness exercises. Physical activity has also been shown to improve both physical and mental health. Through this project, I seek to combine art, physical activity, and gamified community-building strategies to combat social isolation in young adults.