Description
Stress Tree is a desktop companion designed to help users nurture their mental health and wellbeing while tracking personal growth across various aspects of life. This project started as a socially engaged art exhibit, where participants were invited to redefine success beyond conventional metrics like academic achievement and financial status, and embrace a more holistic understanding of fulfillment.
Date: April 2018
Collaborators: Mi Le, Sarah Lee, Stephanie Li, Hillary Tang
My Contributions: laser cutting and 3D printing, fabrication and assembly, ideation and design
Motivation
Our project began as a socially engaged art piece aimed at encouraging participants to rethink traditional definitions of success. To ground our concept, we conducted market research in the art and wellness space and surveyed peers about what success meant to them using online surveys and a post-it tree. This idea evolved into a laser-cut tree installation at Jacobs Hall, featuring writable leaves where individuals could share personal reflections on success through handwritten notes.
While the installation fostered meaningful dialogue, we wanted to explore how we could create something with a broader, longer-lasting impact. This led us to design a prototype of Stress Tree, a desktop companion supported by a digital application. Stress Tree encourages users to reflect on and nurture various aspects of their well-being beyond conventional success metrics. The desktop companion serves as a visual reminder, with its lights dynamically changing based on users’ progress toward personal goals.
As we designed our desktop companion, we explored different ways to represent the concept visually and functionally. Our initial idea was to create a potted succulent, symbolizing personal growth. However, to maintain brand consistency with our cherry blossom theme, we pivoted to a tree-inspired design.
As the maker for this project, I experimented with various prototyping methods, from 3D printing to exploring a programmable LED matrix for interactive lighting. Ultimately, I chose a laser-cut cherry blossom design with a handcrafted aesthetic that aligned with the project’s theme.
To inform our design further, we conducted five user interviews and incorporated key insights into the product design. We also ran a peer experiment, prompting participants to complete daily tasks related to different branches of success, such as nurturing relationships or exercising. This helped us assess whether these small, intentional actions could foster a deeper sense of success and fulfillment.
Inspired by this project, I created a design exploration of a mediation app that would help users track and manage their stress levels.
