Fuck cancer - Let music play!
At UX Camp CPH I did a workshop to explore music in the ideative process. It was an experiment to see, if different kinds of music helps creating different kinds of ideas – and we had some interesting insights! I used the project I’m working on right now: “Ditliv” at the Danish Cancer Society - It’s mainly about giving people with cancer the power back and help them find quality of life.
So in my session I introduced some music theories, my “Ditliv” case and some trends related to health and empowerment. This is the slides including the personas and design principles, we used in the brainstorm:
From this we did the following brainstorm: First we listened to 3 kinds of music while brainstorming individually on 3 kinds of post-it colors. I asked the participants to close their eyes and feel the music, and then afterwards start sketching. I think this is an important point, to really feel the music and let it inspire you. Afterwards we gathered in groups, presented the ideas and tried to boil it down to the best idea for each kind of music. It gave some good insights and some cool ideas:
Wellness music
The ideas were focused on relaxation, health and nature, e.g.:
- Cancer gardens for cancer patients: Webcams show activities, progress and motivate people to join
- Pushymum for cancer patients: An app that disturbs you in a fun way, like a beloved but annoying mum, with tasks about health like taking a walk in the forest
- Different kinds of meditation apps: Use it and learn how to relax, clear your thought and get help sleeping
Pop music
The ideas were focused on positivism and happy thoughts, e.g.:
- Happy app: An app that asks you to tell one good thing that happened to day. Or to do one good thing, like making a friend happy – a positive version of “the dice man”
- The personal helper: It helps you set goals, track your performance, calories, miles walked, hours slept, vegetable eaten etc. It consists of steps with rewards. It’s supportive by remembering your habits, helping you on the right track and involving other people
- Dancing game: A way to regain positive energy and have fun with other people
Thrash metal
The ideas were focused on aggressiveness, violence and hardcore physical activity, e.g.:
- The aggression over comer: It helps you set goals, convert frustration and anger to shaking, jumping, lifting and throwing! It keeps track of adrenaline release, and helps you overcome challenges and regain control
- Carl Mar Møller bootcamp for cancer patients (this idea is weird, but I kind of love it)
- Fight cancer game: A monster you have to fight, by keeping track of exercise, food etc.
So the point is that specific music can give your brainstorm a specific focus. Depending on your goals and target groups, music can help generating ideas for a wanted theme, mood, persona etc. This particular brainstorm gave me some fantastic ideas to refine further – both for the female “company loving” persona and the male “machine loving” persona, with different focus on relaxation, optimism and hardcore physical activity.
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