Selfcare Plant

What Helps Uplift Spirits when Feeling Low?

Reaching out to a friend or loved one

Listening to some music

Introducing changes, like rearranging furniture or recycling some old clothes

Temporarily disengaging from social media

Engaging in creative activities, maybe crafting something

Providing care for someone else

Sleeping or resting, which offers a fresh perspective akin to a new beginning

Participating in physical exercise

Spending time outdoors

Practicing gratitude by writing down thankful thoughts

Cultivating and nurturing plants

Engaging in meditation or yoga

Discarded Idea

An initial concept involved incorporating a physical stick into a plant pot to measure the plant's needs and provide necessary nutrients accordingly. However, this approach relied on the owner of the plant also taking care of themselves. The concept entailed users engaging in regular breathing exercises, benefiting both their own well-being and the plant's health. The user would need to perform these exercises at least once daily; failure to do so would result in neglect of the plant. A wristband equipped with a minimalistic display would guide users through the breathing exercises and indicate task completion. However, this idea raised several ethical concerns:

What if the user is on vacation, legitimately caring for themselves but unable to perform the tasks, thus neglecting the plant?
Similarly, health issues or hospitalization may prevent users from completing the tasks.
Technical malfunctions could lead to the plant's demise.
Can technology truly ensure the plant's health, especially if it faces issues like aphid infestation?
The concept introduced inner pressure as the plant's health relied on the user's well-being.

Furthermore, this approach risked undermining the conscious effort required to care for the plant. Consequently, we decided to refine our concept.

Final Idea

The ultimate concept follows the principle of 'grow together and do each other good.’ Dubbed the "Selfcare Plant," it comprises a real plant paired with a companion app, designed to foster self-care and promote personal health. Recognizing that many individuals find it easier to care for others than for themselves, the plant serves as both a motivator and a symbol of self-care. It embodies the idea of mutual support and meeting each other's needs, aiming to ensure deliberate attention to both the plant and the user's well-being.

Step 1	involves giving the plant a distinct personality. This includes customizing the pot through crafting, shaping, and painting, as well as identifying the plant species, maintaining a regular photo log in the app, and assigning it a name tag. Additionally, a physical stick integrated into the pot monitors the plant's health.
Step 2	involves taking care of the plant, providing it with water, nutrients, showers, leaf shaking, sunlight, soil change, and carbon dioxide. These requirements mirror those of a human.
Step 3	marks the point where the plant gains a virtual consciousness. If the user cares for the plant's needs, the app, personified by the plant, suggests personalized tasks. For instance, after a week of care, the user might be encouraged to engage in activities they are good at, followed by treating themselves to a favorite meal after two weeks. The app will present these suggestions as checkboxes, allowing users to track their progress and evoke a sense of satisfaction symbolized by the plant's "smile."

Plants with Benefits

Boost productivity

Stimulate creativity

Cultivate community

Lower stress levels

Enhance attention and memory

Improve air quality through detoxification

Encourage hands-on activities over screen time

Enhance focus

Promote better sleep

Foster personal success

Stimulate creativity

The App

Moreover, an accompanying app offers the following functionalities:

An overview of all plants and recommended tasks for the user’s well-being.

A plant database allowing users to create profiles for their plants, complete with photos and names.

A health checker feature: Users can snap a picture of their plant, and the app will provide guidance on its needs. This health check feature is complimentary when users engage in their breathing exercises. Users will receive regular reminders to assess their plant's health.

Plant facts and fun facts: Providing guidance on caring for specific plants along with interesting facts.

It's essential that the tasks suggested by the plant align with the user's capabilities and resources. For instance, it wouldn't be ideal for the plant to recommend taking a bath if the user doesn't have a bathtub. To address this, we've implemented a setup process prompting users to provide information about their resources, preferences, and activities they enjoy or wish to engage in more frequently. Thus, the suggested tasks are tailored to be achievable by the user.

Research

We conducted a user test involving two phases: First, we observed how users navigated through a digital prototype. Following this, participants completed a questionnaire. Next, we provided users with three paper prototypes to use at home, one per day. After each, they were asked to respond to three open-ended questions regarding the app's design, what they appreciated, and what they found displeasing. Additionally, they were prompted to rate their agreement with various usability statements using a Likert scale. Overall, participants expressed positive sentiments toward the concept of the selfcare plant. They found it to be a favorable idea and appreciated the task comparisons and guidance provided. Some participants even welcomed the notifications, with one individual remarking, "Someone is thinking about me and my well-being." However, we aim to limit push notifications to avoid user annoyance.