date: 12/13/2022

course: cse 440 final: introduction to human computer interaction

authors: Katelyn Mei, Yerim Heo, Hawa Drammeh, Pu Thavikulwat

see our initial work / draft: robots aren’t taking over the world (yet)… instead, they are improving relationships

Problem

Relationships are associated with better health, longer life, reduced stress, discovery of oneself, and overall happiness, if done right. People in relationships want to be seen, heard, and understood by their partner.

The crux of a successful & sustainable relationship involves one showing active care for their partner, and open & healthy communication accompanied by a willingness to work through conflicts as they emerge. Poor or unhealthy communication can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and frustrations that may render one’s relationship unsustainable.

User Painpoints

After an extensive user research on people–age between 18 and 30– in various type of relationships, we found that poor communication can manifest in different ways:

1. One may feel that their partner is uninterested in them and/or does not feel cared for when the other does not check up on them.
2. When conflicts arise between couples, both partners might not respond in a healthy way such as [shutting down / stonewalling](https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-the-antidotes/#:~:text=The Antidote to Stonewalling,you to calm down.) in a conversation. Unhealthy responses can escalate conflicts and leave the root of conflicts unaddressed, which can be harmful to relationships in the long term.