Online dating continues to be one of the most common ways people meet one another. Only in the last couple of years has information begun to show how these online sites and applications negatively affect their users. This study examines how the User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) design of the dating app Tinder influences its users and its impact on their mental health and overall well-being. An online survey of 74 Tinder users between the ages of 18 and 35 was conducted, coded, and analyzed. The results of this study corroborate with previous research and claims that different User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) elements within Tinder do impact and influence their users. The results also substantiate the research and claims that online dating and dating apps do impact their users in a predominantly negative manner. Overall, this study found that while dating apps can lend themselves to helping people find someone, they have the power to influence and negatively impact their users’ beliefs, mental health, and overall well-being.

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on the patient-therapist relationship in the physical therapy and rehabilitative field. It also studies the concept of stigma that users of assistive and rehabilitative devices face intrinsically and extrinsically. Stigma users of these devices face while going through therapy often leads to device abandonment and regression in rehabilitation. The purpose of this study is to identify the most common types of stigma experienced by these users, to evaluate how patients and therapist interact, and what possible gaps in communication they may have, ultimately to explore the potential benefits of incorporating industrial design practices into the physical therapy and rehabilitative field, in an attempt to alleviate the identify pain points in regards to the aforementioned. A mixed-method qualitative/quantitative approach was taken through the use of survey, interviews, and observational study. Weekly, 2-3 hour site visits to SWAN Rehab in Phoenix, AZ were made to conduct said interviews and observation, while digital surveys were dispersed through multiple online channels. Key findings include that common stigmas experienced by device users are being labeled as “other” or being seen as “less than” by others, and that assistive and rehabilitative devices leave much to be desired. Lastly, the implementation of an industrial designer into the patient-therapist relationship is a route that needs to be explored further. Agile design is a facet of industrial design that may prove useful in this field, but require future research to substantiate. This future research may include applied projects involving a patient, therapist, and designer, where assistive and rehabilitative devices are customized specifically for the patient in question. An ethnographic study is also necessary to gain a deeper understanding of what physical therapy truly entails. Keywords: Stigma, Patient-Therapist Relationship, Industrial Design

Online shopping is becoming more and more popular, and plastic based e-commerce packaging still dominates a large portion of the market. Most plastic is incapable of biodegrading, and even recyclable plastic is thrown away 90% of the time due to overcomplicated recycling policies. In this project, I study what users want from ecommerce packaging and work to design a solution that is better for users, businesses, and the environment as a whole.

Online shopping is becoming more and more popular, and plastic based e-commerce packaging still dominates a large portion of the market. Most plastic is incapable of biodegrading, and even recyclable plastic is thrown away 90% of the time due to overcomplicated recycling policies. In this project, I study what users want from ecommerce packaging and work to design a solution that is better for users, businesses, and the environment as a whole.

Online shopping is becoming more and more popular, and plastic based e-commerce packaging still dominates a large portion of the market. Most plastic is incapable of biodegrading, and even recyclable plastic is thrown away 90% of the time due to overcomplicated recycling policies. In this project, I study what users want from ecommerce packaging and work to design a solution that is better for users, businesses, and the environment as a whole.

Today’s college students are faced with numerous roadblocks to completing their studies including financial issues, unsustainable housing, and mental health crises. Currently, students are graduating with the highest levels of student debt in recorded history, and studies show that this disproportionately affects minority groups [1]. In addition, many colleges require students to live on campus for their first couple of years, with research showing that student housing costs have increased 10.8% annually for the past 5 years [2]. To make matters worse, college costs have increased 169% over the past four decades while earnings for ages 22-27 have increased by 19% [3]. Consequently, typical living standards today majorly impact the environment in negative ways. For example, in the UK, housing accounts for approximately 27% of carbon emissions due to burning of fossil fuels for electricity and heating [4]. Furthermore, the average size of a home is increasing over time, and thus requiring more electricity. In 2021, the average home is estimated to be 28% bigger than in 1970 [5]. With depression being the number one cause of disability worldwide [6], it is worth analyzing how these factors influence public health. In a survey of almost 300 college institutions, 88% of counseling center directors reported an increase in “severe” psychological problems over the previous 5 years [7]. Estimates also show that more than 1 in 10 college students struggle with an anxiety disorder [7]. Since research shows that participating in travel and leisure positively influences mental health in those receiving psychiatric care [8], we are led to following research question: how can van homes be functionally designed for students as more affordable and sustainably living spaces that are conducive of well-being?