RemixRadio — Sophie Heap

RemixRadio:
Fall 2024

RemixRadio is an AI-driven interactive radio system that uses music to foster community and connection in a future shaped by migration and cultural blending. By illustrating the "six degrees of separation" between two users' songs, it helps individuals uncover shared experiences, promoting a sense of belonging and celebrating cultural diversity.

PROJECT BRIEF

How can we design for a better and fairer future?

I had been assigned to a category (Fostering Belonging: Humane Migration) which became the focus of my project. Through research and exploration, I reimagined a possible future within this category and expressed this through the products I developed and created.

FUTURE SCENARIO

From research, I drew insights on my users that would allow me to design around those behaviors.

View full research processes on Miro Board

Immigrant Children Adapting

A new immigration policy allows working-age individuals to obtain visas without employer sponsorship, easing the burden on small businesses and increasing migrant workers. Many initially migrate alone, leaving their children behind with plans to reunite later. Now, years after implementation, these children are joining their parents, facing significant challenges in adapting to new environments. Unlike their parents, who have already adjusted, many struggle with cultural identity, feeling isolated and like outsiders in their new homes.

How can design help newly immigrated children adapt to new communities while preserving their cultural identity and fostering a sense of belonging?

USER RESEARCH

IDEATION TO FORM STUDIES

USER EXPERIENCE STORYBOARDING

Sketches working out the interaction process.

Full final storyboard and product highlights.

PHYSICAL TO DIGITAL INTERFACE

AI Tuning Features

Within the algorithm to generate a playlist that connects songs, I wanted to further engage users in the experience of discovering how the songs are connected. To achieve this, I incorporated a tuning feature that allows users to adjust the degree to which the playlist blends and connects each song.