Innovative design- For out app we chose to base it off of human emotion and using that to connect people in a proactive manner. The goal of the app is to be easily accessible through technology, encourage close relationships by expressing your emotions in a environment you feel safe, recognizing your emotions and just overall giving you an outlet to express and better understand your emotions. This app works by using facial recognition along with journaling/ multiple choice questions to narrow down how you’re feeling and better understand what that means. It’s important to recognize your emotions not to change them but instead to listen to what they’re telling you because most the time we do everything in our power to avoid these negative feelings, rather than listening to what they’re telling us. On top of this, the app will also include the option to connect socially with people around you or even your friends from afar by using “trust groups”. These groups for now will have a 5 person limit to ensure everybody feels seen. Each group will have their own privacy code to join and within these groups you can talk about your feelings, what’s making you feel that way, with the goal to normalize these kinds of conversations, learn how to recognize your emotions and strengthen relationships.

Upgraded Criteria- The concept of this app is to normalize conversations about your emotion and give a safe space to do so while learning how to recognize how you’re feeling. I chose emotional because as a college student, especially recently I’ve been left feeling overwhelmed, stressed and lonely. I’m constantly paranoid about different things and I feel like if there was an app like snapchat but more emotionally based rather than just purely socially it would improve communication within your relationships. Sometimes it’s nice for people you’re close to to know how you’re feeling because most the time they can help. Our whole lives are based around technology at this point so if we encourage emotional recognition and maturity through apps and technology at a young age, even as early as high school I feel like it could strengthen relationships, emotional maturity and promote better mental health.  

Supportive Context- I think this app would specifically benefit ages between 16-30. During these years we do a lot of developing and most of it can be very emotional and overwhelming for all of us. Starting to learn to communicate your feelings and comprehend what they’re telling you would be very beneficial during that developmental stage in your life. Other than that as long as the app is easy to use, and aesthetically pleasing, I think it would be benefital to everybody. Although an age restriction of 15 or 16 would be put in place to discourage the use of technology at a young age. 

Weigh Costs- After evaluating cost factors, since the app is mostly based off of social emotional interaction there wouldn’t really be any costs. But if we wanted to add something like online mini therapy sessions through the app that would be an extra cost but other than that all that would be needed to use this app is a phone, laptop, etc.

Potential Downfalls- 

• Is a 5 person limit to trust groups non-inclusive? 
• Facial recognition – security risks + room for error
• Should we give opportunity’s to join trust rooms with strangers through the app?