Why

Understanding the difficulties men may face in this context was the focus of the qualitative research. Through the integration of research methods from design and social science, opportunities were identified, and an actionable design intervention was developed to help men overcome existing barriers. The thesis followed a strong participatory design process and applied a Human-Centered Design approach (HCD). HCD aims to integrate the human perspective at all stages of the design process in considering their needs, fears, and capabilities. In doing so, the end-user becomes a central element of the design process and makes them active contributors in the creation of the design intervention.

What

Although men have significantly higher suicide rates than women, they tend to be more hesitant to seek emotional support during difficult times. The social norms of masculine behavior are widely considered one of the main causes of this discrepancy. In particular, the social interactions between men themselves play a crucial role in this paradigm of masculinity. The fear of being viewed as weak while sharing emotional sufferings in front of their peers can make it extremely challenging for some men to talk about their mental health or emotional pain.

How

Support closeness and emotional intimacy in heterosexual same-sex male friendships! By designing a tool that creates a setting in which mutual self-disclosure takes place with comfort and ease. The final design intervention proposal invites men to talk about personal feelings and vulnerable emotions in a playful way. It promotes trust, creates a safe space for men to talk, and normalizes conversations about emotional distress in friendships with other men. Doing so focuses on the processes for behavior change and learning through the act of talking itself. Furthermore, by scanning the QR code on the packaging, the users can access a website that works as an open-source platform of the tool. The game can be modified on this website and allows the users to make design decisions by themselves.

For Whom

The primary focus lies on young men between 20 and 30 years of age who have formed an intention to talk about their emotional concerns with their male friends but are not yet ready to act upon it. However, throughout the testing phase, it became evident that the tool can also be helpful in other relationship constellations, such as in a family setting, romantic relationship, or therapy. Eventually, the game can help everyone to overcome difficulties and talk about personal feelings and emotions with comfort and ease.

Publish or Perish: A System Design Approach