Phone Free Study : Encouraging students to put away their phones

Sammanfattning: Many of us have grown up or have been acquainted with individuals who have grown up with smartphones in educational settings. We are well aware of how disruptive they can be, and I myself am not an exception. There have been instances when I have become distracted by my smartphone while studying, whether it was due to a notification popping up or feeling overwhelmed by a challenging assignment or a lack of understanding. My classmates have faced similar challenges. This served as the motivation behind my thesis: Can I, through the application of design, mitigate students' smartphone usage while studying? I set a personal goal to design a physical concept rather than a digital one, as I believed that there are already numerous digital alternatives available in the form of mobile applications and existing functions within smartphone operating systems. The design process employed in this thesis follows the Double Diamond approach, which encompasses both divergent and convergent thinking. Initially, extensive exploration of the subject was conducted through a literature review and benchmarking. Subsequently, the problem was defined through methods such as interviews and surveys to determine the validity of the project's objectives. During the development phase, co-design played a pivotal role, incorporating techniques such as brainstorming and dot-voting to ensure the solution was designed by students, for students. Finally, the delivery phase focused on presenting a finalized concept, employing sketches, prototypes, and digital models. Ultimately, the final concept takes the form of an accessory for existing smartphones that simplifies their functionality. This accessory conceals all notifications on the screen, leaving only incoming calls visible and actionable. Functionally, the concept serves as a reminder to students to refrain from checking their phones while studying, effectively reducing their inclination to do so. It introduces a deliberate obstacle to unlocking the device using fingerprint or facial recognition. The intention is for students to experience a sense of calmness during their study sessions, enhanced by the Zen-inspired design, while also providing the reassurance that they can be reached in case of urgent matters simply by calling instead of messaging them.