Lovelaging

A digital radionovel provider APP for the engagement of latin elderly into the technology field.

It is an application friendly designed for elderly to listen to short radionovels episodes through the day, which each of them engage the characters into the tech world and paths such as design thinking, programming logics and so on, so fourth.

It's literally a camouflaged lesson. You are listening to the radio novels, having fun and listening situations that talk about digital culture , it goes to the listeners subconscious.

Through storytelling it is possible to make a global change on how we see these people  and their baggage.

Indeed, as research done by Third Age in Brazil, About 81% of the entire population above 60 don't know the term internet, and even 62 percent have never gone through any application. And that´s the 2020 edition. If simple digital  literacy is not friendly then how to expect them to go further and be interested in STEM?

The thought that they´re seen as incapable and the not friendly design are real struggles that follow elderly and keep them from tech, leaving it for the youngers in their families. 

As the world globalizes, whoever is out this huge online bubble feels extremely left out meanwhile everybody around them is in. Data from IBGE says 13% of the elderly around 60-64 suffer from depression in Brazil, the lead ranking of the country. 

Entering this whole new world is actually working with their self-esteem after decades of the market selling the image of a tiring retirement and a forever relaxing, when actually they can get a new job, code for fun and get much more subjects for familly talk to approach better relationships with relatives.

Besides desk reaserch on data, situations told from the personas themselves , we had in mind the chapter "Aging in a Man´s world" from "Outrage from Courage", book of Anne Firth Murray. 

Also, shadowing reaserch we have done with relatives, and a special attention to their user journey and potential frustrations throughout the entire process. 

So far before the prototyping of how our application fits better for our persona, we are working on how to introduce the themes smoothly and almost "pretentiousless". Scripting the paths and interesting journeys to follow and comment about , but either informative and engaging. 

A software. Alike Spotify but easier designed for the persona themselves. Opening the home page there´s already the two paths avaible with huge letters and a voice assistant for blind acessibility (whenever cliking a button, it says what it is and what´s on the screen, where the back button is. Also there´s a way to turn it off if it´s not necessary). Then, clicking a single play button it starts the first episode.  At the end of each path , a certificate is automatically saved in the camera roll comproving the learning. 

Hopefully with M.I.T help, we´d like to introduce the potential new techies in contact with undergraduate students for a project building, serving for both parts as soft skills but also portfolio. 

There´s also a want to work and engage the elderly latin community in Massachusetts, which is significant, through our project and then this really great experience with the alumni. 

Until March our main goal is to put avaible the first path online for people from all over the world ( recorded in portuguese, spanish and english) to test with their grandpa´s and grandma´s and overview following them daily how it´s being the process of tech entering. 

In a year to engage 50 people from the community and follow their experiences, help them close if needed. 

In two years to expand to international plan based on the long term overviews from the worldwide. 

Financially mainly to keep in contact and recruit enough people for more than an app building, but a working app. 

Both integrants are from a multimedia tech curriculum taught at technical school. The team leader lives with her grandmother so it´s being a very close look with the daily struggles of technology and elderly. 

Currently we have none.

Being young girls in Tech in Brazil is a daiy force. Whenever you get to events, the first thing they´ll notice is the fact you are a female. Were they having fun? Well, the fact you just arrived being you means now they frown. What will you help, anyway?

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