HappyHugs
A Little Patch of Life
Role:
UX Researcher & Designer
(Group of 3: Sarah & Naomi)
Duration:
Mar- Apr 2024 (7 Weeks)
The Problem
Feeling disconnected in hospitals
Hospital stays can disrupt a child’s sense of normalcy, replacing the comforts of home with unfamiliar routines. For kids aged 6-8, this often leads to feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Families want to provide comfort, but finding meaningful ways to do so in such a setting is challenging.
The Solution
HappyHugs: A Blanket of Love
Happy Hugs is a simple yet powerful idea: a modular blanket that kids can customize with patches designed by their loved ones. Each patch tells a story—whether it’s a drawing from a sibling or a message from a best friend. The blanket grows with the child, reflecting their changing interests and giving them a sense of ownership.
How It Works: Quick, Fun, and Personal
Pick a Blanket
Order online or at a hospital kiosk.
Invite Loved Ones
Have family and friends design the patches.
Get It Fast
Patches are embroidered on-site within an hour.
This process makes it easy for families to surround kids with love and familiar memories.
The Response
They Loved it!
Although it’s still a concept, Happy Hugs got great feedback from the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta (CHOA). They loved the idea and saw its potential to make a real difference. CHOA expressed interest in testing it with real families, recognizing how it could bring a sense of connection and comfort to young patients.
Trailer Video
The Situation
When a Hospital Room Becomes a World
The Emotional Reality
What We Observed
Physical space mirrored a deeper emotional reality:
Feeling Isolated
Children felt cut off from their loved ones and everyday routines.
Struggling Families
Families found it hard to provide emotional support in meaningful ways.
Fleeting Comfort
Volunteers and activities helped but often felt temporary or impersonal.
Pain Points
What We Learned
Loneliness and Disconnection
Limited ways to interact meaningfully with loved ones.
Frustration and Fatigue
From frequently explaining medical conditions to staff & others.
Lack of Personalization and Warmth
Sterile walls and blank ceilings.
Overstimulating Medical Equipment
Hard to find moments of peace.
What Worked
Sources of Comfort
Personal Toys
Acted as sources of comfort.
Volunteers and Creative Activities
Arts and crafts helped children momentarily escape their reality.
The Challenge
Connecting Beyond Medical Care
We saw that beyond medical care, children needed something to connect them to their sense of self, family, and normalcy—something they could hold onto and grow with during their stay.
How might we...
How might we create a playful design targeted at children ages 6-8 that can
1
Provide a sense of autonomy
2
Foster Connections with Loved Ones
3
Offer Comfort and Courage
4
Reflect Their Unique Personalities
The Goal
Designing for Subjective Well-Being
Guided by Positive Design, we aimed to meet pediatric patients' emotional needs by creating a product that prioritizes:
1
Pleasure
Providing moments of joy and comfort during challenging times.
2
Personal Significance
Celebrating the child’s unique identity and connections.
3
Virtue
Strengthening bonds with loved ones and fostering a sense of care and belonging.
The Design Journey
From Idea to Impact
We brainstormed, prototyped, and used parametric modeling to create durable, flexible, and comfortable glasses, tailored for individuals with Essential Tremor.
Our solution needed to
1
Be evidence-based, ensuring it addressed real needs and challenges.
2
Spark creativity while remaining practical and feasible for implementation.
3
Stay accessible and inclusive, catering to children aged 6-8 years.
4
Ideation
Searching for a Meaningful Solution
Guided by key insights from research and Positive Design principles, we explored several concepts, including:
Core Focus
Emotional Growth & Tangible Connection
We prioritized the following when selecting the solutions:
Foster emotional growth
Something that evolves with the child over time.
Offer tangible connection
A physical product reflecting love and support from their circle.
The Breakthrough
A Blanket Full of Love
The idea for Happy Hugs emerged from the concept of a modular quilt—something tactile, comforting, and inherently personal. Each child would receive a blanket that could be customized with patches designed by their loved ones.
What can personalized patches express?
Autonomy and Personal Significance
Personal expression and choice, making each patch uniquely significant.
Messages of Love and Art
Love, art, or symbols from friends, family, and caregivers, adding a personal touch.
Made by You, for You
Fun games, inside jokes, personal drawings, notes, memories, and favorite things, making them truly special.
Why a modular blanket?
Foster emotional growth
The blanket grows with the child, adding patches for new milestones and memories as they grow.
Emotional Connection
The blanket provided a tangible reminder of the child’s life outside the hospital, offering courage and a sense of normalcy.
Sense of Ownership and Satisfaction
Personal and playful elements promote a sense of ownership and satisfaction, reminding children of their world and achievements outside the hospital.
Time Savings for Nurse
These personalized items may save nurses up to three hours on emotional care before operations, allowing them to focus on other critical tasks.
How it works
Stitching Connection in Every Patch
The process is simple, fun, and empowering, providing both children and their families with moments of creativity and connection.
Manufacturing Process
Why we chose embroidery?
Easy Setup and Training
Simple machinery for quick installation and straightforward staff training methods.
Easy Creation
Be easy to create, with designs embroidered on-site and ready within an hour.
Successful Testing
Proven effectiveness from hands-on experience during prototyping.
How do ready-made blankets with easy-to-attach patches work?
Ready-to-Use
Available in various sizes and colors, these blankets come with buttons that let you create your own story.
Button Attachments
Easily attach and detach patches to grow with the child and celebrate new milestones.
Impact Of HappyHugs
What made this design successful?
Reduce Anxiety
Comforting blankets save nurses up to three hours on emotional care.
Enhance Happiness
Personal elements boost satisfaction and remind children of their achievements.
Foster Comfort
Creates a secure and joyful environment.
Stakeholder Feedback
Comments for Diana (CHOA representative)
"We saw the potential for HappyHugs to transform the patient experience, making hospital rooms feel less clinical and more like home. We're excited about the idea and are interested in testing it in real-time to see its impact firsthand."
Lessons Learned
What made it work?
Emotional Resonance
Centering the design on family connections made it deeply personal.
Simplicity and Scalability
Modular, patch-based system is easy to implement in various hospital settings.
Feasibility
On-site production ensures quick results and reduces logistical hurdles.
Empathy
Listening to children, families, and staff helped us create a solution that fosters connection, comfort, and growth.
What’s next
Stitching joy into healing
Pilot Study
Test mini blankets with non-hospitalized children.
Real-World Testing
Partner with CHOA to gather insights from real environments.
Why It Matters
A Patchwork of Memories, Love, and Identity
Happy Hugs is more than a blanket. It symbolizes love, reflects identity, and bridges to normalcy during challenging times. By focusing on connection, comfort, and care, we aim to leave a lasting impact on the pediatric hospital experience.
