Developing peer counseling skills with chatbots
Developing peer counseling skills with chatbots
Developing peer counseling skills with chatbots
7 Cups Training Environment
7 Cups Training Environment
7 Cups Training Environment
7 Cups is an online platform that connects people for peer-to-peer counseling and therapy. As a Research Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University's HCII Independent Research group, I worked with a designer and an engineer to create a training environment for volunteer help providers.
Using natural language processing, we developed a chatbot that allowed volunteers to practice their counseling skills and receive real-time feedback, helping them become more confident in their roles.
7 Cups is an online platform that connects people for peer-to-peer counseling and therapy. As a Research Assistant at Carnegie Mellon University's HCII Independent Research group, I worked with a designer and an engineer to create a training environment for volunteer help providers.
Using natural language processing, we developed a chatbot that allowed volunteers to practice their counseling skills and receive real-time feedback, helping them become more confident in their roles.
Role: UX Designer and Researcher
Duration: Sep 2021 - Dec 2021
Team: Elizabeth Chu, Xiqiao Guo
Result: Delivered to client
Role: UX Designer and Researcher
Duration: Sep 2021 - Dec 2021
Team: Elizabeth Chu, Xiqiao Guo
Result: Delivered to client
Prologue
Prologue
Prologue
Who is our target user "listener"?
Who is our target user "listener"?
Who is our target user "listener"?
"Listeners" are non-professional peer counselors who dedicate their free time to offering a safe and supportive space for 7 Cups members to share their struggles.
"Listeners" are non-professional peer counselors who dedicate their free time to offering a safe and supportive space for 7 Cups members to share their struggles.
What is listener training?
What is listener training?
What is listener training?
Listener training is a mandatory program for all new volunteers at 7 Cups. This training ensures that listeners are equipped to provide safe, supportive, and attentive care to members seeking help.
Listener training is a mandatory program for all new volunteers at 7 Cups. This training ensures that listeners are equipped to provide safe, supportive, and attentive care to members seeking help.
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge
The current 7 Cups listener training delivers all the necessary information through text and multiple choice questions, offering a basic starting point for beginner listeners.
However, many new listeners feel unprepared to improve their skills further. They struggle to translate what they've learned into real-time conversations.
This lack of preparation can further negatively impact the authenticity of the platform, as listeners may find it difficult to offer truly empathetic and effective support, potentially affecting the quality of the experience for members.
The current 7 Cups listener training delivers all the necessary information through text and multiple choice questions, offering a basic starting point for beginner listeners.
However, many new listeners feel unprepared to improve their skills further. They struggle to translate what they've learned into real-time conversations.
This lack of preparation can further negatively impact the authenticity of the platform, as listeners may find it difficult to offer truly empathetic and effective support, potentially affecting the quality of the experience for members.
Current instructional lessons and practice chat
Current instructional lessons and practice chat
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
How might we design a training environment
that optimizes learning outcome?
How might we design a training environment
that optimizes learning outcome?
How might we design a training environment
that optimizes learning outcome?
We aim to utilize an existing chatbot to enhance the training experience by simulating real chat scenarios. In addition to this, we’re exploring other elements that could further support new listeners in practicing and refining their skills.
Our goal is to create a safe, controlled environment where listeners can build confidence, improve skills, and feel better prepared before engaging with members.
We aim to utilize an existing chatbot to enhance the training experience by simulating real chat scenarios. In addition to this, we’re exploring other elements that could further support new listeners in practicing and refining their skills.
Our goal is to create a safe, controlled environment where listeners can build confidence, improve skills, and feel better prepared before engaging with members.
Discover
Discover
Discover
3 rounds of research, 10 beginner listeners
3 rounds of research, 10 beginner listeners
3 rounds of research, 10 beginner listeners
01 User Interviews
01 User Interviews
What are the new listeners’ concerns?
What are the new listeners’ concerns?
We began by asking listeners about their initial experiences chatting with patients, and 82% reported that it was not a very pleasant experience. Their mixed feelings seemed to stem from a combination of being "Unfamiliar", "Unprepared", and "Unaware".
We began by asking listeners about their initial experiences chatting with patients, and 82% reported that it was not a very pleasant experience. Their mixed feelings seemed to stem from a combination of being "Unfamiliar", "Unprepared", and "Unaware".
02 Contextual Inquiry + Think Aloud
02 Contextual Inquiry + Think Aloud
How do listeners react to system feedback?
How do listeners react to system feedback?
We used Slack to simulate a chat environment, with 3 team members rotating roles as the facilitator, 'member' chatbot, and feedback provider. Based on participants' real-time reactions, we found:
Listeners are eager to apply relevant feedbacks.
They measured success through feedbacks and members responses.
Listeners develop their own styles of reference.
We used Slack to simulate a chat environment, with 3 team members rotating roles as the facilitator, 'member' chatbot, and feedback provider. Based on participants' real-time reactions, we found:
Listeners are eager to apply relevant feedbacks.
They measured success through feedbacks and members responses.
Listeners develop their own styles of reference.
03 Co-Design
03 Co-Design
How would they design the ideal training environment?
How would they design the ideal training environment?
We invited participants to design their own interface using various visual components. By observing how they arranged the elements, we gained valuable insights into their thought process and prioritization.
We invited participants to design their own interface using various visual components. By observing how they arranged the elements, we gained valuable insights into their thought process and prioritization.
Behand the scenes of interviews
Behand the scenes of interviews
Participants' real-time reactions
Participants' real-time reactions
Design Requirement
Design Requirement
Design Requirement
Chatbot Persona, System Feedback & Resource Center
Chatbot Persona, System Feedback & Resource Center
Chatbot Persona, System Feedback & Resource Center
We used affinity diagramming and went through 2000+ interview quotes to define requirements for the existing chatbots. We also added system feedback and a resource center to form a more supportive training environment.
We used affinity diagramming and went through 2000+ interview quotes to define requirements for the existing chatbots. We also added system feedback and a resource center to form a more supportive training environment.
Mid-Fidelity
Mid-Fidelity
Mid-Fidelity
After defining the key features, we revisited participants' co-design creations and noticed a clear pattern in how they preferred to use each section and the sequence of elements. This informed the development of the new training environment, which includes three main sections: Hint (Resource Center), Chat, and Feedback.
After defining the key features, we revisited participants' co-design creations and noticed a clear pattern in how they preferred to use each section and the sequence of elements. This informed the development of the new training environment, which includes three main sections: Hint (Resource Center), Chat, and Feedback.
Final Designs
Final Designs
Final Designs
Prepare for future chat environment
Prepare for future chat environment
By simulating a real chat environment, we allowed participants to focus more on the message content rather than expending energy on learning how to navigate the platform.
By simulating a real chat environment, we allowed participants to focus more on the message content rather than expending energy on learning how to navigate the platform.
Guide them through high-pressure scenarios
Guide them through high-pressure scenarios
A red warning sign appears immediately if the system detects serious behavior in members' messages. This feature helps new listeners practice handling worst-case scenarios, provides guidance on managing these situations, and ensures their safety.
A red warning sign appears immediately if the system detects serious behavior in members' messages. This feature helps new listeners practice handling worst-case scenarios, provides guidance on managing these situations, and ensures their safety.
Reflect on their performance
Reflect on their performance
Two types of color-coded feedback—positive and negative—will be provided throughout the chat to evaluate performance, offer encouragement, and suggest improvements. Users can also retype messages to apply these suggestions.
Two types of color-coded feedback—positive and negative—will be provided throughout the chat to evaluate performance, offer encouragement, and suggest improvements. Users can also retype messages to apply these suggestions.
Clear resource on the go
Clear resource on the go
The Resource Center provides two key references for new listeners: sentence starters to help phrase messages and professional health resources. It also includes a search function for easy access to the information they need.
The Resource Center provides two key references for new listeners: sentence starters to help phrase messages and professional health resources. It also includes a search function for easy access to the information they need.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
*Deeply grateful for the mentorship of Professor Haiyi Zhu and Professor Robert Kraut during the research and design process.
*Deeply grateful for the mentorship of Professor Haiyi Zhu and Professor Robert Kraut during the research and design process.
Document research effectively
Document research effectively
While conducting professional academic user research for the first time, our team collaborated closely to learn how to send invitations, obtain consent, and maintain thorough documentation for future use.
While conducting professional academic user research for the first time, our team collaborated closely to learn how to send invitations, obtain consent, and maintain thorough documentation for future use.
Navigate through client's requirements
Navigate through client's requirements
Through stakeholder meetings and the final presentation to 7 Cups, I developed skills in effectively communicating expectations and constraints, as well as engaging in storytelling to deliver impactful client-facing presentations.
Through stakeholder meetings and the final presentation to 7 Cups, I developed skills in effectively communicating expectations and constraints, as well as engaging in storytelling to deliver impactful client-facing presentations.
Designed by Hailey Yixuan Li
Designed by Hailey Yixuan Li
Designed by Hailey Yixuan Li