Future Of Retirement
Over 14 weeks, we planned and conducted one hour long, interviews using projective techniques at the homes of participants (Generation X) to understand their perception of Retirement. By analyzing and synthesizing this research, we were able to identify future opportunities for various industries.
Skills
Research Through Design
Industry
Retirement, Government
Country
U.S.A.
Thesis : Gen X's perception of retirement
Gen-X Expert Interviewee
We conducted one hour long interviews using projective techniques at the homes of our participants.
Image Deck
Goal: Understand how Gen-X sees current retirees
Asking interviewees to pick 3 abstract images that represent a known retiree to understand their perception
of retirees
Timeline Drawing
Goal: Understand how Gen-X sees work
Asking the interviewees to draw out
a timeline of their career path to start
a conversation about their best and worst
experiences associated with work.
Trade-Off Exercise
Goal: Understand Gen-X's aspirations towards retirement
Forcing the interviewees to trade off one need for another, to understand their hierarchy of aspirations.
Analysis
Research Findings
Generation X has set their dreams aside all their lives.
Retirement is when they can finally focus on their own dreams.
During Retirement, their decisions will be driven by 3 factors:
Social
Dream
Job
Mentoring
“They (Retirees) will pursue a second career that is not for money but for fulfillment, as a means to actively engage…” -Ben Pang
Financial
Living with friends
Gen X has always seen work as survival but they will rediscover work as a way to pursue their dreams, maintain social connections, and mental wellness after retirement.
Wellness
Savings
Dream
Job
Living
Family
Mentoring
My key learnings :
01
Projective Techniques
I learnt how to design activities and prompts that allow me to tap into the subconscious of my interviewees.
02
Laddering
I learnt the art of asking questions to get to the root
of people's constructs and beliefs.
03
Diagramming
I learnt how to visualize complex, qualitative
information to make it more digestible.