Projects
Rice Design-a-thon 2026 Finalist + Most Inclusive Design Award
Chrysalis is a butterfly-themed mobile app that helps families bridge generational gaps by turning everyday moments into shared stories and memories. These shared snapshots form an intergenerational family archive cherishing differences in routine, culture, location, and perspective while highlighting common values, helping families gently transform their connections-- like a chrysalis into something new.
UX/UI Designer
Allison Fan
Fiona Lu
Shirley Xu
Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Users are more comfortable sharing daily activities than emotions
Top barriers to intergenerational connection included distance, different priorities and routines, and not understanding each other’s perspectives.
80% of our survey participants reported seeing their family only monthly, yearly, or even less frequently, with 72.3% attributing geographical distance as a major barrier to feeling connected
Many respondents shared that there may not always be things to talk about with family
Based on user research, we decided to focus on the following goals for Chrysalis:
Make staying connected across distance feel easy and natural.
Build empathy between generations through shared, everyday experiences.
Reduce social friction and awkwardness during in-person family interactions.
We chose the caterpillar–chrysalis–butterfly as our visual motif because its life cycle reflects how people at different life stages may appear different, yet are part of the same continuous journey. Our app name, Chrysalis, represents the transition and connection between these stages, just as our app aims to serve as a bridge between younger and older generations. We utilize bold colors to create a warm and playful environment, while symbolizing the vibrant perspectives that different generations within a family bring together.
We designed both a virtual and an in-person mode for Chrysalis to help families of different generations stay connected and build empathy, regardless of physical distance. Because the majority of users surveyed were away from family members for the majority of the year and listed geographic distance as a major barrier to connection, we chose to make the virtual mode the default.
Each day, every family member responds to a short, fill-in-the-blank prompt, such as “Today, I spent more time than expected ___.” The simplicity of this format allows users to share everyday experiences and perspectives in just a few taps.
Responses are displayed in a split-screen layout, with a user’s answer shown alongside responses from family members of different generations. Presenting these answers side-by-side emphasizes parallel lived experiences, encouraging empathy through visual comparison.
At a random time each day, users are also prompted to take a quick photo or selfie. They are encouraged to respond within ten minutes to create a sense of shared, real-time moments, even when physically apart. After posting, users can swipe through their family members’ photos, creating an experience similar to browsing a shared scrapbook or family album.
This mode offers short games and challenges, often prompting users to pass the phone around or approach specific relatives in the room. We intentionally kept the interface simple with minimal on-screen interaction, so that the device acts as a shared guide for the group rather than a distracting personal screen for everyone. This approach also helps ensure the experience remains accessible and engaging for users of all ages and levels of technological familiarity.
The final product delivered:
A dual-mode experience (virtual + in-person) that supports intergenerational connection both across distance and during family gatherings.
Lightweight daily prompts and photo check-ins that make staying in touch easy and low-effort.
Side-by-side responses that highlight different generational perspectives on the same daily moments.
Simple, phone-passing games and challenges that reduce awkwardness and spark conversation in person.
A cohesive, playful visual system (Chrysalis motif and avatars) that represents different life stages within one shared family journey.
I learned that designing small, low-effort interactions can be more effective for building connection than complex features.
I learned how to turn user research directly into clear design decisions and interface choices.
I learned how layout and interaction patterns can shape empathy and real social behavior, not just usability.
