Project Type
Educational Project
HCID511, MHCI+D
Role
Product Designer
Sector
Wellness
and Education
Collaborators
Kanishka Balaji, Tarlitha Gracia, Josephine Waliman
Duration
5 Weeks
TL;DR
Women across cultures lack accessible, shame-free spaces to learn about sexual and reproductive health. We designed "Grab a Seat!", a board game that transforms uncomfortable conversations into playful learning experiences through depersonalized prompts, emotional safety mechanics, and flexible gameplay that adapts to different comfort levels and contexts.
What's Creating the Silence Around Women's Health?
Through user research with 14 survey respondents and 6 in-depth interviews, we uncovered:
Cultural taboos make these topics feel forbidden rather than foundational
Lack of safe spaces to ask questions without judgment or shame
Broken trust with medical systems that dismiss or minimize women's concerns
Generational trauma that perpetuates silence from parents to children
Self-directed learning through unreliable online sources due to lack of guidance
How We're Breaking the Silence Through Play
Depersonalized Prompts: Third-person scenarios remove pressure of personal disclosure while enabling authentic discussion
Emotional Safety by Design: Play Pledge, Recharge Spaces, and token rewards create psychologically safe learning environments
Flexible Gameplay: Adapts to different contexts (classroom, family, peer groups) and comfort levels (full game, quick play, cards only)
Companion App: QR codes link to private learning resources for those who need individual processing time
Culturally Adaptable: Built-in flexibility allows facilitators to customize content for specific cultural contexts
The Silence Speaks Volumes
Understanding the scope of the problem
To validate whether our experiences reflected a broader pattern, we conducted research with women ages 18-40 who grew up in cultures where women's health is considered taboo.
Research methods
Screener survey (14 responses)
In-depth interviews (6 participants living in the U.S. who grew up in cultures where women's health is taboo)
Affinity mapping and thematic analysis
What the Research Revealed
Cultural silence is systematic, not individual.
100% of participants felt hesitant or uncomfortable discussing sexual and reproductive health. The specific manifestations varied by culture, but the underlying patterns were universal: shame, secrecy, and self-directed learning.
"In my culture, sexual experience lowered your worth. Pre-marital sex was shameful. So I learned everything alone; from Google, from WebMD at 2am, from guessing."
— Interview Participant
Medical systems perpetuate distrust.
Participants described being dismissed by healthcare providers, having their pain minimized, and learning to avoid seeking help because the system consistently failed them.
"My mom is a medical provider but conservative. Talking to her made me feel judged. She got that mindset from my grandma. Breaking generational trauma is hard."
— Interview Participant
The longing for safe spaces is profound.
Despite their discomfort, every participant expressed a deep desire for judgment-free environments where they could ask questions and learn without fear.
"If I had someone, like a big sister figure or mentor, that I could just openly ask questions to without fear of judgment, that would have been really helpful."
— Interview Participant
The Core Journey
A young person navigates fear and confusion about sexual health while secretly researching contraception options, managing appointments hidden from parents, and ultimately seeking community support and strategies to have honest conversations with family about healthcare decisions.
Priya: A 22-Year-Old College Student
Priya's story helped us recognize the need for tailored resources for young women who fear judgment in healthcare settings. Adira’s focus on creating non-judgmental, personalized experiences resonated strongly with her needs.
Ramesh: A 29-Year-Old Engineer
Ramesh’s experience highlighted the importance of educating partners and including men in conversations about reproductive health. Adira provides curated resources and community support for this user group.
Ananya: A 35-Year-Old Trans Woman
Ananya’s challenges underscored the need for trans-specific healthcare resources and a network of inclusive providers. Her story was pivotal in designing Adira’s LGBTQ+ support features.
How might we break the silence?
Defining the design challenge
How might we create approachable, culturally sensitive spaces where people can learn about sexual and reproductive health without shame or judgment?
The solution needed to:
Remove the pressure of personal disclosure
Work across different cultural contexts
Accommodate varying comfort levels
Feel natural and engaging, not clinical or preachy
Scale from one-on-one conversations to group settings
From Brainstorm to Breakthrough
Exploring possibilities
We generated multiple concepts during ideation:
Cycle Stories:
An online platform for sharing personal health experiences anonymously
Myth-Busting Cards:
Educational inserts in tampon/pad boxes with QR codes to deeper content
Bridging Conversations:
A parent-child toolkit with guided prompts for intergenerational dialogue
Body Against Taboos:
A card game that uses play to normalize health conversations
Why a game?
The game concept emerged as the strongest solution because it accomplished something crucial: it removed personal vulnerability while creating genuine connection.
By framing questions as hypothetical scenarios and rewarding participation over "correctness," we could transform shame into curiosity and isolation into community. Play provides psychological permission to engage with difficult topics.
Grab a Seat! Where Learning Feels Like Playing?
The design solution
A board game that makes sexual and reproductive health conversations feel approachable, safe, and even fun.
Core Gameplay
Grab a Seat! is designed for 2-6 players ages 14+. Players roll a custom die, move their chair-shaped game pieces around the board, and engage with four types of cards:
Discuss It (Pink)
Depersonalized prompts that spark conversation without requiring personal disclosure. "Someone might feel nervous about their first gynecologist appointment. What could help them feel more comfortable?"
Myth or Fact (Green)
Challenge common misconceptions and learn accurate information.
"MYTH OR FACT: You can't get pregnant during your period."
Describe It (Blue)
Build health literacy through creative description challenges. "Describe what contraception is without using the word 'prevent.'"
Body Basics (Orange)
Foundational knowledge questions that build understanding.
"What is the difference between sex and gender?"
Emotional Safety as Design
Every game element was intentionally crafted to create psychological safety:
The Play Pledge
Before starting, all players commit to respect, curiosity, and zero judgment.
This establishes group norms upfront.
Token Rewards
Players earn tokens for participation and thoughtful contributions, not for being "right." This shifts the goal from performance to learning together.
Depersonalized Language
Questions frame scenarios in third person ("Someone might...") instead of second person ("Have you..."), removing pressure around disclosure.
QR Code Cards
Link to companion app for deeper definitions, allowing private learning for those who need to process information individually before discussing.
Built for Flexibility
The game adapts to different contexts and comfort levels:
Full Board Game
30-45 min
Complete learning experience, group bonding
Quick Play
20 min
Topic-focused sessions, classroom integration
Cards Only
15 min
One-on-one conversations, parent-child talks
Testing What We Built
Validation through playtesting
We conducted four rounds of playtesting with 24+ participants representing different ages, cultural backgrounds, and comfort levels with the topic.
What we observed
The transformation was visible and tangible.
Players who arrived nervous and hesitant were laughing, asking genuine questions, and sharing stories within 10-15 minutes. The game created permission for conversations that participants admitted would never have happened otherwise.
Play lowers psychological barriers.
The playful format made serious topics approachable. Participants engaged more authentically through game mechanics than they would have in traditional educational settings.
Depersonalization provides safety.
Framing questions as hypothetical scenarios allowed players to explore sensitive topics without feeling personally exposed, especially important for younger players and those from conservative backgrounds.
Critical Design Iterations
This hypothetical project taught me invaluable lessons about addressing deeply rooted stigmas and designing for inclusivity in the digital health space. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Competitive → Collaborative
Every user group has unique needs, and a personalized approach is critical for success.
Simplifying Language
Building trust means listening to real stories and ensuring that solutions are culturally sensitive and inclusive.
Integrating QR Codes
Offline functionality and partnerships with NGOs can bridge the digital divide and reach underserved communities.
The Role of Privacy
Transparent data practices are vital for fostering user confidence and engagement.
The app maintains the same warm, approachable design language as the physical game, ensuring visual and emotional continuity across touchpoints.
Beyond the Board
Companion app for extended learning: To support learning beyond gameplay, we designed a companion application accessible via QR codes on cards. Core features include:
Private Exploration
Digital Card Game
Solo version for individual learning when group play isn't available or comfortable.
Resource Library
Curated links to healthcare providers, sexual health organizations, support hotlines, and community resources.
Future Development:
Period tracking, symptom logging, and anonymous community Q&A (with robust privacy and moderation) are planned for future versions.
These lessons not only shaped the app’s development but also reinforced the importance of user-centered design in breaking barriers and fostering trust.
Creating Spaces for Conversation
Distribution strategy and contexts: Grab a Seat! works best when integrated into trusted contexts where relationships already exist:
🏠 Family Conversations
🎓 Educational Settings
Integrates into sex education curricula in middle schools, high schools, youth centers, and community organizations.
🏥 Healthcare Contexts
Available in clinics, Planned Parenthood locations, and public health offices. Some providers host game nights or workshop series.
👥 Peer Support Circles
Friend groups, college dormitories, cultural organizations, and support groups use the game to build community around shared learning.
These lessons not only shaped the app’s development but also reinforced the importance of user-centered design in breaking barriers and fostering trust.
We can't reset culture overnight. But we can create micro-environments where new conversations become possible.
Grab a Seat! isn't just a board game. It's an invitation: to talk, to learn, to show up for each other without judgment. It's permission to ask questions we've been taught not to ask. It's proof that breaking silence can start with something as simple as rolling a die and pulling a card. Every conversation starts with someone saying "it's okay to talk." Today, we're saying it to you.