Loom

Prototype link: Figma

*Describe your project (max 150 words) * Loom is an application created to build meaningful connections between generations, one thread at a time. It allows people of different generations to share their wisdom, stories, experiences, and perspectives. Users engage by contributing stories, reflections, or advice around specific topics drawn from their personal experiences. They can also explore content shared by others, offering opportunities to listen, learn, and encounter diverse viewpoints across generations, building empathy, growth, curiosity, and mutual respect. In addition to reading and creating, users can save their favorite works and search through tags of specific topics that suit their interests.

Loom is a space where understanding grows, and knowledge is exchanged and intertwined. The name “Loom” derives from the loom, a machine that weaves yarn or threads together to create something stronger, tangible, and long-lasting.

Describe your research process and findings. If you conducted any surveys or interviews, please include the survey form and/or interview questions here. If you conducted secondary research by pulling from online sources, please include a link to your sources. (Max 500 words) Write your answer here.

Our research combined secondary research with primary data collection through a survey of 17 participants across multiple generations.

Secondary Research We began by exploring the root causes of generational gaps. Johns Hopkins' article on generational values revealed that work-centric personality traits and differing life priorities create significant friction points for individuals trying to build or rekindle relationships across age groups. Additional research on sociocultural intimacy (Nidhi Singh, 2025) and intergenerational understanding (Gagandeep Brar, 2024) helped us identify specific barriers to cross-generational connection. Primary Research To validate and expand on these findings, we surveyed 17 individuals across age ranges (18-29 and 30-45). Our survey measured comfort levels when sharing personal experiences with different age groups and identified specific communication challenges.

Key findings: Comfort levels varied by age: Gen Z respondents (18-29) reported an average comfort level of 4.81/7 when sharing with their own age group, while Millennial/Gen X respondents (30-45) reported 6/7 comfort with their peers, suggesting younger generations feel less comfortable with intergenerational dialogue. Communication challenges were consistent across ages: All age groups identified similar barriers, including different communication styles, different values or worldviews, uncertainty about what to discuss, concern about judgment or misunderstanding, technology differences, time constraints, and smooth communication flow.

_Solution Framework _ Brar's research provided our breakthrough: generational gaps can be addressed through mentorship, reverse-mentorship, and creating cultures of mutual learning. Rather than viewing age differences as obstacles, they become opportunities for knowledge exchange when the right framework exists. This insight, combined with our survey findings about discomfort and communication barriers, shaped Looms! This is a designed platform for intergenerational knowledge sharing through personal stories and practical advice. Users can both share portions of their lives and learn from others' experiences, regardless of age. To directly address the survey-identified concerns about judgment and communication style differences, we implemented username-based anonymity and structured topic categories, allowing users to share openly without the social risks that create discomfort in face-to-face generational conversations.

Survey Link: https://airtable.com/appDgo40NtVF5zxEG/pagHLkcRno8YlsnLT/form Sources: ttps://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmae052, https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=jbp1K6UAAAAJ&citation_for_view=jbp1K6UAAAAJ:9yKSN-GCB0IC

Describe your most important design decisions. What research findings and/or user testing results led you to make these decisions? (Max 500 words) Write your answer here.

Our design decisions emerged directly from pain points identified in both our survey data and persona research, with each choice addressing specific barriers to intergenerational connection.

Tips and Stories Feature Based on Brar's mentorship model and our survey findings about communication style differences, we designed two distinct sharing modes. "Tips" allow users to share practical, actionable wisdom ("Money advice I'd give my younger self"), while "Stories" invite personal narrative ("A financial decision that shaped my path"). This dual approach accommodates different comfort levels and communication preferences, as some users prefer giving concrete advice, while others connect through storytelling. Both formats facilitate the bidirectional learning Brar identified as essential for closing generational gaps, while giving users control over how vulnerable or practical they want to be.

Username-Based Anonymity Our survey revealed that comfort levels when sharing personal experiences with different age groups averaged only 4.88/7, with Gen Z reporting the lowest comfort at 4.81/7. Respondents specifically cited "concern about judgment or misunderstanding" as a primary communication barrier. Our personas reinforced this, Rei, (Gen Z) expressed her shame about discussing personal topics and fear of judgment from older generations.

Rather than requiring real names or profile photos, Looms uses usernames and optional character avatars, allowing users to build reputation and connections through their username without the social risk of being identified by family members, colleagues, or community members who might judge their career pivots, financial mistakes, or personal struggles.

Topic-Based Entry Points with Structured Prompts Our survey identified "uncertain what to discuss" and "different communication styles" as key barriers across all age groups. To address this, we organized content into 12 relatable categories (Cooking & Recipes, Career & Workplace, Health & Wellness, etc.), each with specific experience-based prompts. These three decisions work together to create a low-barrier, high-safety environment for the mentorship and reverse-mentorship that Brar's research showed could bridge generational gaps.

If applicable, describe how you utilized AI in your design process in detail. Please explain where AI fit into your workflow, which tools you used, and the specific purpose AI served at that stage. Include a concrete example of how AI influenced a design decision.

All designed materials were created without the use of AI. However, when creating survey materials and written materials within the design (e.g. Card descriptions and Headers), AI was used to generate content to minimize time when organizing the team’s workflow. Additionally, the research summary was generated with Claude to save time.

Built With

• figjam
• figma
• notion