Participatory Design of a Tool for Emotion Expression based on Non-violent Communication Principles
Project Overview
How might digital tools help people express their emotions more clearly and understand others with greater empathy?
For my Master's thesis, I explored this question by combining Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Participatory Design, conversational AI, and interaction design. I designed and evaluated a digital tool that gives users a safe space to practice emotionally difficult conversations, explore their feelings and needs, and develop more empathetic ways of communicating.
The Challenge
Expressing emotions can be difficult, especially when conversations become emotionally charged.
People may know that they are frustrated, hurt, or overwhelmed, but struggle to find the words that accurately communicate what they are feeling and needing. This can lead to misunderstandings, judgment, and defensive reactions.
Nonviolent Communication provides a framework for expressing ourselves through observations, feelings, needs, and requests. However, learning and practicing this framework independently can be challenging.
How can a digital system support people in practicing emotion expression and empathetic communication using NVC principles?
Research Through Participation
Because communication and emotions are deeply personal, I wanted users to be participated in the design process rather than simply evaluate a finished product.
I conducted three Participatory Design workshops, progressively moving from understanding communication difficulties to testing concepts and evaluating the mobile prototype.
Workshop 01 — Discover
I explored how participants express emotions, where they struggle, and what kinds of tools could support them.
Workshop 02 — Explore
I introduced early concepts for AI-supported role-play, empathetic listening, visual metaphors, and note-taking, and gathered feedback on their usefulness and clarity.
Workshop 03 — Evaluate
Participants interacted with a mobile prototype to evaluate the interaction flow, navigation, and overall experience.
The findings from each workshop directly informed the next design iteration.
The Solution
I designed a mobile experience that helps users move between self-awareness, communication practice, and empathetic listening.
01 Emotional Check-in
The experience begins by giving users space to reflect on how they are feeling.
Instead of immediately asking users to solve a conflict, the system first creates an opportunity to recognize and express their emotional state.
The conversation adapts its language according to the user's emotional state, creating a calmer and more supportive entry point.
02 Role-Play
Users can practice a conversation with an AI Role-Play.
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The user takes the role of the Giraffe, representing empathetic communication, while the AI takes the role of the Jackal, representing judgmental or aggressive communication.
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Users can respond freely or ask for support through:
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Suggestions
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Feelings & Needs Library
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Guidance
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AI-generated responses
As the conversation progresses, the interaction visually reflects changes in tone and connection.The goal isn't to produce the perfect response. It is to give users a space where they can practice, make mistakes, and try again.
03 Hear with Empathy
While Role-Play focuses on expressing yourself, Hear with Empathy focuses on understanding someone else.
Users bring a difficult statement or situation into the conversation and work with the Giraffe to explore the possible feelings and needs behind the other person's words.
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Instead of immediately reacting to what was said, the system encourages the user to pause, reflect, and become curious.
One of the central design decisions was how AI should behave. Rather than positioning AI as an authority that tells users what they should feel or say, I designed it as adaptive guidance. When users need help, they can choose the type of support they want, from exploring vocabulary to receiving example responses.