sweet & sour

concept

Helping young adults prepare for future discussions navigating death and legacy with their parents, turning a possibly sour conversation into a sweet one.

overview

research

design

solution

reflection

TIMELINE

Sep 2025 - Dec 2025

Sep - Dec 2025

ROLE

UX/UI Designer

TEAM

1 Product Manager

3 UX/UI Designers

DISCIPLINES

UX Research

Prototyping

OVERVIEW

Moving past wills: Designing a platform for end-of-life dialogues within family members

Moving past wills: Designing a platform for end-of-life dialogues within family members

Moving past wills: Designing a platform for end-of-life dialogues within family members

Aging and care planning are universal realities, but talking about them with our loved ones is incredibly uncomfortable. While most people agree these conversations are crucial, they constantly delay them because they do not know how to start without causing tension or sadness.

Aging and care planning are universal realities, but talking about them with our loved ones is incredibly uncomfortable. While most people agree these conversations are crucial, they constantly delay them because they do not know how to start without causing tension or sadness.

solution

Sweet and Sour Conversations is a virtual platform that provides users with personalized guidance and pre-conversation preparation for future conversations about death and legacy.

Sweet and Sour Conversations is a virtual platform that provides users with personalized guidance and pre-conversation preparation for future conversations about death and legacy.

Sweet and Sour Conversations is a virtual platform that provides users with personalized guidance and pre-conversation preparation for future conversations about death and legacy.

research

Our initial assumption: Families completely avoid end of life planning because it is too awkward

Our initial assumption: Families completely avoid end of life planning because it is too awkward

Our initial assumption: Families completely avoid end of life planning because it is too awkward

01

User Surveys

20 participants obtained through word of mouth and shared communities

02

User Interviews

5 participants across Zoom. Recruited through university channels

03

Secondary research

Collected through research papers on death and family dynamics

04

Usability Test & Critique

Many pivots after listening to feedback!

The reality check: 80% of families talk logistics, but crave depth

The reality check: 80% of families talk logistics, but crave depth

The reality check: 80% of families talk logistics, but crave depth

Four research methods revealed that family conversations about death tend to be practical rather than emotional, triggered by crises, and shaped by family norms, birth order, and religion.

Four research methods revealed that family conversations about death tend to be practical rather than emotional, triggered by crises, and shaped by family norms, birth order, and religion.

design

Thinking outside the box

Thinking outside the box

Thinking outside the box

When we first started coming up with ideas of solutions, we explored the concept of doing family activities (like games) to facilitate these conversations.

When we first started coming up with ideas of solutions, we explored the concept of doing family activities (like games) to facilitate these conversations.

Attempting to turn "sour to sweet" through a gamified wine-brewing app

Attempting to turn "sour to sweet" through a gamified wine-brewing app

Attempting to turn "sour to sweet" through a gamified wine-brewing app

This concept encourages families who are living apart to participate in difficult conversations about death and legacy and provides an incentive through a physical customized wine/beverage.

This concept encourages families who are living apart to participate in difficult conversations about death and legacy and provides an incentive through a physical customized wine/beverage.

Pivot 1: Peer review reveals the wine metaphor is culturally exclusive

Pivot 1: Peer review reveals the wine metaphor is culturally exclusive

Pivot 1: Peer review reveals the wine metaphor is culturally exclusive

During design critiques, peer feedback highlighted a major flaw: wine brewing is not globally or culturally inclusive. For many families, alcohol carries religious, cultural, or personal taboos that would alienate the exact users we wanted to support. We realized the metaphor itself was creating a barrier.

During design critiques, peer feedback highlighted a major flaw: wine brewing is not globally or culturally inclusive. For many families, alcohol carries religious, cultural, or personal taboos that would alienate the exact users we wanted to support. We realized the metaphor itself was creating a barrier.

Switching to a universal concept: Co-authoring a family cookbook

Switching to a universal concept: Co-authoring a family cookbook

Switching to a universal concept: Co-authoring a family cookbook

To fix the inclusivity issue, we pivoted to a universal theme that connects all cultures: food. We transformed the app into a shared digital cookbook where completing conversation prompts unlocked family recipes.

To fix the inclusivity issue, we pivoted to a universal theme that connects all cultures: food. We transformed the app into a shared digital cookbook where completing conversation prompts unlocked family recipes.

Pivot 2: Usability testing reveals users don't want a game at all

Pivot 2: Usability testing reveals users don't want a game at all

Pivot 2: Usability testing reveals users don't want a game at all

We took the recipe prototype into usability testing, and the feedback was a definitive wake-up call. The metaphor completely confused people. They did not want an intellectual detour or a playful game to talk about death.

We took the recipe prototype into usability testing, and the feedback was a definitive wake-up call. The metaphor completely confused people. They did not want an intellectual detour or a playful game to talk about death.

"Is this a recipe about how to have the conversation, or is this a recipe about what to eat?" —P3, rated the Plan a Conversation feature 5/5 difficulty

"Is this a recipe about how to have the conversation, or is this a recipe about what to eat?" —P3, rated the Plan a Conversation feature 5/5 difficulty

Design decisions

Design decisions

Conversation Guidance &

Digital Platform

80% of survey participants had already discussed death and legacy with their family — but wanted to go deeper on content and tone. And since 4 out of 5 interviewees lived apart from their families, we built a virtually accessible platform to guide those conversations from anywhere.

AI Guidance Chat

Survey responses and secondary research identified the most-discussed topics: advance care planning, financial planning, and memorial preferences. The guidance chat lets users explore these at their own pace before the real conversation happens.

AI Practice Chat

Participants P1, P2, and P3 wanted AI responses to feel more personalized and contextual — not generic. The practice chat generates scripts tailored to the user's family dynamics, birth order, and communication style.

Resource Hub

Testing showed mixed preferences — some users (P1, P2) were hesitant to rely on AI for sensitive topics and preferred independent research. The resource hub gives them that option, organized around the topics most requested in our surveys.

Saved Content

Meaningful conversations about death often happen in moments of crisis. The account tab lets users save chat histories and articles so they can come back to them when it matters most.

reflection

If I did this project again, I would…

If I did this project again, I would…

Get the AI principles down

I would dedicate more time to AI design principles to ensure the product followed best practices. With topics as sensitive as death, safety and privacy concerns surfaced across all testing methods. Our number one priority would be to address this to help with adoption.

Build a rapid prototype

We bounced around ideas for a prototype LM that could simulate a conversation, but due to time constraints we could not complete this. I believe building a functional conversational prototype earlier to test for edge cases would inform stronger design decisions.

sweet & sour

concept

Helping young adults prepare for future discussions navigating death and legacy with their parents, turning a possibly sour conversation into a sweet one.

designed with

and lots of coffee :)

© Camilla Delgado → updated 5.2026

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