MOOD ROOM
A physical and digital exploration reframing the act of waiting.
MOOD ROOM is an interactive installation piece designed for a medical waiting room. This experimental installation explores the intimate connection between our emotions and the physical spaces we occupy, particularly in healthcare settings—where sterile design amplifies negative feelings. How can redesigning our spaces shift our mindsets? Instead of dwelling on the act of waiting, why not lean into the moment of pause as an opportunity for contemplation?
With a webcam and responsive projections (using TouchDesigner), this piece invites participants to co-create their experience. The projections respond to movement, allowing participants to "paint" with light as it moves through layers of organza and mirrored tiles, creating a dynamic, interactive installation.
welcome room • DIGITAL COMPONENT
The other component of the reimagined waiting room experience involved a digital prototype for an emotional check-in process, which aimed to alleviate anxiety and discomfort.
For the first stages of user research, I worked with team members Honor Magon and Komal Kumar from the Stanford class Design for Health Equity. We each conducted numerous in-depth interviews with patients and physicians. After conducting interviews and observing the physical setting, we found that uncertainty—at multiple stages and scales—was an overarching theme of patient discomfort in the waiting room. The most recurring points were: 1) not knowing what to expect from the appointment, and 2) unknown wait times (in the words of one interviewee: “Part of what makes waiting so painful is just having no clue how long I’ll be sitting there… it could be 5 minutes or 50!”).
We realized transforming the waiting room would require a multi-pronged approach. To take one step towards improving patient well-being and communication between patients and providers, I created a prototype for a digital emotional check-in process. This serves two functions: 1) helping patients feel more at ease in the waiting room, and 2) providing an opportunity for patients to share information that will prepare them and their primary care provider for the appointment. Both patients and providers interviewed expressed a desire for reflective moments, as well as improved communication and access to information.
This emotional check-in design and experimental installation piece are not final solutions for a transformed waiting room experience. However, they demonstrate that every experience, product, and space can be reimagined. My hope is that these contribute to conversations rethinking how healthcare experiences can better support emotional well-being.
