Self-reflection Doll: A Generative Tool for Participatory Design Research on Student Burnout

Design and HCI researchers are increasingly exploring sensitive topics. Despite attempts to involve participants to better understanding their needs, it remains challenging for researchers to elicit information from vulnerable participants. To involve marginalized voices in participatory design, we need to search beyond traditional research tools. We propose a Self-Reflection Doll, a generative tool that aims at helping participants overcome psychological barriers to share emotionally sensitive experiences during participatory design research. To examine the feasibility and benefits of the new method, a comparative case study on the topic of burnout syndrome was conducted using the Self-Reflection Doll in comparison with Focus Group and Cultural Probe. The paper discusses the strengths of the new generative tool in making participants feel more at ease to disclose personal stories and eliciting both implicit and explicit information for design research regarding Burnout Syndrome and other sensitive topics.