Magic Conch

The Problem

Current Conflict resolution tools ignore the emotional reality of being in conflict

Most digital tools for communication assume users are calm, rational, and ready to problem-solve. But real interpersonal conflict doesn't work that way. Each stage of a conflict — before, during, and after — carries distinct emotional states that shape what people are able to hear and do.

DESIGN CHALLENGE

How to build an experience that acknowledges where someone is emotionally, and meets them there and gently guides them forward.

Grounding design in emotional theory

Drawing from three frameworks — emotional design theory, restorative justice principles, and HCI research — I mapped the emotional arc of conflict to specific design requirements at each stage.

Before Conflict Resolution

Acknowledge emotional strain first

Structured prompts help users name and express their emotional state before anything else. Validation precedes guidance.

during Conflict Resolution

Don't fight emotion — use it

Emotions attach to objects, people, and ideas. The design works with this rather than trying to neutralize it, turning emotional input into structured dialogue.

after Conflict Resolution

Translate internal tension outward

Onboarding and reflection features help users turn internal emotional states into communicable language — the bridge between feeling and resolution.

Research Foundation

Bringing Restorative Dialogue to Conflict resolution

Restorative justice principles shaped the core interaction model: rather than determining who was right, the app creates space for everyone affected to contribute to repairing the harm.

Design thinking for Magic Conch prioritized:

Emotional Processing

Reflection

Safety

Conflict Resolution

Participant consent

Two rounds of testing, two different problems

I used scenario-mapping exercises to simulate high-stakes conversations, then observed where the flow broke down, not just whether users completed tasks, but how they felt while doing them.

testing process

Round 1 — Testing onboarding

Assessed whether the flow was preparing users emotionally, not just walking them through steps. Used scenario-mapping to simulate conflict preparation before they entered the app.

Key insight

choice overload undermined emotional grounding

Too many options introduced too early felt overwhelming. Users needed emotional validation before being given agency. This shifted the onboarding sequence significantly — guidance had to follow grounding, not precede it.

Round 2 — Emotional map testing

Evaluated how users' emotional states evolved across the flow. Tracked four dimensions: positive affect, anxiety, interpersonal connection, and perceived emotional load.

Key insight

Iterated on pacing and prompt structure

Structured pauses and guided prompts reduced the sense of being flooded. Reflection moments were redesigned to feel like collaboration, not therapy. The emotional arc of the flow became as important as the information architecture.

Four consistent patterns from the testing

Positive emotions increased throughoutFeelings like hope increased as users moved through the flow — especially after expressing needs and making commitments.

Anxiety decreased as uncertainty reducedEarly stages felt uncertain, but later stages felt easier once users understood what to expect from the structure.

Perspective-sharing built connectionMoments designed for mutual expression strengthened understanding between participants rather than deepening division.

Structured prompts reduced emotional overloadGuided prompts gave users a way to express themselves meaningfully without feeling lost or flooded.

Final Prototype

Test Prototype

Takeaways

Magic Conch is a near-future concept and critical exploration of emotional technology.

What the Project Became Through research, prototyping, and testing, the project evolved to address how I help people resolve conflict without making an app that replaces the emotional labor.

Emotional Desgin To resolve a highly emotional user process, emotional design theory centered on ethical technological use and to better understand the emotional state of the user flow.

reflection

Magic Conch taught how essential it is to implement emotional design in the creative process. When we use any digital interface, we go through a series of emotional states depending on the experience, and bettering understanding how to understand these states can lead to great design.