GoodGuide: Reconnecting the Homeless and Others

Abstract

We developed a service, GoodGuide, to reconnect the homeless to the society. Through our human-centered research process, we have identified the homeless desire to communicate and interact with others. With the GoodGuide service design, the homeless can help guiding the passengers who usually lose their directions in the Taipei Railroad Station. Our design features three stages service activities also a feedback mechanism for the passengers. Through this service the homeless and the passengers might interact, communicate and have a new relationship. We believe it will be a chain effect of improved impression toward the homeless, if the homeless aids more passengers in the station. We also anticipate the staffs and other people will be friendlier to the homeless because of the improved impression from surrounding passengers.