The Passion Project

Service Design | Research | User Experience Design

Time Period : Dec '22 - May '23

Designing for Passion Beyond Profession

‘In a world where people are increasingly becoming busy, it’s easy to lose track of the things that excite us and brings a sense of fulfilment beyond our professional pursuits’

Rooted in my own personal experiences and observations of the world around me, I developed The Passion Project as an exploration of How might we promote the Pursuit of Passions beyond the boundaries of work.

Undergraduate Thesis Book

What is the Problem?

The pursuit of personal passions among early-career individuals is increasingly taking a back seat to academic and professional demands.

Engaging in interests outside of work is essential for emotional well-being and self-growth, yet it's rarely made easy or sustainable without a sense of community or supportive structure.

>> ITS TIME WE RETHINK PURSUIT

OF PASSIONS

Why does it matter?

In a world obsessed with productivity, making time for personal passions is no longer just nice to have — it’s necessary.

You and I feed our passions one spoonful at a time. Our daily activities occupies much of the daytime, so finding time when one can incorporate their passion in a manner that is both enjoyable and sustainable, is critical. They are equally fundamental human needs, one for economic stability and self-actualization.

We are often told to pursue work we’re passionate about. But, for many people, this simply isn’t feasible. And people care deeply about many different things—not all of which will be how they want to earn a living.

The Research Plan

The Double Diamond framework was opted as a framework to guide the project, starting with wide exploration through research and insights, further narrowing in on a clear opportunity. From there, I ideated, prototyped, and designed a strategic conceptual and visual outcome for the same.

Key Insights from Research

1. Emerging Work and Culture Shifts

>> GIG ECONOMY;

BUZZWORD OF THE 21ST CENTURY

A substantial part of the world’s economic output is associated with gig work, with around USD 4.5 trillion of gross volume having been generated from all forms of non-traditional work across the world in year 2019.

The set of advantages that the gig economy provides has resulted in increasing levels of adoption and participation in gig work across the globe in both developed and developing nations.

Gig Work is not a new concept in India

With India’s large informal economy and ‘casual workers’ segment, India has always had the equivalent of gig work across urban and rural areas.

The Gig Workforce in India is expected to expand to 2.35 crore workers by the year 2029-30

Gig Workers can be divided into Eight Distinct Segments

They wish to find success quickly and on their own terms. Student gig workers typically seek out flexibility (35%) and learning (22%) as key job drivers.

2. Target Audience & Opportunity Space

>> GENERATION-Z

CRAVES AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES!

The current generation craves experiences where they can learn, interact and engage that will aid their overall development. The college students in today’s era have ambition and audacity. And they have one quality that sets them apart from every previous generation in India is a genuine appetite for risk.

The Gen Z is not just aware of opportunities for learnings and experiences that are available to them, but are also don't shy away from giving it a shot without the pressure of mastering everything they indulge in. The pace of the world, combined with Gen Z’s ambition, makes them want everything now.

Gen Z wishes to experiences things that are tangible

and tactile. They also are generally categorized as the ones favoring memories and experiences as opposed to owning material goods.

Passion has been a huge selection driver for this generation. It allows them to do what they want to do, when they want to do it, and at a pace that rhymes with them.

So, what are Passions?

Passions are those intense and enduring feelings of enthusiasm & the excitement that one feels towards some particular activity.

Young adults care deeply about many different things,

Not all of which is how they want to earn a living.

A growing body of research suggests that pursuing passions does indeed improve well-being, but that where you do it is far less critical. In fact, several studies show that doing something one is passionate about outside of work (rather than in it) benefits both career and personal life.

While pursuing passion at work is known to increase work engagement and job performance, it’s both unrealistic and risky to rely on work as the only means to do so.

>> PURSUING PASSIONS OUTSIDE OF WORK

Qualitative Insights - Semi Structured Interviews

This generation is strongly driven by a desire for adventure. and fun as a common theme for this generation. When asked to choose, they would rather be doing things where they can learn, interact and engage in activities that aid their overall development.

Quantitative Insights - Survey & Questionnaires

This chart suggests the willingness of 100 Indian college students from Mumbai to take up gig work.

The gen-z values flexibility in their work schedule and the ability to have control over their worklife balance. They are also attracted to the opportunity to gain diverse work experiences, develop new skills, and build their professional network.