2014
Six Degrees: A Social Platform to Connect People and Services
We worked with Marriott to think how digital technologies could create a more social lobby.
Hotel lobbies, even when busy, can be places where people—especially those traveling alone—can feel disconnected. Marriott Hotels asked us to think about how digital technologies could create a more social lobby. We began by thinking about how the physical architecture of a space can promote and support social interactions and meaningful experiences using artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and so on. Ultimately, we developed Six Degrees, a social network prototype through which guests in the physical space of the lobby can discover how they might be connected to other guests and that supports socializing in events planned by Marriott. The platform is designed to highlight existing connections and to encourage the formation of new connections. In addition, Six Degrees helps connect hotel guests with the neighborhood and city surrounding the hotel itself.
The Mobile App
When a guest logs in for the first time, the Six Degrees Mobile App pulls in data from LinkedIn, and creates a profile based around their professional background and personal interests. Six Degrees uses this information to match guests with one another based on what they have in common – whether they’ve worked at the same company, gone to the same school, or share similar interests.
The Interactive Table
The Six Degrees Interactive Table is designed to facilitate face-to-face interaction among guests who are connected on Six Degrees. The table responds to a users mobile device or key card. If two Six Degrees users who have something in common are seated at the table, the table glows to indicate their connection.
The Public Display
The Six Degrees Public Display, located in the lobby space, shows information about upcoming events and active Six Degrees users at the hotel. The public display visualizes aggregate data about the Six Degrees community.
