ELF
ELF is a conversation-based support platform in collaboration with Försäkringskassan. It explores how, in future more intimate and flexible systems could assist individuals in navigating life plans, reimagining the evolving relationship between citizens and the state.
DURATION
8 weeks
MY ROLE
User Research/Service Design/UX Design
TEAM
Tianqi Xiong, Anjuli, Tianlong
Who is Försäkringskassan?
Sweden’s Social Insurance Agency supports individuals financially through key life events including illness, parental leave, and unemployment. It delivers services such as sickness benefits, child support, and housing assistance, helping people maintain their well-being. The agency strives to build a fair and inclusive social system, contributing to stability throughout Sweden.
Challenge
New immigrants encounter barriers to accessing and fully understanding their rights within the governmental framework.It's like a transparent bubble which they can not enter.
'I know I have certain rights in Sweden, but who do I ask what these are?'
Said by one of our interviewers. And she is not the only one, it's also Huang, Hong Lai, Lee, Fatehma, Raj, Cris, Alonso—all first-generation immigrants who have made Sweden their new home.
So we define our challenge as
How might we design for better visibility and access to rights for first-generation immigrants?
Definition
This diagram maps the complex interactions between individuals and public agencies throughout different life events in Sweden. By visualizing real-life scenarios, we try to highlight how the social insurance system intersects with personal journeys during migration, health challenges, and family transitions.
After formulating discussion around this diagram, we mapped out 3 layers that block individuals from closely engaging with social services.
That is:
access
transparency
trust
In this project, though we only focus on the first layer: how to make social benefits accessible to individuals, but we envision for a future that it will make the layer visible and permeable.
Ethnographic Research
We initiated the project with a cultural sensitization workshop, gathering personal stories around governance and the Swedish system. A culturally sensitive, human-centered approach proved crucial for building authentic engagement.
By exploring these personal narratives, we sought to build a comprehensive understanding of the citizen-state relationship, creating a basis for meaningful dialogue. We then mapped these stories across different life stages, highlighting key moments of connection and disconnection.
Introducing ELF
Elf is a friendly guide that helps bridge the gap between individuals and government agencies, making it easier to navigate important information through different life stages.
Acting as a small companion, Elf reimagines how support can feel more personal, shifting the traditional power balance between citizens and the state.
Rather than approaching government interactions transactionally, Elf treats each event as part of a broader life journey. As individuals update their status in Elf, they receive clear notifications about their rights and next steps, reducing uncertainty and empowering them to navigate public systems with confidence.
By making touchpoints human-centered and life-stage oriented, Elf gently shifts the traditional power dynamic between the state and its people—creating a future where public support feels personal, visible, and empowering.
Elf lives quietly across your connected devices, stepping in only when urgent action is needed. At other times, you can choose to check in with Elf whenever it fits into your life. You control how visible Elf is—deciding when and how often it appears. Your data stays yours: any shared information is used solely to deliver accurate support and access, with no compromises to your ownership or privacy.