Hey Stranger!
@Accenture the Dock

Once upon a time, strangers talked to strangers. Tiny interactions once made everyone feel part of everyday life together. Today, they’re vanishing. 
That’s where Hey Stranger! comes in: an app that helps people gently practice social confidence through simple, everyday challenges.
The journey starts small with things like smiling at someone, leaving a note, or offering a thank you, and gradually builds toward bigger steps. 
Each challenge comes with tips and gentler alternatives, plus space to reflect and track progress. Along the way, milestones, toolkits, and a collaborative board remind users they’re not alone, connection is something we can all grow into, one small moment at a time.

In recent years, loneliness has been described as a growing public health crisis, particularly in urban settings such as cities.
With the ever more present research on the topic, public institutions have begun treating loneliness as a public health issue, stressing the importance of third spaces, social prescribing, and community design in preventing long-term loneliness.
Moreover, amid the fast pace of modern life, people increasingly lack the time, energy, and emotional willingness to engage with strangers, deepening social isolation. 
Cities are increasingly designed for efficiency over encounter, and public space is often privatised or unwelcoming. As a result, the natural opportunities for spontaneous connection are disappearing, reinforcing isolation as the default.

The project

Why Loneliness?