Couch talk
Cheuk tung Lo
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Couch Talk is a text-dominated safe space for long-distance conflict resolution. People in long-distance personal relationships often turn to texting during conflicts because it offers emotional distance and time to formulate thoughts calmly. However, the lack of non-verbal cues creates misunderstandings before conflicts arise and reduces social presence during resolution, making conversations feel distant and impersonal. This project reimagines support for long-distance romantic and family relationships as a seamless plug-in for existing messaging apps. It reframes texting's filtered nature as an advantage for conflict resolution. By removing overwhelming emotional signals, it creates a text-dominated environment that prioritises honest and direct verbal communication. Agents are introduced as neutral mediators, to provide non-intrusive suggestions on communication style, without intervening usersʼ decisions regarding the conflict. Visual status indicators recreate social presence for long-distance users.