Elderly Care
Interactive board empowering residents in aged care facilities
Summary
The aim of aged care homes is to create a positive living experience; however, many residents report low levels of wellbeing (Royal Commission, 2019).
This, along with my observations of the socialisation and wellbeing of residents during volunteer work at an aged care home, prompted the problem space for this project. Our goal was to conceptualise a new way for aged care residents to feel supported, heard, and connected.
As a Product Designer, I prioritised diving deep into the research and usability testing stages. This allowed me to truly empathise with our target audiences, informing the design process and guiding us towards more user-centred solutions.
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
August - November 2022
Team
Emily Adler
Ami Kotecha
Teagan Barends
Tools
Figma
Canva
Adobe Illustrator
Problem
Residential aged care supports older citizens by providing assistance with everyday living, accommodation, personal care, and healthcare. Whilst the aim of nursing homes is to create a positive living experience, many residents report low levels of wellbeing. The Royal Commission into aged care reveals that around 50% of aged care residents have symptoms of anxiety and depression, compared to 10% of older Australians in general (Royal Commission, 2019). This alarming statistic highlights the inadequacy of current arrangements for the treatment and prevention of mental health concerns in aged care facilities.
Research
To effectively address the problem scenario, several research methods were utilised, including interviews, questionnaires, contextual observation, and secondary literature research. Australian aged care residents, workers and family members and friends of those living in aged care were the target group for this research. Through the implementation of the affinity diagramming methodology, crucial themes and areas of focus were identified.
As a result, it was clear that users need a solution that:
Grounded in the above research findings, three personas were developed, each with different needs, goals and frustrations. Storyboarding was then used to better empathise with the target users, to improve the design solution.
Personas
Solution
The final design concept is an interactive board designed to improve the wellbeing and mental health of aged care residents through facilitating greater communication, autonomy, and connection.
Why are we designing an interactive touchscreen for the elderly? Elderly individuals often face challenges with technology, but what if it's not their lack of skill, but rather the design itself that's creating barriers? We aim to create a comprehensive solution that accommodates diverse needs.
This touchscreen interface prioritises usability, featuring large text and icons for enhanced accessibility, alongside voice prompts to ensure inclusivity. Additionally, it is complemented by corresponding staff boards, streamlining access to resident data for caregivers and staff members.
Design Development
To make the most effective solution which meets the users needs, we completed a rigorous design development process including thumbnail sketches, black and white wireframes, and high fidelity wireframe prototypes. We utilised primary and secondary research findings, external feedback, group discussions and ethical considerations to inform our first iteration. Design choices to consider after this research include a large screen, colour contrast, simple design, clear indication of where to click, no typing, minimal gestures, no scrolling, hyper-legible fonts.
Thumbnail Sketches
2. Black & White Wireframes
3. Mock-up Prototypes
Usability Testing
Using our first high fidelity prototype, we undertook expert-based testing (through heuristic evaluation) to detect key usability issues with the product.
Experts were first prompted to spend some time exploring the app to get a feel for the flow of interaction and the scope of the interface. Then, they were provided with tasks to complete. Using the Figma heuristic evaluation template, experts were asked to comment on the violation, recommendation and severity of the design in regards to the ten heuristics. The output, from this method, was a list of usability issues in the product with reference to the ten usability evaluation principles that were violated through the design (from the opinion of the expert).
From expert to user-based testing
Next, we performed user-based testing with aged care residents and staff, employing think-aloud protocols, cooperative analysis, and SUS evaluation. Most features were tested to gather sufficient data on the devices' usability. Participants included 6 staff and 7 residents from one aged-care facility, chosen to represent a range of ages, mobility levels, accessibility issues, and technical knowledge. Staff tested both the staff and resident devices, leveraging their firsthand experience with residents' needs. Feedback from this was synthesised using affinity diagramming and implemented to form the final design.
Thus, through usability testing, we were able to iterate the design three times, ultimately leading to a more user-friendly solution.
From user-based testing to the final design
The Solution in Detail
Resident Board: the design is a touchscreen board placed within the resident’s bedroom. This board will allow residents to alert staff when they need assistance, provide staff with feedback and suggestions, check-in on their wellbeingand provide opportunities for them to socialise. The touchscreen has accessibility features such as large font and icons, high colour contrast, limited scrolling, Atkinson hyper-legible font and no typing (voice recordings only).
Staff board: the resident's board will be paired with corresponding staff boards which allow workers to easily access the resident’s data. Not only will this help the residents, but it will also assist with staff turnover rate, information being lost and organisational issues.
Reflection
A crucial learning gained throughout this journey was the importance of challenging preconceived notions and remaining receptive to the possibility of being mistaken. Initially, our focus was solely on crafting a solution tailored exclusively for elderly aged care residents. However, through extensive research and engagement, we uncovered an unexpected opportunity to also address the needs of aged care staff.
By broadening our perspective and considering the perspectives and needs of both residents and staff, we were able to create a solution that was more holistic.
This experience underscored the importance of maintaining flexibility and openness throughout the design process. It served as a reminder that innovation often arises from challenging assumptions and exploring alternative viewpoints. Embracing this mindset enabled us to pivot effectively and ultimately deliver a solution that better met the diverse needs of the aged care community.
Overall, the design process was effective. Using the double diamond approach to guide the design process, the direction and reasoning behind each phase was clear. It was particularly beneficial to work as a team as we were able to delegate and split up tasks. This not only made the process more efficient, but it allowed everyone to ‘play to their strengths’ to ensure everything was completed to a high standard. Possible future steps include making every single interaction work. Due to time constraints, we only made key touchpoints operational. Furthermore, we could fully develop the product (size, materials, functionality etc.) and place it in actual aged care facilities, to provide an understanding of how it works in the desired context. This will give a deeper understanding of how it is used on a day-to-day basis.