iphone6-3.jpg
iphone6-3.jpg

Peakfoqus


Designing a smart solution to connect seniors with caregivers

SCROLL DOWN

Peakfoqus


Designing a smart solution to connect seniors with caregivers

Student Project at General Assembly
Client:  Peakfoqus

My Role:

  • Ideation

  • Persona creation

  • Interaction Design

  • Paper prototyping

  • Wireframing

Project Brief

Create a smart solution for independent seniors to connect with their caregivers. Provide them with the assistance they require while empowering them to live independently.

Solution

We designed a system where the caregivers would have a mobile app that linked up to a smartwatch app used by the senior:

Mobile app for Caretakers:

  • Managing medication/appointment schedule

  • Setting up medication reminders

  • Tracking location

  • Sending text messages and stickers

  • Tracking heart rate

  • Receiving alerts senior's health, safety and medicine intake.

Smart Watch app for seniors:

  • Reminders for medication and appointments

  • Alerts for low battery, too much distance from phone

  • Reminder to put watch on again after charging

  • Ability to receive text and sticker messages from loved ones

  • Ability to send a sticker or message from templates

  • Emergency 911 button (built-in)

Research

1) Competitive Analysis:

We conducted some market research on health apps and senior wearable devices.

2) Surveys & Interviews

3) Creating Personas:

 

Research Insights:

Aging-in-place seniors:

  • Value independence

  • Dislike wearing pendants/specialized devices

  • Want to feel technologically relevant

  • Intrigued by smart watches

Caregivers:

  • Want to keep a check on seniors’ medicine intake

  • Location tracking for emergencies

  • Being able to reach them easily

  • Don’t want another social media/messaging app

Ideation & Feature Prioritization

Early Sketches

Final Concept

Prototype

 
 

Home page: Important information at first glance. 
Medical data and messaging screen one tap away for quick access

Loved ones can keep track of seniors’ medicine intake, and detect location during emergencies.

Setting reminders for medication

User Testing Insights

  • Features important to users: Fall detection, Medication Reminders, Location Tracking.

  • Seniors not eager to use their phones, or learn a new app.

  • Various changes needed to UI for clarity and usability.

  • Home screen optimization required.


Iterations

Sample of iterative process: The evolution of the home screen

Conclusions and Recommendations

1) Seniors and smartwatches:

  • Interested in watch, but can they comfortably use it? (Issues like deteriorating sight and motor skills were common)

  • They need convincing to adopt a new device, and learning curve is high.

2) Look into other devices, such as:

  • iPads: Seniors are already using them.

  • Fitbits: Water resistant and durable, and have a long battery life.

3) If client decides to stick with smart watch:

  • Long Term testing recommended to evaluate seniors usage of watch.

  • Help seniors learn how to use emergency button on watch:
    We suggest utilizing memory tricks like creating jingles and rhymes to help seniors remember functionality.

  • Since we are working with the Apple Watch, if/when Apple launches the built-in fall alert feature, steps should be taken to incorporate fall alerts into the mobile app.

  • A senior-friendly watch strap should be designed.

The Team

Batool Husain
Carolina Yeomans
Gladia Castro