Allwayswithyou
How to create confidence in users who are not adept at technology.
Problem
Application
Role
Duration
Tools
Create an app for seniors to keep track of their health information all in one
Mobile
Project Manager / UX Designer
5 weeks
Figma, Google Suite, Zoom
Introducing the App
Allwayswithyou is an app that helps families keep track of their loved ones' health using devices that seniors already own. This allows seniors to maintain their independence while still sharing important information with their families.
The stakeholders wanted us to redesign the app's user interface to be more intuitive and accessible, with a homepage that tracks tasks and a wellness page that allows users and families to monitor health remotely and easily access all the necessary information. Our goal was to create a design that would inspire confidence in the app's users.
Identifying the Issues
After we spoke with the stakeholders our team looked over the app as is and kept in mind the mission of the app and whom the demographic of the app was: seniors and their families helping them keep track of their health goals and staying connected and organized with appointments and taking their medication. We took notes of issues we saw within the app and listened to the stakeholder's ideas and here were our findings:
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Create a way that allows for users to add medication information without having to type all the information manually.
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The complex UI can be difficult for seniors creating a cognitive overload.
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There is a lack of contrast and the font size could be difficult for seniors to read.
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Stakeholders suggested a way to have a summary as a way to get an overall view of the progress of their tasks within their wellness plan.
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The homepage is overwhelming with information and the icons are too light that anyone with poor eyesight might be confused about the tasks.
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It's not clear what tasks need to be accomplished and how to look at previous tasks from past dates.
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Create an onboarding process that introduces to the users what the app is
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Within the onboarding process encourage users to explore the app
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Establish a care plan within the app for users to keep track of activities they need to accomplish daily for their health.
Who is the Competition?
Before creating any low fidelity designs we needed to learn about our competitors who often work with elders in keeping track of their health. We looked at 3 main companies: MiiCare, Cera +, and Fitbit.
Competative Analysis chart comparing the different apps that seniors use to keep track of their health.
Sitemap
After identifying the desired features for the app, we created a new sitemap to improve the user experience and determine the best places for all the necessary information. Our goal was to create a sitemap that was easy to navigate and required minimal movement. For example, we placed the main insights page in a location that allowed users to access all sections of the app without having to navigate through multiple pages, which can be difficult for seniors with limited hand movement.
Understanding the Problem
Before creating any solutions we need to dive into the data that WanderGram had provided to learn who are the optimal users. So we meet Nick and Sarah. Nick wants a solution to find the best photo-ops nearby without researching extensively. Sarah on the other hand doesn't mind researching however she has a hard time finding data on lesser-known locations.
Sitemap for the Allwayswithyou mobile app
First Drafts
After creating a draft of the app, we showcased our screens to the stakeholders and gathered notes from their critique. Here were some of their comments:
First screens for the onboarding of the app.
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"I would like the onboarding process to have the least amount of steps and focus on the setup on the sight page."
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"I like how the user can upload the care plan onto the app to generate activities."
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"There should be a page where the users can know which devices are compatible with the app.
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"Seeing the time on the side separated from the task helps users comprehend better"
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"It's nice to see the major task being emphasized at the top of the screen"
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"We would like the images to be changed to more noticeable icons to contrast better from the background."
First screens for the Insights page and Notifications.
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"We enjoy seeing that the users can input how they are feeling within the app!"
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"The icons within the summary page are too small and hard to understand."
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"Allowing the users to scan the bottle of the prescription is a great way to not force users to type in all the information"
First screens for the Wellness page.
Testing it Out
To ensure that our app was usable, we conducted usability testing with a diverse group of 8 users, including seniors and family caregivers. Our goal was to determine which features were effective and whether the current design was usable and easy to understand. These were our findings:
8 out of 8 users preferred the light mode vs the dark mode. We had one user who was color blind and stated that the light mode passed in visibility for them.
"I enjoyed not having to enter data right away in the onboarding screens
"This is so useful to see the recommended devices that work with the app."
"I was not sure what these were and what it represents. Is this requiring me to download something and how did it get this information?"
"I'm not sure what this list is. I see the top task being important however is there a way to signal to see what tasks have already bee accomplished from this list?
"I love that this notification is signaling if I need help possibly to contact customer service or a family member."
"I enjoy that I can keep track of how I'm feeling during the day."
"I feel lost on what this page is supposed to be for."
"It's great that I can see all the health data being tracking and have the ability to add or remove trackers."
"It's so useful that the app can scan my medication and add the information for me."
Final Screens
Designing for seniors was a new and exciting experience that taught me the importance of setting aside my biases and focusing on users' needs as a UX designer. Through user research and usability testing, I realized that different user groups have different needs.
Designing for seniors presented unique challenges, but it also presented opportunities to create better designs that support elderly users. In hindsight, I wish we had more time to refine our design and conduct more usability tests. By identifying and addressing more problems through testing, we could have improved the product and delivered a better experience for users. However the stakeholders were please with our results and thanked us for improving their UI.
Final screens for Allwayswithyou mobile app.
Last Thoughts
As the lead in a design project, I initially found the experience daunting. However, it became necessary for me to take on this role because we needed someone to ensure that the designs were consistent, especially when not everyone could work together at the same time. In this role, I had to keep track of the goals set by our stakeholders and make sure that the designs were consistent across all pages. I also distributed the work evenly among group members based on their interests and strengths.
Another interesting aspect of the design process was designing for a group that is not the majority of mobile device users. Despite the progress we have made in accessibility, seniors have not been fully utilizing all the features that could help them in their daily lives. When designing for this mature user base, it was crucial to listen to their feedback and understand their needs. By taking detailed notes during testing, we were able to improve the designs and adapt accordingly. In the future, I believe that if we were more organized from the start, we could have made more progress and possibly created more solutions for other features of the app. Nevertheless, this experience was enriching and I hope to have more opportunities to make a difference for a group often overlooked in technology.