Designer Role
Product, UX/UI, Research
Duration
June - November 2024
SERVICE DEDSIGN
Connected Senior Healthcare
with Smart Mirror-Based Wellness Support
overview
A Healthy Connection
Between Caregivers and Seniors
Worried about your parents' health when you live far away?
With NURI, you can easily manage their health routines and provide stress-free support for doctor visits. Bringing seniors' health and caregivers' peace of mind together.
Design process
Discover
Contextual Inquiry
Define
Develop
Deliver
Persona
Affinity Diagram
Service Goal
Concept model
Task flow
Wireframing
USABILITY TESTING
Final design
Background
Distant Families, Rising Burden of Health Management
Senior health management is becoming an increasingly critical issue in modern society. Many seniors now live separately from their children, making direct caregiving a significant challenge. This situation highlights the need for innovative solutions.
Fortunately, the rise of digital healthcare services offers new ways to help seniors maintain their independence while providing peace of mind to their families.
1 in 4 Seniors Live Alone
Administration for Community Living's 2023 Profile of Older Americans
In the U.S., 28% (16.2 million) of seniors live
independently, apart from their children.
Remote health monitoring, wearable devices, and smart home technology are transforming senior care.
Contextual Inquiry
Observing the Caregiver-Senior Dynamic
We conducted contextual inquiries by analyzing videos of caregivers managing the health of senior family members. Through this analysis, we identified key challenges, such as coordinating medical appointments and managing daily health routines. Our observations provided valuable insights into the interactions between caregivers and seniors, highlighting opportunities for technology to better support their needs.
Caregivers’ Challenges
Seniors’ Perspective
Interaction Needs
⏰ Time Pressure
Struggling to manage medical appointments and medication schedules alongside daily responsibilities.
💻 Tech Overload
Complex interfaces create confusion, simplicity is key.
💬 Better Communication
Real-time, simple ways for caregivers to stay updated.
📋 Info Transfer Issues
Difficulty relaying medical details accurately; need for automated support.
💊 Health Stress
Managing routines alone feels overwhelming.
🔄 Routine Flexibility
Easy adjustments to keep up with changing health conditions.
📡 Remote Anxiety
Worry about not being able to check seniors’ health in real time.
🔔 Memory Hurdles
Forgetting medication and appointments, crave intuitive reminders.
💡 Insights
Real-time updates for peace of mind.
Connection matters
Seniors thrive with intuitive, easy-to-use tech.
Simplicity saves
Caregivers need relief from time and emotional burdens.
High stress, high stakes
problem Statement
Caregivers and seniors struggle with high-stress health management, needing simple, connected support.
Persona
Empathizing with Caregivers and Seniors
To design an effective healthcare solution, we focused on understanding the unique needs and challenges faced by both caregivers and seniors. Through personas, we identify the daily struggles and support needs of each group, allowing us to develop a service that addresses high-stress management for caregivers and intuitive health routines for seniors.
Distant Caregiver
Needs support for remote health management
Independent Senior
Struggles with daily health routines
Lisa Thompson
Background
Background
Age: 46
Age: 79
Occupation: Financial Analyst
Occupation: Retired Engineer
Location: Chicago, IL
Location: Seattle, WA
James Miller
“I just want to make sure my dad’s taken care of, even when I can’t be there.”
“I like being independent, but a little help with my health routines would be nice.”
Lisa works full-time while managing her household. Her father, who lives alone in another city, has recently shown signs of forgetfulness and has difficulty keeping up with medical appointments. Lisa is constantly worried about her father's health but struggles to balance her job and caregiving from a distance.
James is an independent senior who values his freedom but occasionally struggles with remembering his health routines, such as taking medications and attending doctor’s appointments. He prefers not to burden his daughter, Lisa, with frequent requests for help. However, he finds some modern technology confusing.
Life Goal
Ensure her father’s health routines and appointments are consistently managed.
Life Goal
Manage his health routines
without feeling overwhelmed.
Experience Goal
Find an easy-to-use solution that her father can manage independently.
Experience Goal
Stay connected with his daughter in a way that doesn’t disrupt her daily life.
End Goal
Receive real-time updates on her father’s health for peace of mind.
End Goal
Use a simple system
that provides reminders and guidance.
POV
Lisa needs a simple way to
stay updated on her father’s health
so she can feel assured of his well-being while managing her other responsibilities.
James needs a straightforward system to manage his health routines comfortably, so he can stay healthy without feeling overwhelmed by complex technology.
HMW create a simple, connected solution that helps seniors manage their health routines independently while giving caregivers peace of mind?
Affinity Diagram
Clustering Ideas for a Clearer Design Direction
The affinity diagram helps us cluster brainstorming ideas and insights to identify key patterns and opportunities. This process clarifies which areas to focus on, guiding the direction for service design.
Our service is tailored to different devices for optimal usability. Seniors use a smart mirror and smart watch, caregivers manage the system via mobile, and healthcare providers interact through a plugin during appointments.
Core Ideas
Key Features
🗓️ Effective Routine
Management
🚕 Optimized
Mobility Support
🩺 Comprehensive
Health Oversight
📊 Efficient
Health Management
🗣️ Seamless
Voice Interaction
📱 Ease of Use
Across Devices
😊 Enhanced
Emotional Well-being
❤️ Strengthened
Emotional Connection
Devices
Set and Adjust
Daily Health Routines
Daily Health Data Collection
Automated
Taxi Booking
Voice Command
Mood Logging
Real-Time Updates
Appointment Summaries
Arrival and Departure Notifications
Visual Reminders
Regular Check-In Reminders
Smart Mirror
Mobile
Web Plugin
Smart Watch
Health Info Tracking
Mobility Assistance
Simplified Interaction
Emotional Support
& Connection
Routine
Management
Healthcare Providers
Seniors
Caregivers
Service Goal
A Connected Care Experience for Seniors
Our service aims to bridge the gap between seniors and their caregivers by facilitating seamless communication and health management. Through real-time sharing of health information, including recorded summaries of medical visits, we empower caregivers to support seniors more effectively. With intuitive interactions and caregiver-assisted transportation, we create a less burdensome environment that fosters independence and well-being for seniors.
As is
To be
As is
To be
As is
To be
Troublesome
Health Record Keeping
Real-time Health Tracking
Instant Access
to Medical Records
Caregiver-Assisted
Transportation Booking
Lack of Accurate
Medical Record Sharing
Difficulty with
Transportation Booking
Narrative Design
A Day in James’s Life with Our Service
From morning routines to doctor visits, our service helps James stay independent and keeps his caregiver informed. Through intuitive tools like the Smart Mirror, Smart Watch, and caregiver’s Mobile App, James enjoys a balance of independence and personalized care. Lisa, miles away, feels confident knowing she can actively support her father’s health management and make timely adjustments based on real-time insights.
☀️ Morning Routine
James, a 72-year-old senior living independently, wakes up and approaches his Smart Mirror. The mirror greets him, “Good morning, James! How are you feeling today?”
And it reminds him of his doctor’s appointment at 11:00 AM and suggests wearing his Smart Watch for activity tracking and offers a gentle reminder to take his morning medication.
Reassured and prepared, James starts his day. Lisa receives a summary of James’s mood and activity on her Mobile App, ensuring she stays connected without constant calls or interruptions.
🗓️ Preparing for the Appointment
At 9:45 AM, James receives a notification on his Smart Watch reminding him of his appointment. The Smart Mirror asks, “Would you like to book a taxi now?”
With another voice command, James confirms. A taxi is booked automatically,
and his caregiver, Lisa, receives a notification on her Mobile App,
“James’s ride is booked for 10:15 AM. Estimated arrival at the hospital: 10:45 AM.”
Lisa feels at ease knowing she can track his journey in real-time.
🚕 On the Way to the Hospital
As James gets into the taxi, Lisa checks her Mobile App and sees his current location. She knows he’ll arrive on time and won’t have to worry about transportation.
James appreciates the seamless process and enjoys the peace of mind the service provides.
🏥 At the Hospital
During the doctor’s visit, the healthcare provider uses our Plugin Integration to record the session, automatically summarizing key points such as medication changes and follow-up steps. The summary is seamlessly delivered to Lisa’s app, keeping her fully informed without additional effort.
🏠 Returning Home
The Smart Watch offers to book a taxi for James’s return trip, but he decides to stop by the pharmacy first. His Smart watch updates Lisa's Mobile App about the detour. Lisa feels reassured that James is handling his day independently, with minimal interruptions to her own schedule.
✅ Wrapping Up the Day
Back home, James sits in front of his Smart Mirror. The mirror displays a summary of his doctor’s visit, including updated medication instructions and follow-up steps. Meanwhile, Lisa reviews the same summary on her Mobile App and adjusts James’s daily health routines accordingly.
Lisa updates reminders for his new medication schedule and adds a gentle prompt for light exercises recommended by the doctor. These changes are instantly synced to James’s Smart Mirror, ensuring he stays on track without confusion.
Concept model
Mapping Senior-Caregiver Connections
for Better Health Management
Our concept model focuses on identifying the key interactions and systems required to streamline senior health management. By integrating voice and AI-driven technologies, we mapped out how seniors and caregivers can seamlessly manage daily routines, monitor health data, and coordinate medical and transportation needs efficiently.
Task flow
Senior’s Day with a Medical Appointment
The task flow outlines the process a senior follows from waking up, checking their health routine and appointment schedule, to taking a taxi booked by the caregiver for a doctor's visit. After the appointment, the visit summary is automatically sent to the caregiver. The senior returns home, and the caregiver updates the routine and schedule based on the appointment. This streamlined process ensures efficient management of health and schedules for both the senior and caregiver.
Wireframing
Voice-Driven, Touch-Minimized Design
For Smart Mirror
This wireframe showcases the smart mirror as the primary device, focusing on a voice-driven, touch-minimized design. By prioritizing voice commands, the layout offers seniors a seamless, hands-free experience for managing health routines, appointments, and mood tracking, ensuring ease of use with minimal physical interaction.
USABILITY TESTING
Heuristic Usability Testing
for Smart Mirror and Device Connectivity
To be updated
Final design
To be updated
Reflection
What I learned
Next Steps
I learned that addressing usability issues specific to seniors is crucial when designing a service for this user group. Ensuring the design is accessible, intuitive, and easy to interact with was essential. Additionally, this project taught me the importance of device connectivity, especially when integrating multiple platforms like smart mirrors, mobile phones, watches, and web interfaces. Working with the smart mirror, a relatively new device, was a fun challenge and provided a unique opportunity to explore voice-driven interactions.
Looking back, more in-depth user testing would have been helpful to ensure the system truly meets the needs of seniors. Personally, I now see the importance of diving deeper into voice UI design, especially given how crucial voice interactions are for this project. I’ve also become more curious about senior-focused design and how to create more accessible, user-friendly experiences for seniors in future projects.