Guardian Care: Nurturing Autonomy in Our Retirement Community with AI Support
Role: Principle Designer, Research in a team of 8
Client: North Florida Retirement Village
Tools: Figma, FigJam, Notion, UserTesting, and Dovetail
Year: Apr-2023 to Paused due to Investor Restructuring)
Overview
Hired by a partner company, I crafted a low-fidelity design pitch for an AI tool targeting seniors at the North Florida Retirement Village. The app was built for lower-tier mobile phones, like prepaid devices, to assist with daily tasks and monitor health, thus lightening the workload of senior living staff. The design envisioned a system that would provide seniors with personalized assistance and better communication for a more enriched living experience.
My Tasks
- Conduct UX Research & Persona Development: Carried out research and developed user personas representing seniors and staff to guide design decisions and feature prioritization.
- Sketch Initial Concepts: Created sketches to capture the investors’ vision, translating their high-level ideas into early design concepts for the AI tool.
- Develop Sitemap: Created a sitemap to outline user journeys and clarify the number of screens required based on the sales needs.
- Design Low-Fidelity Wireframes: Developed low-fidelity wireframes for the AI app, focusing on usability while adhering to budget constraints and investor requirements.
Design System (On Hold): Started outlining a design system, which was paused as current deliverables concentrated on marketing and the features remain in the conceptual stage.
The Problem
Senior living staff face an overwhelming number of requests for daily essentials, like toiletries and activity scheduling. By utilizing AI and voice command technology, we can empower residents to manage these tasks independently, reducing staff burden while promoting residents’ self-sufficiency and enhancing their living experience.
Research
From Hesitation to Insight: Engaging Users During a Pandemic
During the pandemic, users were initially hesitant to engage due to health concerns. We adapted our research methods by conducting virtual interviews and remote usability testing, ensuring participants felt safe sharing their insights. This open approach fostered trust and led to valuable feedback that revealed pain points and preferences. The insights gained were crucial in shaping a user-centric product that addressed pandemic-related challenges, highlighting the importance of empathy and adaptability in UX research.
During the design process for the AI tool aimed at assisting senior living residents, we conducted extensive user research to inform our design decisions. While most of the findings cannot be shared due to privacy concerns, key insights were gathered through various methods:
User Interviews: We engaged with residents and staff to understand their needs and pain points. Feedback highlighted the frequent nature of requests for daily essentials and the desire for more independence among residents.
Guerrilla Testing: We conducted informal testing with paper prototypes in public spaces, allowing us to observe interactions and gather immediate feedback on usability. This method provided valuable insights into how users navigate interfaces in real-world scenarios.
A/B Testing: During the development phase, we implemented A/B testing to compare different design variations, focusing on elements like button placement and voice command responsiveness. This helped us identify the most effective design features.
Paper Prototyping: We utilized paper prototyping to quickly iterate on design concepts and test interactions with users. This approach allowed us to gather feedback on the overall layout and functionality before moving to digital designs.
Device Agnostic Design: Throughout the process, we ensured that our designs were device agnostic, making them accessible across various platforms and devices to accommodate the needs of all users.
Persona Creation and User Interviews
We developed our user personas based on real individuals, focusing on their genuine pain points, like the constant need for assistance and struggles with technology. Using Miro allowed us to quickly share insights and adjust our personas in real-time. As our stakeholders adapted their business model, we stayed flexible, ensuring our personas always reflected the true needs and experiences of our users
Siteflow
Key pain points in the app’s site flow included complex navigation, overwhelming information, and inconsistent feedback, leading to user confusion. Accessibility issues, especially for seniors, arose from small buttons and text, while the lack of contextual help left users unsure of how to use features. Addressing these issues will enhance the overall user experience and satisfaction.
We developed our user personas based on real individuals, focusing on their genuine pain points, like the constant need for assistance and struggles with technology. Using Miro allowed us to quickly share insights and adjust our personas in real-time. As our stakeholders adapted their business model, we stayed flexible, ensuring our personas always reflected the true needs and experiences of our users
Ad-Hoc and Guerrilla Research Strategies
During the design process for the AI tool aimed at assisting senior living residents, we conducted extensive user research to inform our design decisions. While most of the findings cannot be shared due to privacy concerns, key insights were gathered through various methods:
User Interviews: We engaged with residents and staff to understand their needs and pain points. Feedback highlighted the frequent nature of requests for daily essentials and the desire for more independence among residents.
Guerrilla Testing: We conducted informal testing with paper prototypes in public spaces, allowing us to observe interactions and gather immediate feedback on usability. This method provided valuable insights into how users navigate interfaces in real-world scenarios.
A/B Testing: During the development phase, we implemented A/B testing to compare different design variations, focusing on elements like button placement and voice command responsiveness. This helped us identify the most effective design features.
Paper Prototyping: We utilized paper prototyping to quickly iterate on design concepts and test interactions with users. This approach allowed us to gather feedback on the overall layout and functionality before moving to digital designs.
Device Agnostic Design: Throughout the process, we ensured that our designs were device agnostic, making them accessible across various platforms and devices to accommodate the needs of all users.
Persona Creation and User Interviews
We developed our user personas based on real individuals, focusing on their genuine pain points, like the constant need for assistance and struggles with technology. Using Miro allowed us to quickly share insights and adjust our personas in real-time. As our stakeholders adapted their business model, we stayed flexible, ensuring our personas always reflected the true needs and experiences of our users
Design Process
Navigating Change: Adapting Design Under New Leadership
Design Screen Samples
With a recent change in leadership and new ownership, we faced significant shifts that affected our feature set and made it challenging to stick to the MVP plan and product roadmap. This dynamic environment underscored the need for constant design iterations to refine our approach while maintaining focus on project goals. Ultimately, we learned the importance of flexibility in design, balancing innovation with the constraints of the MVP framework.
Outcome
Project Delays: The project stalled due to changing leadership and shifting stakeholder visions, requiring us to realign our efforts continuously. As of December 2024, the process remained with the investors.
Diverse Design Elements: I learned the importance of having a variety of design elements ready to present, even if they were older concepts, as they were appreciated during discussions.
Iterative Approach: I realized the value of iterating freely, even when changes diverged significantly from the initial vision.
Consultation with Product Manager: Collaborating with the product manager was invaluable, as his daily updates helped us navigate the evolving landscape of the project.