W I S E Cities
Empowering Older Adults to Stay Connected
Role
UX/UI Designer, User Researcher, Project Manager,
Facilitator
Methods
User Interviews
Focus Groups
Wireframing
Storyboarding
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Tools
Figma
Miro
Notion
Team
5 Product Designers,
Co-founders
Time
Sept '23-May '24
OVERVIEW
⚠️ Problem
Older adults struggle to access resources because of information overload and digital exclusion, leading to a loss of independence.
Solution
An accessible digital platform for older adults connecting them to community resources as they age in place.
📈 Outcome
60%
user interest and engagement
2x
targeted product
development
Prioritized key challenges in information access for older adults and developed web platform features through mixed methods research and ideation workshops.
⚡️ Product Features
Streamlining Search
A simplified search interface with an intuitive filter function tailored to user needs.
Building Community Engagement
A visually-oriented calendar for events with easy navigation and flexible monthly and weekly views.
Improving Digital Literacy
A step-by-step walkthrough for each feature that empowers users to learn at their own pace while reducing information overload.
ABOUT WISE CITIES
Wise Cities aims to provide older adults aged 65+ access to community resources through an accessible digital platform while empowering them to age in place.
DESIGN PROCESS
Our process was to understand, define, design, and test high-level concepts through the Google Ventures Design Sprint method.
Make a MAP and choose a target
CHALLENGE
LEARN
SKETCH competing Solutions
DECIDE on the best idea
Build a realistic PROTOTYPE
TEST with target users
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
SPRINT 1
SPRINT 2
HANDOFF
SPRINT 3
WRAP-UP
We extended the typical one week sprint timeframe to 4-5 weeks per sprint.
PROBLEM DISCOVERY
We aimed to identify user behaviors and pain points; align with WISE's mission and business model; and analyze the existing market.
USER RESEARCH METHODS
Surveys
Interviews
Focus Groups
Defining Our User Research Goals
To build insights on user groups, technology use, and social engagement, to inform our upcoming sprint focus questions.
To develop user archetypes for a shared understanding of our users, identify opportunities, and design with specific user groups in mind.
My Role during the Research Phase
Actively participated in conducting user interviews and facilitating focus groups.
Synthesized demographic and interview data to segment target audience and extract actionable insights.
Led the development of user personas.
Contributed to building a comprehensive repository for Wise Cities.
RESEARCH METHOD 01: SURVEYS
The goal of conducting surveys was to identify our user demographics, understand how to segment them and gather broad insights.
We conducted the survey with 60 potential users aged 65+ recruited and contacted through senior centers locally.
Typical Users
Aged 65 +
Have access to at least one tech device;
95% have private mode of transportation;
73% live with family or in a community;
80% reported requiring at least one form of accessibility requirement with technology (such as for hearing loss, low vision, mobility problems and/or other disabilities).
98%
access the internet at least once a day.
70%
are comfortable with using technology rating themselves atleast over a 3 on a scale of 5.
65%
remain socially active at least once a week or more
88%
use search engines for access to information or resources.
RESEARCH METHOD 02: INTERVIEWS
We aimed to understand user attitudes, community engagement and their pain points.
Reaearch Round 2 / Remote User Interviews
Affinity Map of User Notes
INTERVIEW TAKEAWAYS
Older adults prioritize health, community engagement, and resource accessibility, requiring assistance with social opportunities while being proficient in internet use and favoring user-friendly online navigation.
On Aging
Place emphasis on good health and strong support for happy aging.
Prioritize aging in place with easy access to resources.
On Social Engagement
Show a strong interest in community activities and engagement.
Need help filtering and selecting social opportunities.
On Technology
Capable of independent internet use;
Prefer more organized and user-friendly online resource navigation.
On Technology
Are capable of independent internet use;
Prefer more organized and user-friendly online resource navigation.
RESEARCH METHOD 03: FOCUS GROUPS
Conducted to gain insights into user motivations, technology use, their information seeking process, challenges and preferences.
We conducted 3 sessions with a total of 21 participants.
Team with focus group participants at
Benjamin Gaither Senior Center, Maryland
READ MORE: Research & Discovery
RESEARCH TAKEAWAYS
By triangulating a clear problem definition, we identified key issues and product features that were important for our users
KEY CHALLENGE #1
Complex Navigation of Community Resources and Information Overload
> SPRINT QUESTION 1
How might we simplify search for older adults, enabling effortless browsing through various categories while reducing cognitive load?
> SPRINT QUESTION 2
How might we design an intuitive and user-friendly calendar interface that facilitates effortless event search and navigation?
KEY CHALLENGE #2
Limited Digital Literacy
> SPRINT QUESTION 3
How might we integrate interactive, step-by-step tutorials into the platform to assist users in navigating its features effectively?
KEY CHALLENGE #3
Poor Web Accessibility and Inclusive Design for Aging Population
> KEY OPPORTUNITY WITH THE UI
Develop inclusive design strategies to address these issues, including appropriate font sizes, intuitive navigation structures, clear simple language and rigorous user testing.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might we develop a digital platform that can empower older adults to stay active in their communities while aging in place?
DESIGN SPRINT 1
How might we simplify search for older adults, enabling effortless browsing through various categories while reducing cognitive load?
My Role as the UX/UI Designer and Project Manager
Designing and delivering the final prototype for the sprint, ensuring readiness for testing.
Maintained communication with the client to align with project expectations and monitored the overall sprint direction.
Analyzed all user testing outcomes to provide insights and offer design recommendations for optimization as a team.
Mapping Part 1 > Discovery
Our primary focus shifted towards building on multiple search methods, as they represented the most significant opportunity and challenge.
Mapping the ideal user flow for Search
Exploring the Need for Multiple ways of Search Methods with Older Adults
Mapping Part 2 > Pain Points
Cluttered interfaces making it challenging to navigate
Lack of awareness using advanced search functions
Struggle to formulate correct search queries
Unclear or vague category/topic labels
Ideation > Sketch and Decide
After ideating through lightning demos and crazy 8s, we held speed critiques and voted on key features for testing.
Step 1: Drawing Insights through Lightening Demos
Step 2: Brainstorming with Crazy 8’s
The client's 'supervote' determined the direction for prototyping, and one of the two options to be taken forward was my 'Flex Your Filters' sketch, emphasizing its presentation of results and filters.
M
K
“Flex Your Filters”
Step 3: My Solution Sketches for the Search Function
Prototype
Preferred Features by Key Stakeholders
Saved Searches
Accessibility Filters
Search by Zipcode
Category Descriptions
View results on Map
Simplified Results
Past & Trending Searches
Suggestions on Typing
Filter Tags
Prototyping screens for user testing
At A Glance | UI Constraints:
Font size: 20px min
Color Contrast: 7:1 min
Icons supported by Text
Color Coded Labels
Upon completing our final designs, I translated them into high-fidelity prototypes, prepared and optimized for user testing. We integrated components from the existing design system of WISE CITIES, while also introducing a few new elements tailored to enhance the user experience on our screens.
Usability Test > Key Insights
We developed a test plan to assess features, conducted 5 moderated user tests, and used an affinity diagram to analyze key findings
Search vs. Browse
Users preferred to have all search methods available based on their needs
"I like being able to choose my own words, it would give you the result faster."
"Sometimes you can’t remember the word, so browsing around is a good first step."
Search Results
Users found the result cards easy to scan. They would prefer it if it showed location instead of distance from them
Search Suggestions
Popular & Past Searches were quite useful. They also appreciated suggested searches appearing when typing
"Unless you call Sort & Filter something else, I don’t know how many old folks are gonna click on it. "
"I'm not familiar with filters so I had a mental block. But after using it, it’s straightforward."
Sort & Filter
While not all users were familiar with filters, they liked the functionality for refining search results.
Further Iterations and Testing
We used our findings from mobile testing and similarly conducted Preference tests on the desktop version.
The primary concerns between the two were the filter options, broken down into 4 categories versus 1.
7 out of 9 users preferred having all the filters visible at once, simplifying the process of refining results.
Final Search Designs
After two iterations and a second round of testing we had our final designs.
This mobile version was preferred by 8 out of 9 users and
demonstrated a 40% increase in ease of use compared to the initial round.
DESIGN SPRINT 2 & 3
Work under NDA. Please get in touch for more info!
REFLECTIONS
Key Learning #1
Designing considering the mental model of older adults. We learned about their limited familiarity with web jargon through testing, prompting us to prioritize a user-centered approach through simpler language for a more intuitive experience in the following sprints.
Key Learning #2
Considering design accessibility constraints early on in the process is crucial. We realized the importance of this when ensuring text readability and component visibility on smaller screens and for responsive designs.
My Biggest
Challenge
With an existing design system, integrating new features while maintaining consistency within the established framework required meticulous attention to detail and creative problem-solving.
