Over 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. This figure is expected to double every 20 years, reaching 139 million by 2050.
Overview
The "Alois" Alzheimer's Memory Aid App is a patient-centered solution that aims to empower people living with Alzheimer's disease. It aims to improve patients' well-being and independence by providing personalized support, cognitive enhancement activities, and streamlined healthcare management.
The Challenge
Capture the Magic in 4 Weeks
The aim of this project is to address the pressing challenges faced by Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers.
While the challenges are numerous, my goals are clear:
Develop solutions to mitigate the impact of memory and cognitive decline on daily life.
Create tools to streamline medication management for Alzheimer's patients.
Improve methods for reminding patients of appointments and assisting them in executing essential tasks.
Develop communication tools to bridge gaps and facilitate efficient coordination among caregivers.
Develop solutions to address the emotional challenges of feeling overwhelmed and isolated.
The overarching goal of addressing these critical issues is to improve the quality of life for those living with Alzheimer's disease.
My Role
As a researcher, designer, and prototyper, I led the design of the entire app.
Tools
I used tools Figma | Spreadsheets | Forms | ChatGPT
Picking up the pieces
At the start of the project, I did not have a clear mission or specific goals for the pickup experience. Actually, I get my basic knowledge of Alzheimer’s from the TV show “Grey’s Anatomy.”
I delved into Alzheimer's communities and blogs and scoured the vast resources available on the internet. This deep dive gave me profound insights into the impact of Alzheimer's and the experiences of those living with the disease.
Early Insights from the Community
I conducted the quantitative research with 3 participants from the Alzheimer’s community. My goal was to understand the challenges patients and caregivers faced in their day-to-day lives.
My High-level Goals are,
Medication management, Alzheimer's patients and caregivers find it challenging to manage medications. Personalized reminders and medication history tracking are vital.
Daily task management, patients struggle with daily tasks. Customizable reminders are crucial for promoting independence.
Appointment Management and Communication, efficient appointment management and open communication with healthcare providers reduce stress for patients and caregivers.
Desire for Memory Enhancement Activities, both patients and caregivers express a strong liking for memory-enhancing activities that stimulate cognitive abilities and improve memory recall.
User-Friendly, Empathetic Design, patients require a user-friendly and empathetic design to meet their needs and provide a positive and supportive user experience.
The Discovery
Alzheimer's Memory Aid App Revealed Evolving Needs
My initial findings were somewhat unexpected. The challenges we uncovered seemed like specific inconveniences, more of a local concern than a global one.
However, as we delved deeper into my research, it became evident that the needs of Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers were constantly evolving.
The app had to adapt to meet their changing expectations as it became a fundamental part of their daily lives.
"Every challenge is an opportunity to innovate and make a positive difference."
Deeper Insights
Unraveling Excellence from the Inside Out
Before I could jump into designing, it was important to analyze the products that already existed in the market.
Prior to the design, competitor analysis, i.e., assessing the strengths and weaknesses of existing Alzheimer's support apps, guided me to refine the "AlOiS" app's features for enhanced usability, personalization, and overall effectiveness
Most patients require additional support
Digging into the data revealed some big insights into the patient’s support. Almost all patients and caregivers contributed some extra coordination effort, such as communication assistance to clarify doubts and cognitive activities, as well as location tracking. This data demonstrated to me that the user experience (patients and caregivers) must be well optimized.
"Communication support and location tracking can provide both a lifeline and a sense of security for Alzheimer's patients, helping them and their caregivers navigate the challenges of this condition."
User Personas
Empathy Map
Patients like Helen on the empathy map seek engagement and empowerment through the "AlOiS" app. Caregivers like Angel strive for streamlined coordination and customized care management. Dr. Anna strives for effective patient communication and monitoring of patient well-being.
"Empathy maps are the compass that guides me to understand the hearts and minds of the users, helping me create solutions that truly resonate with their needs and feelings."
Facilitation
"How might I help patients and caregivers form a better information architecture?”
This begged the question: how might I help patients and caregivers form a better information architecture? My proposal was facilitation, an experience with support and resources created on behalf of patients and caregivers.
Information Architecture
User Flow
"User flow is the roadmap that guides users through a digital landscape, ensuring they reach their destination seamlessly and with satisfaction."
The user flow in the "Alois" app ensures simplicity and coherence, leading patients from onboarding through memory enhancement, medication management, healthcare coordination, and personalized communication, offering a seamless journey towards enhanced well-being.
Login & Registration Flow
App Flow
Visual Design
"An Alzheimer's Memory Aid App's visual style guide is the brushstroke of empathy and the canvas of clarity, painting a path to help those navigating memory's intricate labyrinth."
As a newcomer, I have very limited experience. When I first started working on the visual designs for the application, I had only two options. To design the perfect app for elderly people that improves their perspective, I need to learn color psychology, or I can use an already-existing, well-versed design system that is used in so many healthcare products on the market.
Can I use the design system as a beginner?
It’s a question I kept asking myself at the time. The answer is simple: Yes, I can. Because using a design system as a beginner can be highly beneficial. It helps me maintain consistency in design elements, layouts, and interactions, which is crucial for creating a user-friendly and cohesive application.
It is not only beneficial, but it also ensures that you design with consistency, efficiency, scalability, and accessibility in mind. As a beginner, I find that using a design system simplifies the design process. And I can use predefined components and styles, which saves me time and reduces the possibility of errors.
I learned new things from the design system, like variables, tokens, etc. It was awesome!
IBM Carbon Design System
Gray 10 Theme
For this project, I used the IBM Carbon Design System. It has been extremely beneficial to both the project and my learning.
Let’s start with the grid system.
I had to consider the grid system before I began designing. It aids in the creation of the best possible content presentation and responsive design.
Here is what I came up with:
The grid system I used in the designs features a versatile 4-column layout with a "stretch" type, maintaining a 16px margin and 20px gutter between elements while automatically adjusting width for optimal content presentation and responsive design.
Color Palette
I used a limited number of colors in the design to keep the app minimalist and easy to use.
Typography
In the project, I used IBM Plex Sans Family with four simple types of text. Because too many fonts or types are a distraction and unnecessary.
Wireframe
The outline has a clean and intuitive layout, depicting the placement of features such as cognitive games, medication management, healthcare coordination, and communication tools, ensuring a visually coherent and user-friendly interface.
Let See The designs
Introducing Alois
In a world where time is precious, the Alzheimer's Memory Aid App reclaims time for patients and caregivers. It simplifies daily tasks and appointments, always prioritizing safety and offering clear, actionable support.
Simple instructions guide users through a smooth introduction
Here, the onboarding screen of the app provides a warm welcome, introducing users to the app's features. Simple instructions guide users through a seamless introduction to the app's benefits and functionalities.
Login and Registration
The login and registration screens of the app offer a secure gateway to personalized care.
Streamlined login methods provide easy access for patients, while registration provides a simple process to create a tailored profile, enhancing their app experience.
During my research, I came up with the idea of providing various login methods. It enables patients to easily and securely log into the app.
Let’s get into the app
Note: I explained every single feature in the app.
Homepage
I make certain that the most important information is displayed on the homepage. It is simple to use, and patients can receive updates quickly.
Schedule Page
As a result, the patient can easily schedule and follow their appointments.
Metrics
What if the patients track their activities?
Patients can monitor their progress on the Progress page. It is extremely beneficial for Alzheimer's patients to keep up with their activities.
Messages
It was a great idea that came to mind to add the communication feature to the app. You can see the communication options that I came up with.
Profile
The profile page allows patients to manage their personal information and preferences in one place.
Let’s take a look at the app's main features
Medication Management
I created this feature to make medication management and reminders as simple as possible.
Appointments
In my research, I found the patients really have a hard time following their appointments. So, I simplified the issue with this appointment management feature.
Daily Cares
In the lives of Alzheimer's patients, daily care is of paramount importance. To clarify, it's an integral part of their routine. Through my research, I discovered that the majority of Alzheimer's patients indeed require consistent daily care.
Memory Enhancement
Another very important feature of the app is memory enhancement.
In Alzheimer's disease, memory enhancement plays a pivotal role. Patients must engage in memory enhancement activities as part of their regimen. In my contribution, I introduced a feature aimed at boosting memory enhancement for patients.
During the competitor analysis, I observed that existing apps on the market offer minimal features. To enhance the user experience, I introduced additional features, such as cognitive games.
It helps patients remember their day-to-day lives.
Here, I made a logical puzzle game in the process. It’s simple and basic, but it’s helpful.
It’s offering engaging cognitive challenges that stimulate mental agility and contribute to overall well-being. Through interactive puzzles, this activity promotes memory retention and cognitive function in a user-friendly and enjoyable manner. It plays a valuable role in patients' day-to-day lives.
It was really hard for me to design something like this one, so I used the resources from Freepik.
Where am I?
I really don’t know why I chose this name, but it serves the purpose.
"Where am I?" is the feature designed to aid Alzheimer's patients in tracking their current location and ensuring a safe journey back home.
Settings
It’s a common feature in every application.
Yeah, it’s a common thing that every app has. Accessibility, account management, and support
I thought it would give the experience of the app 100%.
Experience the prototype.
The perspective of change
This is my first project, and I learned so many new things on the journey.
And the best part is that I designed a healthcare product for Alzheimer’s patients.
However, the disease rate has not significantly decreased, which means medical professionals continue to research to confirm or take steps toward a solution for diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Let's join hands and make a positive impact! We, as individuals, have the wonderful opportunity to reach out and support our community. When we extend our caring gestures, we can truly transform the way we see the power of change. Your contribution is invaluable, and we warmly invite you to join us in doing good together.
"A helping hand today can brighten the path for those facing the shadows of Alzheimer's tomorrow."
Credits
A sincere thank you to the Alzheimer's Association for generously allowing the inclusion of select content in my project. Your support is truly appreciated in crafting a meaningful user experience.
and Alzheimer's & Dementia Professionals (LinkedIn Community) | Freepik | Unsplash |
Thank you for reading.
I value your insights and feedback on this meaningful project. Your thoughts help me refine and enhance the user experience to make a real difference.
Feel free to share your thoughts with me!