Medication at Your Doorstep
This project aimed to develop a mobile application tailored for users aged 75 and older. Over the course of 6 weeks, our team embarked on a comprehensive process that involved usability testing, user research, prototyping, and the creation of a style guide. As part of this project, we focused on creating a prototype for Easy Meds, a mobile application that seamlessly connects seniors with pharmacies, facilitating the convenient delivery of their medications.
Platforms
Roles
Deliverables
Figma
ProtoPie
User Research
UX/UI Design
User Interview
Usability Test
User Personas
Storyboard
Style Guide
App Prototype
Team
Alex Ileto
Marcus Szabo
Design Problem
Elderly individuals are concerned about their inability to access their medications promptly due to various constraints, including a lack of means to obtain them. This can lead to increased stress and potential health risks, highlighting the importance of addressing these barriers to medication retrieval for this vulnerable demographic.
How might we streamline the process of obtaining medications for elderly individuals, making it easier for them to access their prescriptions promptly?
Addressing the User's Goals
The goal of creating a prescription delivery service was to provide the user with convenience and accessibility. This allows users an easier option for acquiring much needed medications and provides affordance to individuals with physical weaknesses or disabilities that would make acquiring these medications difficult.
Addressing the Pharmacies' Goals
The development of Easy Meds presents pharmacies with numerous benefits. Firstly, it has the potential to increase their sales by providing a platform that reaches a wider customer base. With the convenience of Easy Meds, customers who may have otherwise visited competing pharmacies or opted for alternative methods of obtaining medications now have a compelling reason to choose the participating pharmacies. Easy Meds can also help with retaining customers by offering a more convenient option for ordering and managing prescriptions. This streamlined process eliminates the need for customers to physically visit the pharmacy, saving them time and effort.
Viability
As the population ages, the demand for prescription medications and home delivery services are expected to grow. Elderly people may have mobility/accessibility issues and cannot easily retrieve their medications. By targeting the senior population, the app addresses a specific and growing need in the healthcare industry.
User Personas
User personas were used in this project to gain a deeper understanding of the target audience and guide the design decisions. By creating fictional representations of typical users, based on extensive research and data analysis, user personas provided valuable insights into the goals, motivations, behaviors, and needs of the intended users.
Design Solution
Following our initial user group interviews and the development of user personas, the team concluded that the creation of a mobile application named Easy Meds could effectively address the challenge faced by the elderly in obtaining their prescriptions.
Maurice's Storyboard
The storyboard that I created depicts Maurice's challenges with obtaining his medications from the pharmacy. Frustrated, he turns to the internet in search of a solution. Fortunately, his relief is evident when he discovers the Easy Meds app. With the app's assistance, Maurice's medications are promptly delivered on the same day, resulting in his satisfaction.
Declining Motor Skills
The large size and placement of the buttons make them easier to tap and to recognize. There are also a limited amount decisions/steps so few actions are required. This allows for a clear and feasible user journey through the app.
Visibility Difficulties
Studies show that the colour navy blue is easier for elderly eyes to read off of and causes less eye strain. Furthermore, the colours yellow and orange cause less colour change recognition, allowing the user to switch between colours easily. Additionally, colour differentiation (green or red) draws attention to buttons or text.
Mobile Sketches
I produced these initial sketches to outline the fundamental onboarding process and home screen design for the Easy Meds application.
User Flow and Initial Prototype
I developed and designed the initial prototype for Easy Meds. When designing the prototype, I had to keep in mind that we were designing for the elderly. This helped influence my colour choices and font sizes making sure that there wouldn't be any visibility issues. I then created a user flow by capturing screenshots from each page of the prototype. This user flow focused on a key task: locating a pharmacy and uploading a prescription.
Implementing Logic
Incorporating logic into the design of the initial prototype was crucial to creating a user-friendly and intuitive experience. By considering user expectations, appropriate error messages, and addressing pain points, we aimed to develop a logical and cohesive design that enhances the overall usability and effectiveness of the Easy Meds application.
In this case, we wanted to make sure that the UI adapts to the users performance. For example, whenever a user encountered an error during interactions, we implemented features to provide clear guidance. This included displaying error messages and visually highlighting the problematic text fields in red, ensuring that users could easily identify and rectify any errors they made
Usability Tests
To gather meaningful insights on the performance of our application, we conducted usability testing by recruiting five participants, all of whom were above the age of 50. As a team, we defined a set of tasks that we wanted the users to accomplish during the testing session. Throughout the testing process, we documented the users' navigation paths within the app, making note of any observations that emerged during their interactions. We also recorded any noteworthy quotes or comments made by the participants
The objective of this test was to understand how seniors 75+ years-old feel about obtaining their medications through a mobile application.
What did I learn from the test?
By employing this comprehensive testing approach, I aimed to collect valuable data on the usability and performance of the application. This user-centric testing allowed me to identify areas for improvement, gain insights into user behaviors and preferences, and refine the application based on the feedback and observations gathered during the testing sessions.
Easy Meds
Style Guide
This style guide was created to ensure consistency throughout the Easy Meds application and also a way to establish brand identity.
Final Prototype
Easy Meds bridges the gap between the user and the pharmacy, saving physical effort, time, and cognitive load by allowing for quick and easy transportation of medications so the user does not need to travel to the pharmacy themselves. It also offers reminders to the user for prescription renewals and allows easy access to over-the-counter medications.
Email: maurice@gmail.com
Password: password
Conclusion
This app has been meticulously designed with the sole purpose of simplifying the medication retrieval process for the elderly, ensuring they can easily access their prescriptions without any difficulties. Through Easy Meds, we aimed to provide them with a reliable and user-friendly solution that grants them peace of mind and allowing them to focus on their health and well-being.
Reflection
This project held sentimental value for me, as it was inspired by the elderly individuals in my life. The thought of having to pick up medication for my mom occasionally led me to contemplate the challenges faced by those elderly individuals who lack access to vehicles or cannot drive to obtain their prescriptions.
Reflecting on the design aspect of the project, I observed certain issues related to contrast that could potentially pose problems, particularly for the elderly. The vibrant orange hue utilized in the Easy Meds app appears overly bright, making it challenging to read the white text placed over it. Instead of white text on orange, I should have changed it to black text on lighter orange as shown below.
Original
What It Should Be
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