Responsive dropdown menu - Bedimcode

CareFit

Details

Scope

Dissertation project

approx. 10 weeks of programming and testing time

Role

UX/UI designer

Full stack developer

Tools

Android Studio

Inkscape

Outline

The benefits of exercise are considered general knowledge. Still, most people cannot find time to get active. New tech and equipment makes it easier for us to keep up with an exercise routine, but the financial barrier for entry can be high. One in ten people in the UK are informal carers, and for them, that barrier for entry may look even higher. Many carers dedicate 50 or more hours a week to unpaid care duties, and many are also low-income. Declining health among informal carers has been reported, but it can be difficult for them to slot in preventative behaviours like exercise. CareFit was designed to encourage those informal carers to use exercise as a means of looking after their own health. It focussed heavily on user-driven development and designing for older adults.

Process

Rapid Prototyping

To facilitate fast usability testing, prototypes were created as quickly as possible. Going from the bare minimum wireframes – to account for the many changes that were requested by users – to the final product with each session.

User Testing

Two testing sessions were run over the 10 week period. Testers consisted of carers over the age of 45. Tests were conducted by myself and monitored by my supervisor. Testing consisted of 5 tasks, revolving around the different features of the app for example: “Find a medium intensity exercise”, “Change your exercise preferences”, etc. Notes were made of user remarks, and any pain-points that were found in the process. Afterwards, users were asked to provide feedback in an anonymised survey.

Constraints

  • Usability

    The average carer in the UK is over the age of 50. Usability guidelines can only get you so far, and they would not cover aspects like what exercises to pick. Ideally, the exercises and the way they were presented would be tailored specifically to carers duties and needs.

  • Income

    Many carers are low-income, so the application had to be suitable for older and cheaper models of mobile phone.

  • Motivation

    Having the motivation to exercise requires more free time and energy than what a typical carer has to offer. We wanted to motivate carers in a way that appealed to their sense of practicality. Not overwhelm or patronise them.

  • Time

    This was a solo project with a 10 week timeframe. Multiple roles had to be juggled.

Issues

At first, users said the application was visually appealing, and praised its vector illustrations. However, they found it difficult to navigate, and were confused by some of the features. Users were unhappy with the initial reminder system. They stated that they would rather receive reminders on certain days of the week, routinely, instead of setting them for specific dates. Users were also confused by the filter system, as many of them did not know what it actually meant to “filter” the list of exercises.

Suggestions

More high-intensity exercises were requested, so that users would not become bored if they became fitter as a result of the application. Built-in guidance was requested, in case the carer was less familiar with exercise apps, or had been unable to use the app for a while. In response to this, we tutorialised the onboarding process and created an option to revisit the tutorial at any time. During the tutorial, some options are greyed out to ensure users stay on the path.

Final Application

Further Development

At the time, these were the ideas thought of for further development. Since then, the application has been picked up again, and further research has been conducted by a different student. Please contact Dr. Kieren Egan for further details.

  • Features

    In this state, the application cannot determine if an exercise is being performed correctly. Potential hardware solutions would include motion-tracking via a wearable device, phone camera, or phone gyroscope. All options would require further research.

  • Testing

    Testing with carers was an excellent start, but to further develop the actual exercise portion of the app, testing with fitness professionals should also be considered.

  • Aesthetics

    This version of the application prioritised function over form. While this is not a bad thing, the application could benefit from some visual tweaks. Colours could be easier on the eyes, text could be spaced out better so that it feels less cramped. Further iterations could also benefit from the use of video, or animations for exercise guidance.

Full dissertation available on request.

Testimonials

  • Dorian has a remarkable ability to capture not only what you want but what you need through design. ... They can consistently back every design with customer data, competitor analysis or best practice so you know that every detail has been thoughtfully created in a way that keeps user experience at its heart.

    Sidonie Lawrie, Head of Product at Nurtur.Tech, Former Digital CX Product Lead at Morses Club

  • During our time together at Morses Club, Dorian consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of industry standards and trends in UI/UX design space. ... Dorian's talent, professionalism, and commitment to delivering top-notch work make them a valuable asset to any team.

    Troy M, Business Analyst at CMAC Group, Former Business Analyst at Morses Club

  • Amazing user experience website designer. Seriously can’t praise Dorian enough if you are like me and you don’t have time to hold someone’s hand through the process and you need someone who can take control of the project and make it happen. Dorian is the person for you. Their knowledge of users and the attention to detail on the user experience is amazing. I really can’t praise them high enough. Feel very proud to have them on the team building our new website.

    Louise Broadway, Founder & CEO of Devon Healing Horsemanship

  • Dorian’s design expertise and attention to detail are absolutely fantastic. They’ve got an amazing grasp of what a great user experience looks like and it makes the building of a project that much easier when you’ve got someone with their expertise on board. Highly recommend you reach out to Dorian if you need someone to design on a project for you; I know I will!

    Craig Fahrenholz, IT Manager at NAFEMS & Initial developer for the DHH website

  • We contracted Dorian to design our upcoming website for Very Evil Demons; we got an absolutely fantastic design, with clear and easy to understand layouts, and detailed attention paid to our aesthetic and requirements. Dorian was communicative, easy to exchange feedback with, and was overall excellent to work with as a contractor.

    Jordan Brown, Software Engineer and Game Optimisation Expert at Very Evil Demons LLC.

  • I'd say that as a writer, I wouldn't know the first thing about UX design... Except, I do, because Dorian was more than happy to explain to me some of the basics and show me how to get started in Figma. Dorian is always working on some sort of project, honing their skills and then blowing everyone away with them. From their volunteer work to their impressive work on the DailyUI challenge (completing 100 UI prompts), this is the kind of person who has found their calling; a rare gem that any employer would be wise to curate. If you need a job done, they will get it done.

    T. Catt, Eisner-Nominated Writer

  • Working with Dorian has been an amazing opportunity and an absolute blessing. Throughout the entire process they've demonstrated so much passion and dedication to executing this project. I enjoyed the process at every stage, and appreciated how much input Dorian also put in. In terms of visual aesthetics, Dorian went above and beyond to meet the details requested and even put in hand drawn images to match the look I was going for! They were very clear on the time-frames, expectations and constantly helped me make informed decisions for our website (for someone like me who's not familiar with this process). Overall I'm an absolute fan of their work and am so grateful to have worked with them!

    Eva Mamphilly, Give & Grow CIC Founder

  • For a charity which relies on donations, grants and support, the biggest hurdle for us is gaining vital trust, and even as a small organisation it does affect us if we don't look professional and legitimate as an impression, what you have done for us with your valuable time and effort is to give us something that rivals our organisation to larger charities and the impact that is having and going to continue to have for families across South Wales is immense.

    Dafydd Owen, Marketting Coordinator at Adenydd

  • Working with Dorian has been a transformative experience for Adenydd. They completely refreshed our website, and the difference is truly astounding. By providing us with a polished, professional online presence, they have given our organization a new level of credibility. This has directly empowered us to encourage more course sign-ups, increase donations to our fundraisers, and reach more people in need of our services. Dorian didn't just make the site look better; they made it work better. The improved ease of use and smooth navigation have made a significant impact on our community’s ability to access vital information.

    Dafydd Owen, Marketting Coordinator at Adenydd