Sometimes, all you need is some company, a buddy, a friend, a yara.
Type
Academic Project
My Role
Graphic Designer
UX UI Designer
Duration
6 weeks
UX Methods
Primary research, Secondary research, field study, user persona, Empathy mapping, Customer Journey mapping, Branding, Task flows, Wireframing, Prototyping, Brainstorming, Visual design.
Collaboration
Collaborated with 2 other Graphic students for this project.
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Adobe XD, Adobe Illustrator
Quick Overview
Before moving forward here is a quick overview of the project problem, target users, and the solution.
Problem
As our dear ones enter the later stages of life, the prospect of extended periods spent alone at home can pose significant challenges. Routine tasks, once simple, may become daunting obstacles, whether it's managing errands, maintaining household chores, or preparing meals. Moreover, the longing for human connection and the simple joys of companionship, be it through heartfelt conversations or shared pastimes like card games, often becomes a poignant necessity.
Users
In this project, we centered our efforts on three key target groups: the elderly, their children or caretakers, and the companions or "buddies." As we tailored the project outcomes, our specific focus was on the first target group,
the elderly, ensuring that our strategies and solutions were attuned to the Indian demographic.
Solution
A service that provides assistance to senior citizens by helping them connect with a younger age group. Elderly sitters will be available to help them tackle challenging everyday activities, including running errands. This service will ensure that the seniors have companions who will accompany them throughout the day, engaging in activities like friendly chats and card games to promote a sense of companionship and well-being.
Understanding the Problem Space
01 Empathize
Empathized with the problem area using various research methods
How it started?
What compelled me to undertake this project stems from years of observing the elderly in my family and community. I've witnessed numerous older couples living alone, with their children settled far away. Some elders live entirely by themselves, yearning for even a brief conversation. The sense of loneliness and the desire for human companionship among these senior citizens served as a powerful motivation for me to delve deeper into comprehending the core issues at hand.
What was on the internet?
Some insights from the desk research
I delved into multiple research papers on online resources such as Google Scholarly, gaining valuable insights into various factors affecting mental health among elders and reducing their quality of life. These were some of the insights about the challenges faced by senior citizens.
What did people say?
A video compilation of the user interviews.
I conducted 5 semi-structured user interviews, aiming to gather insights from the elderly as well as their children or caregivers. The interviews focused on their daily life, the challenges they encountered, and existing solutions.
Interview Insights
“At this age, all we need is a person who listens, reciprocates, and enjoys having a conversation with for a brief period.”
“While my kids have graciously managed everything from a distance, the quiet moments can sometimes feel a bit too silent. The presence of youthful company would undoubtedly bring a delightful change to my day”
“I lack motivation to start my day as I struggle to find a clear agenda or purpose for the day ahead.”
“Due to the fear of being scammed, I tend to avoid going out and interacting with many new people.”
“Just some company would be nice.”
“A simple, planned activity helps me stay motivated throughout the day.”
“I prefer not to bother my kids with minor matters repeatedly throughout the day, considering they already have their own concerns to focus on.”
02 Define
Defining the User
Created user personas and empathy maps to understand the users.
02 Define
Framing the Problem Statement
Crafted a well-defined how might we statement to understand and focus on the problem space
A common factor observed in the age group of 60 years and above is that they need assistance when performing physically exhausting activities. Moreover, the mental health of this age group deteriorates due to loneliness. They find it difficult to find purpose in life and stay motivated.
How might we provide efficient support that caters to physical limitations and combat loneliness in the older demographic, enabling them to find renewed purpose and motivation in life?
03 Ideate
The Solution
Employed a diverse range of brainstorming methods to cast a wide net finally settling on one particular concept and elaborating its components arriving at the final solution
A service that provides assistance to senior citizens by helping them connect with a younger age group. Elderly sitters will be available to help them tackle challenging everyday activities, including running errands. This service will ensure that the seniors have companions who will accompany them throughout the day, engaging in activities like friendly chats and card games to promote a sense of companionship and well-being.
03 Ideate
Customer Journey May
Analyzed the customer journey to identify key elements for service design considerations
Moving ahead in the project, we emphasized Shobha's persona, outlining various elements of 'Yara.' We initiated the process by mapping Shobha's user journey through different stages, starting from her initial introduction to the service to her ultimate satisfaction with its offerings.
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 3
03 Ideate
Key Offerings
Identified essential components of 'Yara' for the minimum viable product (MVP) to streamline the project's focus
04 Design
Brand Identity and Visual Language
Defining brand persona and ethos through colors, font and logo
Brand Colours
Brand Font
Quicksand
The font depicts a professional yet friendly approach which the brand wants to promote. The rounded edges and a semi-bold stroke give a more soft and approachable feel.
Logo
'Yara' in multiple languages spoken in India translets to a freind.
The dominant element of the logo is a comma. Indicating the initiation of a conversation (Dear, ) along with that it also depicts a conversation that might have a few pauses (commas) but is never-ending. The logo depicts a friendly yet professional image that the brand is trying to portray.
Brand Collaterals
04 Design
Mobile Application
Defining brand persona and ethos through colors, font and logo
About the App
User Flow
The Yara user group comprises not only the elderly but also their children and caregivers, who will all utilize this application. It will provide regular updates on buddy visits, the mental health status of the elderly, and various events organized by the Yara community. For the scope of this project, I have focused on one key customer segment, the Elderly, and tailored the application prototype to their specific needs.
Task 1: Participate in a challenge
Yara community will post easy quick challenges for the users. This will keep them occupied and motivated.
Task 2: Edit to-do list
All buddy visits will have a predecided to-do list. Also, every day the user and the guardian can make a to-do list. Both of these can be edited anytime.
Task 3: Request Reschedule
Buddy visit can be rescheduled to a new date and time.
Information
Architecture
Wireframes
Hi-fi UI
Daily Affirmations
A new affirmation will be displayed every time the user opens the application. This will help them stay motivated throughout the day.
Today will be a productive day!
Today is a phenomenal day!
I wake up motivated!
Daily To Do
A to-do list will be created by the buddy on the day of the visit. The user or the guardian can add/edit tasks. They can also create the list on daily basis. This help organize the activities and encourage the user to stay active.
Health update
User has to enter information regarding the following, breathing exercise, workout, water intake, sleep, and meals to help users maintain and track mental and physical health.
Reminders
The user or the guardian can set up reminders to complete daily tasks like taking medicines.
Calendar
A calendar marked with buddy visits and Yara events and activities.
Stay connected to your buddy
Track live location during visit hrs.
Multilingual
The app will be available in local languages too, to cater to the multilinguistic population of India.
04 Design
Welcome Hamper
A warm welcome to the new customers
About the Hamper
A hamper consisting of a series of newspaper games, Pictionary, and documents regarding the buddy assigned will be handed to the customer when they sign up for a service. The hamper will act as an icebreaker between the buddy and the client. The idea behind the hamper is to bridge the generation gap with the old-school newspaper games and the Pictionary fun!
04 Design
Ice-breaker Kit
To kick start the conversation
About the kit
As the name suggests these games are designed to help the buddy and the client interact. The idea behind introducing such games is to bridge the generation gap with the old-school newspaper games and the hip Pictionary fun!
1. Pictionary 2. Newspaper puzzles.
05 Test
What did the users say?
Following the Minimum Viable Product, decided to conduct some usability testing.
Following the Minimum Viable Product, we decided to conduct some usability testing. I conducted a think-aloud session with actual users while giving them a walk-through. Simultaneously I also got concept validation for this project.
What
worked?
The feedback for the fundamental concept of "Mere Company" was highly positive. Users praised the UI, describing it as cheerful, optimistic, and interactive. The affirmations received special mention for their positive impact.
Both the elderly users and their caretakers expressed appreciation for the concept of interacting with the younger generation and the idea of exchanging knowledge. The positive response indicates a strong alignment of the concept with the needs and preferences of the target audience.
05 Testing
My Learnings
I learned how to break down large issues into numerous smaller ones and address each one separately in order to address the more large problem.
I gained valuable insights into designing user interfaces that are accessible to the target audience.