Hannah "Rivka" Barrett
UX Researcher
Design Thinking and Prototyping | Sun Smart
Overview
Purpose
Users find it difficult to remember to apply sunscreen. This is exacerbated by inadequate information about the dangers of sun exposure. Our team wanted to focus on finding a solution to this problem.
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Objectives
We decided to create a wearable and associated mobile app that would enable users to achieve and maintain suncare best practices. Through monitoring UV exposure levels and integrating an understanding of user behavior into the app, we could provide them with personalized and appropriate reminders and recommendations on how to improve their sun protection practices in real time.
The wearable would:
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Vibrate when UV radiation reaches unacceptable levels
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Be waterproof and sweat-proof
The features of the mobile application would include:
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A dashboard showing user trends and a rewards system based on good sun protection practices
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Customized recommendations for sun protection based on user’s skin type, activity level and daily weather conditions
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Provide a summary of the user's UV exposure at the end of each day
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Tailored push notifications
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Process
1. Conducted background research on the sun care market and sun care practices
2. Conducted interviews to learn about people’s sun care practices, developed personas, storyboarded context scenarios
3. Determined high-level requirements and functionalities
4. Conducted braindrawing exercises for wearable design
5. Developed paper prototypes for the wearable and mobile app and conducted rapid user testing
6. Iterated based on user feedback, created high-fidelity screen mockups for mobile app and wearable
7. Created low-fidelity 3-D prototype of the wearable form
8. Created our final project showcase: a protocast demonstrating use of product
Tools
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Braindrawing
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Paper and pen
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Sticky notes
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Cardboard, tape and magic markers
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Sketch and Axure
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iMovie
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Project Duration
September-December 2017 (4 months)
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Group Members
​Rivka Barrett, Taylor Maynard, Yanling Xu
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Background Research
Technology can help promote best sun protection practices.
For instance, participants who receive text message reminders are nearly 2x as likely to wear sunscreen daily, compared to those who do not receive reminders (Armstrong, 2009).
However, current products for promoting sun-care behaviors have significant usability problems.
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Usability problems include:
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Not connected to smartphone
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Not collecting data on trends that could aid long term behavioral changes
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May be disposable or not designed for everyday use
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See References at the bottom of the page.
My Role:​
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Created paper prototypes for mobile app
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Developed our persona and context scenario based on interviews
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Conducted background research and interviews
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Created prototype of wearable form factor
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Participated in brain drawing exercises
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Helped edit protocast
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Edited and formatted final presentation
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Keywords: design thinking, prototyping, personas, storyboarding, rapid usability testing
U.S. Sun-Care Market:
Projected to reach $1.8 billion in 2018 (Final Step Marketing)
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Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancer types combined (Stern, 2010).
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Consumers have limited knowledge on how to properly apply sunscreen, how often to use it and when to use it (Diffey, 1996; Diffey, 2001).
Interviews and Persona
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We interviewed 12 people in total.
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We asked questions about:
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Outdoor activities
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Sun protection habits
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Motivations for sun protection
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These interviews informed our persona, Amanda Peters.
"I'm a busy person with a lot of priorities so if I remember to put on sunscreen once, I feel that's a win."
Context Scenarios and Storyboarding
Click on the storyboard to expand it.
High-Level Requirements and Functionalities
Braindrawing
We developed our wearable form factor through braindrawing exercises. Each person sketched ideas during an initial two-minute round, then passed their ideas on to another team member who used them for inspiration during the next round.
Afterwards, we discussed our thoughts on the concepts shown in the sketches and reached an agreement on what the form factor should look like.
Ideas included a wristband, ring, or pin. Suggestions for attaching the wearable included magnets or a clip. We decided to create a wearable wristband, fastened with a clip, that could be converted into a pin.
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We decided on this form factor for a few reasons:
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Creating a wearable ring was deemed too difficult because the size is too small to convey enough valuable information on the screen. In addition, it would be hard for users to securely fasten the ring
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Magnets used to attach the wristband would be heavy in weight and cause discomfort for users. It is also uncertain how magnets would work if the wearable was in pin form
Paper Prototypes and Rapid User Testing
We created low-fidelity paper prototypes of:
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Wearable form factor (as a wristband or a pin)
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Mobile app screens
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Wearable monitor screens
We then conducted rapid user testing on all prototypes.
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Key takeaways:
On-boarding process
- Need to briefly demonstrate to users how the app works
- Let users know why they need to enter personal information
- Tailor skin tone options based on users’ race and ethnicity
- Show users what kinds of notifications and customization they can have
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Dashboard/Summary
- Users want a simpler infographic indicating their level of exposure
- The summary should provide deeper insights:
- What does the summary mean? Is it good or bad?
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Wearable Monitor
- Users want an infographic they can understand at a glance
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Iterating and Creating High-Fidelity Prototypes
Our team created low-fidelity prototypes based on the feedback from the rapid usability testing sessions. High-fidelity prototypes were then created using Sketch.
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Prototype of Wearable Form Factor
Click on the images to expand them.
Click on the images to expand them.
We were asked to create a three-dimensional prototype as part of our deliverable. In order to create a three-dimensional prototype of the wearable form factor, I repurposed an old FitBit with cardboard, duct tape, magic markers and a binder clip (which I used to pin the monitor to my clothing or bag).
What I Learned
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Planning and facilitating design thinking sessions can be quick and easy, and allow ideas to emerge that might not have been discussed otherwise. The key is to go in with an open mind and not commit to any one idea too early.
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Storyboarding and context scenarios help the designer "walk through" how the product may fit into users' lives.
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Using interview data to create personas can be a valuable way to highlight themes that emerge in the interviews, as well as create to empathy for the audience for whom you are designing.
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Using low-fidelity prototypes and iterating the concept help ensure the product will be useful for your target audience, and prevents significant rework later.
References Cited in "Background Research" Section
U.S. sun-care market projection:
Author not listed (2015). Sunscreen Market Analysis. Final Step Marketing. Retrieved from https://finalstepmarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Sunscreen-Market-Analysis.pdf
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Increasing skin cancer rates:
Stern, R. S. (2010). Prevalence of a history of skin cancer in 2007: results of an incidence-based model. Archives of dermatology, 146(3), 279-282.
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Problems with improper use of sunscreen:
Diffey, B. L. (1996). Sunscreens, suntans and skin cancer. People do not apply enough sunscreen for protection. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 313(7062), 942.
Diffey, B. L. (2001). When should sunscreen be reapplied?. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 45(6), 882-885.
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Impact of text-message reminders:
Armstrong, A. W., Watson, A. J., Makredes, M., Frangos, J. E., Kimball, A. B., & Kvedar, J. C. (2009). Text-message reminders to improve sunscreen use: a randomized, controlled trial using electronic monitoring. Archives of dermatology, 145(11), 1230-1236.