Newer caregivers
Orientation and trustworthy guidance
- Understand what may happen next
- Find reliable information and local resources
- Learn how to respond to symptoms and behaviors
Caregiver Support · Healthcare · Master’s project · Research + interaction design
Turning caregiver research into a tested support and coordination application
Across two individual graduate projects, I researched how family caregivers of people with dementia balance safety, dignity, communication, and their own well-being. I translated that evidence into a tested mobile application focused on coordinating care, tracking symptoms, organizing responsibilities, and sharing useful information. Research also led me to remove an AI assistant that participants did not trust for medical or emotional guidance.
- UX research
- Interaction design
- Responsible AI
2
Individual graduate projects
54
Foundational survey responses
5
Prototype workflows tested
83.5
Average SUS score
Project overview
Two courses, one evidence-led product direction
The challenge
Caregiving for someone with dementia changes over time. Families may move from responding to a diagnosis or behavioral change to coordinating safety, healthcare decisions, daily routines, and long-term support—all while protecting the caregiver’s own well-being.
My role
Both phases were individual projects. From January through April 2026, I owned the foundational research. From May through June, I owned the product strategy, participatory design, information architecture, task flows, Figma prototypes, usability testing, adapted design system, user stories, and direction and review of the Lovable code-based proof of concept.
Part 1 · Understanding the caregiver experience
Researching needs across the caregiver journey
From January through April 2026, I used secondary research, comparative evaluation, a 54-response survey, four interviews, moderated card sorting, and usability testing of an existing caregiver application to identify needs before defining a solution.
Five priorities shaped the opportunity
- Managing challenging behaviors
- Finding local support and resources
- Tracking symptoms and changes
- Learning about prevention, treatment, and medication
- Sharing useful information with the medical team while protecting caregiver health
The survey provided breadth; interviews and card sorting explained how caregivers prioritized competing needs and how those priorities changed over time.
Research synthesis
Different stages created different support needs
Two caregiver profiles emerged. Newer caregivers needed orientation and trustworthy guidance, while experienced caregivers placed greater emphasis on coordination, continuity, and tracking changes over time.
Experienced caregivers
Coordination and continuity
- Coordinate responsibilities across a care team
- Track changes over time
- Prepare useful information for the medical team
Existing experience evaluation
Caregivers wanted support without an AI authority
Three participants evaluated Elevmi. They valued its respectful tone, symptom tracking, cited education, and attention to consent and privacy, but expressed limited trust in AI-generated medical or emotional guidance.
Technology should help caregivers remain informed and organized without replacing professional advice, personal judgment, or human support.
Part 2 · Designing the product
Letting evidence define the product
From May through June 2026, I revisited the research through three additional interviews, a 10-response feature-prioritization survey, and participatory-design sessions with three caregivers. The evidence narrowed the application around coordination, tracking, and communication.
Participatory design established four product principles
- Keep consent, privacy, and data sharing visible
- Make caregiver communication a core workflow
- Support symptom tracking and medical-team conversations
- Remove AI and forum features without sufficient trust or governance
The product became more focused because research determined which features deserved to move forward—and which did not.
Core workflows
Coordinating care in one shared experience
The Caregiver Support Application combined six related responsibilities into three workflow families so caregivers could manage sensitive information, shared responsibilities, and changing symptoms without fragmenting the experience.
01
Profiles and consent
Establish privacy and sharing expectations before caregivers create a care team or record sensitive information.
02
Care team and chat
Invite other caregivers, clarify relationships, and communicate within a shared care environment.
03
Tracking and planning
Record changes, coordinate appointments and events, and keep smaller caregiving responsibilities visible to the team.
Usability testing
Testing five representative workflows
Three caregivers—two newer caregivers and one with longer-term experience—tested onboarding, care-team communication, notes and tasks, appointments and events, and the symptom questionnaire. I updated the prototype between sessions; all three participants completed every assigned task.
- NavigationMoved People into primary navigation and relabeled it Chat
- HomeAdded a prominent Chat or Add a Caregiver action
- FormsGrouped required information and marked optional fields
- FeedbackAdded confirmation and end-state screens
Outcomes
A tested prototype with a path toward development
All three participants completed every assigned task. Across sequential sessions, the prototype received an average System Usability Scale score of 83.5, an average ease rating of 4.6, and an average confidence rating of 4.4. The rising session scores are directional evidence because each iteration was evaluated by a different participant.
Usability
83.5 average System Usability Scale score across three sequential sessions.
Task experience
4.6 average ease · 4.4 average confidence.
Current status
The Figma and code-based prototypes remain accessible. The project was not deployed, and I am discussing a possible functional version with a project stakeholder.
Responsible design sometimes means deciding what not to build. Research redirected the application toward practical coordination and away from features caregivers did not trust.
Contact
Need a researcher-designer for a complex public-sector system?
Let’s talk about enterprise modernization, accessible workflows, or responsible AI.
snaggums@gmail.com