Introduction

Team Name: Daffodils

Team Members: Shivum, Aziza, Shivani

Client: Helen

On March 12, 2025, we visited the Achieva house to meet our client, Helen. The goal of our visit was to get to know Helen in terms of her interests and her frustrations in her daily life. The interview was conducted in her bedroom. We learned more about Helen's hobbies and her everyday routine. This project aims to create an assistive device for Helen to aid her in her routine or a challenge she faces. Below is the interview process we followed and the key takeaways we had in order to begin the prototyping for this project. 

Agenda

Introduction/Ice-Breaker

Thank you for volunteering!

• We introduce ourselves

• Introduce Project

• Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

• What are some of your interests or hobbies? Why is it important to you?

• Why did you volunteer for this project? 

Daily Routine

• What’s a typical day like for you?

• What are some tasks you do every day that feel easy or enjoyable?

• Are there any daily tasks that you find frustrating or difficult? What’s something you wish could be made easier in your routine?  Why is it important to you?

• Can you draw a cartoon of your daily life?

Communication & Interaction

• Do you use any technology to help with communication or interaction?

• Are there situations where you feel communication is more challenging?

Mobility & Accessibility

• Do you use any assistive devices? If so, what do you like or dislike about them?

• Are there any places or activities that feel less accessible to you?

• If you could change or improve one thing about your environment, what would it be?

• If you could create a device that makes life more convenient/better for you, what would it be?

Closing

• If we designed something for you, what would be the most important thing for us to consider? What would you like us to prioritize and not prioritize?

• Do you have any questions for us about the project?

Meeting Summary + Takeaways

ART

Our discussion with Helen had many leading themes that emerged in terms of what her passions are and what she values. One of these interests is in art and painting specifically, as she loves to paint on canvases throughout the day. She showed us many of her paintings which she's displayed throughout the room, and the employees at the center also confirmed this passion. However, she did mention that a challenge was particularly with the painting process, and the employees also mentioned it can get messy sometimes and requires a lot of planning. 

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Helen greatly values her family connections, and she loves to talk whenever she has the chance possible to her brother, mother, and her grandchildren. However, she did mention that her brother oftentimes has a busy schedule and due to this, they aren't able to talk as much as they'd like. Her grandchildren also visit often and she loves anytime she can spend with them. 

INDEPENDENCE AND CARE

Throughout the conversation one theme that emerged was Helen's independence in her daily activities. From walking the dog to food to making art, she is a very independent person and enjoys her personal time. A notable point was when the staff member told us that "she likes her independence as much as possible, that's why it was hard when she lost her job (in COVID)".  She also in fact goes out of her way to help others with their tasks, like helping her room mate with setting her bed. Independence and caring for others are 2 very apparent qualities that we took away from this conversation.

Final Thoughts

Our experience with the interview was not what we anticipated. The order of questioning, the type of responses, and the overall flow deviated significantly from our planned agenda. This unexpected outcome suggests a need to rethink and adapt our research methods, particularly when working with individuals who have cognitive disabilities. Moving forward, we recognize that understanding the participant’s needs and abilities beforehand is crucial in selecting an appropriate research approach.

One key takeaway is that traditional interview methods may not always be effective in such contexts. Helen had difficulty comprehending certain questions and maintaining focus, making it challenging to extract specific insights about her daily struggles. This highlighted the need for more experience-based research techniques rather than relying solely on verbal questioning.

Future Considerations for Improving Our Research Approach

1. Preliminary Understanding of the Participant

• Before conducting an interview, it would be beneficial to gather background information about the participant, including the nature of their disability and their communication preferences.

• This would help us tailor our approach to match their cognitive and attention abilities.
  
  

2. Pursuing Alternative Research Methods

Given the challenges we faced, we would explore more interactive, contextual research methods, such as:

• Hands-on “Show & Tell” Workshop: Rather than relying on verbal responses, we could introduce physical objects, photos, or videos to gauge her reactions and preferences. This method could help Helen express herself more naturally through gesture and choice-based responses (to cater to low attention span)

• Staff-Assisted Diary Study: Since Helen interacts regularly with staff members, asking them to document her daily struggles and assistance needs over a set period could provide a more accurate and nuanced understanding of her challenges.

Despite these challenges, we successfully identified key themes that resonate with Helen’s interests:

• Art & Creativity – She enjoys painting and coloring.

• Animals – She loves dogs and enjoys outdoor activities like walking.

• Social Connection – She values family interactions and communication.

• Independence – She takes pride in doing things on her own.

Next Steps

We are leaning towards making her interests easier for her to engage with & pursue.