Introduction

Team Name: Petunias

Team Members:  Jaden,  Nora, Aishwarya

Client: Cathy 

Our project focuses on designing an assistive device tailored to individuals with different abilities, enhancing their daily lives through a blend of convenience and technology. As part of this initiative, we aim to create a device that not only supports their needs but also integrates electronics to ensure functionality beyond purely mechanical solutions.

To gain a deeper understanding of our client’s interests and challenges, we visited Achieva House to meet Cathy, the individual we are designing for. The goal of this visit was to learn about her daily routines, frustrations, and the activities she enjoys, helping us shape a solution that aligns with her lifestyle. The interview took place in Cathy’s bedroom, providing a comfortable and familiar setting for our conversation.

This meeting was a crucial step in our design process, allowing us to gather insights directly from Cathy and begin conceptualising a device that will meaningfully add to her life.

Agenda

Materials To Bring

• Sketchbook & Drawing Tools: Encourage them to express ideas visually.

• Assistive Prototypes (if applicable): Allow hands-on interaction and feedback.

Tasks

Jaden

• Observation: Watch and document how they perform tasks. 

• Pain Points: Note areas where they struggle, using Otter.ai for transcription if needed.

Nora

• Interview the Audience. 

• Multimedia Recording: Capture photos and videos (with consent) for reference.

Aishwarya

• Interview the Audience. 

• Multimedia Recording: Capture photos and videos (with consent) for reference.

• Note down opportunities to discuss after the interview. 

Conversation Agenda

Icebreaker & Introduction

• Introduction oneself to establish rapport. (both interviewees and clients)

General Overview

• Explain the purpose of the session in simple, clear terms.

• Introduce the topic of assistive devices and convenience tools.

Understanding Needs & Frustrations

A. Hobbies & Interests

• Ask: What activities do you enjoy doing?

• Encourage them to demonstrate their hobby or interest while you observe.

• Note any challenges or workarounds they use.

B. Daily Routines

• Ask about their daily schedule and key tasks.

• If multiple routines exist, discuss their importance and variations.

C. Challenges & Frustrations

• Ask: Are there any tasks you find frustrating or difficult?

• Explore challenges they face while performing tasks independently or with others.

• Encourage open discussion about discomfort, barriers, or inefficiencies.

Quick Brainstorming(if time permits)

• Show various opportunities written down while interviewing. (could be in notes or sticky notes)

• Ask them to rank these opportunities based on preference/needs. 

• Encourage open discussion about the same. 

Collect Contact Details

• Contact Preferences (if any)

Meeting Summary + Takeaways

Cathy's Personality

Cathy is an incredibly friendly and positive person. She has a warm and loving personality, often expressing affection by giving lots of hugs. She seems to genuinely enjoy everything, making it difficult to pinpoint specific dislikes or challenges. During the interview, her positive nature made it harder for us to identify specific struggles she might be facing in her daily life. 

Things that Cathy Likes (Her Interests)

Cathy has a wide range of interests that bring her joy. She loves creative activities like coloring, drawing, and painting, with her favorite colors being black, white, pink, purple, blue, green, and fall shades. She enjoys bowling, gardening, and planting flowers. One of her favorite activities is going out, especially to eat at restaurants. Music plays a big role in her life, particularly country music, and she loves dancing. She also prefers keeping her hair short and has a passion for cooking and baking, with chocolate chip cookies being her favorite treat to make.

Challenges with Scheduling and Routine

Although Cathy enjoys working on her own time and prefers an unstructured routine, scheduling can sometimes be a challenge for her due to her OCD. When she is unable to follow her preferred schedule, it can be frustrating. She used to struggle with attending appointments, which could be up to three times a week, but has improved over time. However, she still experiences mood shifts when she cannot do what she wants. On the other hand, she is noticeably happier when she has activities to look forward to, indicating that anticipation plays a key role in her well-being.

Key Takeaway and Next Steps

Our interview helped us understand that Cathy thrives when she has a balance between structure and flexibility. Moving forward, we plan to integrate scheduling assistance with her personal interests, ensuring she remains engaged and excited about her daily activities. By designing a solution that allows her to maintain her sense of independence while providing gentle structure, we can help create a system that supports her in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

Reflection on the Interview

Our interview followed the planned agenda, but it was challenging to have a truly meaningful conversation with Cathy. She appeared happy with everything, which made it difficult to identify specific areas where she might need support. While we attempted to uncover any challenges she faces, her consistently positive responses made it tough to pinpoint actual needs.

However, after speaking with other members of her household, we learned that she struggles with following her schedule and sometimes forgets her appointments. Based on this insight, we decided to integrate scheduling assistance with her personal interests to create a more engaging and supportive solution.

What We Would Do Differently

If we were to conduct the research again, we would consider using a different method instead of a traditional interview. A more interactive approach, such as a workshop, could provide deeper insights. For example, we could start by gaining a basic understanding of Cathy’s daily routine and then create a visual representation of her schedule.

In this workshop, Cathy would receive a set of task cards, some representing enjoyable activities and others depicting frustrating tasks. She could then place these cards on her daily schedule sheet to indicate how different activities impact her day. To make the experience more comfortable and engaging for Cathy, a team member could also participate by filling out their own schedule sheet. This would create a collaborative and non-intrusive environment where she feels included rather than observed.

By adopting this hands on approach, we believe we could gather more meaningful insights while ensuring Cathy feels actively involved in shaping a solution that suits her needs.