ABAide - UX Strategy & Design
ABAide - UX Strategy & Design
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Concept test of ABAide's prototype to evaluate therapist confidence, intent to use, and perceived usefulness during solo sessions.
CONTEXT
In Fall 2025, I was tasked to think about this question.
In Fall 2025, I was tasked to think about this question.
As a Behavior Therapist (BT) with over 4 year's experience and has worked with 7 clients, this led me to think about my own struggles that can (potentially) be solved with an app.
As a Behavior Therapist (BT) with over 4 year's experience and has worked with 7 clients, this led me to think about my own struggles that can (potentially) be solved with an app.
The Problem
Behavior Therapists (BTs), especially those early in their careers, often work alone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) clients.
They face challenging behaviors without immediate supervisor support, and existing training materials are hard to recall under stress.
The Target Market
Early-career BTs aged 18-25 years old
Empathetic, detail-oriented, often works solo in home/school settings
VALUE PROP
ABAide provides real-time, mobile access to practical ABA strategies, helping BTs feel confident and supported during solo sessions.
ABAide provides real-time, mobile access to practical ABA strategies, helping BTs feel confident and supported during solo sessions.
TIMELINE
PROTO-PERSONA
This proto-persona captured my initial assumptions about early-career Behavior Therapists, which later guided my interview design and was refined through real user insights.
EXPLORATORY INTERVIEW FINDINGS
To understand the problem space, I conducted exploratory interviews with 3 BTs. Here is what I found.
1.
Recalling Failures
1.
Recalling Failures
BTs reported that during moments of escalation, they often forget the ABA strategies they were trained on.
This cognitive overload—especially when working solo—leads them to rely on memory or informal support like texting supervisors.
2.
Minimal In-Person Support
2.
Minimal In-Person Support
Interviewees consistently described supervisors as their most reliable source of guidance. However, due to insurance constraints and scheduling, BTs often work alone for up to 95% of their hours.
This creates a tension: therapists want personalized support, but can’t always access it.
3.
Matching Mental Models
3.
Matching Mental Models
Participants emphasized the need for tools that are intuitive and scenario-based.
They preferred guidance that mirrors their mental flow during sessions—simple, categorized, and easy to scan.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Most existing tools focus on documentation or clinic-based training. Few offer real-time, in session support.
ABAide's opportunity lies in being mobile-first, practical, and confidence boosting.
Opportunity
ABAide occupies a blue ocean space—real-time, mobile therapist support.
Research Plan
Research Plan
I designed a concept evaluation plan to test ABAide's viability against the current market.
Overview & Research Goals
Overview & Research Goals
Overview:
Moderated concept test of ABAide's prototype to evaluate therapist confidence, intent to use, and perceived usefulness during solo sessions.
Goals:
Assess how confident BTs feel using ABAide in-session
Understand intent to use ABAide without supervisor support.
Identify usability strengths and areas for refinement
Hypotheses:
H1: BTs will find ABAide helpful for managing challenging behaviors.
H2: BTs will feel more confident using ABAide and relay less on supervisors/memory.
H3: BTs will express intent to use ABAide during solo sessions.
Methodology & Participants
Methodology & Participants
Design
Remote concept test over Zoom
Mid-fidelity created with Figma Make
Recruiting
3 participants who have experience working as a Behavior Therapist
3 months, 6 months, & 3 years
Convenience sampling
Analysis & Reporting
Analysis & Reporting
Quantitative: Likert-scale ratings (1 - 7)
1 = Very Unlikely
7 = Very Likely
Qualitative: Open-ended feedback
Tasks & Procedures
Tasks & Procedures
Click on Behavior tab, Consequence tab, and Antecedent Tab.
Give open-ended feedback.
Post-task feedback via survey
Insights
Insights
QUANTITATIVE RESULTS
2 out of 3 expressed intent to use ABAide in solo sessions.
2 out of 3 rated ABAide a 7 for confidence boost.
1 out of 3 would choose ABAide.
QUALITATIVE RESULTS
OVERALL FINDINGS
The quantitative data indicates a strong confidence boost for most users, though recommendation likelihood and solo session intent show some variability.
Qualitative feedback supports these findings, highlighting the tool’s practical alignment with therapist thinking and its potential to reduce reliance on supervisors.
Limitations include the small sample size (n = 3), making findings directional rather than generalizable.
NEXT STEPS & RECCOMMENDATIONS
My Reflections
My Reflections
This project taught me the importance of balancing quantitative validation with qualitative storytelling. Working with a small sample size, I found that combining survey data with real therapist quotes told a much more compelling story about what ABAide could actually do for people like us. Running the numbers showed ABAide could be a sustainable $500K-1M business, but the analysis also exposed my biggest assumption: that RBTs would pay out-of-pocket for something their supervisors might resist.
Although my product concept might face its most threatening barrier from supervisors, this process taught me something valuable: creating successful experiences means navigating complex human dynamics. Understanding these concerns early on doesn't mean the project will fail; it means I can design with empathy for all stakeholders, including the supervisors whose buy-in will be crucial.
I think this mindset will help turn good ideas into something that actually works in the real world.
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