At the start of working with the co-designer, another design challenge was considered and developed. Our challenge was about improving mobility in the left hand, i.e. the ability to extend their fingers of the left hand since our co-designer had the most struggles with that and insisted a device should be made for this. After the peer review/ a meeting with tutor, it was concluded to change the design challenge and move in another direction because our team did not have enough medical specialization for such a purpose. We wanted to provide the feeling of empowerment and independence through the product, and additionally, the product could improve the daily life of the person. To make a new design challenge it was decided to analyse their home environment. The following constraints were explored:
Mobility | Reachability | Stability | Functionality | |
A cutting board | Mobility is limited due to pain | The counter is too high | The hand movement is great, the board is sliding | Addition of screws |
A sleeve of the jacket | Limited due to a hand in fist position | Put the left hand in first, then the right one | Stable | More difficulty and slower |
Utensils | Mobility is limited due to pain, no use of left hand | The kitchen drawer is easy accessible | Too thin handle to hold properly but still enough | No use of left hand |
Phone & Laptop | No problem with right hand | Struggles with reaching capital letters (computer) | Stable | Slower speed |
Toothbrush | Limited, proper movement from left to right | Easily accessible | Too thin handle to hold properly but still enough | Puts toothpaste directly into mouth |
File folder | Limited due to one hand | Easily accessible | Difficulties with holding file open | Slower speed |
Bottle cap | Cannot open with one hand | Easily accessible but uses low bottles | Stable since left arm fixate the position | Slower speed
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Using the results of our observations a new design challenge was made:
“Design a product that empowers people with hemiplegia and fosters their physical independence with their physical movements in the activities of daily living within their home environment.”
The design process is explained per meeting held with the case owner (co-designer). This format is used to get a structured and chronological view of the design process.
This meeting was an informal meeting to get to know who the case owner is and for the case owner to get to know the group. At the beginning of the meeting the case owner and our group signed a form of consent stating that meetings can be recorded or that videos can be made. This meeting went really well and some insights on assistive devices and the goals of the case owner could already be written down. We asked the following questions:
Insights first meeting:
This meeting was held on campus at an informal location and was prepared with questions which were less personal and more focussed on the design. In this session the first co-design was done as well. Where some of the group members drew and the case owner also drew some things to support the ideas that came up at this early stage. This meeting left us with more information about the disability of the case owner and a clearer design direction.
Insight second meeting:
Ideation after second meeting:
Here the initial idea about a cutting board was already created, since the case owner made use of self-made cutting boards, but the main focus was still on the mobility of the hand.
The main concept was a device that was attached to his arm/wrist and hand, where the separated parts were connected with strings which could stretch his fingers if this was necessary.
At this point we had hit a wall with our ideation process, since we found out our initial design direction, which was to design something for the hand of the case owner, was not the right direction. Now we had to come up with a new direction, so we needed to talk with the case owner. An online meeting was done to ask questions that might help clear up some doubts and unknowns. However the results didn’t fulfill all our doubts and a new concept direction was not found.
Question asked:
Main insights third meeting:
Case owner was 18 y/o when traveling to NL. Has trouble speaking Dutch and Turkish (Turkish because he had a concussion) At night he has less movement in his hand, because he is tired. Something to hold his arm straight, for reachability (to grab things, or for putting on clothes) Only had exercises for his right shoulder, must keep movement to keep arm (shoulder) from being stuck due to lack of movement.
Ideation after third meeting:
No ideation was done after this meeting since we hit a wall and progress had to wait for the week after since a meeting was planned at the house of the case owner to focus on the environment. The case owner still insisted on a device for his hand, however this was simply not doable for us which is why we changed our focus to the environment of the case owner.
We went to his house for the first time. We wanted to observe him in his own space to find something we can help him with. An observation list with tasks and objects were brought to better identify possible options for concept directions. The results of these can be seen in the design challenge. He gladly showed us how he made some bread, cooked, cut paprika and how he puts on a coat. During observations our group noticed that he has difficulties while cutting even he denied that. It was not safe because the board was constantly sliding in opposite direction, so it increases the chances of injury. The cutting board was chosen as a design direction. Our co-designer also showed us some assistive devices which he uses around the home. For example, a walking trolley, a walking stick, a chair for the shower and non-slip mat. Some of these devices he’s appropriated for other purposes or have little use to his everyday routine. Additionally, he explained and also demonstrated how he uses these devices. It was also observed that the co-designer had a lot of medication and would often forget to take it. He later explained that he recently purchased a product that helps remind him to take his different medication so this proved not to be a good concept direction. Before the leaving we decided to reask him again about his routine, and then he showed us that he has many files that he wants to put into folders, but is not able to do this. It inspired to choose this action as one of the design directions.
After making a new design challenge the two concept directions were chosen to further ideate on were the file folder and cutting board. After ideating and consultation with our tutor it was concluded that we should prototype both concepts and test with the co-designer. Additionally requirements for both concepts were made (can be seen below). Both concepts were then created in the workshop in preparation for the fifth meeting.
Insight forth meeting:
Inserting papers into files: he does that quite frequently How his home environment looks like His cutting board is not a great device for cutting since it is not stable What struggles he has in daily life, and how he deals with them.
Concept after forth meeting:
After this meeting is was clear to focus on two concept: A cutting board and a file folder.
Cutting board requirements:
Concept sketches
Cuttingboard ideation:
File folder ideation:
After we made the prototypes in the workshop we went to his home again to test them. We started with the file folder. He needed some guidance on how to use it. But after we showed him, he got the hang of it. He already told us that this was not what he had in mind. He said he had the idea of making something to slide in, because of this the folder stays on the table and it is easier for him to put the papers in. Then he tried the cutting board, at first he was skeptical about the design. After using it he was happy with the result. He had some comments on the prototype. He didn’t like the vegetable spikes on the right side of the board, he now can cut himself on the spikes. The walls for the bread were too high, it was not comfortable to make bread. He also thought that the spike area was too small. We also asked him what kind of style he liked. He said he just wants it to be functional, so the color he does not mind. We made a collage based on his home. His home is mostly light colors with some wood.
Insight fifth meeting:
After his feedback we decided to move on with the cutting board. The case owner makes use of the cutting board on a daily bases and the safety and hygiene of the ones he uses (the home made ones) is not well. These things can change by making this product for the case owner.
Style collage: