About the project

This research examines the multifaceted challenges faced by informal caregivers of People Living with Dementia (PLD) in Portugal, including emotional, practical, and societal struggles. Using a mixed-methods approach, it explores how mobile Digital Health solutions can address these needs and identifies deficiencies in existing support apps.

The proposed challenge was to develop a prototype for an affordable digital health solution—an Android app for caregivers linked to a wearable smartband for PLD. By integrating Emotional Design principles, the app focuses on enhancing the user experience and promoting caregiver well-being.

User research

The second stage of the project involved an in-depth investigation into the challenges faced by informal caregivers of People Living with Dementia (PLD), with a focus on the Portuguese context. Using a combination of questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews, the research provided a comprehensive view of caregivers’ experiences, uncovering critical emotional, practical, and societal challenges.

To translate the insights gathered into actionable design elements, user personas were developed to represent key user types. These personas, coupled with user stories and task analysis, laid the groundwork for defining system requirements and informed the design of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This process ensured that the final digital solution would address the multifaceted needs of caregivers effectively and empathetically.

Prototyping

The third stage of the project marked the transition from research to design, focusing on the creation of a functional prototype. This process began with the development of a sitemap to define the app's content structure and navigation flow.

With the sitemap as a foundation, individual screen flows were sketched on paper to quickly explore layout ideas and component placement. These sketches went beyond visuals to include notes on animations, section names, and text content. The design process adhered to Google's Material Design guidelines, ensuring compatibility with Android systems and leveraging familiar patterns for intuitive user interaction.

The design drew inspiration from successful apps like Medisafe, Flo, and Google Fit to incorporate proven features while introducing unique elements guided by the Designing for Emotion framework. For instance, aesthetic principles led to a balance of rounded and angular forms to convey both friendliness and reliability. Interaction principles prioritized timely feedback, tailored content, and a registration process that built user trust by clearly communicating its benefits.

Ultimately, the prototype development bridged research insights and emotional design principles, laying the groundwork for a digital solution that is both practical and empathetic, ensuring informal caregivers feel supported and empowered.

Low to mid-fidelity and interaction

With our ideas clearly outlined, we transitioned them to Figma. We created the main components of our design system, including buttons, input fields, navigation elements, and content placeholders. Guided by the Google Material Design System, these components emphasized consistent proportions and interaction states.

Typography was a key consideration, as it impacts readability and personality. After exploring several options, we chose Inter, a sans-serif font renowned for its clarity and balance. Its taller letterforms enhance readability, while its mix of rounded and hard shapes complements our app's aesthetic. Icons were sourced from Google's open-source library, with a preference for outline styles that balanced rounded corners and hard edges. These icons harmonized with the medium-weight aesthetic of our components.

High-fidelity

In this phase, we transformed the medium-fidelity prototype into a high-fidelity one by finalizing decisions on colour, typography, iconography, and imagery. We carefully selected colours based on cultural associations in healthcare, choosing blue, green, yellow, pink, purple, and red to create a dynamic yet balanced palette. Purple was used as the primary accent colour, and red signified biometric data status.

For visuals, we opted for vibrant, minimalistic illustrations over photographs to maintain clarity and avoid stereotypes. Textures, such as grainy backgrounds, were used to add tactile depth, and subtle elevation effects like shadows enhanced interactivity.

Further typography decisions involved pairing a sans-serif font (Inter) with a serif font (Playfair Display) for titles to guide the user's eye and add visual interest. Finally, we branded the app "Ami" to convey empathy and support, with a corresponding icon that reflected connection and trust.

This phase helped solidify the app’s final look and feel, ensuring it was visually engaging, clear, and aligned with its purpose.