Design Process of Stroke Prevention App (Part 1: UX Research)
Hello, I will share the design development process of the GRAG Stroke application, which became a national finalist in the user experience design competition at GEMASTIK XIV. As for the work, the design development process was carried out together with two of my colleagues, Rohmatul ‘Ajizah and Irsyadhani Dwi Shubhi.
Short Overview
The background of this project is post-stroke survivors who need caregivers to recover during independent care at home, even though caregivers also have other activities, so there is limited time to search for the correct information for stroke sufferers. Therefore, GRAG Stroke comes with features such as schedules, prescriptions, and physiotherapy that can assist caregivers in the routine care of stroke patients. In addition, this application is equipped with an SOS button which caregivers can use for emergency handling in the event of a sudden attack.
Background
Stroke, one of the degenerative diseases, has increased in prevalence and is the main cause of death in almost all hospitals in Indonesia. One of the factors a person has a stroke is influenced by the lifestyle of person. Even though the risk factors for the lifestyle that lead to recurrent strokes are the same as the first stroke, it is important to take preventive measures to prevent recurrent strokes.
On the other hand, post-stroke sufferers have a significant dependence on other people because of weakness in the extremities, which makes it difficult for them to move around. Hence, stroke sufferers need caregivers who can assist in recovery efforts during independent care at home. Patience, hard work, and commitment from caregivers and sufferers are needed because stroke recovery is a long process.
However, based on interviews conducted with caregivers shows that they also have other activities in their daily lives besides having to take care of their families who are stroke patients. So there is limited time to search for the correct information for stroke sufferers.
What kind of goals by finishing this study?
- Making the activity of managing stroke care an effortless experience for caregivers.
- Make it easier for caregivers to monitor the healthy development of stroke sufferers.
- Make it easier for caregivers to manage the diet and physiotherapy of stroke sufferers.
How do we conduct the research?
User research was carried out using study literature and in-depth interview to obtain qualitative data to understand users in depth.
Study Literature
Before conducting interviews with participants, initially, research-based learning was carried out through several scientific journals to determine the general description of the needs of stroke survivors.
The initial problem defined was the insufficient attention of stroke survivors in carrying out a good lifestyle.
We found that the requirements of stroke survivors are as follows:
- Diet: maintain a safe diet for stroke survivors by eating foods low in sugar and calories and reducing salt consumption.
- Health: comply with doctor’s directions, such as routinely taking medication to routine health check-ups.
- Physical exercise: keep moving through a proper exercise routine.
In-depth Interview: Stroke Survivor and Caregiver
Initially, we chose stroke survivors as the main users, but after conducting interviews with some of the stroke survivors themselves, we found several reasons to make caregivers a potential user:
- Some heavy-stroke survivors still have motor limitations that make it difficult to use the application.
- Stroke survivors may experience a sudden attack making it impossible to use an application/smartphone.
In-depth Interview: Neurologist and Nutritionist
Furthermore, the team conducted interviews with neurologists and nutritionists regarding the care needs of stroke patients at home by medical guidelines. We also validated the data needed for providing prescription recommendations and physiotherapy according to the conditions of stroke patients.
Research Result
There are essential points of concern in stroke care
Nine groups of information are essential points of concern in stroke care, including:
- Each stroke survivor has a different diet.
- Some have certain restrictions on food, and others don’t.
- Some stroke survivors still have a high appetite and sometimes still eat foods prohibited by doctors’ advice.
2. Always take medication regularly to recover from a stroke.
- Medicines are taken regularly according to the doctor’s advice.
- Many stroke fighters must take hypertension medication or blood thinners for a long time, some even for life.
3. Motivation from people around is a big reason to recover from a stroke.
- Support from the family can make stroke survivors try to recover.
4. Post-attack recovery with physiotherapy.
- Some stroke survivors feel there is progress after doing physiotherapy.
- Physiotherapy can be done in a hospital or independently at home (with expert directions).
5. Mental health is affected as a result of a stroke.
- Stroke fighters feel sad to the point of not being able to accept their situation.
6. Periodic routine checks at the hospital.
- Have a routine schedule for health check-ups at the hospital.
7. Initial handling during a stroke attack is known to the people around stroke survivors.
- When an attack occurs, the people around them who are the first to know immediately take the patient to the hospital.
8. The onset of stroke is seen from the patient’s family history.
- Some stroke survivors have a history of hypertension and obesity.
9. Alternative medicine was chosen as another means to support recovery.
- Some stroke survivors have tried acupuncture, cupping (bekam), and herbal medicines to help recovery.
Caregiver journey when caring for stroke survivors at home
This flow below is a journey from caregivers caring for stroke survivors at home.
When a stroke occurs in a patient, the caregiver provides first aid by contacting the nearest hospital. If the stroke attack has been treated, then enter the recovery stage by carrying out routine health checks. On the other hand, caregivers are also looking for nurses to help them care for stroke survivors at home. Things that caregivers do in caring for stroke survivors at home include: doing alternative medicine, taking care of patients even in busy conditions, and preparing food.
So here are the pain points of caregivers when caring for stroke survivors
Next, put the pain points in the user journey by looking at when a problem occurred by the user. The process is described as follows:
After getting pain points from users, prioritizing problems is carried out to make it easier to choose which problems to solve using the Eisenhower Matrix. Choose pain points defined as urgent (urgent needs) or important (important needs). Then select the problems that are both urgent and important. The process is described in the following graph:
Then in the process, the main pain points of the caregiver are analyzed, including:
P1: It’s difficult to do proper independent physiotherapy
P2: Difficult to get information and food preparation
P3: Lack of emergency handling information
Generating solutions as answers to each existing problem
P1 Solutions
Based on the first pain point, “it is difficult to do proper independent physiotherapy,” there are 11 solution plans obtained as follows:
- Planned schedule
- Recommendations for physiotherapy exercises
- Doctor’s advice
- Simple physiotherapy exercises
- Support system
- Audiovisual tutorials
- Expert guide
- Rewards
- Good relationship
- Exercise Reminder
- Education
Audiovisual tutorials and planned schedules are the most prioritized solutions to the above pain points. In subsequent arrangements, we combined the audiovisual tutorials with personalized physical exercises. In comparison, the schedule is described to make it easier for caregivers to arrange the schedule of stroke patients.
P2 Solutions
Based on the second pain point, “it is difficult to get information and prepare food for stroke survivors,” there are four possible solution plans as follows:
- Videocall/telemedicine consultation with experts & literacy
- Food menu recommendations and nutritional literacy
- Reminder for people with nurses
- Information on food needs according to the patient’s condition
The most prioritized solution from the second pain point is a recommended food menu & nutritional literacy, and information on food needs according to the patient’s condition. In the following preparation, food information is adjusted to the needs of stroke survivors to provide information on foods recommended by doctors and can increase nutritional literacy for stroke survivors.
P3 Solutions
Based on the third pain point, “lack of emergency handling information,” there are eight possible solution plans as follows:
- Hospital facilities and personnel
- Button, which can connect with the hospital call center
- Good service quality
- Notification integration
- Transparency of hospital costs and clear regulations
- Emergency handling measures
- Hospital availability information
- Pre-attack insight
The most prioritized solution for pain points and the three emergency treatments is “emergency handling measures”.
So here are the features of the GRAG Stroke application
- Schedule: Helping caregivers care for stroke survivors so they are disciplined in integrated recovery schedules such as diet menus, physiotherapy, medication, and examinations equipped with reminders.
- Recipes: Make it easy for caregivers to find recommendations for healthy menus that suit the conditions of stroke patients under the supervision of a nutritionist. The recipe recommendations are given by the system based on a quiz filled in by the caregiver, which is adjusted to the conditions of the stroke patient. Users also get information on meal schedules, recipe details, and nutrition. Caregivers can easily change recipes if they don’t suit their wishes, so they can be exchanged for recipes with similar nutritional content.
- Physiotherapy: Facilitates caregivers to find recommendations for physical exercise/physiotherapy that are by the abilities of stroke patients under the supervision of a physiotherapist. The physiotherapy recommendations are given by a quiz-based system filled in by caregivers that are adapted to the conditions of stroke patients. Users also get exercise schedules and physiotherapy tutorials. If the stroke patient has a change in condition, the caregiver can repeat the quiz to get updates on the physiotherapy recommendations that suit the stroke patient’s condition.
- SOS Button: An emergency handling button that caregivers can use if a stroke survivor has a sudden attack. The SOS Button feature contains clear and complete first aid guidelines and can connect to the nearest hospital. In addition, a widget is available to make it easier for users without having to enter the application first in case of an emergency. It can be accessed via the home page of the user’s smartphone. So that handling can be done quickly.
What did I learn from this research?
- Initially, we were too focused on the initial solution formulated before the user’s interview session. Even though the solution formulated at the beginning may not necessarily be able to answer the user’s needs. So after the interview session, we rearranged the solutions formulated at the beginning and chose the solutions that the users needed.
- Because the problems raised are too wide, the solutions we provide need to be more focused. It would be better to focus on one flow, for example, managing diet for stroke survivors.
