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PROJECT TYPE. UX + UI DESIGN FOR MOBILE
CLIENT. STUDENT PROJECT
PROJECT DURATION. 6 WEEKS (PART TIME)
COLLABORATORS. KYLE ANCHETA
Most people would rather not think about their death, whether it is reasonably foreseeable or not. A lack of planning can cause unfortunate ramifications. This is especially relevant in the case of medical emergencies, where patients are no longer able to provide consent for themselves.
WISHES is a mobile application that helps to guide users through the unpleasant task of writing out their advance care plan. It seeks to simplify the tough questions, and helps users to organize their thoughts into one handy document.
EXPLORING THE PROBLEM
When a person has not made their wishes known, the burden falls on the healthcare team and their family members to act in their best interest. Due to a lack of information, they are often required to make assumptions, which can be a stressful task. This pressure is only compounded when facing high stakes, emergency circumstances. We created a journey map to better express the emotional toll taken on those involved in these types of situations.
JOURNEY MAP
We also made the decision to generate two personas. This was due to the fact that one of the main goals of WISHES is to empathize with users who may be feeling overwhelmed trying to develop their advance care directives. After completing some preliminary research, two main trends emerged. Some people feel frightened thinking about death and would rather avoid the topic all together, while others feel they are too young to have a will in place.
PERSONAS
WHAT IS AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE?
An ADVANCE DIRECTIVE is “a capable adult’s written instructions that speak directly to their health care provider about the health care treatment the adult consents to, or refuses. It is effective when the capable adult becomes incapable and only applies to the health care conditions and treatments noted in the advance directive”
In British Columbia, Advance Directive forms can be found on the provincial government’s website. They require the signature of the adult who the form belongs to, as well as the signatures of 2 witnesses. A lawyer is not required in the process, but having a lawyer act as a witness means only 1 witness is required.
LOGISTICS
WISHES is a single functionality app, with a relatively simple task flow. It prompts the user with questions, records their answers, compiles it into a document and makes it official by collecting witness signatures. We also had to consider the needs of a user who may have who previously answered all questions, and is revisiting the app to either view or edit their wishes. We mapped this out with the use of both user flow diagrams, and wireframing.
USER FLOW DIAGRAM
WIREFRAMES
BRANDING DEVELOPMENT
WISHES strives to make a morbid topic more approachable. The interface is simple with a monochromatic colour scheme, and the use of only one typeface. Consistent use of the sun motif, and vibrant yellows create a bright and friendly user experience.
LOGO
TYPE CHOICE A
QUICKSAND
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
! @ # $ % & *
COLOUR PALETTE
FINAL PRODUCTS
High fidelity mockups were created to help illustrate how the app functions. The sign in process, question answering and document creation are all represented.
When a user is new to the application, they will be required to create a profile that includes their legal first name and surname, as well as a username and password. Once the sign up process is complete, they will be taken to the home screen.
In order to be as friendly as possible, the app will greet the user by name. Depending on the current status of their Advance Directive, the call to action button will offer different options. If a user has not yet started the wishes writing process they will be prompted to “WRITE WISHES”. If their wishes are completed, they can “VIEW WISHES”.
The question-answering interface is meant to look and function in a straightforward manner. There are 6 main question sections, several of which have multiple prompts. Questions are simply worded, and the “MORE INFO” button allows the user to view extra information to aid them in decision-making.
In the case of the example on the left, a user who is unfamiliar with the benefits of organ donation would be able to read more about the topic, and feel more comfortable answering highly personal question.
After answering the requisite number of question, the user can proceed with the creation of their final document. A draft will be generated; allowing the user to preview what their wishes will look like in full.
Once this preview has been accepted, the user will be required to submit their signature, and the signatures of their 2 witnesses. A final warning will then appear, alerting the user that they are creating a legally binding document.
A major part of the app’s functionality is making it a viable product outside of the hands of the user. If the user were to be in an emergency medical situation, another individual could access their Advance Directive through the Emergency tab of their mobile device.
If a user wants this to be private, they have the option of locking their wishes. The document would still be accessible through the Emergency tab, but a pin would be required to open the file. The user could provide this pin to their physician to include in their medical record, and to select family members and friends.
RISKS AND ROADBLOCKS
There were two main roadblocks that threatened the feasibility of this application. The first is that no matter the degree to which security measures are taken, there is always a risk that private information could be compromised. Users would need to be warned of this during the sign up process, and agree to the terms and conditions of the app, despite this potential threat to confidentiality.
The second is whether or not the creation of a real legal document on a mobile device is truly feasible. Electronic signatures are permissible in Canada and the US, and no lawyer is required to create an Advance Directive. Users would need to be made fully aware however, that they are creating a legally binding record that will be read by the medical professionals treating them.
NEXT STEPS
If this app were to be made tomorrow, we may need to consider a compromise. In an ideal world, the app would be capable of creating a real legal document, but producing a tool that helps people begin to think about their own beliefs around healthcare preferences could be a potential alternative. In a worst case scenario, our app could be used to help encourage people to begin this planning process, and provide information that would ultimately help them get the ball rolling outside of their mobile devices.
In the case of a longer timeline, and sufficient funding, we would think about seeking counsel from legal professionals. This would help us to determine the best way to implement our original idea of giving the user the opportunity to put their wishes into writing.
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