Shirley Carvalhedo and Dave Maruszewski
Design Statement
People who frequently are concerned about their health
would use this health application to easily log, view and
manage their ‘health performance’, from anywhere that an
iPhone may operate. Simplifying the access of health
information improves user experience in dealing with their
needs; with our application, the user may enter or revise his
or her information regarding their age, weight, height and
choose tracks that will help them to manage their fat
percentage, water intake, exercise frequency and so forth.
All these tracks should be set up by the user as the second
step.
Four main categories:
 The information for the decision needs to be
there when the decision is needed
 Keep it simple
 The best journey is the one with the fewest
steps. Shorten the distance between the
user and their goal
 Color is information
Design Sketch: The Context of
Mobile Interaction
Text input
 Small screen
 Slow connections
 Short battery life
 Mobile applications will gain customers
by providing them with entertainment,
connecting people, managing
schedules, arriving at meetings and
leisure activities, and making their lives
easier.
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Scope of the Application
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Create an app that works with the website
 Site and app mutually updates
 Be in line with the HealthCoach4Me’s mission
 Incorporate fundamental features designed to manage
personal heath interests and improve users’ performance
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Be innovative, useful
 Balance of the two
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Take advantage of smart phone abilities
Smooth, logical animation
Visual feedback of user revisions and actions
Keep in mind audience
 Mature, older
 People who may have an existing problem
Our App
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Tracker
 Uses website graphing and health coach to track
usages, activity and health stats
 Standard and unique tracking
 Multiple trackers can be applied
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Alarm
 Uses phone to remind you to take medicine, do
physical activity, run a test, etc.
 Uses iPhone technology
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Keeps in touch with HealthCoach4Me
 Can see the same messages from your health coach
 Can store information that the site will up- and
download
Basic Functionality
Health Clock
Alarm,
Tracking
and
Updating
Website
Graph
Tracking
Information
Storing
Health
Coaching
Testing
Paper prototype
 Technical prototype
 General suggestions
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 Class
 Outside of testing
Paper Prototype Testing
Low tech design
 Interested in usability over aesthetics
 Participant Input
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 Would they use it?
 Ease of use
 What would make it more appealing?
Methodology: Paper Prototype
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Four users – two women, two men
Session were recorded using video camera
There was a moderator that conducted the test
and an observer that took notes during the
session
Users were all read the same script and asked
to perform the same tasks, which included
using the app to:
 Manage their health information
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Users were asked to “think aloud” while they
performed the tasks, so we could understand
the reasoning behind their actions
Session recordings were reviewed and the
app’s successes and issues were noted
Users: Statistical Information
Participants
Age
Carolyn
40’s
Gender
Occupation
Female
Mechanical
Engineer
Steve
50’s
Male
Doctor
Richard
60’s
Male
Retired
professor
Older (>50)
 Not smart phone savvy
 Had health issues
 Would be possible users of app
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Mary Kay
60’s
Female
Home
Maker
Paper Prototype
Carolyn - 40, Mechanical Engineer
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(Task 1)On initial screen pushed Meditation instead of Medicine Usage
 Cancelled out and then went to MU
Questioned if there was enough information on the screen Wanted:
 Medicine Name
 Dose
 With or without food
A little unaware of the slider
Seemed to figure out any mistakes in the interface, wasn’t flustered
Had question about Recurring Times check box (__ time per __ hour)
(task 2) Worked through it well
Did not check message from Unread to Read but read the abbreviated
message
Like the app but wouldn’t use it unless it had a little more functionality
(more topics)
Would want her daughter to use this as is
Preferred the slider bar over the scroll bar
* White indicates what we directly used to improve the app
Steve – 50, Doctor
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Did not co-discover with C. but could hear her comments
Was a little unaware if meditation was a typo but did press the right button
Used the plus and minus arrows as opposed to sliding the bar
1. I believe that he was unaware of what the bar did
2. He later commented to truth of (1)
Actually went against directions and did not “Take” the medicine
Didn’t think R should be short for Thursday
Didn’t know how to go back later to mark that he later took the medicine without the
alarm
1. Interface was unclear on this matter (see notes for possible fix)
2. Would like to see a reminder/snooze button (10 minute intervals)
Went to My Information instead of Messages for news from the health coach
Found message, but did not check message from Unread to Read but read the
abbreviated message
Would like to see a calendar/medical appointments button on the tracker
Wouldn’t use this app. Doesn’t like apps in general (no smart phone) and he has a
good memory (his words)
Richard – 50, Retired professor
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He is not a iPhone user
Presented eagerness to complete the tasks
Attempted to establish a relationship between the buttons at the bottom
with the screens
Preferred the "My Information" as the first screen instead of "Pick a
tracker“
Attempted to find the name of the Medicine in the "Health Clock" screen
Preferred the slider bar over the scroll bar but commented that he would
able to work with both of them
Pointed out that there is no exit button in the first "Pick a Tracker" screen
Suggested a delete button ("key button") on the "Messages" screen in
order to "clean out" the screen and avoid accumulating too many
messages
Overall, gave a positive review of the app and remarked that it could
be useful after a few alterations
Mary Kay – 50, Homemaker
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Presented quick logical thinking in completing the tasks
Attempted to find a button in the "Health Clock" screen to set up
am-pm
Questioned if there was enough information on the "Health Clock"
screen:
 Medicine Name
 Dose
 With or without food
 If the chosen medication could be digested with another medication
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Pointed out that the scroll bar could be improved so as to provide
options for more accurate decisions. Commented that the slider
bar would be a better option for men whereas the scroll bar would
be a better option for women.
Paper Prototype Results and Outcomes
Added a Delete Button
Paper Prototype Results and Outcomes
2
1
1
3
3
4
2
1.
2.
A subtitle bar was added in order for the user to know the tracker in use
Buttons on bottom took up display space
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3.
4.
Moved them to the title bar using the iPhone standard
Changed names to reflect standard and for more understanable
Health bar with plus/minus buttons was preferred over other options
Clock was added military time
4
Paper Prototype Results and Outcomes
1
1
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2.
2
2
If answer is yes, the graphing of your project is accessed
If answer is no, you can postpone until later
Schematic
of Buttons
(Specific)
Entrance Screen
After Alarm
Same Screen Layout
for Add and Change
Home Screen
Paper Prototype Testing Answers
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Would they use it?
 Most would or want their siblings to use
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Ease of use
 Previous slides
 Overall, good results
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What would make it more appealing?
 Previous slides
 Innovation to set it apart from other apps
Tech Prototype Testing
Simulate
 Interested in usability over aesthetics
 Participant Input

 Would they use it?
 Functionality
 Ease of use
 What would make it more appealing?
 Did we fix our issues from paper prototype
testing?
Methodology: Tech Prototype

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
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Four users – one women, four men
Session were recorded using video camera
There was a moderator that conducted the test and
an observer that took notes during the session
Users were all read the same script and asked to
perform the same tasks, which included using the
app to:
 Choosing the fat percentage tracker, placing an alarm on
the health clock and getting feedback in the form of a
chart.


Users were asked to “think aloud” while they
performed the tasks, so we could understand the
reasoning behind their actions
Session recordings were reviewed and the app’s
successes and issues were noted
Users: Statistical Information
Participants
Bill
Rush
Amardip
Diane
Fabio
Age
47
27
33
46
46
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Officer
Student
Professor
Engineer
Manager
Gender
Occupation
•Slightly younger than paper prototype participants
•More smart phone savvy
•Would be possible users of app
•May use different trackers from paper prototype participants
Tech Prototype
Bill – 47, Officer
Pros:
 I have diabetes I need to control my weight
 Good idea to know your fat percentage fast like that
Cons:
 Mail-messages confusing (The name could be ( ‘health
alert’)
 Use colors like red and green. Be more visual.
 Chart is hard to read
Rush – 27, Student
Pros:
 Nice clear navigation on the bottom
 Convenient input bars (plus / minus / dragger thingy)
 Bright green 'done' bar
Cons:
 Application flow could be communicated via button
ordering maybe?
 ‘Charts' and 'my info' seem redundant - maybe they can
be consolidated in an accordion type format.
 The 'time' inputs could use an up/down arrow scroller
mechanism for the minutes (hard to pinpoint)
Amardip – 33, Professor
Pros:
 Health information is nicely displayed
Good coverage of various health scenarios
Cons:
 Fat Percentage is … ? Tooltip explaining what Fat % is
‘My Info’ should be first page till user fills in ‘My Info’
‘Place the thumb’, you can put animation – a thumb
reaching to the black circles. Put a progress bar in the
‘thumb press’ page, auto click done.
Diane – 46, Engineer
Pros:
 Completed task quickly and efficiently
 Overall, liked the app much
 Thought the fat percentage tracker would be very useful
Cons:
 Unsure of AM/PM on time
 Wanted ‘sticky’ information
 Confused Tracker and Health Clock
 Didn’t like some text formatting (i.e. on time)
Tech Prototype Results and Outcomes
Use iPhone Convention: Cancel and Done
Tech Prototype Results and Outcomes
Force or allow a Rotation for Graph
Tech Prototype Results and Outcomes
Use AM/PM over military time
Tech Prototype Testing Answers
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Would they use it?
 Improved response
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Functionality
 Improved
 Time of completing task was quick
 Paper prototype fixes worked for almost all situations
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Ease of use
 No significant problems were recorded
 Improvements made from tech prototype feedback
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Did we fix our issues from paper prototype testing
 Yes, most all
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What would make it more appealing?
 Fat Tracker was well received
 Steps may need to be more explained
Bibliography
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