Autonomous Modular Ambulance

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2016 (4 WEEKS)

TEAMMATES: Isha Bagha, Alison Cheng, Ryan Griggs, Trisha Zdziarska

DELIVERABLES: Slide Deck, Presentation

MY ROLE: Brainstorming & Sketching, Documentation, Iterations & Prototyping, Personas, Presentation, User Interviews

Challenge

For an academic project, our team was challenged with designing an autonomous vehicle in the future that takes into account variables such as trust, efficiency, control and safety. This challenge was designed to inspire creative and imaginative thinking.

Our Concept

Our team focused on designing a more efficient method to provide emergency medical care by leveraging autonomous vehicles to bring the emergency room to the patient.

Research & Insights

Being an EMT, I was able to use my connections to establish a relationship with employed EMS personnel. This allowed paramedics and EMTs whom we talked with to gain a sense of trust with our group.

We found that ambulances right now bring emergency care to patients by either treating them on site or transferring them back to the hospital where they can be treated by an emergency room doctor. This process takes time to get to the patient, pick up the patient, and then transport back to the hospital.

Driving an ambulance to and from a patient’s location is also risky as the general public does not know how to react to emergency vehicles and behave unpredictably.

We also found that approximately 70% of 911 calls are considered non-life-threatening emergencies and an ambulance is required to assist any patient no matter the severity of the situation. This directly affects and increases the response time of more severe emergencies.

We concluded that:

1. EMS personnel need to be able to adapt in situations and prepare for the unexpected.

2. EMS personnel must remain at high alert as accessing a patient may be difficult and space around the environment and/or patient might be limited.

Iteration & Prototyping

As a team we generated 10 variations of an autonomous vehicle transporting medical equipment and services to a patient. We did this by utilizing pencil and paper to quickly brainstorm abstract concepts. Then, we voted as a team to decide on which concepts we could explore deeper.

After discussing each iteration, we decided to combine parts from a couple different iterations to create an autonomous modular ambulance that helps EMS personnel provide medical treatment on the spot. Each module has the ability to contain different medical equipment for different types of emergencies. The arrangement of the modules can differ and even stack depending on the environment.

In situations where space and access is limited, the EMS personnel has the ability to manipulate the placement of each module. To rearrange the modules the EMS personnel would interact with a control interface. On the interface, three different views (aerial, terrain, and street) are shown to help inform what the environment looks like.

Final Design

User's feedback facilitated us narrowing our focus to address the issues of space and access in the near future. Specifically, redesigning the control interface to help EMS personnel better understand their surroundings as they arrive to the scene. We received feedback that suggested having the ability to see the ambulance park in real time would help increase a feeling of trust for EMS personnel.

To make our design more plausible in the near future, we decided to create an assertive parking system for an autonomous ambulance. In this scenario, EMS personnel will decide the exact location as to where the ambulance will park, but will have the benefit of the ambulance parking itself.

The control interface features a 360 degree view of the ambulance’s surrounding that will be a live feed. The terrain and aerial views have been removed as they rely on satellite information, which might not be available depending on the current location.

The EMS personnel will choose a location to park by clicking on a specific spot on the map, which will then initiate the self-parking sequence. On the interface, an ambulance icon will appear at the location selected. After they have confirmed where the ambulance will be parked, the EMS personnel will click on the “Park” button. A countdown will begin, giving the EMS personnel time to exit the vehicle before the ambulance begins to move. At any point, the cancel button can be pressed, at which the ambulance will stop moving.

Wireframes

I Learned...

...how important it is to go out and talk to users. Being an EMT, I have an understanding of some of the challenges that go on in the day-to-day operations within the industry. However, I made it my goal to talk with users as I was designing for other EMS personnel and not myself. This was incredible beneficial because I was able to learn more about user’s experiences that I had not experienced.

Bloomington 2050 Visitor Guide

APRIL 2017 (3 WEEKS)

TEAMMATES: Miringu Kiarie, Cyn Liu, Pavithra Ramamurthy

DELIVERABLES: Video

MY ROLE: Acting, Brainstorming & Sketching, Contextual Inquiry, Documentation, Iterations, Video Effect Editing

Challenge

Our team was challenged with designing a visitor’s guide to the city of Bloomington in the year 2050 that communicates the vision of the future through design fiction. While thinking about what life will be like in the year 2050, our job was to focus on particular domains such as energy, transportation, space & place, and network & communication and how they express Bloomington as a smart and connected community.

Our Concept

In creating a visitor's guide, our goal was to utilize various methods we learned during this past academic semester. In doing so, we focused on creating a unique experience for people visiting Bloomington in 2050 by using digital technology. Our team decided on two main concepts: Sentient Environment and the Digital Tattoo.

Research & Insights

One method that our team decided to use for conducting research was by performing a contextual inquiry. Before beginning the contextual inquiry, we decided as a team to each focus on one specific domain to further understand. I decided to focus on network & communication where I observed and interacted with an employee at a local FedEx store. During my time at FedEx I was able to observe how employees use different pieces of equipment, interact with customers and learn how packages are distributed to other members of the FedEx team. 

Individually each team member generated over fifty Post-It notes relating to the specific domains. As a team we then generated an affinity diagram.  We began to notice that seven main categories were forming: Tools, Infrastructure, Rules & Regulations, Individual Behavior, Group Day-To-Day Functions, Opportunities and Personnel.

We concluded that: 

1. Each domain relies on the other domains to accomplish and support the community. 

2. People want to have a connection with nature, but sometimes find it difficult. 

3. There is a division between human networks and nature networks. 

Concept Generation

After analyzing our affinity diagram, we individually sketched five concepts based off all four domains. We challenged ourselves by thinking in terms of 'what if...'. Using this mentality allowed our team to generate unorthodox ideas to imagine Bloomington in the year 2050. 

After twenty concepts had been generated, our team made connections between reoccurring themes such as nature/environment, autonomy, and tracking information. From there we voted on concepts to iterate on. Based off concept iteration, our team explored tracking information and the unique nature of Bloomington. 

Final Design Fiction

After discussing each iteration, we decided to combine parts from a couple different iterations to create two designs: the Digital Tattoo and the Sentient Environment.

The Digital Tattoo is a temporary tattoo within the city limits of Bloomington, which allows a visitor to make purchases, powers transportation, facilitates navigation and establishes a communication network between humans and trees. After arriving in Bloomington, a visitor is able to receive this Digital Tattoo by way of a flashing light. As one creates kinetic energy, the Digital Tattoo will be powered and have the ability to change shapes relaying different pieces of information to the visitor.

The Sentient Environment is an external device coating tree seeds to become a medium for communication between humans and nature. These seed coats collect chemical and electrical signals from the trees that are stored in a virtual cloud and act as a network among trees. Only specific planted trees are coated with this external device and act as a network hub. Visitors now have the ability to talk with trees living in Bloomington.

I Learned...

...how useful it can be to utilize different methods during the design process. At the start of the project we were asked to use contextual inquiry as a main method, but we decided to incorporate 'What If...' cards into our process as well to gain more information into our iteration process. Along with using more than one method, I also learn how to add different effects to a video using Adobe After Effects.

Connecting Veterans

November - December 2016 (3 Weeks)

TEAMMATES: Cameron Davis, Justice Juraschek, Mishael Sedas

MY ROLE: Brainstorming & Sketching, Documentation, Iterations & Prototyping, Presentation, User Interviews

DELIVERABLES: Pecha Kucha Presentation, Slide Deck

Problem Space

Our team was challenged with the CHI 2017 Student Design Brief of Leveling the Playing Field. The challenge was to address and design for a population that often is excluded or forgotten, the unexotic underclass. Within this vast population, our team decided to narrow our focus to transitioning veterans.

"How could we transform the way veterans, service members, and their families navigate and coordinate the maze of services and resources that they have earned, and unlock a better, more efficient and person-centered approach for service providers to deliver?"
– Jim McDonough, Institute for Veteran and Military Families

Our Concept

Our concept is a desktop application which allows non-profit organization employees to assist transitioning veterans in finding experienced mentors. The goal is to help active-duty soldiers’ transition back into society in a supportive way. Please check out the interactive prototype here.

Research & Insights

We conducted interviews with personnel at non-profit organizations, such as the Charlotte Bridge Home in North Carolina and America Serves, social workers and the Veteran Affairs office who all interact with veterans. Many of these interviews were done in-person or over the phone.

In these interviews, we learned how veterans interact with social workers, specific linear process non-profits record during the intake process, and benefits most requested by veterans.

During our interviews we began to notice some major insights:

1. After being released from military service, veterans no longer have the structural support to help them accomplish daily tasks

2. The current focus for most non-profits is on veteran needs and not looking at the “whole person”

3. Veterans feel isolated and alone upon returning and have trouble integrating back into society

4. Navigating the web of benefits can be difficult and overwhelming

Concept Generation

As a team, we generated ideas about how we could help transitioning veterans create a supportive connection during this unstable time in their lives. We then turned to social workers at non-profits as they were the primary resource for veterans.

Iteration & Prototyping

Utilizing pencil and paper, we sketched various ideas about how a non-profit organization could implement a service to pair transitioning veterans with mentors. After voting, the agreed upon sketches were transferred to a whiteboard and later to a paper prototype for further exploration. Please check out the interactive paper prototype here.

The desktop displays information that a social worker would need to make a strong connection between a veteran and a mentor. The left side displays the transitioning veteran or protégé, including a brief bio and any case notes provided by the social worker. The right side displays the potential mentor and includes a brief bio. The center section consists of the needs the transitioning veterans has requesting assistance with along with mentors’ skills. Next to each potential mentor is an overall match percentage rating predicting the suitability of each pair. The labels are referred to as “tags” and belong to the top three needs each veteran has requested help from during their meetings with a social worker.

Final Design

Based on our feedback from user tests, we were able to deduce that users were confused about the meaning and placement of the tags and how the match percentage was calculated. Tags were iterated to be weighted by size to emphasize the hierarchal importance. Additionally, headings were placed at the top of each column to help users differentiate between transitioning veterans and potential mentor’s information. A star rating was also given to each mentor to allow the social worker to review mentors feedback and pair connection based on previous evaluation without strictly relying on the match percentage. Please check out the interactive prototype here.

I Learned...

...how maintaining open communication between team members is crucial in the well-being of the design. Having an open dialogue allowed our team to work incredibly well with each other and create an environment conducive for creativity.

Facilitating Networking App

SEPTEMBER 2017 (4 WEEKS)

TEAMMATES: Lisha Chen, Peggy Lu

DELIVERABLES: Slide Deck, Presentation

MY ROLE: Brainstorming & Sketching, Iterations, Research

Challenge

We were tasked to develop a preliminary roll-out plan for an information technology company. Currently, this company is headquartered in Europe and is looking to expand their business-to-business networking mobile application into the United States. Our challenge was to identify a US city and propose a strategic roll-out plan over time. 

Our Proposal

Our proposal was to launch the mobile application in Austin, TX startups, and gradually expand into larger networking events and then into the Texas Triangle. The goal was to create a rich meaningful, face-to-face interactions through the use of the mobile application between business professionals for the purpose of encouraging future business exchanges. 

The Process

My exploration began by looking into major US cities with major trade shows, as this mobile application has been successful at European trade shows. As I dove deeper into the problem and research, I began to notice new opportunities and shifted my focus to cities with a booming technology startup industry and culture.

With the company culture in mind and analytical methods, such as SWOT and 4P's, our team narrowed down to a city that would have a low threshold of success when the mobile application was introduced. As a booming technology startup city, government support to invest in smart city development and a host to significant innovative technology events, our team decided to focus on Austin, Texas.

Centered around building a community base, our team iterated on how a mobile application could create rich meaningful, face-to-face interactions. After exploring many potential roll-out options, I mapped out a customer journey map to walk-through a user's experience as the application would expand throughout the region. With insights gained, a strategic roll-out plan was developed.

Roll-Out Plan

Starting with Austin technology startup, the application would launch at small networking events to build a community base. As the community begins to grow, the application would help make connections at larger networking events before being promoted at a major technology innovation event. From there we would partner with local businesses and hotels surrounding the event to expand the user base. Once the app reaches a certain level of success in Austin, the next step would be moving beyond and into the Texas Triangle.

I Learned...

…how important it is to think beyond the screen and truly understand the needs of a client. This project really allowed me to strategically think about design from a business perspective. When working with a client it was important to understand the culture of the business, their needs and the environment in which a product is in.

Note:

Please contact me directly for me details about the work I completed during this project. Thank you!

TIBCO 3-Day Challenges

MAY - AUGUST 2017 (10 WEEKS)

Background

During my time as the interaction design intern for TIBCO, I was tasked with multiple three-day challenges. The purpose of these quick challenges was for me to rapidly research, design, iterate and develop high-fidelity design concepts. This opportunity allowed me to strengthen my design approach in a fast-paced environment. Within three days, I researched, found insights, iterated and presented high fidelity wireframes to the UX department. These concepts were created according to TIBCO’s wireframe standard in greyscale and focus on the interaction a user has with a product.

The challenges showcased included:

Challenge

I was challenged to design a web platform dashboard for a cellular phone company for users to engage. This challenge was to be done within three days and was inspired to understand how data is visually represented.

Process

I started by researching current dashboards throughout the digital sphere. This research led me to determine commonly utilized visual representations to convey data. I then created ten low-fidelity sketches. With the ten low-fidelity sketches, I iterated and consolidated before generating the high-fidelity wireframes.

Wireframes

Challenge

I was challenged with designing a pattern library that combined resources for both the UX and development departments. This three-day challenge was inspired by TIBCO’s need for a combined pattern library for all departments to reference and use while designing and developing current software.

Process

I started out by studying the current UX and development pattern libraries that TIBCO departments use. After dissecting these libraries, I interviewed UX designers and developers to find out the most used sections. With insights gained I began to sketch low-fidelity concepts of the pattern library landing page, example pages, and development pages. I then converted these sketches into a digital format and then presented to the UX department.

Wireframes

Challenge

I was challenged with updating the look and feel of a current TIBCO application product. This challenge was inspired by the popularity and the need to create a symmetry between all TIBCO products.

Process

Starting off this challenge, I began by examining the current TIBCO product, which had not been modified since the product launched. I quickly broke down the application into a hierarchy of tools and function used. I then sketched twenty initial iterations of each feature before combining to create a complete low-fidelity sketch. I elicited feedback from other designers by user testing each concept. With the feedback and insights gained, I narrowed the designs down, where I then created high-fidelity wireframes.

Wireframes

I Learned...

…how to rapidly collect data, find insights and produce visually appealing high-fidelity wireframes. This opportunity allowed me to strengthen my design process and make decisions quickly and accurately.

Note:

Please contact me directly for more details about the work I completed during my internship. Thank you!

TIBCO Intern Project

MAY - AUGUST 2017 (10 WEEKS)

TEAMMATES: Vaidehi Duraphe, Xiang Shi

DELIVERABLES: Slide Deck, Presentation

MY ROLE: Brainstorming & Sketching, Documentation, Iterations, Wireframing

Challenge

Our team was challenged with establishing value in using machine learning on the edge to improve corperate workplace daily routines.

The Process

Research

Starting off this project, I began with researching machine learning and artificial intelligence uses by collecting exemplars and meeting with stakeholders. With insights gained from stakeholders, my team and I were able to define the problem space by creating an affinity diagram and value proposition canvas.

I Learned...

…how rapidly requirements can change when working with stakeholders. Business motivations change throughout the course of a project and it is important to be able to be malleable within the design process.

Note:

Please contact me directly for more details about the work I completed during my internship. Thank you!