The Project

According to the Scottish Health Survey 2017, the prevalence of any cardiovascular disease in the ages of over 65 is 73.1%. For those approximately 135,000 people in Scotland have experienced a heart attack, they need to keep exercising to help their recovery and prevent a recurrent heart attack.However, for those elderly independent people who have survived a heart attack, some of them may have to face the mental challenges of anxiety, fear, and a loss of confidence. These emotional issues could lead to a lack of motivation for exercise.

“Greenspace” is a connected, accessible gardening service designed to help people recover from poor heart health.Sensors in the garden provide metrics to suggest tasks recommended by healthcare professionals that gently improve fitness. People who have suffered from poor health are the stewards of the garden.By engaging with nature, making friends, and encouraging exercise, Greenspace offers the opportunity to improve individual and societal well-being.

Outcome Overview

The Process

01.Background Research

We used the desk research method to do the quantitative research on the following directions:
1.Recent statistics of cardiovascular disease in Scotland
2.Age distribution of prevalence coronary heart disease
3.Main causes of coronary heart disease and heart attack
4.Current situation of (isolated) elder people in Scotland
5.Heart health problems of isolated Elder People in Scotland
6.Care Providers for isolated elder people

^{︎︎︎Viewing the report}

02.Expert Interview

We conducted two expert interviews to get more insights of the elderly people with heart condition. Some of our semi-structured interview questions include:
1.What do you think about the second heart attack?
2.Which factors do you think could influence the second heart attack? Which kinds of person are more vulnerable to that? How to prevent that in advance?
3.What do you think about the current product or services for patients who have the risks of a second heart attack?
4.What do you think about the relationship between emotions and heart health?
5.For elder people in Glasgow or in Scotland, especially for living alone elder group, what do you think about the advantages and disadvantages of the current heart health or nursing system( including both products and services)?

Research Insight #1

Mental problems caused by social isolation can exacerbate heart health problems.

“Mental problems are highly related to the heart attack. Depression could make people less likely to do exercise, but only exercise has been trained by the benefit and improve the outcomes of people who have mental health problems.”

Research Insight #2

Uneven distribution of rehabilitation institutions and limited resources.
Community activities vary considerably between rich and poor areas.

“Lonliness and inequalities in identity play a big part in feelings of lonliness.People with disabilities have much less access to institutions and resources.”

Research Insight #3

Involving patients in treatment decisions is beneficial to their recovery.

“When people have a care plan,make people co-participate into the decision making.Share the decision making to know individual what they want to do.”

03.User Interview

We distributed a survey with the goal to find out the elderly people’s daily experience. We further conducted 6 interviews with the elderly people in Govan Reminiscence Group,Glasgow and few related stakeholders.To have a more effiecient communicate with the elderly people, we designed a structured interview and the engagement tool. We learnt that the elderly people’s paint points and oportunuties during the interviews.

Interview Insight:

Lack of awareness of health risks among the elderly in general.

Generally expresses a desire to live independently and does not usually seek help.

Different levels of stubbornness and prejudice about health status.

Usually have a regular routine and will break social isolation by participating in community activities.

^{︎︎︎Viewing the interview}

04.Relationship Map

The isolated elderly people with heart condition as target users, government or social organizations, professional caregivers, community volunteers, potential caregivers and other peers with similar conditions as key stakeholders, we made an empathy map and based on the insights from it, we build the relationship map to mapping their relationships, characters and challenges.

Iterated design question 1：

How stakeholders beahvior impact on the daily life of target user?

05.Persona

Staring from the series insights related to the elderly, isolated people with a heart condition, we voted the most interested one, gradually losing self-confidence to things they used to do. And combined the key features of the persona, Steve, and 'How Might We' method, we explored and determined the general theme, how might we reduce isolated elderly patient's anxiety and depression when they can't do sports they used to do.

Iterated design question 2:

What are the factors of losing self-control ?

06.User Journey Map

Considering the premise of missing out do sports they used to do. With two in-depth interviews with a vitality program coach and an occupational therapist, we figured out a general recovery process of Steve, including three phases, behaviors, and carers in different stages, as well as both his positive and negative thoughts.

07.Synethesising Findings

Pain points

No social value
Lack of self-management
Can’t aware of the progresss
Dispreffered changing

Opportunities

Enhancing positive feedback
Provides a systematic, regular pattern of movement
Behaviour and cognition in line with the elderly

Rephrased, user-centered design question:

How might we help elderly, isolated people with a heart condition recognise their value during treatment and recovery?

Design requirements:

08.Ideation Test

After brainstorming and sketching several options, we had a conversation with Richard Forsyth , an expert we had interviewed before, to validate the feasibility of the solution and finalize the digital gardening experience service .

09.Design Goals

Synthesizing the pain points and opportunities, we set the following goals for our design solution:

The "Green space" is designed to meet the needs of users in the following areas:

Through quantitative and graded different activities, which meets the needs of the elderly for exercise demands;
The main features of the experience are gamification and simplification, which is in line with the behavior habits of the elderly;
The public social space encourages the participation of the elderly in rehabilitation and creates a social environment;
Create value for urban space and community environment.

10.Service Blueprint

11.Business Model Canvas

12.Flow Digram

The core behaviours in the service blueprint such as suggested gardening tasks recommended by healthcare professionals and selecting tasks and knowing the personal and societal benefits are served through the terminal in the garden. Therefore, we decided to design a digital interactive prototype to represent our primary service solution.

^{︎︎︎Jump to the interactive prototype}

Features

1. First-order page

Choosing a physical recovery focus

In order to continue the targeted training during the recovery period, the user can choose different exercise goals according to his or her health condition or the doctor's recommendation.

︎Minimalist operation
︎Easy to read

Large size icon, bold font, strong colors, easy to read

2. Second-order page

Choosing a gardening activity

Provide users with a variety of gardening activities to choose from, different activities have different levels of difficulty, click on the activity card to see a detailed explanation.

︎Difficulty distinction
︎Diversification of options

Use the task card format to display each activity, highlighting the difficulty level to help users evaluate and select.

3. Third-order page

Interpreting Achievements

Make users aware of the increased contribution of each gardening activity to plant growth

︎Data visualization
︎Positive feedback

To quantify the abstract and invisible results and convey positive feedback to users with visual effect to enhance user stickiness.