Problem and Hypothesis
Recordo was conceived during an academic course at the University of Michigan, SI 582 Introduction to Interaction Design.
The problem arises from a common scenario among the group, where all of us have received that phone call from our mom or grandpa asking for help with something like fixing the internet connection or setting up a new device, often resulting in a frustrating session for both ends. So we asked ourselves, how might we help seniors become more confident and proficient in learning about new things?
The team explored the problem space, focusing on the challenges faced by senior citizens (ages 60+) in recalling important details and adapting to new technology in their lives. To learn something new and retain or retrieve information, they are likely to opt for methods such as watching YouTube tutorials or taking digital or physical notes, all of which can be unreliable, hard to maintain, and include content not tailored to this population’s unique needs and experience levels.
Team Roles
As part of the course focus, all team members were encouraged to explore each phase of the design process fully. This meant we all had the same level of involvement across the project. However, each of us ended up focusing on our strengths, and that made our work chemistry very effective.
Design Process
Qualitative Research
Our research plan involved remote user interviews, where we identified the resources participants use to document information when learning, such as YouTube tutorials, built-in note-taking apps, or phone calls with caregivers. This information enabled us to pinpoint potential 'competitors,' which we benchmarked to identify pros and cons in the context of the problem. The interviews also included a quick survey that asked participants about their level of knowledge and confidence using technology, ranging from traditional appliances such as dishwashers to smartphones, apps, and emerging technology.
Overall, we learned that younger seniors are proficient with traditional tech; they use smartphones extensively for activities like checking social media, writing emails, or making family video calls. However, new technology like smart devices is more challenging to use and adopt, requiring additional assistance from tutorials or caregivers. These resources also often present additional challenges, such as the quality of content or lack of availability, respectively.
Analysis and Ideation
Personas and Scenario
Our research focused exclusively on younger seniors, aged between 60 and 72 years old, which limited our ability to fully establish a behavioral pattern for the entire population. However, it helped us understand a scenario where they can engage and become proficient with traditional technology. Still, when it comes to learning something new, they require further assistance and often opt for analog and unreliable methods.
Senior: Rita W., a 64-year-old business manager, lives independently and actively uses social media. Despite memory challenges, she manages a modern household with tech but relies on her children for setup.
Caregiver: Paul M., a 32-year-old project manager, stays closely connected with his parents on the East Coast. As a tech-savvy only son, he enjoys exploring new products. Frequently sought for guidance, Paul is aware of his expertise in helping his parents with tech matters.
Product Concept
Younger seniors use smartphones extensively. So, how about leveraging emerging technology and placing it at the forefront, without them even knowing it, to help overcome the challenges of learning something new and storing it for future use?
Therefore, the idea is have users record a video as they would using the standard camera. Through the use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine, the app would process the content and automatically divide it into individual steps for them. The result would be a step-by-step collection of videos produced by them, complete with full transcription. Additionally a friend or family could also create a step-by-step procedure for them and share it through the app.
Therefore, the idea is have users record a video as they would using the standard camera. Through the use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine, the app would process the content and automatically divide it into individual steps for them. The result would be a step-by-step collection of videos produced by them, complete with full transcription. Additionally a friend or family could also create a step-by-step procedure for them and share it through the app.
Design
User Flows, Paper Prototype and Wireframes
With the product concept established, the team was able to start working on the user flows relevant to the roles we identified through the personas. The key features and actions would involve two modes for creating a procedure: auto and manual. The former is a streamlined version focused on the senior group, while the latter includes added editing controls for more experienced users. Additionally, this helped us create paper prototypes and wireframes that gave us a first insight into the product vision.
With the product concept established, the team was able to start working on the user flows relevant to the roles we identified through the personas. The key features and actions would involve two modes for creating a procedure: auto and manual. The former is a streamlined version focused on the senior group, while the latter includes added editing controls for more experienced users. Additionally, this helped us create paper prototypes and wireframes that gave us a first insight into the product vision.
Recordo User Flows
Paper Prototype
Evaluation
User Testing
When an interactive version of the wireframe was created with Figma, we were able to conduct a few user testing sessions: half with seniors and the other half with potential caregivers. The insights we gathered allowed us to further refine the design and even address aspects we had not accounted for.
Branding and Design System
When an interactive version of the wireframe was created with Figma, we were able to conduct a few user testing sessions: half with seniors and the other half with potential caregivers. The insights we gathered allowed us to further refine the design and even address aspects we had not accounted for.
Design System (Color Guide)
Design System (Cards)
Solution
Recordo leverages AI transcription and video processing technologies to generate comprehensive step-by-step procedures from a single video recording. This concept is instrumental in solving the problem for seniors, especially in auto mode, as it enables them to save procedures on the spot, similar to recording a video with their smartphones, with the AI engine handling the heavy lifting.
Manual mode provides options for integrating media, such as photos and videos, along with controls to edit the length of individual steps. This feature enhances the level of detail in a given procedure. Another capability is efficient sharing of procedures with others. The ability to share and collectively edit procedures helps users quickly establish a substantial archive of searchable information. For instance, a son can remotely record a procedure on accessing an app on a smart TV and share it with his parents.
The final iteration allows for a broad range of procedure documentation and is supplemented by a built-in support library that offers basic instructional outlines for common tech products and tasks.
Retrospective
How we solved the problem
The key finding of our research was that, although young seniors are proficient in their use of mobile phones, they struggle to learn new technology and often avoid it.
From a product design perspective, what's intriguing is that we chose to prominently feature new technology in this solution but in a manner that eliminates the learning curve and empowers users. Seniors, or any user of this product, can effectively utilize AI without being aware of it. This concept served as the foundation for everything else—a simple and user-friendly interface designed for those averse to technology, supported by an incredibly powerful AI engine that facilitates knowledge retention in a streamlined manner.
Challenges
We know the idea works with current tech, but we can't be sure about its real-world effectiveness. This makes it hard to test how the interaction will actually work. If AI takes too long or gives bad results, users might not like it. So, we need more research and testing on a real basic version to clear up these uncertainties.
Finding unbiased seniors who aren't family members was tough. Time limits during testing stopped us from getting the right audience. We got some good feedback, but in the future, we should include folks above 60 and test cases with older users who might not know smartphones well or have physical issues using the app.
What I learned
From a project standpoint, I figured out how to handle team dynamics and deal with differing views on product design. Even with some early disagreements, we found common ground by looking at emerging patterns from our research, leading to informed and objective contributions that kept us moving forward.
I also learned the importance of building hypotheses around common issues instead of personal experiences. Although the team initially rallied around an AR-driven solution, a closer look showed it was more about novelty than a clear focus on the actual problem—accessibility. Staying open and objective right from the start turned out to be crucial in working through these challenges.
