Epilepsy Foundation
Mobile Application
A mobile application that provides support to bystanders who are navigating an epileptic event. The app presents observational questions for diagnosis then leads with step-by step directions on handling the situation. The goal of this exploration was to study existing epilepsy education and create audience-focused tools to efficiently disperse information. Our team proposed a mobile application that offers step-by-step on-site seizure first aid.
My Contributions
Research
User Experience
Digital Design
Research
The neurological disorder of epilepsy and the best-known symptom, seizures, were extensively researched in preparation for the initial design. The team met with the Eastern Pennsylvania Epilepsy Foundation leading a conversation that emphasized the importance of educating against misconceptions. Their aim was to create a solution on properly educating the public from administering false information.
The team furthered their research by previewing an in-person presentation provided by Epilepsy Foundation speaker, Seamus Morgan, to a fifth-grade class, elementary school in New Jersey. This provided us with additional information, understanding the successful and unsuccessful qualities of delivering a message to a young audience, allowed us to analyze how the information was presented.
Flow Chart
We began the process of uncovering all the possible care scenarios a bystander may experience when witnessing a seizure. During the process, Nancy Mayer, a design critic, and Margo Borten, a trauma nurse, reviewed our scenarios and provided guidance. Once the user experience was thoroughly understood, we were able to express possibilities through a user interface that is robust enough to handle the multitude of scenarios, while remaining simple, understandable, and navigable.
First Phase
The user is guided through and gathers key information about the situation by answering questions. If the individual appears injured or the bystander is unsure, then the app will direct them to call 911.
Second Phase
The path splits into different directions based on the position of the individual's body (standing, sitting, laying, or suspended in water) and is guided on the next step.
Third Phase
The Application directs the user to escalated care (EMT Services,) or through the end of the seizure to follow-up care and shock treatment.
Wireframe
After solidifying the flow charts the next step was to build the wireframes.
Design
The prototype of the app considers facets like the navigation system, the information hierarchy, and the timing device. The application’s aesthetic borrows from the Epilepsy Foundation’s branding while keeping iconography and typographic styles to a minimum for streamlined communication. The design of the prototypes is to showcase the functionality, eliminating visual distractions. We desired focusing on the circumstance while keeping navigation simple and easy to follow.
The navigation system relies on swipe and button navigation to allow for the retreading of previous slides. The information hierarchy prioritizes the option to call 911 at any time and emboldens the information that most people have misconceptions about. The timing device is engaged by the user and serves to track the seizure's length up to the 5-minute mark, whereby our research is the cut-off when you should contact 911.
