Snuggy!
A Digestive Monitoring Application / User Experience Design
MY ROLE
UX Research
Information Visualisation
Journey Mapping
A/B Testing
Prototyping
Design System
TOOLS USED
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
TEAM
Solo
TIMELINE
15 Weeks
BACKGROUND
About Snuggy!
Snuggy is an app powered by a smart tag and diaper to help parents monitor and better understand their child's digestive well-being, by providing effective and comforting solutions for their child’s digestive health issues.
BACKGROUND
Research Objective
Conducted research on parents and children to understand their pain points and provide a helping tool to monitor and better understand their child’s physical health and wellbeing.
RESEARCH
Problem Discovery
Young parents often struggle to understand and fulfil their child's needs, which leads to anxiety and uncertainty. The lack of timely and reliable information makes it difficult for them to provide the best care for their child.
BACKGROUND
Motivation for the Project
My motivation for embarking on this project stems from a personal desire to use my design skills to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. While initially driven by a desire to help my own nephew and niece, my perspective broadened during user research in New York City, where I had the opportunity to connect with many young parents and children facing similar challenges.
Witnessing the difficulties and stress that these families experienced in their daily lives inspired me to explore how design could be used to address their needs and provide practical solutions to improve their overall well-being.
RESEARCH
Understanding Problem Area
Parents who are new to raising children often find it challenging to meet the needs of their little ones, leading to feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. The absence of prompt and dependable information makes it difficult for them to provide optimal care for their children. To gain a better understanding of the issues faced by these parents in comprehending their child's emotions and identifying their needs and wants, I conducted user interviews and did informational research to gather relevant information.
RESEARCH
Why Digestive Health?
> Digestive health is an important aspect of overall health and well-being, particularly for kids who are still developing their immune and digestive systems.
> In children, gut health issues can affect their mental health and cognitive function, as the gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in regulating mood and behaviour.
> Common in children aged 0-4 years, with estimates suggesting that up to 50% of children in this age group may experience some form of gut health issue.
> According to the American College of Gastroenterology, gastrointestinal disorders are common in children and can affect up to 25% of all pediatric outpatient visits.
RESEARCH
Competitive Analysis
> Logging app: Some of the apps appeared to be primarily focused on logging food intake and symptoms, rather than providing actionable insights and solutions for parents.
> Complexity: The complexity of some apps and their user interfaces made it difficult for parents to navigate and use them effectively, which can act as a barrier to usage and engagement.
> Inaccuracy: Few of the apps were not accurate enough in identifying the root cause of digestive issues, leading to incorrect recommendations and ineffective solutions.
> Lack of solutions: Some apps did not provide sufficient solutions for the challenges faced by parents, leaving them without effective guidance for addressing their child's digestive issues.
RESEARCH
Adjacent Industry Audit
Children are like pets — they have many similarities when it comes to understating them and their behavioural actions.
During the adjacent research, I explored the pet industry. As someone who is apprehensive of animals but enjoys interacting with children, this project offered me a unique opportunity to examine the emotions of both animals and children. Through user interviews and research, several insights emerged:
> “We observe her understand her just like a pet”
> “It is difficult for kids to say what hurts them and especially understand how serious it is”
> Both children and pets have limited abilities to regulate their emotions, which can lead to impulsive behaviour, emotional outbursts, or anxiety.
USER RESEARCH
User Group
The target audience consists of young parents who seek comprehensive information about their child's health, with a specific focus on children aged 0-4 years. This age range is critical for the development and management of their digestive health. Additionally, the inclusion of diaper-wearing children within this age group adds relevance and specificity to the target audience, aligning with the practical needs of parents.
USER RESEARCH
Interview Goals
The goal of the interview was to gather insights and understand the challenges faced by parents in monitoring and managing their child's digestive health. The aim was to gain a deep understanding of their needs, pain points, and preferences in order to design an effective solution.
> Can you share any difficulties you have experienced when it comes to monitoring and managing your child's digestive health?
> How do you currently track and analyze your child's symptoms or health issues? What methods have been effective for you, and which ones have not?
> What kind of information or support would be most helpful for you in understanding and addressing your child's digestive health concerns?
USER RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
Actionable Insights
> Leveraging technology enables users to access accurate and effective solutions.
> “It is difficult for kids to say what hurts them and especially understand how serious it is” - Annie
> Parents are looking for quick and effective solutions for their children.
> 70% of parents felt that they were not getting enough information or guidance on how to meet their child's health needs.
> “Parents have frequently rushed to the hospital as a result of their child's persistent crying” - Dr Shaheda
> It really helps to talk to the other parents and listen to their experiences.
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Hypothesis
Help young parents effectively manage their child's digestive health by providing them with the necessary information and on-the-go solutions.
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Meta Insight #1
Understanding what the child truly requires is one of the most difficult aspects of parenting.
> How Might We?
Help parents identify and interpret the non-verbal cues and signals that their child uses to communicate their needs and emotions.
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Meta Insight #2
Parents are looking for quick and effective solutions for their children.
> How Might We?
Help build trust and credibility with parents seeking quick and effective solutions for their children while also making it a reliable and valuable resource.
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Journey Map
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Lo-fi Prototype
The ideation process involved considering different directions and exploring various possibilities to create a solution that would empower young parents with accurate and actionable information about their child's digestive health.
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Mid-fi Prototype
FEATURE 1: SYMPTOM TRACKING
The symptom tracking feature allows parents to track their child's symptoms related to gut health. Based on the analysis, it further provides recommendations and suggestions to address and manage the child's health condition.
FEATURE 2: GROWTH TRACKING & FOOD SUGGESTIONS
The growth tracking and food suggestion feature helps parents monitor their child's growth and nutritional intake by logging their food. It provides a comprehensive nutritional graph and offers customized recipes tailored to the child's specific needs.
FEATURE 3: MEDICINE REMINDER
The medicine reminder feature helps parents ensure the timely administration of doses to their little ones without forgetting any medications. Parents simply need to scan the products and prescriptions, and the app will schedule the medicines, eliminating the hassle of manually logging each medication.
MID-FI TESTING SYNTHESIS
Actionable Insights
> 60% of parents had difficulty understanding the meaning of each inflammation marker
> 50% of parents expressed the desire to have immediate steps or remedies provided before contacting a doctor
> 80% of parents found the medication feature to be highly useful, as it helped them administer medications at the right time
> 90% of parents found the food suggestions to be very helpful, but many expressed the preference for tailored suggestions based on specific needs rather than a generic list of recipes
Challenge!
How Will The App Function?
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Maybe supported by a device? or a Smart Diaper?
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
The System
SNUGGY DIAPER AND TAG
The Snuggy diaper is designed with a convenient slit at the top, allowing parents to effortlessly insert the Snuggy tag. The tag would be positioned at the absorbent layer of the diaper, enabling seamless data collection through its embedded sensors, including pH, temperature, and gas sensors.
Each pack of Snuggy diapers includes 34 units, accompanied by a reusable Snuggy tag. The tag is designed to provide reliable monitoring of the child's digestive health, offering parents the flexibility to use it as needed, typically once or twice a day. With its durable construction, the Snuggy tag can easily last up to two weeks, ensuring prolonged functionality and usability for parents.
Sketches by: Aashna Agarwal (Industrial Designer)
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Study of Sensors & Form
The tag consists of 3 small, thin and baby-safe sensors:
Temperature Sensor: It can detect temperature changes on the skin surface, which can be indicative of issues such as diaper rash or inflammation. TMP112 from Texas Instruments.
pH Sensor: It can detect the pH level of urine, which can provide insight into the digestive health of the baby. The SEN0161 from DFRobot.
Gas Sensor: It can detect the presence of gases such as methane and hydrogen, which can indicate issues such as lactose intolerance or gut dysbiosis. The CCS811 from AMS.
The Snuggy tag features a thoughtfully designed sleek and concave shape, carefully crafted to ensure a comfortable fit that keeps the baby's bum encased. Its use of porous silicon as the material ensures that the tag remains gentle on the baby's skin while effectively collecting the necessary data for monitoring.
3D Sketches by: Aashna Agarwal (Industrial Designer)
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
Systems Map
SOLUTION DISCOVERY
The Product
“COMFORT FOR YOUR LITTLE ONE MADE EASIER WITH SNUGGY!”
Symptom Tracking & Food Suggestions
THE PRODUCT
HOW MIGHT WE?
Help parents identify and interpret their child's non-verbal cues and signals to communicate their needs and emotions.
Solution: The home screen features a calendar dial that indicates the specific day of the health condition and provides an overview of what the child might experience throughout the day, helping parents stay calm and informed. It displays symptom analysis and alerts for any health issues, while the app offers highly specific food suggestions and items to avoid tailored to the child's needs.
Health Alerts & History
HOW MIGHT WE?
Build trust and credibility with parents seeking quick and effective solutions for their children while also making it a reliable and valuable resource.
Solution #1: The app notifies parents of any health alerts, provides a brief description of the issue, and offers suggestions on how to address it. The history dial allows parents to track their child's progress, ensuring that they have a comprehensive list and progress report ready for their next paediatrician visit.
Solution #2: The Medication feature helps parents keep track of schedules and doses for their children on medication, ensuring that they never miss a dose. By simply scanning the Rx or uploading the PDF, the AI generates a hassle-free schedule with accurate doses and timings, eliminating the need for manual entry.
Medication Reminder
DESIGN SYSTEM
Logo Design
The logo design and brand system of Snuggy revolves around a theme of comfort and soothing. The logo portrays two hearts coming together, symbolizing parents embracing and comforting their children. The colour palette chosen for the brand conveys a sense of trustworthiness, professionalism, and medical expertise, while also adding a playful touch to the overall aesthetic.
Colour Palette & Typography
DESIGN SYSTEM
Next Steps
> Revisit the functionality and technical aspects of the Snuggy tag and sensors to improve the accuracy of the analysis.
> Conduct high-fidelity user testing to gather valuable feedback for further improvements.
> Enhance micro-interactions to create a more engaging user experience.
> Refine the UX copy to improve accessibility and clarity for users.
Learnings
> Harnessing technology benefits: Gaining insights into how technology can effectively address real-world problems and enhance user experience while navigating challenges associated with integrating diverse components such as physical devices and mobile apps.
> Understanding the target audience: Recognizing the importance of comprehending users' pain points, challenges, and preferences to develop a tailored solution that caters to their needs.
> Power of data visualization: Demonstrating the transformative impact of visualizing sensor data, enabling parents to gain a deeper understanding of child's health by presenting complex information in an accessible and user-friendly manner.
> Collaboration significance: Acknowledging the crucial role of collaboration among stakeholders, including parents and healthcare professionals, through effective communication to create a solution that satisfies the requirements of all parties involved.