Creating an Accessible Mobile App for On-Demand Care Services

Client: Whimble

Project Goal

To test and develop a proof of concept for Whimble's new mobile app, ensuring accessibility and user-friendliness for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. The aim was to evaluate functionality, identify areas for improvement, and enhance navigation, task completion, and service coordination. This project demonstrated Jumping Elephants' ability to deliver high-quality usability testing under tight deadlines, creating a reliable platform that empowers users with personalised care and seamless communication.

Challenges

Diverse Sample Size Limitations

Conducting qualitative testing with limited and varied sample sizes.

Inclusive and Accessible Testing Environment

Creating a safe and inclusive testing environment for participants with disabilities, accommodating accessibility tools like screen readers and text-to-voice.

Comprehensive Feedback Collection on a Tight Timeline

Gathering comprehensive feedback from clients and caregivers accustomed to different communication methods, all within a tight 7-week timeline.

Methodology

Task Development

Developed and implemented realistic testing scenarios that mirrored actual app usage for clients and caregivers.

Accessibility

Accommodated participants’ needs to use accessibility tools such as screen readers and text-to-voice technology to facilitate sessions.

Testing

Conducted two rounds of remote accessibility usability testing, ensuring sessions were conducted with empathy and accessibility in mind.

  • Included caregivers in testing sessions as required to gather insights specific to their user experience.

Findings

Overall, participants valued the concept of the Whimble app but identified several specific pain points, particularly in navigation and task completion.

  • The registration process pages were perceived as long and busy with text, making it overwhelming for users.

  • Some participants felt the font size was too small and difficult to read. There were also struggles with small touch points, often exacerbated by the prototype limitations.

  • Participants experienced confusion with certain icons, struggling to associate them with their intended use. There was a need for clarity on the navbar icons, with suggestions to use text labels for better understanding.

  • Participants indicated the need for additional features to improve usability and convenience for both demand and supply users:

    • Demand participants: Demand participants desire features like auto-input of saved profile information, uploading "care sheets," receiving reminder notifications for upcoming sessions, invoices, and payment confirmations, and the ability to request specific attendants and view profiles similar to "TaskRabbit" or "Care."

    • Supply participants: Supply participants seek features allowing them to specify maximum travel distances for requests and receive reminder notifications via app or email/text message for scheduled requests.

Solutions

Based on Participant feedback, we conducted in-depth analysis and provided strategic recommendations to enhance the user experience.

Our strategy included the following key solutions:

  • We suggested simplifying or breaking up long paragraphs in the registration process for better readability, making it more user-friendly and less overwhelming.

  • We suggested increasing the font size throughout the app and ensuring touchpoints are large enough to be interacted with comfortably.

  • We advised to avoid using icons or colours independently to convey statuses or information, rather to provide text labels for navbar icons and ensure all icons are labelled appropriately.

  • We recommended investigating the possibility of adding new features such as auto-input of profile information, uploading care sheets, reminder notifications, invoice/payment notifications, and the ability to request a preferred gender for attendants.

    Additionally, to enable the search and request of specific attendants through a feature similar to "TaskRabbit" or "Care".

Impact

Improved Task Success and Efficiency

Achieved measurable improvements in task success rates and efficiency during testing rounds, validating the effectiveness of implemented design changes and ensuring ongoing usability enhancements.

Developed a User-Friendly App

Overall, participants were pleased with the overall flows involved throughout the tasks in the app.

  • “It is very straightforward.” 

  • “Really, really cool, user friendly and customizable.

  • “It was really easy to use [...] everything is very clear”

Demonstrated Proof of Concept

Successfully developed a proof of concept app that not only met rigorous accessibility standards but also laid the foundation for Whimble to provide inclusive services to users with disabilities.

Improved User Experience

Addressed specific pain points identified during testing, such as improving navigation and clarifying feature functionalities, resulting in enhanced satisfaction for both clients and caregivers.

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