Improving access to cognitive aids
Improving access to cognitive aids
Improving access to cognitive aids
Exploring how parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions navigate the digital services of NAV, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, to find cognitive assistive technology.
Exploring how parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions navigate the digital services of NAV, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, to find cognitive assistive technology.
Exploring how parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions navigate the digital services of NAV, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, to find cognitive assistive technology.
Role
UX Researcher
Interaction designer
Team
2 interaction design students
Timeline
3 weeks
Methods & Tools
User testing
Expert interviews
Affinity map
Concept development
Figma
The Challenge
The Challenge
The Challenge
Parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions may need to navigate several services and sources of information when looking for cognitive assistive technology. Our initial research showed that the journey could begin in many different places, from healthcare professionals to Google, NAV and user organizations. A key challenge was that users struggled to find an obvious starting point or a clear path forward.
Parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions may need to navigate several services and sources of information when looking for cognitive assistive technology. Our initial research showed that the journey could begin in many different places, from healthcare professionals to Google, NAV and user organizations. A key challenge was that users struggled to find an obvious starting point or a clear path forward.
Parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions may need to navigate several services and sources of information when looking for cognitive assistive technology. Our initial research showed that the journey could begin in many different places, from healthcare professionals to Google, NAV and user organizations. A key challenge was that users struggled to find an obvious starting point or a clear path forward.
This led us to explore
How can we make it easier for parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions to discover and navigate relevant cognitive assistive technology?
How can we make it easier for parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions to discover and navigate relevant cognitive assistive technology?
How can we make it easier for parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions to discover and navigate relevant cognitive assistive technology?
Research from two perspectives
Research from two perspectives
Research from two perspectives
Parents/Users
Parents participated in interviews and usability tests to help us understand how they searched for information, where they expected to find support, and where they experienced difficulties.
Experts
We interviewed professionals with experience in neurodevelopmental conditions and assistive technology to understand the system, common challenges and how parents are supported throughout the process.
Understanding the user journey
Understanding the user journey
Understanding the user journey
We wanted to see what happened when parents actually tried to find relevant support.
We wanted to see what happened when parents actually tried to find relevant support.
We wanted to see what happened when parents actually tried to find relevant support.
Participants were given a scenario in which their child had recently received a diagnosis and were asked to find relevant cognitive assistive technology. Rather than directing them to a specific page, we observed where they chose to start, how they navigated between services and where they experienced friction.
Participants were given a scenario in which their child had recently received a diagnosis and were asked to find relevant cognitive assistive technology. Rather than directing them to a specific page, we observed where they chose to start, how they navigated between services and where they experienced friction.
Participants were given a scenario in which their child had recently received a diagnosis and were asked to find relevant cognitive assistive technology. Rather than directing them to a specific page, we observed where they chose to start, how they navigated between services and where they experienced friction.
Making sence of the research
Making sence of the research
Making sence of the research
We brought insights from the interviews and usability tests together in affinity maps. Observations, quotes and recurring difficulties were grouped into themes, allowing us to compare the experiences of parents with the perspectives of experts and identify patterns across the journey.
We brought insights from the interviews and usability tests together in affinity maps. Observations, quotes and recurring difficulties were grouped into themes, allowing us to compare the experiences of parents with the perspectives of experts and identify patterns across the journey.
We brought insights from the interviews and usability tests together in affinity maps. Observations, quotes and recurring difficulties were grouped into themes, allowing us to compare the experiences of parents with the perspectives of experts and identify patterns across the journey.
This helped us identify recurring points of friction and understand where parents were most likely to lose direction.
This helped us identify recurring points of friction and understand where parents were most likely to lose direction.
This helped us identify recurring points of friction and understand where parents were most likely to lose direction.
Key Findings
Key Findings
Key Findings
01 - Information is difficult to find and understand
01 - Information is difficult to find and understand
Users struggled to locate and interpret relevant information on NAV's websites. Navigation, terminology and visual elements did not always communicate their purpose clearly, making it difficult to understand where to look or what to do next.
Users struggled to locate and interpret relevant information on NAV's websites. Navigation, terminology and visual elements did not always communicate their purpose clearly, making it difficult to understand where to look or what to do next.
Users struggled to locate and interpret relevant information on NAV's websites. Navigation, terminology and visual elements did not always communicate their purpose clearly, making it difficult to understand where to look or what to do next.
Overwhelming content
Overwhelming content
Large amount of text made it difficult to identify what was relevant
Large amount of text made it difficult to identify what was relevant
Unclear terminology
Unclear terminology
Categories and labels did not always match the language users expected
Categories and labels did not always match the language users expected
Unclear visual cues
Unclear visual cues
Icons and navigation elements were not always understood as intended
Icons and navigation elements were not always understood as intended
02 - Users get stuck in loops
02 - Users get stuck in loops
Relevant information was spread across different websites. Users could move between services without understanding their different purposes, sometimes ending up back where they started rather than progressing towards relevant support.
Relevant information was spread across different websites. Users could move between services without understanding their different purposes, sometimes ending up back where they started rather than progressing towards relevant support.
Relevant information was spread across different websites. Users could move between services without understanding their different purposes, sometimes ending up back where they started rather than progressing towards relevant support.
03 - No clear path from diagnosis to support
03 - No clear path from diagnosis to support
After receiving a diagnosis, parents searched for information through many different channels, including healthcare professionals, schools, user organisations and NAV. Rather than following a clear pathway towards relevant support, they had to piece together information themselves and often did not know where to turn next.
After receiving a diagnosis, parents searched for information through many different channels, including healthcare professionals, schools, user organisations and NAV. Rather than following a clear pathway towards relevant support, they had to piece together information themselves and often did not know where to turn next.
After receiving a diagnosis, parents searched for information through many different channels, including healthcare professionals, schools, user organisations and NAV. Rather than following a clear pathway towards relevant support, they had to piece together information themselves and often did not know where to turn next.
Concept development
Concept development
Concept development
Our research pointed to two recurring needs: a clearer way to find relevant information, and a place where parents could ask questions when existing information was not enough. Based on these needs, we developed two concepts that explored different ways of making support easier to access.
Our research pointed to two recurring needs: a clearer way to find relevant information, and a place where parents could ask questions when existing information was not enough. Based on these needs, we developed two concepts that explored different ways of making support easier to access.
Our research pointed to two recurring needs: a clearer way to find relevant information, and a place where parents could ask questions when existing information was not enough. Based on these needs, we developed two concepts that explored different ways of making support easier to access.
01 A Diagnosis-based starting point
01 A Diagnosis-based starting point
Need:
Need:
Parents lacked a clear starting point after diagnosis
Parents lacked a clear starting point after diagnosis
Parents lacked a clear starting point after diagnosis
Design reponse
Design reponse
Explore a diagnosis-based page that brings relevant information and support together
Explore a diagnosis-based page that brings relevant information and support together
02 Ask an expert
02 Ask an expert
Need:
Need:
Parents wanted access to guidance when information alone wasn't enough
Parents wanted access to guidance when information alone wasn't enough
Parents wanted access to guidance when information alone wasn't enough
Design reponse
Design reponse
Explore a Q&A concept connecting users with relevant professionals
Explore a Q&A concept connecting users with relevant professionals
Developing the diagnosis page
Developing the diagnosis page
Developing the diagnosis page
We developed the diagnosis-based direction further by adapting an existing page structure in Kunnskapsbanken to neurodevelopmental conditions. The focus was not on redesigning the service, but on making relevant information easier to find, understand and navigate.
We developed the diagnosis-based direction further by adapting an existing page structure in Kunnskapsbanken to neurodevelopmental conditions. The focus was not on redesigning the service, but on making relevant information easier to find, understand and navigate.
We developed the diagnosis-based direction further by adapting an existing page structure in Kunnskapsbanken to neurodevelopmental conditions. The focus was not on redesigning the service, but on making relevant information easier to find, understand and navigate.
A clear starting point
The page gives parents a clear starting poin based on their child's diagnosis, bringing relevant information together in one place
The page gives parents a clear starting poin based on their child's diagnosis, bringing relevant information together in one place
The page gives parents a clear starting poin based on their child's diagnosis, bringing relevant information together in one place
We paid particular attention to terminology, aiming to make the content easy to understand while avoiding language that could feel stigmatising
We paid particular attention to terminology, aiming to make the content easy to understand while avoiding language that could feel stigmatising
We paid particular attention to terminology, aiming to make the content easy to understand while avoiding language that could feel stigmatising
Information based on situation and needs
Information is grouped around situations and tasks rather than requiring users to understand the websites internal structure
Information is grouped around situations and tasks rather than requiring users to understand the websites internal structure
Information is grouped around situations and tasks rather than requiring users to understand the websites internal structure
Making information easier to consume
Short articles, clear labels and video content provide alternatives to the long, text-heavy pages participants found difficult to navigate
Short articles, clear labels and video content provide alternatives to the long, text-heavy pages participants found difficult to navigate
Short articles, clear labels and video content provide alternatives to the long, text-heavy pages participants found difficult to navigate
The outcome
The outcome
The outcome
The project resulted in a diagnosis-based concept that brings relevant information, support and assistive technology into a clearer starting point for parents. Rather than requiring users to understand NAV's internal structure, the concept organises information around the child's diagnosis and situation.
The project resulted in a diagnosis-based concept that brings relevant information, support and assistive technology into a clearer starting point for parents. Rather than requiring users to understand NAV's internal structure, the concept organises information around the child's diagnosis and situation.
The project resulted in a diagnosis-based concept that brings relevant information, support and assistive technology into a clearer starting point for parents. Rather than requiring users to understand NAV's internal structure, the concept organises information around the child's diagnosis and situation.
Next step
Next step
Next step
The next step would be to test the concept with parents and professionals to evaluate whether the proposed structure, language and content make the journey easier to navigate.
The next step would be to test the concept with parents and professionals to evaluate whether the proposed structure, language and content make the journey easier to navigate.
The next step would be to test the concept with parents and professionals to evaluate whether the proposed structure, language and content make the journey easier to navigate.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
This project showed me that a navigation problem can extend far beyond the structure of a single website. What initially appeared to be difficulty finding information was connected to a much larger journey across services, professionals and different sources of support. It reinforced the importance of understanding the wider user journey before focusing on individual interfaces.
This project showed me that a navigation problem can extend far beyond the structure of a single website. What initially appeared to be difficulty finding information was connected to a much larger journey across services, professionals and different sources of support. It reinforced the importance of understanding the wider user journey before focusing on individual interfaces.
This project showed me that a navigation problem can extend far beyond the structure of a single website. What initially appeared to be difficulty finding information was connected to a much larger journey across services, professionals and different sources of support. It reinforced the importance of understanding the wider user journey before focusing on individual interfaces.