User Research
|
Product Strategy
Evidence based design
A case study of feature prioritization for a beginner friendly
investment platform
Partners
Academic Project (2024)
Duration
4 weeks
Problem Reframe
How might we create a service model for home modifications that accommodates different housing realities and care needs?
Overview
XYZ
ORGANIZATION
Academic Project
ROLE
Design Researcher
TEAM
Solo Researcher
DURATION
1 Month(Sept 2024 - Dec 2025)
RESPONISIBILITIES
User Interviews, Research Synthesis, Low-Fi Prototype, SUS Analysis, Kano Model Analysis
Solution
NestAble is a home modification
service that connects caregivers to
trusted contractors, funders and
vendors for their unique home needs
Context
Over 3 million children with medical complexity (CMC) in the U.S. rely on their homes for intensive daily care.
The home plays a critical role in caring for children with medical complexity (CMC), functioning simultaneously as a medical site, therapy space, classroom, and refuge. These families are significantly more likely to experience inadequate, stressful living conditions due to accessibility-related barriers that compromise safety, convenience, and wellbeing.
What does this indicate?
Healthcare systems are shifting toward home-based care to reduce burden, but the home environment, and the support systems around it, aren’t designed to keep up.
Understanding the Context
Understanding the care ecosystem highlighted hidden challenges families face.
Medicaid benefits widely vary across all the states.
Medicaid home-modification benefits vary widely by state, leading to inconsistencies in access, coverage, eligibility of care services.
Medicaid's annual renewal cycles
can disrupt service access.
Families are required to renew Medicaid annually, a process that can disrupt continuity of care and delay home-based medical services.
Home ownership status is key to accessing modification funds.
In many cases, home ownership is a prerequisite for accessing modification funds, creating barriers for renters and families in unstable housing situations.
User Journey
The current caregiver journey requires families to piece together funding,
eligibility, and committed contractors often with lengthy approval timelines.
Problem Reframe
How might we create a service model for home modifications that accommodates different housing realities and care needs?
Experience Strategy
Rsearch synthesis of user insights highlighted these painpoints which we aimed to tackle with the service
Home assessment requirements vary depending on the funding sources and eligibility criteria of the funders.
We developed distinct service pathways depending on funding streams and their eligibility requirements. This ensured that families were guided effectively.
Families living in rental homes temporary modification after receiving approvals from owners.
This distinction between temporary and permanent modifications prompted us to integrate solutions that allow families to borrow adaptive equipment.
Families wanted contractors who respected their preferences around home aesthetics and function.
This insight led us to build features such contractor reviews from other caregivers, their communication style and prior jobs.
Service Blueprint
Reflection
Discover
30+ Analyzed literature review
Define
Families are required to renew Medicaid annually, a process that can disrupt continuity of care and delay home-based medical services.
Design
In many cases, home ownership is a prerequisite for accessing modification funds, creating barriers for renters and families in unstable housing situations.