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EASY MODE
DEVICE
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Galaxy S5, S6
Galaxy Note 5
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EASY MODE
ROLE​
PROJECT LEAD
USER KEY VALUE & SCENARIOS
ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTATION
TEAM
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DESIGNERS (UX, UI, Interaction)
PRODUCT MANAGER
DEVELOPERS (S/W)
OVERVIEW
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Earlier, phones were simple in a way that a non-tech savvy person could use them easily. The user interface was designed by keeping calling and messaging in mind. With the advent of smartphones, things became a tad complicated. Whether its because the phone will be used by a less-experienced user or you just want to simplify things for a short period of time, Easy Mode will give your phone an easier-to-handle home screen experience, basic settings, and easy access.
DESIGN PROCESS
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Previous Attempts
Target user research
Insights & Design Principles
User flow
Wireframes
Mockups
Feedback from User test
Improvement
Implemetation
RESEARCH
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DESK RESEARCH
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Gathered the data to select applications and features for easy mode.
- What applications & features seniors use most
- What kind of features they want to have and don't
USER INTERVIEW
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To understand actual use scenarios, focus group interviews, and in-depth interviews were conducted. Significant information was obtained by participating in the test as a UX modulator and directly asking questions and observing
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PARTICIPATING in SENIOR SEMINAR
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To identify the characteristics of the target users in more detail, my team attended seminars and related classes to study more deeply about how seniors interact with electronic devices and where they have problems.
INSIGHTS & Solutions
Through the design research process, the following insights derived.
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1. Cognitive & physical learning barriers
: Physically, eye sights are not good, and pressing keys on a small screen is not easy. Mentally, they can't remember things and adapt to new things quickly as much as young people. Easy mode should consist of screens with more giant letters, more uncomplicated information, and more easily recognizable colors, taking into account these physical difficulties.
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2. Fear for tech
: Many seniors are fearful they will break the devices and may be extremely hesitant to touch the device or to “play around” with the device. That anxiety will make it difficult to learn the necessary skills. Seniors are afraid of digital devices since it's not familiar to them at all. They feel insecure and helpless when they have problems with digital devices and easily lost their confidence. To avoid having this fear, expose only the information needed, leading to a use scenario in which these functions are accessed directly.
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3. Top Activities
: They use the devices to connect with their friends and family and conduct information and news instead of general newspapers. Easy mode of frequently used Internet, weather, and camera apps need to construct the features based on actual usage data.
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Senior’s Top Five Activities in Devices
- Use a search engine to find information (82%)
- Look for health or medical information (66%)
- Research a product or service before buying it (66%)
- Check the weather (60%)
- Look for information from a government web site (60%)
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Cloud information
- Cloud usage, Storage, Downloaded status, Detail settings
Synced contents
- Calendar, Contacts saved in Samsung account, Samsung Internet browser, Samsung Keyboard data
Backup and restored contents
- Calendar, Contacts saved in Device and SIM, Call logs, Home Screen Layout, Apps, Device Settings
, Messages, Files
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FINAL DESIGN​
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Normal mode_Homescreen
Easy mode_Homescreen
The simple Home screens
The center main home page will have the clock and weather icons along with 6 application choices for easy use. Swiping to the right will present the screen for access to your favorite contacts. Users can add a contact to the favorite's page by selecting the plus sign next to the icons. With Easy Mode enabled, the home screen will now have larger icons, weather, and time presentations. Also added to the home screen are two new apps—Torch (a flashlight app) and Magnifier (zoom in and out to see text or images easier).
Easy Applications list
Listed top applications that seniors use most from the research and made users can choose whether they want to use these applications as an Easy mode or Standard mode when they change to Easy mode.
Examples of Easy Applications
If a user chooses to use an app they want in Easy Mode, the app will change to an app for Easy Mode that shows only large font-friendly layouts and essential options. Keypad, contact, message, calendar, camera, Internet, and My Files are among these apps.
REFLECTION
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Identifying barriers to entry sheds light on the elderly’s needs and wants from technology, defining the path for future technological innovation. In fact, even when the individual possesses the desire for ownership, it is still unlikely that the individual will be able to adopt the technology if one of the aforementioned barriers exists. In order to “bridge the gap”, an individual must overcome all six barriers, which can be a formidable task. Therefore, it is important to keep these reasons in mind when mobilizing these “dormant” individuals and integrating them better into the smart technology society to achieve a better, more effective, and sustainable solution to seniors’ pressing needs.