Skellefteå Kommun.
Skellefteå Kommun.
Skellefteå Kommun.
Minimizing cognitive load in schedule-planning and automating group-to-individual schedule management.
Minimizing cognitive load in schedule-planning and automating group-to-individual schedule management.
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Planners at respite care facilities for children and youth in Skellefteå faced high cognitive load manually converting group schedules into individual schedules. The process was fragmented, error-prone, and often required two staff members.
Planners at respite care facilities for children and youth in Skellefteå faced high cognitive load manually converting group schedules into individual schedules. The process was fragmented, error-prone, and often required two staff members.
Over 8 weeks, I applied cognitive science and UX methods to design a unified digital workspace that automates schedule conversion, reduce stress, and improves accessibility for guardians.
Over 8 weeks, I applied cognitive science and UX methods to design a unified digital workspace that automates schedule conversion, reduce stress, and improves accessibility for guardians.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
8 weeks
Industry
Healthcare
INTERVIEWS & SURVEY
Understanding the problem: To map internal workflows and guardian experiences across three units, I conducted mixed-methods research including 5 interviews with planners along with an anonymous digital survey with guardians.
Understanding the problem: To map internal workflows and guardian experiences across three units, I conducted mixed-methods research including 5 interviews with planners along with an anonymous digital survey with guardians.
PROBLEMS
Cognitive Load: Planners had to keep numerous variables in working memory while planning, such as available days and social compatibility between clients while manually placing checkmarks in Excel.
Cognitive Load: Planners had to keep numerous variables in working memory while planning, such as available days and social compatibility between clients while manually placing checkmarks in Excel.
Fear of Making Errors: Relying on memory while cross-referencing schedules caused stress and fear of making errors. To reduce this risk, facilities often assigned two planners to perform the task together.
Fear of Making Errors: Relying on memory while cross-referencing schedules caused stress and fear of making errors. To reduce this risk, facilities often assigned two planners to perform the task together.
Ambiguous Schedules: Outgoing schedules featured checkmarks without explicit dates or specific times, making them difficult for guardians to interpret and increasing the risk of missed care visits.
Ambiguous Schedules: Outgoing schedules featured checkmarks without explicit dates or specific times, making them difficult for guardians to interpret and increasing the risk of missed care visits.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Rule-Based Profiles
Rule-Based Profiles
Remembers individual constraints so planners don't have to
Remembers individual constraints so planners don't have to
Visual drag and drop
Visual drag and drop
Uses color-coded validation to make scheduling effortless
Uses color-coded validation to make scheduling effortless
Automated Schedule Generation
Automated Schedule Generation
Auto-creates personalized schedules, customizable text, and downloadable .ics calender files
Auto-creates personalized schedules, customizable text, and downloadable .ics calender files
Clear & Accessible Layout
Clear & Accessible Layout
Replaces confusing checkmarks with explicit dates, times, and week numbers for guardians
Replaces confusing checkmarks with explicit dates, times, and week numbers for guardians
USABILITY TESTS
Evaluated against the current process through 11 tasks and Likert-scale surveys with active planners:
Evaluated against the current process through 11 tasks and Likert-scale surveys with active planners:
Key metrics: Demonstrated clear improvements across all research points, including user trust, workflow efficiency, and stress levels.
Key metrics: Demonstrated clear improvements across all research points, including user trust, workflow efficiency, and stress levels.
User satisfaction: 100% of participants requested to adopt the system immediately.
User satisfaction: 100% of participants requested to adopt the system immediately.
OUTCOME
Resource Optimization: Reduced staffing needs from two people to one single planner.
Resource Optimization: Reduced staffing needs from two people to one single planner.
Error Margin: Automated validation between group schedule and individual schedule removed manual cross-referencing.
Error Margin: Automated validation between group schedule and individual schedule removed manual cross-referencing.
Enhanced Accessibility: Delivered mobile-friendly schedules with specific dates, time and direct digital calendar integration.
Enhanced Accessibility: Delivered mobile-friendly schedules with specific dates, time and direct digital calendar integration.
Municipal Handover: Project report, presentation, video demonstration and specs handed over to IT for implementation.
Municipal Handover: Project report, presentation, video demonstration and specs handed over to IT for implementation.
