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The original aim for this brief was to create an immersive and engaging screen based user experience for the NHS 111 non-emergency service that would aid in increasing accessibility to the current 111 service and relieving unnecessary strain on a number of NHS service, including local GP's and doctors. This app fulfils this brief and effectively provides a solution to a real-world problem.
The design of the app is simple yet bold. The limited colour scheme and standardised typeface create a clean and minimalist appearance while also adhering to the design guidelines of the NHS, which creates cohesion and recognition between the app and all other NHS services and online content.
The designs were appropriate to the limitations of screen based design - the type size is large enough to be legible on a range of screen sizes, line lengths are no more than 30 characters and copy text was kept as short as possible without the loss of important information. All text within the app is limited to one page only as it was also important to consider that users would need to access all of the information presented at once in order to reduce the chance of miscommunication.
The final designs for the app were created through a series of wireframes and prototypes, tested and critiqued at every stage of the project and then finalised using the Adobe Experience Design programme, a specialist programme that allows the creation of a fully functioning prototype application. This allowed the app to be trialled with a range of test subjects throughout the design stage and ensured and issues with legibility, cohesion or navigation could be solved efficiently.
The target audience was identified as individuals aged 18-60 as these are the age brackets for typically independent individuals, and any anyone younger or older than this is usually in the care of others. It was determined that people between these ages would be the most likely to use a non-emergency service, however the clear and simple design of the app would also allow for accessibility to younger children and older individuals with smartphones.
Both formative and summative feedback was gathered at every stage of this project from a range of sources including peers, tutors, and professional design studios. To understand how effective the app might be within a real-world situation I also reached out to a number of individuals in the medical profession for summative feedback. I asked a qualified Occupational Therapist working in the field of Care and Accessibility for the Aged to evaluate the accessibility of the app for a range of different ages and abilities. They agreed that the typeface was an appropriate size for most individuals, and that the additional feature allowing the type size to be enlarged would increase the accessibility to an older audience and those with visual impairments. They also commended the use of colour, both in terms of its iconography to the NHS and the contrast that it provided when combined with the colour white, allowing increased legibility on a digital screen.
The app was also given to a selection of volunteers aged between 65-80, all of who were able to understand the features, input information and navigate through the app successfully. All of the volunteers commended the concept behind the app and the format as nearly all owned or had regular access to a smartphone or tablet. There was much positive feedback for the functionality of the app and the designs were classed as highly appropriate for a range of target audiences.