Aging actively with voice tech
Background & Challenge
The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 led to stay-at-home orders and increased isolation for millions of people in the UK, particularly for seniors. We identified a gap in the market for fitness solutions targeting older adults, as existing apps and resources often had poor user experiences or lacked accessibility. Official advice on exercise was difficult to find or too generic for this age group. Our goal was to create an immersive, user-friendly Alexa skill that would enable seniors to exercise safely and confidently from their homes.
My Role & Process
As a UX Designer and Researcher, I was involved in various aspects of the project:
Discovery: I conducted user interviews, surveys, and secondary research to understand the needs and challenges faced by older adults regarding exercise, including their preferences for voice technology and concerns about safety.
Concept ideation: I facilitated workshops to generate ideas based on our research insights, collaborating with the project team to develop a content-rich and engaging Alexa skill.
Acquiring funding: I helped create a funding proposal highlighting our research findings and the potential benefits of the proposed solution.
User Journeys and UX flows: I worked closely with the UX lead to map user journeys and create UX flows using conversational design best practices.
Prototyping: I created a prototype using Voiceflow, a conversational design tool, which we used to get buy-in from our content partner.
NLP Model Training: I contributed to generating utterances and training the natural language processing (NLP) model for the Alexa skill.
Testing and Iteration: I conducted usability tests and gathered feedback from users to identify areas for improvement. Based on the findings, I iterated on the design and content of the experience to ensure it met the needs of our target audience.
Product Ownership: As the project progressed into development and ultimately to launch, I collaborated closely with developers and the rest of the team to ensure that the product vision was successfully executed and aligned with our intended goals.
Solution & Impact
We developed an innovative, video-enabled Alexa skill that provides seniors with tailored exercises and guidance, helping them stay active and healthy from the comfort of their homes. Our solution addressed the needs and concerns of older adults while offering an intuitive and accessible user experience. By creating a fitness resource specifically designed for seniors, we were able to empower this age group to maintain their physical wellbeing during a challenging time.
If you're interested in learning more about this project or would like to discuss similar opportunities, please get in touch!
