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Before the Next Shift

下一班到来之前 — Design Process

A Digital Care Handover Passport for Elderly Stroke Survivors. From research to interactive prototype.

Service Design Healthcare UX Aphasia Accessibility User Research Prototyping

01 Background & User Research

Problem Space

In long-term care communities, shift handovers transfer medical tasks but often lose the person. Stroke survivors — particularly those with aphasia or hemiparesis — have nuanced ways of expressing discomfort or consent that disappear in clinical logs.

Key Findings

  • Each caregiver faces a "stranger" every shift — the resident cannot re-explain themselves each time
  • Silence or slow response may be misread as consent, leading to forced care
  • Medical records capture data, but not dignity, fear, habits, or comfort
  • Moving personal items is the #1 cause of anxiety for residents

Methods

  • Literature review: handover gaps in long-term care
  • Caregiver interviews: real shift handover workflow
  • Family interviews: personal habits and preferences
  • On-site observation: nursing home shift changes
"The goal is not to make the resident easier to manage. The goal is to make the resident harder to misunderstand." — Project Core Statement

02 User Persona

L

Mr. Lin / 林先生

74 · Post-stroke right hemiparesis

Former Master Carpenter. Highly values independence. Losing control of his right arm has been deeply frustrating. Prefers to be addressed as "Master Lin".

"Being rushed to stand up is worse than anything... they don't understand my pace."
C

Mr. Chen / 陈先生

79 · Post-stroke mild hearing loss

Retired History Teacher. Relies on classical radio for orientation. Has a strict routine and depends on physical objects for spatial awareness.

"Please don't move his cup or radio — it's his only anchor."

03 Empathy Map

To break the "Medical Gaze", mapping the cognitive and sensory experience of a stroke survivor.

Think & Feel

"I am losing my dignity. I wish they understood my silence means 'no'."

Hear

Medical jargon, rushed footsteps, monitors beeping.

See

Different faces every shift. Personal items moved out of reach.

Say & Do

Turns head away when offered food. Grips bedsheets tightly.

04 User Journey Map

Tracking the emotional friction of a caregiver during a 15-minute handover cycle.

1. Shift Prep

30s — Review handover info

😰 Anxious

Pain: EMR has too much text. No time to read.

Opportunity: 3-signal limit UI for quick scan.

2. In-Room Care

10min — Physical care + monitoring

😥 Tense

Pain: Accidentally moving objects causes resident panic.

Opportunity: Visual radar blueprint with locked safe zones.

3. Post-Care Exit

5min — Log and sign off

😌 Calm

Pain: Forgetting to log subtle behavioral changes.

Opportunity: Voice dictation + quick sign-off.

05 Information Architecture

Designed as a linear "task flow" rather than a database — each step enforces specific caregiver accountability.

App Entry — Select Resident
Clinical Context
Vitals & Body Map
Priority Signals (3 max)
Spatial Config
Radar Scan
Lock Hotspots
In-Room Mode
Glance Signals
AAC Board

06 Prototype Flow & Wireframes

A 2-3 minute guided handover simulation for rotating caregivers.

1 Select Resident
2 Context & Signals
3 Privacy Boundary
4 Spatial Anchors
5 Scenario
6 Sign & Handover

Concept 1: Radar Blueprint

Visual radar scan guides caregivers to locate and lock safe hotzones in the room (e.g., call bell, cup position), preventing accidental displacement of familiar objects.

Concept 2: In-Room AAC Board

Bilingual (EN / Traditional Chinese) communication board for aphasic residents. Four core needs: water, pain, repositioning, call nurse. Large buttons reduce cognitive load.

07 Final Outcome

A digital care passport generated in 2-3 minutes — everything the next caregiver needs before entering the room.

🆔

Resident Profile

Who is this person beyond diagnosis — their identity, habits, and dignity.

🔔

Care Signals

Three priority signals — how they show discomfort, refusal, anxiety.

🛡️

Privacy & Dignity

What can be shared, what needs care, what must stay private.

📋

Handover Passport

Printable next-shift card — from clinical context to spatial safety.

Launch Interactive Prototype →