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FREEDOM IN YOUR HANDS
Remote design: Adjustable Beds for Elderly Users
In collaboration with
INTRODUCTION
Our project's focus was designing a user-friendly hand control for elderly users of adjustable beds either in nursing homes. We aimed to develop an innovative hand control that caters to the specific needs of the growing elderly population, taking in mind individuals with common elderly constraints such as visual impairments, color blindness, limited technical knowledge, or reduced motor skills.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
With an aging global population and fewer caretakers, there is a growing need for technologies thatenhance elderly independence and quality of life. LINAK aims to address this by developinginnovative solutions that empower seniors to live more self-sufficiently
GOALS
Provide detailed documentation of insights into the user experience, behaviour and functionality of current remote control solutions for adjustable beds
Design remote control prototype for adjustable beds
STAKEHOLDERS
My five person team, collaborated closely with LINAK’s MEDLINE and CARELINE product managers, along with nursing homes’ managers, caretakers, and residents. We also consulted with an industry expert specializing in technology innovation for accessibility and an engineer experienced in solid interface design.
Rounded sides
Hign contrast colors
Seamless silicone faceplate
TIME 1 month
TOOLS & METHODS Prototyping, Fieldwork, Client meetings, Interviews, 3D Modelling, Problem Solving, User Research, Accesible Design & Conference Presentation.
ROLE Project manager
PROCESS
DISCOVER
DESKTOP RESEARCH
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Understanding the user: Research of disabilities and impairments.
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Empathy work: What are the user's needs, hopes, and issues?
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Market research: What is already out there?
FIELD RESEARCH
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User interviews: Interviews with elderly users and caretakers.
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Roleplaying and observations: The acting out of everyday tasks with their remote.
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Expert interview: With learning partner and developer of assistive devices.
LOW FIDELITY PROTOTYPES
In the first phase, we focused on designing a user-friendly shape that suited the target audience's needs. We experimented with different button types, shapes, and sizes, creating low-fidelity prototypes to test their ergonomics through hands-on interaction.
USABILITY TESTING
We role-played scenarios to explore different use cases and used empathy-driven testing, having non-elderly participants wear clouded glasses and oversized gloves to simulate reduced vision and arthritis. This approach helped us understand the challenges elderly users face, providing valuable feedback to refine the design and improve accessibility and ease of use.
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EXPERT:“The buttons should be obvious, big and easy to locate. Shaped like an arrow so there is no misunderstanding.“
EXPERT: “You should be able to see the buttons in the dark.”
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CITIZEN 1:"It would be nice if I could use it... but it must be clearly noticeable by touch."
CITIZEN 2: ”I have to look at the buttons to find out where they are, to press them.”
OLD DESIGN
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Not based on any user research.
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Built it to be as cheap as possible.
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Too complex and confusing for users.
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To big, hard to use with one hand.
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No tactility.
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No light to find in the dark.
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Only caretakers can use it.
NEW DESIGN
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Made with the user in the center.
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Accessible, user-friendly design.
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Simple layout.
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Easy to understand buttons.
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Tactile elements and press feedback.
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Ergonomic shape.
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Magnetic placement feature.
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Night mode.
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MANAGER: "It doesn't have to be square; it has to fit in their hand because many of them have arthritis, and they simply can't hold it properly anymore."
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Caretakers are the primary users as certain bed adjustments only could be accessed by them for safety reasons, and time-efficiency.
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Remote controls are too complex, have many unused buttons that are often out of reach for the elderly.
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The placement of the remote controls on the bed is inconvenient for the elderly with motor problems.
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Tangled wires around the bed added further complications such as difficulty to clean and the possibility of tearing or getting stuck under the wheels.
DESIGN CRITERIA & FINAL DESIGN
Based on insights from our research and tests, we designed a remote with the following criteria and goals in mind:
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Easy to use with one hand.
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Simple layout that adheres to conventions.
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A clear indication of functionalities.
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Enhanced tactility.
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High contrast of colours.
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Backlights for nightly use.
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A “favourite” function for the most used position.
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Cleanable.
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Findable in the dark.
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Magnetic.
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Cordless function.
MEMORIA - PATIENT APP
Wireframe & concept design
INTRODUCTION
MEMORIA – Patient Diary app is a digital space designed to provide terminally ill or patients with a life-altering sickness a safe and supportive environment to reflect on their experiences and connect with healthcare professionals and other patients. The goal of the app is to offer practical advice on maintaining physical and mental health, as well as facilitate journaling, and help patients remember crucial information from their medical consultations.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Terminally ill patients or those suffering from life-altering illnesses often face emotional, physical, and psychological challenges that can make it difficult to manage their health and maintain connections with loved ones, healthcare providers, and peers. The process of navigating complex medical information, remembering vital details from consultations, and managing mental and emotional well-being can be overwhelming and isolating.
GOALS
Enable patients to take control of their health journey by providing a tool for tracking symptoms, medical appointments, and reflections, which can lead to more informed conversations with healthcare providers.
Facilitate seamless communication between patients and their healthcare team, offering a platform for sharing notes, updates, and insights to improve the continuity of care.
Create a supportive space for users to express emotions, process their experiences, and foster mental resilience through regular journaling and self-reflection.
Develop the app to be accessible for patients of all technological proficiency levels and abilities, with an intuitive interface, clear instructions, and multi-device compatibility.
STAKEHOLDERS
My four person team, collaborated closely with terminally ill patients or patients suffering from life-altering illnesses. We also consulted with and recieved feedback from industry experts from Vejle hospital.
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TIME 1 month
TOOLS & METHODS User interviews, User testing & Prototyping. Adobe Suite, Miro, Zoom, Pitch & Figma.
ROLE Designer
PROCESS
V1
Hand drawn version
V2
Digital version in Figma for initial concept testing
FIRST TEST
Digital version with 3 participants with the goal of testing the contents validity.
V3
Print version for final testing
SECOND TEST
Physical test with two students and a patient with the goal of testing the contents validity and functionality.
METHODS
Guerrilla usability testing.
I like, I wish, What if…
Scenarios.
FINAL DESIGN
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Offers a secure space where patients can keep an online journal and respond to thought-provoking questions that they can share with their healthcare professionals.
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Includes a tool to record consultations with healthcare professionals, which can be essential for patients who are unable to recall all the information provided during their appointments.
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Enables patients to connect with others who are undergoing similar situations, providing them with the opportunity to discuss their challenges, fears, and hopes.
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Healthcare professionals can use the app to connect with their patients, helping them stay up-to-date on their progress and offer timely support and advice.
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"I definitely see value in this app. The questions and content are relevant and I can definitely see that patients will benefit from such an app. Especially the future capsule, the diary and the recordings of meetings with the healthcare professionals"
Quote from patient tester
PARTICIPANT RECOMMEDATIONS
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Content - Food diary, Set own time for opening the capsules and name them, Sleep tips based on the phases, Space for notes/questions for doctors.
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Functionality - Home page button/Menu, Make buttons more clickable, Open and Download articles, Fading text.
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Graphic design - Less information text, shorter questions or create categories,
ROLEPLAYING CARDS
Learning tool for social worker students
In collaboration with
INTRODUCTION
In an ever-evolving world where social work plays a vital role in addressing complex societal challenges, it is crucial to ensure that future social workers are adequately prepared for the demands of their profession. Recognizing this need, we embarked on a transformative three-month project in collaboration with the social worker education program at UCL Vejle to design a learning tool for social worker students.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Second-semester students struggle to engage effectively in simulated conversation scenarios. They lack understanding of the challenges posed by unpredictable responses in real conversations. Additionally, they find it difficult to empathize with and fully assume the roles of both social workers and clients. Many students feel uncomfortable performing role-plays in front of peers and have difficulty balancing conversational strategies with probing questions. They also tend to be overly solution-focused, quickly proposing resolutions rather than exploring the client’s issues thoroughly.
GOALS
Provide tools that make training exercises enjoyable.
Help students shift their focus away from themselves and any mistakes they might make during training sessions.
Encourage students to concentrate more on the conversation itself and the responses they receive.
Make conversation sessions more authentic and educational.
STAKEHOLDERS
My four person team, collaborated closely with the social worker education program at UCL Vejle - students and professors and the ATHENA project, where the project was presented at their conference.
TIME 3 months
TOOLS & METHODS Prototyping, Fieldwork, Workshop, Client Meetings, Interviews, Conversation Tools, Problem Solving & Conference Presentation.
ROLE Project manager & Designer
PROCESS
THE FINAL DESIGN
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Each card contains specific guidelines and prompts that guides the student's behavior and decision-making within the scenario.
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The cards encompasses a diverse range of responses, actions, or perspectives that the student can adopt.
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This approach ensures that each student's experience is unique and unpredictable, simulating the fluid nature of real-life social work situations.
COLLABORATORS & CLIENTS
ABOUT
Hey, I’m Rie! I’m a danish designer living in Gothenburg Sweden. I love bringing ideas to life—whether it’s through digital design or hands-on crafting.
From graphic design to laser cutting, crocheting to drawing, I’m always creating something. I believe great design is about blending creativity with functionality, and I love experimenting with different mediums to push the boundaries of what design can be.
While I may not have traditional professional experience in design, my work has had a tangible impact:
My designs are visible on products sold in stores, the learning tools I designed are used as a part of the curriculum in higher education institutions, and my design prototypes and research are being further developed by companies that are market leaders in their area, so even though I was not paid for this work I still contributed with great deliveries and results.
MORE PROJECTS
RESUME
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Creative designer with a Master’s degree in IT Product Design and experience in user-centered design, graphic design, and product development. I’ve worked on complex projects, ranging from designing intuitive platforms to creating impactful branding and research-driven learning tools.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Professional skills
Prototyping | Design research | User-centered design | Usability testing | User experience design | Workshops | Interviews | Observations | Design thinking | Wireframes | Iterative design | Mock-ups | Co-design | Project planning | Project management | Visual communication
Technical skills
Figma | Illustrator | Miro | The Office pack | Canva
Language skills
Danish (Fluent) | English (Professional) | Swedish (Elementary) | Spanish (Elementary) | German (Elementary)
WORK EXPERIENCE
INTERNSHIP AS UX/UI DESIGNER AT LINAK
August 2023 / November 2023
Assisted in UI design of a webshop and website.
Wrote user stories and assisted in UX testing.
Facilitated workshops for uncovering team identity and creation of design process.
Created User Journey Map.
Worked independetly on projects with other departments.
Designed presentation material for the team and potential clients.
EDUCATION
MCS in IT PRODUCT DESIGN
2022 - 2024, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN DENMARK
A program combining theoretical and practical elements, including project work in collaboration with businesses and users.
SKILLS
User experience, user testing, prototyping, mockups, ethnography, product design, prototyping, design research, wearables, interactive design, co-design, facilitation...
INSTRUCTOR FOR DESIGNCULTURE BACHELOR STUDENTS (TEACHING)
February 2023 / August 2023
Instructor in the Course "Room analysis".
Delivered lectures and facilitated discussions to help students understand the concepts.
Assisted students in completing coursework and assignments.
Provided feedback and guidance to students on their progress and performance.
STUDENTWORKER AT DUEHART MANAGEMENT & BIRMAR (BOOK PUBLISHER)
March 2020 / August 2022
Marketing work on social media and designed newsletters.
Assisted in the publication of various forms of material, including books, e-books, and audiobooks through the publishing, Birmar A/S.
Language support through translation of written material and proofreading.
Assisted with the book sales process, prepared invoices and shipments.
BA DESIGNCULTURE & ECONOMICS
2019 - 2022, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN DENMARK
An interdisciplinary degree that integrates design with subjects such as communication, project management, marketing, and consumer behavior.
SKILLS
Project planning, marketing, design history, design analysis, design theory, aesthetics, leadership, economic, consumer behavior, visual communication...
HHX International (HIGH SCHOOL)
International business studies - With English, German and Spanish language.
SKILLS
Project planning, marketing, leadership, economics, law...
OTHER EXPERIENCES
Volunteer as buddy for International students.
Waiter at Dyvig badehotel.
Production worker at Danfoss.
Completed a language school stay in Malaga, Spain.
Internship in economics dep. at EUC Sønderborg.
Internship as garment craftsman at EUC Sønderborg.
Modelwork at Kompagniet of 1991, Sønderborg.