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My Role -Lead UX Designer & Researcher
Timeline -4 weeks (January - February 2024)
Team - Solo project in collaboration with healthcare professionals and patients
Asthma is a condition that attacks lungs during which a person's airways become inflamed, narrow and swell, and produce extra mucus, making it difficult to breathe. The symptoms of Asthma vary from person to person but the most common are shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and difficulty breathing.
How might we help architects and construction professionals with asthma effectively manage their symptoms in dusty, trigger-heavy work environments without compromising their career progression?
A connected ecosystem combining a smart wearable ring with real-time environmental monitoring and a comprehensive mobile application for proactive asthma management.
Asthma affects over 25 million people in the United States, with workplace triggers being responsible for 15% of adult asthma cases. For professionals in construction, architecture, and related fields, occupational hazards can severely impact both health and career advancement.
"I've turned down three site supervisor positions because I couldn't guarantee I'd be able to handle the extended site visits. My asthma isn't just affecting my health—it's holding back my entire career."
— Initial interview with an architect
I started by reading and learning about the disease. I spoke to health care professionals and individuals with this chronic condition. I conducted interviews with asthma patients to understand their daily challenges. Then, I gathered insights on preferred features, usability concerns, and desired improvements.
Primary Research
Secondary Research
To narrow down the use case, I took the extreme user person of Harsh- My architect friend with asthma, who faces triggers due to his occupational hazard.
Harsh Melwani (he/him/his) is a 27 year old Architect with chronic Asthma since childhood. His condition is hereditary and has been worsened by respiratory trauma at childhood.
Over time, with the practice of breathing exercises, swimming and medication, he has been able to been able to keep his asthma under control. Recently, he has been promoted to senior architect and finds himself at dusty construction sites very often. Due to the long hours spent at these sites, his asthma gets triggered more often and he has been facing frequent attacks.
I started mapping out his daily routines and healthcare management currently.
A Day in Harsh's Life - Current State
With some deep dive, I understood that his major triggers were dust, decrease in humidity and excess heat. His asthma gets triggered during the day when he goes to sites. This leads to severe attacks - shortness of breath etc.
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Wireframing & Prototyping
Based on our research, we established core principles:
Initial Concepts Explored:
I designed a ring + mobile application system that would help Harsh track his surroundings and help him prevent his triggers.
I decided to introduce a ring because often times, as an architect, Harsh would keep his phone in his pocket and would not check it while carrying large blueprints and walking around the site for inspection.
He also said that sometimes, he would leave his phone on a desk or in his bag at the entrance of the construction site. This would defeat the purpose and so, I decided to go with a ring which can be worn, is seamless and hassle free without any kind of obstruction.
Physical Design - Ring
Environmental Monitoring
Visual Alert System
Pulse pattern for medication reminders
Prototype Evolution
Usability Testing Results
Conducted usability tests with asthma patients of different age groups and tech proficiency levels.Collected feedback on interface clarity, feature relevance, and overall user satisfaction.
"The ring changing color is brilliant—I will definitely notice it immediately even while handling blueprints on site."
— Test Participant, Architect
"Finally, data I can actually show my doctor instead of trying to remember when I felt bad."
— Test Participant, Construction Manager
Iterated on design based on user feedback, refining UI elements, and enhancing user guidance. Planned future updates based on user feedback, technological advancements, and medical insights. I believe that by empowering users with meaningful data and actionable insights, my app can make a positive difference in asthma management experience.
Iterations Based on Feedback:
"This isn't just about managing my asthma anymore—it's about not letting asthma manage me. This could truly be life changing for me."
— Harsh Melwani, Architect
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