Breath sensor device measuring carbon monoxide (CO) levels in the body

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OBJECTIVE

Combine learnings (from the experience with the first generation of the breath sensor) with strategic imperatives (for the company in the future), to create the next generation of the breath sensor, resulting in reduced cost of goods and increased user engagement.

ROLE

Led the overall design effort by defining a point of view for the form-factor, visual and haptic interactions, and the first time user experience of the device. 

  • Collaborated with the R&D and Product teams throughout the design phase and facilitated brainstorm sessions
  • Worked closely with Industrial Designer, UI Designer, and Brand Designer, bringing together design components 
  • Organized and conducted user research sessions to gain insights throughout the iterative design phase 
  • Defined design principles to inform the form-factor, mapped out the user flows and journey

PROCESS

DESIGN RESEARCH: WHAT ARE WE SOLVING FOR?

The design process started by conducting hours of interviews with users of our program who had experienced interacting with the breath sensor. Key insights from those experiences were gathered to inform the decision-making and scoping of the next generation of the product.

The sensor acts as a wake-up call, making the impact of damage from smoking real and tangible for the first time in a smoker's life.

"In my mind, I compared it to stepping on the scale."

CO readings provide a measurable means, enabling people to challenge themselves to do better.

"I hate losing, even if it's just to myself. And you know, red is bad, green is good... I didn't ever want to see red. It was a challenge with myself. Rather than other people trying to hold me accountable for my actions, that made me hold myself accountable, with actual physical results that I could see."

The sensor cues, "I have a problem" and people don't know how to talk about it with others.

"A lot of people thought it was a breathalyzer, especially using it in my car, people thought I was using it to operate my vehicle even though it wasn't attached to anything! I couldn't do it in public without feeling either judges or that I was annoying people around me."

People have to pause their lives to give a breath sample, and the relevance of sampling changes over the course of their journey.

"I thought I was supposed to do it every hour, but I didn't manage to because I'd lose track of time or forget the sensor somewhere."

POINT OF VIEW

Design and develop the next iteration of the CO breath sensor, focused on a form factor that will fit into people's lives, reduce stigma, and encourage ease and desirability of use.

ID EXPLORATION: ITERATIONS THROUGH RAPID PROTOTYPING

We compiled 100+ moodboard examples, focusing on shapes, textures, colors, contours, materials, wearability, portability, affordances, screens, buttons, and more. Two new business requirements were explored by the Industrial Designer: the integration of the mouthpiece to the body of the device, and an addition of a screen to view breath sample results without having to refer to the app.

Having a 3D printer on site, we were able to immediately print forms once there was a new version of the sensor. We started creating stickers in different sizes and shapes to prototype the screen and button placements on the device. The R&D team connected the prototypes to an Arduino to test the screen interactions a-la “wizard of oz.”

USER TESTING: FEEDBACK & CO-CREATION SESSIONS

Once we had some renderings and 3D models ready, I started organizing regular user feedback sessions to understand what people’s experiences were using the sensor. Some sessions were informal, going around the office and asking people to hold the device in their hands and try to blow into it. Other times, a more formal session was put together, inviting users who had previously used the device, and recruiting newbies who had not seen the original device before to come and give feedback on the look and feel. 

We wanted to know: What does the sensor remind people of? Can they use the screen while doing a breath test? Where would they store it? How does it feel holding and blowing into the device? 

BIGGEST SURPRISES

Before testing, our hypothesis was that a "precious looking sensor" would break the stigma and help people want to show off their device and talk about the program with others. We soon realized that people expect the device to be utilitarian, simple, and to the point.

Hygiene came up as a huge issue that we had not considered before. Not only was there a concern for the mouthpiece to get dirty and potentially collect lint while being stored, another issue was the worry of having gunk from exhaling to stick to the interior part of the sensor over time. There had to be an easy way to clean the mouthpiece if it were to be connected to the body.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

We wanted to use the screen to provide guidance on "time left" as people blow into the device, but weren't sure if it was easy to see it. The feedback was clear --as long as there was a big contrast of color, the progress bar was visible, and using vibrations helped with expectation setting of when to start and when to end exhaling.

There was a desire for a consumer health product like a FitBit, or even a trendy e-cig, rather than a medical/clinical product like a breathalyzer or asthma inhaler --size was a huge factor in making that distinction, followed by the choice of material.

DESIGN STRATEGY: THE FOUR PILLARS OF DESIGN

The rapid prototyping and testing phase provided lots of learnings that were synthesized to create a framework of design for this project. This helped make our intentions clear, and the decision-making for the team more objective rather than subjective.

USABILITY & COMFORT

Hygiene | Fit | Ergonomics
The device sits well between anyone’s lips (good seal) • Easy to hold without fear of dropping or covering up device features • Easy to clean and keep clean • People know exactly where and how the device should be held

EFFECTIVENESS

Comprehension | Intuitiveness | Pocketability | Portability
Provides just enough direction on what to do • Communicates a successful breath sample and results • Helps people blow the right amount of air • Fits easily in and out of front and back pockets • Easy to store and retrieve from a bag/purse/carrying case

ENGAGEMENT

Stigma Reduction | Storytelling | Compliance | Discretion
Creates a desirable experience, overall • People are able to use it wherever, whenever • Allows people to show vs tell what they are experiencing • Tactile and audio features add additional delight to the experience

BRAND

Consumer-Centric | Expert | High-Tech
Strikes a balance between credible, trust-worthy and too clinical • Belongs to the family of Pivot products

CONCEPT FINALIZATION: EVALUATION & ALIGNMENT ON THE FORM-FACTOR

The final form-factor was chosen after a detailed evaluation of all four top models. A hybrid was selected that had a clear call to action (distinct mouthpiece), was easy to store and clean (hygiene, pocketability & portability), and looked consumer-friendly (rather than clinical).

UX EXPLORATION: WHAT DOES THE JOURNEY FEEL LIKE?

I coordinated multiple brainstorm sessions, going over different flow paths, looking closely at error states, connectivity to the phone (pairing, connecting, syncing), and the first time use (with a lens toward human factors testing). 

USER FLOWS & FEATURES MAPPING

Through mapping out the different stages in the “sensing journey,” differences in the features and functionalities from the Gen 1 sensor to the Gen 2 model were identified and discussed with the team.

MOMENTS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Sketching out ways to personalize the sensor, such as showing user’s name, greeting them when they’re back, and celebrating milestones such as the lowest CO level, first green CO reading, and streaks. 

By creating these moments of elevation, users are celebrated for their small wins at a time when they need a lot of encouragement.

UI EXPLORATION: WHAT’S THE LOOK AND FEEL FOR THE SCREEN?

Working closely with the UI Designer, we evaluated different types of visualizations that could work with the resolution of the screen and its processing speed and identified moments were animations could enhance the user experience. 

NEXT STEPS

The design component for the next generation of the sensor is complete and the explorations in this phase enabled the R&D team to be involved in the decision-making process before having to incorporate the internal components and getting into the manufacturing phase.