Question

Interaction Design
Design a smartphone application for ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers to monitor and maintain the health records of pregnant women in villages. The application should support a scenario where an ASHA worker, Amruta, visits a pregnant woman, Parvati, retrieves her existing record, enters new data (weight, blood sugar, blood pressure), and the app provides an alert and advice based on the new data.

Hint:

When designing for users with low digital literacy, prioritize clarity over complexity. Use large touch targets, visual feedback (color and icons), and a simple, linear navigation flow. Reduce the amount of text and rely on universally understood symbols wherever possible.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept and User Constraints:
The target users are ASHA workers, who may have varying levels of digital literacy. The application must be extremely simple, intuitive, and robust, with a clear information hierarchy. It should use visuals and simple language (local language support is crucial) to convey information effectively. The primary goal is to replace error-prone paper booklets with an efficient digital system that can provide instant feedback and alerts.

A. Added Step to the Scenario:
Step 5: Logging the Advice and Scheduling a Follow-up. After advising Parvati to visit the Public Health Office, the application prompts Amruta to log the advice given. She can select from pre-defined options like "Advised PHC visit" and "Provided nutritional guidance." The app then automatically schedules a follow-up visit for Parvati in one week to check if she has visited the health office and to monitor her condition, adding it to Amruta's task list.

B. Theoretical Information Architecture (IA):
The IA would be a simple, task-oriented flow.

C. Theoretical Design of FOUR Screens:

• 1. Dashboard Screen: A clean, card-based interface. The top card shows "Today's Visits: 3". The main button in the center is a large, colorful icon labeled "View My Patients". Below are smaller buttons for "Resources" and "My Profile". The design uses large fonts and high-contrast icons to be easily readable in daylight.
• 2. Patient List Screen: A simple list of names, each with a photo for easy identification. A search bar is prominently displayed at the top. Each entry shows the patient's name, age, and Expected Date of Delivery (EDD). Tapping a name leads to their profile.
• 3. Patient Profile / Data Entry Screen: Parvati's photo and name are at the top. Below are two clear tabs: "History" and "New Check-up". The "History" tab shows simple line graphs for weight gain and blood pressure over time, with green (normal) and red (danger) zones. The "New Check-up" tab (where Step 3 occurs) has three large input fields for Weight, Blood Sugar, and Blood Pressure, with clear labels and numeric keypads for easy entry. A large "Save" button is at the bottom.
• 4. Alert & Summary Screen: After saving data, this screen appears. A large red exclamation mark icon is at the top with the text "ALERT!". Below, in simple language: "Parvati's blood pressure is high. Her weight gain is low." Below this alert, a clear call-to-action button reads "Advise PHC Visit". This screen uses color (red for alert, green for normal) and simple iconography to communicate the health status instantly.

D. Theoretical Icon Designs (5 cm x 5 cm):

• Application Icon: A stylized 'A' (for ASHA) forming the shape of a protective, caring hand cradling a small heart. The color palette would be a calming green and white.
• Age of Foetus Icon: A simple, stylized silhouette of a growing foetus inside a circle, with a number (e.g., "6 months") displayed clearly next to it.
• Weight Icon: An icon of a simple weighing scale.
• Blood Sugar Icon: A single drop of blood with a plus (+) sign inside it, indicating a medical test.
• Blood Pressure Icon: A stylized heart with a pressure cuff wrapping around it, represented by a simple curved band.

All icons would be designed as simple, bold-lined silhouettes for maximum clarity and recognizability.