Summer Academy

Summer started early when I heard I was one of the candidates for In The Pocket's Summer Academy. The only thing I knew was that we would do a 4-day design sprint, finishing off with a prototype. Later it was announced that it was in association with the non-profit Link in de kabel, an organisation engaged with vulnerable teens. Our case specifically would involve youth with autism.

First day

After meeting all candidates and mentors, a busy afternoon lay ahead. First, we had two talks from experts in the field of autism. They brought us an understanding of how to tackle problems and how definitely not to. Then we listened to the real experts, six young people on the autism spectrum. That's when the whole group noticed how relatable some issues are. And people with autism have an even harder time with them.

This is also the case with (bad) design. Ever sought for hours upon hours after that specific setting in an app? Annoying right? Designing for this target audience will have to be with good UX in mind. Our prototype should be clear and consistent.

Mapping out pain points and deciding on our solution

After letting all the information rest, my team and I discussed how we might solve the problem. There were some obstacles and ideas that came back in all our notes. Receiving too much information at once, ambiguity (in conversations) and difficulty to setting boundaries were the main problems that we got out of the group session.

Not just negativity though, along with the difficulties, we managed to retrieve some handholds. Those came back to visual clues, landmarks and simple to use interfaces.

The idea

We settled on the idea of a travel buddy you always can rely on when you're feeling stressed. We called him Rob. Rob would give you two options: distract or help.

When distraction is selected, the app would play some soothing music or show a reassuring quote depending on what you set up during onboarding.

When you indicate you need help, the buddy will try to define the problem through some simple questions. These questions will range from yes-no questions to questions to define the surroundings. Once the app gets a grip on the situation, it will spit out some possible solutions.

Designing and prototype

As discussed before our buddy gives you two options. Besides those two options, there isn't much on the screen. Except for a red button, this is a last resort panic button. It will call your specified contact, so they can help you. (No app can replace your human best buddy 😉)

Just after the yes-no questions are asked and the situation is outlined. Rob asks what's wrong specifically. For the time we had, we focused on commuting.

Finally, if the user reached a solution, Rob will ask if they're satisfied with the help. If they aren't happy the app can send a push notification later in the day to ask what went wrong. This way help can be improved in the future.

Last words

I had a blast! 💥 Really, it was a week I will cherish in my heart. I learned a lot and met some awesome people. Thanks, Annelies and Arno to make Rob happen and to share your ideas. If you want to look into it in more detail, have a peek at our pitch deck.

See for yourself: