Empowering Stroke Survivors With
Speech Therapy
TIMELINE
Jan - May 2024
SKILLS
Product design
Interaction design
Prototyping
Information Architecture
User Research
MOTIVATION
A stroke strikes every 40 seconds in the USA. Inspired by my father's experience, I created COSMOS — a speech therapy app empowering stroke survivors to reclaim their voice.
OVERVIEW
PROBLEM
Stroke survivors face a critical gap in accessible, personalized speech therapy resources. Current solutions fall short, hindering recovery and life quality.
TARGET USERS
Stroke survivors with speech difficulties. Adaptable for individuals with speech impairments from various neurological conditions.
SOLUTION
Daily Speaking Exercises
Voice shadowing with audio-visual guides and AI-powered mistake detection.
Jump to Full Flow
Review Mistakes
Compare auto-recorded audio to enhance speech and correct articulation.
Jump to Full Flow
Gamified Rewards
Earn points for completed exercises, redeemable for rehabilitation-aiding products.
Jump to Full Flow
RESEARCH
INTERVIEW
To gain the best understanding of the challenges faced by stroke survivors, I conducted in-depth online interviews with 12 people from three key user groups:
DATA
Key Data insights:
20% of stroke survivors face speaking disabilities
75%+ struggles to afford rehab; experience anxiety and depression
Voice shadowing and reading aloud: primary speech therapy methods
70% of survivors maintain focus for <10 minutes during therapy
Disabilities after stroke
Daily struggles
Speech therapy methods
Time spent per day
Concentration span
COMPETITIVE AUDIT
I conducted a competitive analysis to evaluate existing speech therapy applications - analyzed educational speech apps for potential features and identified market gaps:
Product Name
Paid App
Subscription Model
Voice Recognition
Accessibility Features
Personalized Content
High Affordances
Multiple Languages
Gamified Tasks
Recording Features
Findings
Limited apps specifically for stroke survivors
Lack of personalization in available solutions
KEY INSIGHTS
High emotional toll of sudden lifestyle changes post-stroke
Need for accessible, engaging rehabilitation tools
Importance of personalized therapy approaches
Critical role of caregiver support in recovery
Lack of specialized digital solutions for stroke survivors
USER INSIGHTS
USER PERSONA
David, K. 59
Diagnosed: Oct 2023
Occupation: Orthopedic Doctor
Left brain damage, left arm paralysis, Partial aphasia
Difficulty expressing feelings verbally
Loss of independence and family role
Consistent encouragement
Regular auditory and visual guidance
Affordable long-term therapy options
Supporting dependent children
Regaining professional identity and respect
JOURNEY MAP
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How might we create a gamified, voice-activated system that motivates stroke survivors to practice speech in short, daily sessions?
IDEATION
To discover the best solution for aiding stroke survivors' speech recovery, I conducted a round of sketching and brainstorming. I created multiple versions of low to mid-fidelity prototypes and sought feedback to refine the concepts.
LOW-FI PROTOTYPES
DAILY EXERCISE
User Feedback:
Long-term Benefits - Voice shadowing feature encourages consistent, incremental practice
AI AUDIO CALL
User Feedback:
AI Reliability Concerns - Skepticism about AI's effectiveness in improving speaking ability
TRACKER
User Feedback:
User Interface - Need to minimize excessive clicking and scrolling for better user experience
REWARDS GAMES
User Feedback:
Partnerships - Suggestion to collaborate with stroke related businesses for enhanced relevance
IMPLEMENTING FEEDBACK
Discovering the best audio guide
IPHONE MEMOJI
User Feedback:
Too artificial and unprofessional
Ineffective for mouth-reading in voice shadowing exercises
DEEPBRAIN AI
User Feedback:
Poor mouth-audio synchronization
Robotic speech lacking natural intonation
REAL-LIFE HUMAN
User Feedback:
Most reliable option
Authentic speech patterns, Natural expressions and intonation
SYSTEM MAP
To enhance usability and navigation, I prioritized simplicity and clarity. I streamlined the design by minimizing the number of tabs and reducing excessive clicking.
FULL FLOW
CORE FEATURE:
DAILY SPEECH EXERCISE
Collapsible card layout for easy navigation
Voice recognition with mistake detection and feedback
Quick access to mistake review
SUPPLEMENTAL FEATURE:
ONBOARDING & SIGNUP, DASHBOARD, PROFILE & REWARDS
Onboarding & Signup: Customize exercises with a few clicks
Dashboard: Track progress and revisit & complete pending exercises
Profile: Accessibility settings & reward collection
REFLECTION
KEY LEARNINGS
Designing for disabilities requires extensive research and demands consideration of various physical and mental limitations
Prioritizing simplicity over feature-rich designs is crucial when addressing the specific needs of users like stroke survivors
NEXT STEPS
Design Widgets & Notification Panel
Explore Additional Accessibility Features
Design the Caregiver Flow
DESIGN SYSTEM
BRANDING
Name: COSMOS
Inspiration: Vastness of space
Symbolism: Limitless potential for speech improvement
LOGO
SLOGAN
Your Endless Possibility
COLOR PALETTE
Balanced medical credibility with user-friendly aesthetics
Avoided typical formal hospital app appearance
BACKGROUND
#FFFFFF
PRIMARY
#296ACE
SECONDARY
#172845
ACCENT
#47DB12
