UX Senior Thesis / Supporting individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Overview

For my UX senior thesis, I set out to explore how technology could assist those recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI).

I chose this topic because I have personally experienced what it's like to recover from TBIs; I felt like I had an opportunity to add value into the lives of others with this project.

Role / Deliverables

Individual Project

I was able to deliver high-fidelity mobile screens via a Figma prototype, which were supported from my research findings.

Problem Statement & Intention

Unlike a broken limb, brain recovery varies widely. Some recover from concussions in weeks, while others take years. Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) affects 5-30% of patients, causing prolonged symptoms like migraines, memory issues, and a higher risk of depression. I aim to design an app to support TBI and PCS patients by offering community, resources, and recovery tools.

Userbase

As shown in the graphic below, (Permenter, Fernández-de Thomas, & Sherman, 2023), cites Post-Concussive Syndrome as occurring past the point of 3 months. I focused on the identified users within the 3+ month range.

Milestone 3: Final Deliverables Overview

What did I deliver?

Through my research, findings, and iteration, I was able to deliver a series of high-fidelity mobile screens. This application was designed to support brain injured individuals. Below I have shared a high-level overview of those screens. I will then share my process in getting there.

My Design Process

Project Milestones

To structure the project into clear, actionable goals, I established three key milestones to guide my progress using an agile approach. Each milestone involved focused design and research sprints.

1. Understand the current experiences of concussion patients, and explore current assistive technologies that aid these individuals.

2. Identify what type of design solutions best support individuals affected by Traumatic-Brain-Injury through collaboration and design.

3. Design and prototype final mid-to-high fidelity solution.

Milestone 1: Understanding the Current Experiences of Concussed Individuals

Secondary Research + Interviews

I explored how concussed individuals experience and manage their injuries by conducting a literature review, analyzing Reddit and Facebook, and conducting interviews.

I had the opportunity to interview three individuals with varying experiences with concussion. Their experiences informed my final design greatly.

Would need a journaling feature or aspect to this application.“
Journaling is the most important thing to me” Matt needs journaling to get through the day.
He expressed that his group of people (PCS, TBI, etc.), “...we don’t have an app”.

Suggests a “concussion card” or template, which allows users to fill out a section on the application that can be easily shown to others to support the understanding of their condition.
Would essentially be an ID for invisible disability; Brings validity to the injury.

Would like the ability to connect the app to other health applications for overall data tracking.
Wonder if this app could be a resource to doctors and clinicians.
App could be a resource for patients trying to find the right care.

In my literature review, I identified key domains relevant to designing an app for individuals with TBI. Below are the domains and insights I used to guide my interviews and design.

1. Traumatic Brain Injury & Post Concussion Syndrome
"One concussion triples the risk of another, increasing the chance of second impact syndrome (SIS), which can lead to severe disability or death due to brain swelling."
2. Online Health Communities
"Users often see their health event as temporary but may stay engaged in online communities for years, reflecting the lasting impact of these platforms."
3. Health Management Applications
"Self-managing conditions is tough due to limited physician guidance, but symptom tracking and self-moderation can help."

I explored Reddit and Facebook communities to understand how self-sustaining communities operate, focusing on the types of posts, the users involved, and how to improve these elements for my app.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PostConcussion/
[3.0k Members, Inactive]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/108398302515255 [12.9k Members, Active]

This person has been suffering from PCS for a long period of time, a time long enough to warrant finding a health community online.

This community has active posters and engagement within those posts. Michael asks about exercise and receives two responses within 24hrs.
People are coming to these communities for emotional help, but also to ask medical questions.

Milestone 2: What types of design solutions can help those in need?

Ideation and Testing

From Milestone #1, I was able to understand exactly what my users want, while supplementing their anecdotes with secondary research to further support their expression. In Milestone #2, I took their insights to paper, and low-fidelity mockups.

All testing insights detailed below are from the same users I interviewed with.

These low-fidelity designs were tested, and the resulting changes have been incorporated into Milestone #3 and final designs.