Assisted Lows – Graduate Thesis
This research focuses on how hypoglycemia episodes—low blood sugar events—spark specific communication needs in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) patients.
Role: Design Researcher, Co-Design Facilitator, Document Designer
Understanding the Problem
As a T1D veteran (25 years!), I’ve personally faced challenges when needing, requesting and receiving an adequate response to help me overcome a hypoglycemia episode. This research is born out of the knowledge that other people want to genuinely help and aims to close the gap between a failure of knowing ‘what to do’ and effective actions.
Visualizing & Addressing the Problem
It was important to understand the different challenges that Type 1s face when experiencing hypoglycemia during the research phase. While I have extensive experience with diabetes, it was important to involve other people with diabetes, to capture perspectives beyond mine. This research presented an opportunity to frame an appropriate research question that leveraged mobile applications as a way to connect the “Type 1s” and the “Responders” that could assist them when they have a hypoglycemia episode.
Research methods used: interviews, digital cultural probe, mind mapping, personas, co-design sessions, prototyping, usability testing
