Service design project done in collaboration with the NHS Scotland. This service has a digital touchpoint and is aimed at young people with kidney illnesses in Glasgow, Scotland.
Team
Abby Sharkey, Dinu Kennedy, Esther Betz, Marcus Allan
Menu enables young people with Chronic kidney disease (CKD) to get instant and accurate dietary advice.
Why?
While the NHS offers excellent access to dietitians, appointments are typically scheduled on a weekly basis. By the time a solution is found, the situation has already passed. The primary challenge in accessing dietitians at present is the lack of immediacy. “Menu” could address this huge issue and help users
Who?
Children aged 10 and older who have Chronic Kidney Disease often struggle to adapt to the changes in their diet restrictions. They face constantly changing dietary rules and restrictions.
How does it work?
The results are generated using an NHS dataset that includes all live patient information, continuously updated each time the patient visits the doctor. Additionally, a comprehensive dataset containing information about food and its preparation is utilized. Together, these resources enable an AI algorithm to calculate whether it is safe for the user to consume a particular food.
The menu app records food consumption and manages appointments through an intuitive UI with immediate responses, simplifying decision-making.
Menu is amazing because,
The service map
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Given theme by the NHS
Children and young people with long term health conditions in and around Glasgow
After the NHS requested our team to work with children with long-term health conditions, we promptly initiated our research on the topic and gathered a wide variety of information using methods such as PESTEL, etc.
Field visit to theQueen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow
We visited the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, where we conducted interviews with NHS staff. Our visit also encompassed a tour of the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Primary research and interviews
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In addition to our interviews with NHS staff, we also conducted interviews with our peers who have chronic diseases, as well as a few parents whose children have suffered from chronic diseases.
Analysis and Synthesis
After conducting a comprehensive analysis of the information gathered from our primary sources, which included interviews with NHS staff, our peers with chronic diseases, and parents of children with chronic diseases, we successfully extracted valuable insights. This analytical process also unveiled potential opportunities for further exploration in the coming weeks. Despite the initial challenge of synthesizing a high volume of data from our research in week one, we managed to derive excellent insights that later evolved into valuable opportunities.
Top insights
Delirium for kids who are admitted in PICU
Significant struggle to fit in socially
Poor waiting area design for parents
Struggle to maintain dietary restrictions
Admitted children are addicted to screens
Finding the right direction
The top 5 insights we gathered opened up three significant avenues for our projects. First, we aim to stimulate physical activities in chronically ill children, promoting their well-being and overall health. Second, we plan to assist parents in finding distractions during intense moments in the waiting area, offering them some relief and support. Third, our primary focus centers on helping kids with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), specifically addressing their dietary restrictions.
Final brief
To create a service for kids with Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) that creates a strong mindset with the constraints of their existing conditions.
While we were initially more inclined towards assisting CKD children with their dietary challenges, we ultimately decided to frame a more comprehensive brief. Our goal is not only to tackle dietary restrictions but also to nurture a strong and resilient mindset, fostering holistic well-being among these children."
Codesign
The Game of Everyday things
After finalizing our brief, we promptly moved forward to design our co-design session, resulting in 'The Game of Everyday Things.' This game is purposefully crafted to engage doctors in empathizing with the chronically ill children they treat and to help them address the challenges these children encounter.
Reason for choosing doctors?
We selected nephrologists and dieticians to participate in the game because they have expertise in treating kids with kidney ailments and can empathize effectively with their experiences. Due to ethical and legal constraints imposed by the UK government, we were unable to directly involve the children in the co-design session, hence the choice of healthcare professionals.
How to play?
1. Each player has to pick one persona card.
2. The player has to look at the back side of the card which has more information about the persona to act and think accordingly
3. The aim of the game is to advance through a series of numbered nodes, with each node presenting a unique challenge. The player is tasked with providing an appropriate answer to overcome each challenge in the solution sheets.
The solution sheets
The solution sheet consists of two sections. The practical section provides us with a step-by-step approach to solving the problem, while the 'Super Power and Crazy Solutions' section contains ideas that can unlock our desires. Our goal is to translate these desires into practical, real-world solutions.
Testing with chronically ill peers
Before testing the co-design game with the doctors, we promptly tested it with our peers who had experienced chronic illnesses during childhood. Overall, they expressed a strong liking for the game. However, they suggested that more interpersonal conversations could be included to enhance engagement. Their favorite part of the game was filling in the 'crazy solution' section.
Co-design with doctors
(L-R) Dr.Fiona, Dr.Ben, Dr.Peter at Royal Hospital, Glasgow
The final co-design session was held at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. The doctors proved to be incredibly cooperative and enthusiastic about collaborating with us. Much like our peers, they enjoyed the process of filling in the 'crazy solution' part of the game. They provided us with a wealth of insights, and interestingly, they mentioned that engaging in such activities can help them better empathize with their patients, ultimately contributing to a more positive patient experience.
Our aim after Co-design
All desirable solutions without practical constraints in the solution sheet
Bring these to life as a working service in a realistic way
Exhibition
The concept was ultimately showcased and demonstrated to the class. For the final exhibition, we opted for a school disco theme. Visitors to the kiosk had the opportunity to select a persona and discover their current food cravings. They then used our service to determine if they could indulge in that particular food.
Me explaining the service to my faculties Zoe and Lydia
Lydia testing the service out during the exhibition
We made disco themed setting to demonstrate our service
Our peer enjoying the free snacks while testing the service
My teammates - Abby (in the call), Esther, Marcus, and me
