Time is Money

A Physical Information Board for Vaccines

My Approach

Approach and process used

In this project, I used a humn-centered design approach. It was crucial to understand the culture, motivation, and mindset of my audience. To achieve this, I conducted five interviews with a diverse range of daily wage workers, including house help and auto rickshaw drivers. This helped me narrow down my user persona and concept test the service.

Introduction

Research

Daily wage workers in India face significant challenges in accessing timely and reliable COVID-19 information. They often lack quick access to updates and struggle to stay informed about changing regulations. The reliance on internet connectivity to book vaccination slots exacerbates this digital divide, further marginalizing them and amplifying existing privileges. As a result, the vaccination process becomes exclusionary, disproportionately affecting this vulnerable population.

Understanding the User

User's Perspective and mindset

I conducted 5 in-depth interviews to understand their pain points and mindset. A lot of them seemed unaware of how and where they can get vaccines from. They had limited internet access and competing for a time slot online was impossible for them. They also brought it to my attention that the every hour they spent in trying to get a vaccine, they were losing out on money. An auto rickshaw driver also mentioned that he once waited at a hosptal for 4 hours only to find out that they were out of vaccines when it was his turn. A lot of people mentioned how they failed to recieve the vaccine due to lack of certain documents.
Overall, I realized that booking a vaccine slot and staying updated was challenging even for those tech-savvy with good internet access, highlighting the near impossibility for those with limited internet and literacy skills.

User's Requirements

• Output should be easier to navigate
• Should be updated regularly and provide them with the latest information
• Should be compatible with the audience's financial and literacy aspects.
• Should reduce overall time consumptions and efforts.
• Should not be heavily dependent on technology and internet access.

Problem Statement and Intervention

Problem Statement:

What is our solution?

Located in residential societies where most house helps work, our information board aims to help them access vaccinations at the most convenient hospitals without wasting time and effort. To achieve this, the information board provides the following:

• Access to the latest Covid-19 vaccination information without the need for technology or an internet connection.
• Locations of hospitals where vaccines are available that day, including the times they are available.
• Information on necessary items to bring for a smooth vaccination process.

In summary, our goal is to help daily wage workers access vaccines efficiently, without the need for a fast internet connection, and regardless of literacy levels.

Information Board (Our Solution)

The Concept

Concept Testing with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation employee

To understand the viability and feasibility  aspect of this information board, we connected to an employee at the BMC.

User Testing

Testing Desirability

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we user-tested our prototype digitally. This helped us understand if the aims of the projet were met.

Reflection and Learning

Key Insights:

For this project, I followed a human-centered design approach. Despite using this method often, a few key insights stood out

• Understanding Priorities: It's essential to grasp a person's mindset and priorities. For instance, in this project, the target audience understands the importance of vaccination but prioritises earning money over getting vaccinated.
• Effective Tools: Utilizing tools like "Day in a Life" and "Emotional Journey Mapping" helps gather valuable insights into how the audience behaves in specific situations.

Future Directions:

When I worked on this project, I wasn't aware of the business model aspect of service design. Now that I am more familiar with it, I would like to explore value generation and financial flow to enhance the project's impact and sustainability.