Designing a physical hand-held device presents a number of unique challenges. Designing that device predominantly for use by folks with impaired physical abilities introduces another layer of complexity. Ensuring that the experience is appropriate for an audience ranging from five year-old kids to ninety five year-old retirees while they control one of their primary senses is just downright difficult. Matt & Shane recently worked with Australian innovator and international success story Cochlear in design of a new device to help bionic ear implant recipients monitor and control their hearing. The design represented an evolution to a simpler more usable second-generation device. Matt & Shane are joined by Cochlear Technical Product Lead (and some time “User Fairy”) Rami Banna as they walk through key aspects of this project. Particular attention is given to: Design artefacts including wireframes and screen mock-ups illustrating the evolution from early design concepts through to refined user interface. The full UX lifecycle including; ethnographic research, iterative interaction design cycles and usability testing with real Cochlear implant recipients. The approach taken to coordinate a design exercise across multiple teams including; industrial design, ergonomics, electronics, software design, graphic design and small screen user interface design. The delicate balance required when attempting to improve a user experience without completely confounding the expectations of a large and vocal existing user-base. The objective of this case study is to provide conference delegates with genuine insight into the design process by exposing the methods but also by showing the actual designs at various points of their development. Along the way, we will detail the pitfalls encountered and outline the practical solutions that were applied. Processes and lessons learned are applicable across UX projects of all types, not just mobile and hand-held product design projects.

1. Switching on My Ears A case study: Designing a hand held device for bionic implant recipients Matt Morphett matt@amberdew.com.au twitter: @mattmorphett Shane Morris shane@automaticstudio.com.au twitter: @shanemo Rami Banna RBanna@cochlear.com

2. Rami 1 – Cochlear The extent of hearing loss 14 in 1,000 adults (>16 years) are severely to profoundly deaf. 80 in 1,000 elderly adults (>70 years) are severely to profoundly deaf. “We” have treated < 5% of prevalence

3. Cochlear™ Original creators and developers of multichannel cochlear implant technology Commitment to hearing innovation Over 230,000 Cochlear and Baha recipients worldwide Partner with researchers in 19 countries and more than 1000 clinics around the world R&D investment – $AUD 100 million in 2009. #1 choice of cochlear implant recipients1 Baha® successfully used for >30 years 1. Hearing Aid Market Report 2010 Koncept Analytics

4. - Bernard Coen – FOX News Presenter, 40 Years

5. How does it work? Nucleus CP810sound processor Nucleus CI512cochlear implant NEWNucleus CR110remote assistant Custom Sound™ Suite 3.0 Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 System

6. Limits to Growth? Large install base + Projected growth

7. Limits to Growth? Before Implantation After Implantation Surgeon CI Audiologist CI Audiologist

8. Limits to Growth? Before Implantation After Implantation Home Surgeon CI Audiologist CI Audiologist

9. The Switch-On http://youtu.be/YWe6iJmHKUE

11. Minimise Change Management

12. Maintain Backwards & Sideways Compatibility

13. Establish Extensible Platform – Start With Scalability Suite?

15. Followed Twitter Accounts for the Deaf Community

16. Downloaded iPhone Rehabilitation Apps

17. Wore the Cochlear Test Rig Around for a Day

18. Spoke to the Support-Line Manager

19. Looked Outside the Industry

20. Undertook Usability Testing

23. Sound coming in

24. Identify / Troubleshoot IssuesEstablish their own hearing configuration …. + Dozens of other things

25. Taking Cues Bespoke Mobile Device Battery Websites Amazon, Xero, etc. Screen Comms Best Practice Wroblewski, Nielsen, Tidwell Butt. Butt. Web Standards HTML / CSS Dynamic Web The Web UX Stack W3C etc. Fields, RBs, Dropdowns, etc. Javascript, Flash, etc. Butt. Browser Back, Next, Scrolling, etc. Functions Electronics Butt. Butt. Butt. OS GUI Guidelines Reqs. Hardware Butt. Butt. Mouse & Keyboard Butt. Butt. Butt. Connex Connex

26. Early Device Mock-ups Dedicated Buttons Pros Fastest, simplest access to features Cons Not easily extended with new features Some buttons not required by some users Novel Vertical Carousel Pros Faster, flatter navigation Easily extended with new features Cons Reliability / cost concerns Carousel Navigation Pros Easily extended with new features Consistent usable navigation Cons Reaching deep settings inefficient Each button does multiple things Existing Device

27. The Main Navigation Paradigm The Carousel Benefits Recognisable Learnable / Logical Efficient Staged access to features Extensible All main features available from main screen.

28. Good Design… Volume Sensitivity Detailed Hearing Adjustments Settings Home /Environmnts Check Status Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting …Reflects Behavior Adjustments Adjustments Adjustments Adjustments Occasional Tasks Home Daily Tasks Rare Tasks Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj.

29. Volume Sensitivity Detailed Hearing Adjustments Settings Home /Environmnts Check Status Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting …Informs Behavior Adjustments Adjustments Adjustments Adjustments Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Sensitivity Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Good Design…

30. Lessons…

31. IntuitivityVs Efficiency

32. Innovation vs Change Management Innovate Increment

33. Pattern Matching… Causing Problems Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Suggesting Solutions Volume Sensitivity Detailed Hearing Adjustments Settings Home /Environmnts Check Status Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Setting Adj. Adj. Adj. Adj. Adjustment Adjustment Adjustment Adjustment Adj. Adj. Adj.

34. Moving From UI to UX Keys to success The Right UI Audiologist Support Materials Users +

36. Impartial Validation

38. The Healthcare UX Formula Compliance = Efficacy x _________ A whole bunch of complex human factors User Experience

39. Presenting Mock-ups at Target Size Don’t do this… …do this

40. Prototype, Prototype, Prototype! Paper Balsamiq Flowella (on Nokia & HTC) Keynote -> PDF on iPhone Sketchflow and Balsamiq on Windows tablet New code on existing Cochlear device

41. Conclusion It’s different …but the same Seek, understand, exploit patterns Present at device size…on device…ideally prototype Manage innovation and change Balance intuitivity and efficiency Test ideas (not just complete solutions) casually.

42. Thanks Matt Morphett matt@amberdew.com.au twitter: @mattmorphett Shane Morris shane@automaticstudio.com.au twitter: @shanemo Rami Banna RBanna@cochlear.com