The Road to Independence - Systems Design

Exploring effective solutions for the Advocacy System @ Liberty Resources

The Road to Independence

Systems Design

Published by

211 South Broad Street, 5th FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19102

Copyright © 2012

GRID 605 Spring

Design Studio II

Tian Cai

Liberty Resources, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 by Tian Cai

Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Tian Cai

Photography credits:All photography created by © 2012 Tian Cai unless otherwise noted.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced–mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying–without written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by Tian Cai

Book design by Tian Cai

Masters of Industrial Design at The University of the Arts212 South Broad Street, 5th FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19102

First printing May 2012

Chapter 1 | Introduction

Chapter 2 | Research + Synthesis

Chapter 3 | Prototype + Test

Table of Contents

01Introduction

Liberty Resources Inc. (LRI)

Client

A non-profit, Consumer driven organization that advocates and promotes

Independent Living for persons with disabilities.

Key Terms @ LRI

Consumer

Advocate

Person with disabilities who is transitioning from the nursing facility to the

community.

Person with disabilities living in the community who provides services and

mental support to the Consumers during their transition process.

Main Contacts

Norma Robertson-dabrowskiDirector, Specialized Transitioning Services

Nancy SalandraDirector of Independent Living

8 | Introduction Introduction | 9


Previous Project Work

The Road to IndependenceTools for Understanding & Planning Choices

Service Details & The Steps for Reaching Your Goals

CONCEPT 2.0 respond synthesis

A part of my research continued by looking at the work that past teams have done. It was very helpful having tangible designed objects to reference and look at. It was useful observing Liberty Resource’s branding and identity. The problems they run into are not understanding where at in they are and what they need to do next. Therefore, the past MiD’s project was to visualize and simplify this process with a book and map.

In 2011 Fall, my four colleagues and I established a new LRI team, and working with

Liberty. Our team identified 5 key interactions last semester and designed five proto-

types. Also, we presented our five prototypes at a meeting with their board members

and staff.

ConceptualFurther Developed

Community Storybook

Fundraising Cards

Liberty Cards iPad Application

Come. Listen. Respond.The Road to Independence Booklet

Point of Departure

Prototype 1: Liberty CardsFurther Developed Prototype

Prototype 2: iPad AppConceptual Prototype


Previous presentation with the board members and staff at Liberty Resources. 12/2011


PROTOTYPE RESEARCH SYNTHESIS PROTOTYPE TEST

Developing design

patterns that were

informed from synthe-

sized research.

Collecting informa-

tion through observ-

ing and learning

from individuals.

Sensemaking &

Visualizing meaning-

ful statements and

identified problems.

Developing design

patterns that were

informed from synthe-

sized research.

Collecting the suc-

cesses and failures

of the prototype in a

real situation.

Design Process Timeline

Week 42.7 - 2.13

Week 52.14 - 2.19

Week 62.20 - 2.26

Week 83.5 - 3.11

Week 93.12 - 3.18

Week 103.19 - 3.25

Week 113.26 - 4.1

Week 124.2 - 4.8

Week 134.9 - 4.15

Week 144.16 - 4.22

Week 154.23 - 4.29

LIBERTY CARDS

2 ADVOCATE’S BOOKLETS

IPAD APP - ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE

3 BRAINDUMPS (ADVOCACY SYSTEM)

3 BRAINDUMPS (IPAD)

2 BRAINDUMPS (PLAN FOR SHADOWING)

2 BRAINDUMPS (AFTER SHADOWINGS)

1 BRAINDUMP (FEEDBACK)

TEST ADVOCATE’S BOOKLET @ LRI

3RD N + N MEETING

2ND ADVOCATE MEETING

1ST ADVOCATE MEETING

1ST N+N MEETING 2ND N+N MEETING

6 SHADOWINGS @ 3 NURSING FACILITIES & 1 AGENCY

5 FOCUSED INTERVIEWS

2 BRAINDUMPS ADVOCACY SYSTEM)

02Research + Synthesis

Advocate

Target Audience

• Transition Process

Focus

The Transition Program at LRI assists people with disabilities to transition

out of nursing facilities to community living.

• Advocacy SystemThe current Advocacy System is composed of twelve advocates, and one

coordinator, who holds monthly meetings like this to exchange

information about Consumers in nursing homes. The system works on the

first phase of the Consumer Transition Process, which is collecting

required identifications and forms.

1st Advocate Meeting 02/17/2012

18 | Research + Synthesis

1st Advocate Meeting 02/17/2012

Different levels of physical or mental limitations. Excessively paper-based Advocacy System

Research Tools - Observation

From my observation, I found that all advocates in the system possess different lev-

els of physical or mental limitations. Based on various disabilities, each individual has

developed his or her own system of documentation for the Consumers. So there

is no standard system for Liberty Resources to collect the required information.

Meanwhile, speaking of communication and coordination, the system is excessively

paper-based, the structure is really outdated and unsystematic. For example, the

way the director of the transition process assigns new Consumers is based solely on

a piece of paper. This prevents the Advocates from being consistent with their

own documentation tools (notebooks, cellphones, etc.).


To understand the nature of Advocates’ work from their perspectives.

• How do they document?

• How does the current system work?

• What is the detailed transition process?

• Where does the system break down?

Research Goal


Question & Answer Notes from 5 focused interviews with Advocates.

Shadowing and Focused Interview

I learned a lot as an observer at the 1st advocate meeting, because it got to the

heart of how the current system works. Additionally, I reached out 5 advocates as

my main contacts and set up my Research Goal for the following research task.

The research tools that I used

are shadowing and focused

interviews with the Advocates.

I designed 8 questions

according to the research goal

and Question&Answer notes

to keep myself organized and

informed.

Shadowing the Advocate, Gary Isaac @ Cheltenham Nursing Home. 03/1/2012

Braindump about the Advocacy System.

After 5 focused interviews and 6 shadowings at 4 nursing facilities and 1 I.D. agency,

I started mapping out the observation, connection and deduction in my mind.

Braindump after shadowings and focused interviews with 5 Advocates. 03/23/2012


Braindump about the Design Opportunities, Potential Solution & Next Step.

“The required forms include Outreach Form,

MFP Form and Narrative Log. And I have to

make copies of them because paper work

easily got lost at Liberty Resources.”

Herman Dawning

“The most challenging part is to remember

each consumer’s situation. I have 4 new con-

sumer’s every month; that’s a lot of work. The

Liberty Cards are off the hook, and I tried secret-

ly keeping one so that I can use the checklist to

track my consumers.”

Virginia Simmons

“I make my notes on iPhone, transferring it to

the computer. Then I edit the contents and e-

mail it to my coordinator. I back up with a driver

every month. It’s easier than using all the pa-

per because I’m not good at handwriting.”

Michelle Mclandee

Meaningful Statements & Key findings

Separate required forms easily got

missed by the Advocates and the

staff at Liberty Resources.

Don’t remember how much

identification has been collected

and where the Consumer is in the

process.

Using iPhone, computer, and email

is easier than using all the paper,

because of the limitation in writing.

“My old files were lost. They are useless. I

save my consumer’s contact information in my

cellphone. Also, I let them have my name and

number (via a random piece of paper) before

I leave.”

Gary Isaac

“Most consumers are not thinking actively

straight. They hate nursing homes, but also

hesitate and fear to move out, feeling like it’s

the end. It was a big impact on the consum-

ers when I shared my 6 year’s experience

in nursing homes; I was where they are at.”

“I usually meet my consumers at identification

agencies if they have paratransit service, but it

always takes some time to explain where

the agencies are located and sometimes I

need to be at a nursing home to show them

how to get on CCT if it’s their first time.”

Maria Bottigile

No unified way to give out the con-

tact information of Advocates at

Liberty Resources.

Big impact on a consumer if the

Advocate can share his/her

experience of transition and

encourage them.

It takes long time to explain to a

Consumer where all the I.D.

agencies are located and how to

transport there.


The Transition Process from nursing facilities to the community consists of

three phases: “ID Collection,” “Housing Program,” and “Last Step to

Community.”

Transition Process

* Consumers should start 2A & 2B simultaneously.

I.D. Collection1

Intake Form

Non-driverLicense

MFP Form

Outreach Form

Paratransit(Optional)

Social Security Card

BirthCertifi cate

MedicalRecord

Housing Program A2A

1. Housing Application

2. Submit to PHA

3. Choosing a new home

4. Security deposit for new home

5. Signing new home lease (A Copy to Norma)

6. Applying for funds and getting approval

7. Requesting a check from Felicia

8. Getting key from landlord

Housing Program B2B

1. Enroll with Maximus

1) Maximus and PCA provide assessment

3) Choose support provider through Maximus.

2) Maximus arranges County Assistant Offi ce to provide fi nancial assessment.

3. Norma contacts Maximus for SC Agency + staff from Liberty Resources + the consumer in nursing home.

4. Support provider assessment of support services needed + home mod + set discharge date based on mod dates.

2. Maximus sends assessments to State, if it is approved, it will be sent to chosen support provider.

Last Step to Community3

1. Discharge Meeting - Gather a 2 weeks’ supply of medication

3) Support providers nurses refer consumer to community resources.

1) Complete a wheelchair evaluation

2) NHT Services - Liberty Resources

4) Support provider sends report to the State for approval.

2. Before you move out

1) Setting up a bank account

2) Acquiring furniture and other household items

3) Moving to your new home

4) Move out day

5) Shop for groceries

6) Move belongings

Based on our work from last semester, I interviewed the director of the transition

process, Norma, to make sure each detailed step was accurate. I then revised and

digitized the entire process, as a transition map.

Map of Transition Process. 04/17/2012



To improve the efficiency of the Advocacy System and

speed up the Transition Process for Consumers

became the goal of the project.

Digitize the whole Advocacy System of Transition

Process at LRI by building a bridge between a

paper-based system and digital technology.

Discovery

This research and synthesis process has been quite inspiring because it got to the

heart of how the Advocates work. It presents so many details about the challeng-

es in the internal system. The problems of inefficiency and inconsistency stood

out. Hence, I discovered that my role is to help the advocates streamline what

they do and change the nature of the task, that is, to improve the efficiency of

the Advocacy System as well as to speed up the transition process.

I realized that the original idea of the iPad App design is quite beyond

where the current system was, and I felt the need to build a bridge

between the current paper-based system and the “high-tech” digital

solution.

Implementation

03Prototype + Test

Advocate’s Booklet The Road to Independence

Further developed prototype Conceptual prototype

1 2

Building a bridge between the

paper-based system and

digital technology.

Exploring the digital solution

for the Advocacy System.

36 | Prototype + Test

Advocate’s Booklet

Building a bridge between the paper-based system and digital technology.

1

The editing process of the “Advocate’s Booklet.”

The Advocate’s Booklets have two versions:

One is “Monthly tracking form”, which is more like a

master booklet with an overview of all Consum-

ers’ information that were assigned by the coordina-

tor in a month.

The other one is “Consumer tracking form”, which is

more like “one for one document,” which means one

Advocate, one booklet for one Consumer. It provides all

required forms, Narrative Logs, identifications and “How

To” steps that one Consumer need for the Transition

Process. It also has a piece that focuses on Con-

sumer, so the Advocate can rip it off and leave it with

the Consumer.

The Advocate’s Booklet turned out to be the

first step towards the whole new digital sys-

tem in the future.

It was designed as a paper-based booklet.

Specifically, I used normal conventions of 8

and half by 11 paper and Tabloid. Because

it could work better in the Advocates’ paper

system.

However, it was also designed in the

structure that would lead the Advocates

to think about the future digital portion.

Advocate’s BookletConsumer Tracking Form

Liberty SupportYour First Steps to Living Independently

I used to live in four different nursing homes for five years because of my terrible health condition. I was losing all my hope until one day I started my transition process with Liberty Resources. I realized that even though I was that sick, I still had my rights and choices. And I tried my best to move out! Now I’m on my own, living in my own apartment. SueAugust, 2010

My experience with nursing home made me feel so frustrated. I had stayed there for 7 years and the food I had was terrible. I always wanted to leave and I had waited for such a long time! Still I’m glad that I can make it! Now, I can shop with my friends in any grocery store. Yes, I did it, so can you!GlendaDecember, 2009

I used to abuse my body because I thought it was turning against me. I was so unsatisfied with my life until one day I attended an activity hosted at Liberty Resources with other people with disabilities. After seeing others with even more limitations than me, living happily in the community. I realized how stupid of me before! And I decided to be grateful for the life I have.MarshaMay, 2008

Inspiring Stories!

Advocate’s BookletMonthly Tracking Form




1


Brainstorm the structure of “Advocate’s Booklet.” 04/17/2012 The user scenario of the “Advocate’s Booklet.”



1


Testing the “Advocate’s Booklet” on Advocate Meeting. 04/20/2012 Feedback from the Advocates. 04/20/2012

• Virginia:

• Maria:

• Gary:

• Norma:

The checklist is an excellent reminder, keeping her from losing the documents.

Thorough design & quite self-explanatory.

Stories and pictures will support the Consumer to have more faith in process.

The checklist helps Liberty Resources track Advocates’ work.


Exploring the digital solution for the Advocacy System @ Liberty Resources.


2

Brainstorm the digital design patterns which can meet the needs. 04/01/2012

THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCESEARCH ABOUT LIBERTY RESOURCES FEEDBACKHELPLOG IN

TRANSITION MAP

Consumer A Paratransit

Consumer B Social Security Card

Non-driver License

Liberty Resources

Consumer C Birth Certificate

Consumer D

Consumer E

YOUR CURRENT CONSUMERS INSPIRING STORIES HOW TO

In the Transition Process

In the Community

No longer in Transition

CONSUMER DATABASE

Consumer F

Consumer G

Consumer H

Consumer Y

Your Current Consumers

Consumer A

Consumer B

Information Architecture of “The Road to independence“

When I was in the process of creating the Advocate’s Booklets, I also had

my eye on the iPad App as a digital possibility.

Wireframe of “The Road to independence“


Exploring the digital solution for the Advocacy System @ Liberty Resources.


2

The user scenario of the “The Road to Independence.”

https://vimeo.com/41817019

http://vimeo.com/41817019

Documents

The Road to Independence - Systems Design