Caregiver Support

OVERVIEW

 

As a respite caregiver for my sister who has a disability, I need to submit timesheets to Lifeworks, a company that supports people and families with disabilities. Due to COVID-19, Lifeworks has introduced Pavillio, an EVV (Electronic Visit Verification - proving you provided homecare visits) timesheet mobile app, which allows employees to track and submit their timesheets.

 

 Problem

While the app must follow the EVV standards and county laws to validate work authenticity from home, it is coded in a way that also reduces the agency of the user.

Keeping track of the number of hours per work day is tiresome and forgetful. Users desire a more quick and efficient pathway to get their timesheets approved so they can get paid without being restricted from fixing any accidents.

 

Solution

My goal is to prototype my own version of a time tracker app that will help users efficiently manage their timesheets. My UX journey is intended to bring back control to the user so they can be more accurate and intentional with time tracking while also allowing them to address any accidents.

I will achieve this goal by researching through a Comparative Analysis, a Heuristic Evaluation, Primary User Research, and a Kano Survey. Then I will design the app through an Information Architecture Diagram and Wireframing in efforts to create an Interactive Prototype in Figma.

SYNOPSIS

Client: Self-defined (Lifeworks and/or Pavillio)

Role: UX Designer & Researcher

    • Find potential features through a Comparative Analysis

    • Learn about the Pavillio app through a Heuristic Evaluation.

    • Interview with caregivers and supervisors who either use the app or similar tools.

    • Prioritize new features using a Kano Survey.

    • Map the model of the app in an Information Architecture Diagram.

    • Create wireframes of low to high fidelity.

    • Produce an interactive prototype of key features.

    • Deliver a presentation of the solo project.

    • Deep Dive Research

    • Comparative Analysis

    • Heuristic Evaluation

    • Primary User Research

    • Kano Analysis/Survey

    • Wireframing

    • Information Architecture Diagram

    • Interactive Prototyping

    • Kanban

  • FigJam, Figma, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, Zoom, Google Forms, Pen & Paper

THE JOURNEY

Click to scroll down the page and follow my UX journey

  • 1 - DEEP DIVE RESEARCH

    What am I working with?

    Show me

  • 2 - COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

    Finding what works

    Show me

  • 3 - HUERISTIC ANALYSIS

    Where can the app do better?

    Show me

  • 4 - PRIMARY USER RESEARCH

    What the users have to say

    Show me

  • 5 - WIREFRAMING & IA DIAGRAM

    Visualizing the Future

    Show me

  • 6 - PROTOTYPE PRESENTATION

    Delivering the Product

    Show me

  • CONCLUSION

    What I learned/ What’s Next

    Show me

DEEP DIVE RESEARCH

What am I working with?

My Findings

In order to find a deeper understanding of the current Pavillio app, I quickly read through various rating reviews, the developer’s website (Cashe Software), and the app itself.

Based on my initial research, the Pavillio application is in its early-mid phases of development despite already being widely used, and there are many areas of opportunity for it to grow. In order to determine what types of features will support the redesigned application, I did a Comparative Audit as my next method of research.

 

    • According to their website, Cashé Software is Minnesota’s leading provider of agency management software for home and community-based services agencies, such as providing their clients with electronic employee timecards.

    • With a 2.4 rating in the Google Play Store, users are concerned about various bugs and missing features. The ratings are either skewed towards 1 star or 5 star reviews, with no middle-ground.

    • Pavilio must comply with the EVV (Electronic Visit Verification) standards to ensure the user authenticates their home-care visitations. This includes providing information about the visit such as the location, time, recipient’s name, type of service, etc.

    • The application meets the EVV standard with signature verification and necessary information about visitations, but also restricts the user from fixing errors.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Finding What Works

EVV Systems Map Screen

List of Comparatives

  • Serenova - helps call centers and create a better experience for their employees.

  • Microsoft Forms - customizable submission forms.

  • Replicon - time tracking software that suite a wide variety of businesses.

  • EVV Systems - mobile workforce management system for home-care.

  • Timesheet Mobile - markets with a mobile health care app for home-care visitations.

Potential Features

  • Timesheet Mobile has a flexible geofencing radius for the user to customize.

  • EVV Systems include various functions such as customizable notifications, real time tracking, and reports & payroll analytics.

  • Replicon includes flowcharts for process management.

  • Serenova clocks in and out based on a status of work.

HEURISTIC EVALUATION

Where can the app do better?

Results of the Evaluation

I chose a list of heuristics defined by Susan Weinschenk and Dean Barker. This includes 20 types of qualifications to analyze the apps current usability.

Using my own account in Pavillio, I completed different tasks such as editing or submitting a timesheet while taking into account where the app needs improvement or already excels at.

The results of my research has shown that while the app is simple to perceive, the user can struggle with unpredictability, inflexible errors, visual cut-outs, and lack of feedback.

 

Example

The app needs to have size variations to suite different phone types, as shown in this image where the title of the page is cut out.

PRIMARY USER RESEARCH & KANO ANALYSIS

What the users have to say

Users’ Perspectives on the App or General Time-tracking:

 

I separately scheduled 3 interviews with primary users: 2 caregivers and 1 supervisor. The two caregivers are familiar with the app while the supervisor is not, and one of the caregivers is familiar with how a supervisor uses the app.

 
 
“The user should not need to spend so much time in this app.”
— Caregiver/ Supervisor 1
 
“I just make the timesheets from scratch to avoid having to edit it.”
— Caregiver 2
 
“I just want to get paid at the end of the day.”
— Supervisor 3
 

Takeaways

One big takeaway from these interviews is that users do not want to stay in the app for too long. They want to quickly submit their timesheets so they can get paid, then log out. So a desirable solution to their needs would be to clarify what type of states the timesheets can be in (pending, rejected, approved…) and streamlining the submission process while giving them a clear call to action on what to expect next.

Prioritized Features

I sent each interviewee a survey made in Google Forms then compiled their feedback in a Kano Analysis to prioritize which features I would focus towards. The resulting focus features are adding a calendar and adjusting the editable timesheets.

WIREFRAMING & IA DIAGRAMING

Visualizing the Future

Wireframing Challenges

What challenged me the most during wireframing was plotting how the calendar would appear and organize the timesheets. It needed to be formatted in a way to show the status of a timesheets, the recipient, dates and time, and filters. I had to revisit my Deep Dive Research and determine the different types of states the timesheets can become (pending, approved, rejected, etc…) so I can visualize the filter system. I also decided to use a close-up view of a calendar rather than an overview of the month so I can make the timesheets more quickly accessible. 

Inspiration Source

While I was creating my wireframes in Figma, I took inspiration from other calendars and timesheet mobile app designs on a website called Dribble. This helped me move my wireframes from mid-fidelity to high-fidelity.

PROTOTYPE PRESENTATION

Check out my presentation on the solo project!

At the end of my project, I made a 5 min presentation of how I finished my interactive prototype.

You can try the prototype yourself and go through the steps of editing a timesheet and/or view the presentation slides in the links below.

Conclusion

 

To better support caregivers who perform homecare visits and need a way to track their time, my solo project is designed to bring control to the user to they can quickly manage and submit their timesheets. With my proposed features in the redesigned Timesheet Mobile App, caregivers and supervisors can end the day with a sense of security. As a result, the Pavillio app can market more tools to support their clients.

 

What I Learned

  • Managing Time and Productivity between interviews and designing.

  • Learning EVV standards, and how unique managing timesheets becomes for home visit purposes.

  • Using a new Heuristics List from Susan Weinschenk and Dean Barker rather than repeating with Jakob’s 10 Heuristics.

  • Clarifying the flexibility of roles the users are active in (a user can be both a recipient and supervisor for example).

  • Presenting a story about a solution for the app and its redesign concerning features such as the Edit function and a Calendar format.

What’s Next/Future Possibilities

  • Incorporate new features or adjust existing ones to the prototype.

  • Add a travel receipt feature for users who track travel expenses for homecare visitations (inspired from my project with SpurConnect).

  • If possible, hold a client stakeholder meeting with either Lifeworks or the creators of Pavillio.