Application for early childhood cognitive development monitoring with integrated pediatric support.

Client

Indiana University (Academic Research)

Role

UX Researcher
Product Designer

Project details

Timeline: August 2022 - February 2023

Team:

Problem

Children with inadequate cognitive development during formative years are at high risk of developing intellectual (cognitive) disabilities.

Therefore, awareness, early detection, and intervention for neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) are essential.

Solution

Meet Crayon, an application to monitor your child's cognitive growth, seamlessly share reports with your selected healthcare professional, and connect with extensive network of pediatricians.

The app innovatively adapts cognitive assessments like the Mullen Scale and BDIST II using VR and gamification. It digitally replicates these techniques as a preliminary screener, not a replacement, reducing risks for parents hesitant due to high costs.

Key Challenges

01 Lack of awareness

Most parents lack awareness of their children's cognitive development and potential issues.

02 High cost of assessment

Cognitive assessment procedures are costly, making them unaffordable for many parents.

03 Overwhelming test procedures

Testing procedures are often overwhelming for kids, leading to lower accuracy.

Proof of Concept

01 Virtual replication of actual test activities

Integrating VR and gamification techniques

I replicated key evaluation activities in a virtual environment. By integrating VR and gamification, we preserved the core logic of cognitive skill assessment while enhancing engagement through game-like difficulty levels. This approach offers a scalable, interactive, and cost-effective alternative for monitoring cognitive development in children.

Lets take an example

The activity shown below is from the Mullen cognitive assessment procedure and is used to evaluate a child’s visual reception skills—the ability to process and interpret visual information. So in the image, the child is prompted to identify an image that resembles the one indicated by the evaluator.

I designed a game called Starry Night to replicate this task, where the child identifies and counts similar stars and planets. The system assesses visual reception skills based on activity complexity and accuracy.

02 Communicating test results

Effective communication and secured data sharing

Challenges

Ensuring users feel secure sharing their details and utilizing the product.

Sharing results with parents in a manner that avoids causing panic, and ensure the tool is perceived as a screening procedure, not a test replacement.

Empowering parents with control over data sharing without compromising safety.

Solution:

The app doesn't provide a diagnosis; it helps parents monitor cognitive development and refers them to specialists if there's a high likelihood of neurocognitive disorders (NCDs).

Securely records test results and maintains strict rules for sharing data with any recipients.

Simplifying details. No technical jargon.

Learnings

01 Understanding all Stakeholders

Understanding parents' perspectives is critical in this child-focused app. Identifying key information for parental understanding allowed us to make informed design decisions, meeting the needs of all users.

02 Communicating Sensitive Information

Despite high accuracy, we were cautious with report details, as it's not a substitute for professional diagnosis. The screening suggests consulting a doctor in medium or high-risk cases, preventing unnecessary panic from the results.

Curious about the journey? Let’s dive deeper

This showcase is merely a glimpse; the true essence lies in the journey itself. If you're intrigued, let's chat—I’ll happily share insights, challenges, and even some juicy gossip from behind the scenes.

Let’s talk