INTRODUCTION
Bloom: Health and Hygiene Guide
In Indian society, the socialisation for young girls doesn't include talking about reproductive health at home and school which further abstains them to express themselves among their peers. This creates the stigma and hesitation around this topic which creates a gap in their knowledge. Bloom was designed to bridge that gap.
SOLUTION
A system that gives young adult women access to credible information, products and healthcare professionals. A reproductive health and hygiene guide which entails a monthly subscription kit and an app.
DURATION
4 Months ( September 21' - December 21')
ROLE
Researcher, UX Designer
THEMES
Healthcare, System Design, Social Impact
BREAKDOWN
ORGANIZATION
Pre-Thesis, Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology
PROBLEM
“Condoms promise safe sex, but the safest sex is through faithfulness to one’s partner.”
- Harsh Vardhan ( Minister of Health and Family Welfare India 2019-2021)
For generations, talking about sex and women’s health in India has been looked at with a lens of judgment. This judgment is so ingrained in people’s minds that they fail to acknowledge the severity of practicing safe sex and proper hygiene methods. The importance in India is given to concepts like virginity and it's ties to community and family honor.
The male-dominated society has made sure to define what women are supposed to do with their body. Every individual deserves a chance , irrespective of their gender, age, religion, orientation, education and financial background to live a healthy life.
USER GROUP
This project focuses on 18-24 year old's with female reproductive system belonging to upper-middle class Indian families.
Methods Used: User Persona, Stakeholders Analysis, Empathy map
RESEARCH
Methods Used: Secondary Research, Expert Interviews (5 Healthcare professionals), Contextual Inquiry, Myth Vs Fact Survey (50 female participants), Google Survey (100 female participants), Focus Group (10 female participants). Some of the top findings-
AWARENESS
38 out of 50 participants
Didn’t know that there are chances of getting pregnant during periods. ( Primary research- survey)
23 out of 50 participants
Do not know that pads can cause Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). (Primary research- survey)
20 out of 50 participants
Do not know that some Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) can be cured by antibiotics. Some of them even think that all Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) are fatal. ( Primary research- survey)
SURROUNDING FACTORS
Parents of only 30% of participants had spoken to their children about sexual health, hygiene, contraceptives, consent etc. Around 60% schools didn’t even have a sex education class. This was in context to urban cities. These numbers fall further when you take the whole country into consideration. ( Primary research- survey)
Stills from the focus groups conducted in person to understand what the user group knows about the general topics of women gynecology
Screenshot from the focus groups conducted online to discuss PCOS
ANALYSIS
Stigma and Judgement lead to hesitation and ignorance
Lack of Government and Schools initiatives are the base of the issue
System faults hinder prevention and patient experience
Myths lead to misinformed decisions
Awareness is the most important
Affinity mapping conducted to understand all the points gathered.
How might we create awareness and a safe space amongst young adult women regarding reproductive health and hygiene so that they interact with and have access to credible information, healthcare and products?
IDEATION
Methods Used: Co-Creation, Speed Ideation, Role Storming, Rapid ideation, Reverse Storming, Lotus Blossom
SOLUTION
Bloom is a system that gives young adult women access to credible information, products and healthcare professionals. The system entails a monthly subscription kit and an app. The app is used to order the kit, connect with healthcare professionals and interact with credible information. This system is run by Artificial intelligence.
The system starts when AI filters out the information and removes data with lousy sources and origins. The filtered data is then sorted and sent to specialised healthcare professionals who verify the data. The healthcare professionals get patients and a share of the profits in exchange. All the verified data is then arranged for the app.
The app gives the user important information that they should know. They order personalised kits monthly with genuine products that are already in the market. This system allows users to gain awareness while using genuine products and interacting with credible data.
DEVELOPMENT
In the current scenario, young adult women have to go through various channels to access products, information and healthcare professionals. With Bloom, the users have access to all credible products and information with a layer of protection that the system brings.This system is called bloom as the transition of a girl to women is a natural process like a bud blooming.
App Development
The app was designed to give the users access to credible information and products. The app will give users personalised product recommendations, detailed product information, doctor's appointment on fingertips, relevant information and it also is the access point of the kit.
Kit Development
The Bloom kit is a personalised monthly subscription kit with reproductive health and hygiene products. This kit curates the top-rated products that the user chooses. The kit comes with guides of any new products the user is trying. The guide is textual and has a QR code that will take the users to a video explaining the same thing.
USER TESTING
User testing was an essential part of the development. Each user testing helped the kit and the app become more personalised.
Stage 1
The first stage of user testing was done to find out the users preferred medium. They chose an app as it is more personalised and convenient. Different packaging and colour themes were also tested.
Stage 2
The users were shown the prototype of the kit and the app.
The kit had different kinds of product packaging. Users showed inclination towards video messages. They were also interested in gifting options. The doctor confirmed their involvement and stated that monetary benefit was a requirement.
Stage 3
This was the last stage of user testing. The final kit and app was tested on the users. They were all satisfied. This testing also helped establish goals for the future. The testing with the doctors confirmed their interest.
PROCESS MAPS
System Map, Scenario Map, User Journey Map, Backhand System Map, User Flow, SWOT Analysis, Business Model Canvas, and Lotus Blossom.
Click on the maps for a pop up.
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WANT TO KNOW MORE?
1. Introduction Video: Bloom : A health and hygiene guide
2. Research Paper: Prevalence of Cervical Cancer In India
3. Documentation Book: View the full process