This post is part of the FitBees Blog series. Check out our posts on what we are learning from our Steering Group, what we are learning from our users or how we are making a difference if that’s more relevant for you.
FitBees aims to create a solution that makes a tangible difference to people’s lives. To be able to motivate. To be able to empower and motivate under-represented individuals to take ownership of their health, we need to be close to them. That is why FitBees is Being developed with user-centred design at its heart. We have been recruiting participants (via our project partners Hft and Community Housing) who will be in regular contact with us as they try equipment, join group activities, and give us feedback on the development of prototypes.
Our user’s participation is essential to our success. We need their honest contributions along the way about their barriers and frustrations as much as where they might see positive opportunities in our proposals. To get that honest feedback, it’s vital that we create a sense of belonging for them in the project and that they feel part of the exciting creative process of FitBees.
Particularly as we are working with some participants that have learning disabilities, we must consider their specific needs, not just for the tools, content or interfaces that we might ask them to try, but also in the way we communicate with them from the very beginning. Having worked with elderly people before, we have experience at Tendertec of keeping installations and instructions simple, easy to understand and welcoming.
Easy read is about making information easy to understand
Now, with FitBees we have the added benefit of advice and guidance from Hft, as one of the UKs largest charities supporting people with learning disabilities. The development of ‘easy read’ documents has therefore been on our radar as we have drafted and revised our initial forms, questionnaires, and feedback materials.
“At Hft, we regularly use easy read documents to ensure that important information can be understood by everyone. They have been an invaluable tool to ensure that the people we support have the best opportunity to understand and to make informed decisions for themselves” says Ben Williams, Project Coordinator at Hft.
Easy read is about making information easy to understand — simplified, jargon-free, with supporting images and legible font sizes. It sounds simple, but it does take extra care and attention to consider the user context. Ultimately, these principles are about supporting inclusivity. If any document becomes too complex, too detailed, or too difficult to read, it will shut people out and put them off. That is not how we want anyone in FitBees to feel and we are mindful that all user groups should benefit from a ‘universal design’ approach that prioritises simplicity. So, how have we adapted our documents?
The FitBees Consent form & fitness diary
There are two key user-facing documents that we have adapted so far.
Firstly, our consent form inevitably has a lot of information to cover. It has to be technically correct about the responsibilities and parameters of GDPR, equipment use, and participating in physical activities, among other things. The nature of these forms can make them complex, but we need to ensure our participants know what they are agreeing to, so we have created three versions.
First, we have a plain English version, designed as clearly and simply as possible. Second, we have a full easy read version, which breaks down each item into larger-format short statements with clearly indicated points where participants are being asked for consent. Throughout this document, supporting images are alongside each written statement to add further clarity. This document therefore becomes longer, but it means the pace of statements is slowed to 3 or 4 per page, rather than the plain English version which might have 2 whole sections on one page. Third, we have an info-graphic version that summarises the key points of consent and has the contact details for any questions that arise. This ‘small poster’ is designed to be kept to hand by each participant, so they remain aware and informed throughout the project, not just at the beginning.
Using pictures and graphics in this way can also help where English may not be the first or only language across users. Cultural representation needs to be considered alongside, and picture-based documents have been used successfully in other fitness projects to engage older people from diverse ethnic groups. Though translation is an option, anyone who has used an IKEA assembly sheet knows how carefully selected pictures can replace the need for written instruction.
“As a physiotherapist, we have to produce documents in written, pictorial and video formats and address language barriers. This is critical to ensure inclusivity and adherence to exercise programmes for the diverse group of people including those from ethnic minority groups” says Dr Praveen Kumar, Co-investigator from UWE
Our other user-facing document is a fitness diary that we are asking participants to complete during their first two-weeks. Diary studies ask participants to document and reflect on certain aspects of their daily lives over a period of time. Self-documentation (with written documents, photos or video diaries) is personal and can be more honest and revealing than direct interview responses.
Our diaries have been designed to capture a better understanding of our participants and their current fitness routines before we start introducing data from sensors or wearables or intervening with content or encouragement. We have included a simple check-box exercise to gauge levels of confidence in physical activity, one page each day to understand if any type or duration of physical activity was completed, and a page at the end of each week to indicate how participants have been feeling with the use of a ‘smiley scale’ measurement.
“This is a simple way to track your effort and a subjective measure of activity intensity level” says Dr Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu, MBChB, PhD, clinician and senior lecturer at the University of the West of England — Bristol.
Where participants are expected to write, this is clearly indicated with pencil icons or an empty speech bubble. Short and simple explanations have been included to say why we have created the diary document and what it will be used for. Instructions have been supported with imagery — especially where we wanted to ensure that participants understood that ‘physical activity’ for them might be walking to the shops rather than an organised fitness class. It’s important to choose images carefully, for clarity, representation, and appropriateness. To help with this, we have taken advantage of the free image library provided by the Centre for Ageing Better. This has positive and realistic images depicting older people in non-stereotypical ways, which are available for download.
A collaborative relationship that supports inclusive co-design.
Some of our participants will need help completing their diaries, and some may prefer to send photographs rather than write. And we have repeated that there is no sense of ‘right or wrong’ answers — the diaries are not a test. These options and reassurances have been built-in to help participants feel welcome and able to provide us with that honest feedback. And to test that, one of our users with learning difficulties will complete the forms and feedback to us before they are signed-off for use across the participant group.
“When constructing a co-design methodology for physical activity service innovations, it is common practice for motivated, confident and self-invested users to step forward to be part of the co-creation process. This of course is great, but reaching those users who are more fearful and less confident is key to designing sustainable services that will benefit everyone. I’ve been really impressed by Fitbees’ commitment to engaging harder to reach users — both through their inclusive practices and through their insightful identification of those barriers that hold some participants back.” says Julia Glenn, Design Innovation Lead at UKRI’s Healthy Ageing Challenge Fund.
Despite all the work so far, we are aware that further inclusivity options need to be considered. Audio versions might be needed, or different languages might be required. As we are close to our initial group of participants, we can learn and adapt with them to build a collaborative relationship that supports co-design. But we must remember that it is our job to actively engage users in positive and productive ways. The longer-term benefit for the project is that for future customers, we will be ready with features and benefits that are meeting people’s needs across the whole user journey.
“The relationships that the project co-ordinators are building with users are so important to this initial discovery phase of our design process. Considering the user perspective and their experience of FitBees starts at the very beginning when we approach them with our consent forms. That empathy and curiosity about how we meet their needs will continue as we move toward building functions and features.” Lynne Elvins, FitBees User-Centred Design Lead.
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Would you like to become a FitBee?
We are looking for people who are willing to participate — to talk with us, try our technologies, test our ideas, and give us honest feedback and suggestions so we can learn what does and does not work for you.
You do not have to be fit and active already, but ideally you need to be able to stand and walk around in your home unaided. You might already do some physical activities, you might move around very little and would be interested in doing more, or you might really dislike the idea of exercising. Whatever your starting point, we would like to understand more about your daily routines and how our service might help people like you to be more active and more connected.
Collaborate with us
We are looking to speak to organisations who are willing to participate in our Steering group and are representing and/or supporting older people, people with disabilities and those from ethnic minority background. We want to hear from organisations willing to share feedback about the barriers to physical activity, try our technologies, test our ideas, and give us honest suggestions so we can learn what does and doesn’t work for under-represented groups.
Contact Us
Join us at: https://tendertec.org/fitbees/ or drop us an email at contact@fitbees.org
You can follow our updates on Twitter @GetFitBees
